Student looking to purchase Powerbook

ironmentalityironmentality
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
I am going to be a Freshman in College and have decided that a Powerbook is the way to go. I'll be getting the one with the 15.2" Widescreen. (I fell in love with it after messing around with the OS at my local Micro Center)



Regardless, is there another revision to the Powerbook coming out? I ask because it seems that the .mac deal ends on Sept. 25th, the Cram and Jam deal ends on Sept. 25th (if you buy an iPod and an iBook or PowerBook you get an extra $200 mail-in rebate).



Now with the iMac G5 just being 2 inches thick, and talks of dual core G4's and the like, I am just curious! I don't want to spend thousands of dollars and then be have much less powerful technology for school.



Any insight would be appreciated.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    monkeyastronautmonkeyastronaut Posts: 1,343member
    You could buy a PowerBook G4 with a 15-inch screen for $2000 dollars...



    or... get a $1300 iMac G5... You save $700. Then, you save $400 dollars and buy a $1100 iBook G4 for your mobile needs.



    That's what I'd do. But that's just me.
  • Reply 2 of 14
    engine joeengine joe Posts: 52member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by IronMentality

    I am going to be a Freshman in College and have decided that a Powerbook is the way to go. I'll be getting the one with the 15.2" Widescreen. (I fell in love with it after messing around with the OS at my local Micro Center)



    Regardless, is there another revision to the Powerbook coming out? I ask because it seems that the .mac deal ends on Sept. 25th, the Cram and Jam deal ends on Sept. 25th (if you buy an iPod and an iBook or PowerBook you get an extra $200 mail-in rebate).



    Now with the iMac G5 just being 2 inches thick, and talks of dual core G4's and the like, I am just curious! I don't want to spend thousands of dollars and then be have much less powerful technology for school.



    Any insight would be appreciated.



    I don't think the powerbook revision is going to be immediate - they still have some battery power issues to work out, even if they have solved the heat/space issue (as seen in the iMac G5). I think you're seeing the end of the .mac and C&J deals because they're for people like yourself - back to schoolers - and as of the end of September, most everyone will have made their purchases already... so there's no reason to keep the deal rolling.



    Just my thoughts.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    whisperwhisper Posts: 735member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by monkeyastronaut

    You could buy a PowerBook G4 with a 15-inch screen for $2000 dollars...



    or... get a $1300 iMac G5... You save $700. Then, you save $400 dollars and buy a $1100 iBook G4 for your mobile needs.



    That's what I'd do. But that's just me.



    That's not a bad idea at all. If I was in the market for a PowerBook, I'd give your idea some serious consideration.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    fred_ljfred_lj Posts: 607member
    I second that one! A good time to get a deal, if I were looking.
  • Reply 5 of 14
    rhumgodrhumgod Posts: 1,289member
    If you need it for school, get it. I use a 12" PowerBook (867MHz) and it is nice. It is plenty fast. When the G5 comes out, I may look into that (probably not right away....give them about 6 months to figure any issues out) then buy one. I don't need one now though. I may WANT one now, but that is neither here nor there.
  • Reply 6 of 14
    monkeyastronautmonkeyastronaut Posts: 1,343member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Whisper

    That's not a bad idea at all. If I was in the market for a PowerBook, I'd give your idea some serious consideration.



    I actually realized that after I bought my PowerBook G4 (15-inch screen) 17 months ago. For about the same kind of money I spent for the PowerBook, I could have gotten an eMac and an iBook.



    Makes you think about it, huh?
  • Reply 7 of 14
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    get the iBook+iPod deal before it expires and then get a G5 iMac when they come out mid-September
  • Reply 8 of 14
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Get a PowerBook now! One computer is easier than two and unless your doing serious graphic work or working with movies a PowerBook G4 will be incredibly fast. Get the high spec one (1.5GHz and backlit). I'm personally waiting for the PowerBook G5, but my current iMac (the last CRT) is getting very slow in Photoshop and Illustrator so i may have to stop waiting. Take the plunge!
  • Reply 9 of 14
    ironmentalityironmentality Posts: 6member
    The PB G5 won't be out for awhile as specified by Apple. However, the G4 15.2" Widescreen with the 1.5 Ghz G4 processor is surely very nicely designed... and is more than ample for what I need a laptop for. (Word Processing, and Internet use -- occassional DVD viewing).



    Especially with Cram and Jam it really makes it worthwile + my educational discount. The G5 PB will likely also go for sale by the time my 2nd year of College rolls around -- and I'll likely spring for that update as well.



    The Mac is surely better for Word Processing, and for the weight of the unit along with it's display is better than any PC equivalent available.



    Appreciate the comments and feedback.
  • Reply 10 of 14
    lawrenceglawrenceg Posts: 13member
    In the uk we tend to head back to uni a bit later so our cram and jam offer runs until 2nd November. I reckon if we are going to see an update it won't be before then
  • Reply 11 of 14
    pbg4 dudepbg4 dude Posts: 1,611member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MacCrazy

    Get a PowerBook now! One computer is easier than two and unless your doing serious graphic work or working with movies a PowerBook G4 will be incredibly fast. Get the high spec one (1.5GHz and backlit). I'm personally waiting for the PowerBook G5, but my current iMac (the last CRT) is getting very slow in Photoshop and Illustrator so i may have to stop waiting. Take the plunge!



    Actually, the PowerBooks have much more powerful video than the iMac, so I believe the PowerBook would be better if you are using the GPU. As far as CPU / buss speeds are concerned, how much faster is a 1.6GHz G5 with 533MHz buss compared to a 1.5GHz G4 with a 200MHz buss? Does anyone have spec or other benchmark numbers comparing these two CPU / buss setups?



    Both the iMac & PowerBook can hold 2GB RAM, but the PowerBook has FW800, GB ENet + Airport Extreme & bluetooth are built in. Add in the true portability of the PowerBook and I think it still comes out ahead of the new iMac.



    (At least, this is what I'm telling myself!)
  • Reply 12 of 14
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,823member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PBG4 Dude

    Actually, the PowerBooks have much more powerful video than the iMac, so I believe the PowerBook would be better if you are using the GPU. As far as CPU / buss speeds are concerned, how much faster is a 1.6GHz G5 with 533MHz buss compared to a 1.5GHz G4 with a 200MHz buss? Does anyone have spec or other benchmark numbers comparing these two CPU / buss setups?



    Both the iMac & PowerBook can hold 2GB RAM, but the PowerBook has FW800, GB ENet + Airport Extreme & bluetooth are built in. Add in the true portability of the PowerBook and I think it still comes out ahead of the new iMac.



    (At least, this is what I'm telling myself!)



    I teach in university from a PB 12.1". Cannot speak highly enough of this machine (bought 6 months old on eBay). Perfect computer for this environment. By the way, even though the screen is a little restricted in pixel size, I can drive class room video projectors at much higher resolutions. You could plug the PB into an external monitor for the same effect back in your room. I have a 20" Cinema display and again, beautiful. It is an Apple after all! My system is 1GHz with 256Mb of RAM, enough for a single user. I play a Quicktime file occasionally that is 310MB in size, PB doesn't miss a beat. Battery life is great, I have 7 contact hours one day which the PB just about gets through. Trust my opinion? I put the cold hard cash down and am very satisfied!



    Hope your studies go well.8)
  • Reply 13 of 14
    maccrazymaccrazy Posts: 2,658member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by PBG4 Dude

    Actually, the PowerBooks have much more powerful video than the iMac, so I believe the PowerBook would be better if you are using the GPU. As far as CPU / buss speeds are concerned, how much faster is a 1.6GHz G5 with 533MHz buss compared to a 1.5GHz G4 with a 200MHz buss? Does anyone have spec or other benchmark numbers comparing these two CPU / buss setups?



    Both the iMac & PowerBook can hold 2GB RAM, but the PowerBook has FW800, GB ENet + Airport Extreme & bluetooth are built in. Add in the true portability of the PowerBook and I think it still comes out ahead of the new iMac.



    (At least, this is what I'm telling myself!)



    I was talking about the CRT iMac, what's the relevance of the quote (i know other people were talking about getting an iMac and an iBook). That is just silly though, cos you have the hassle of two computers and not the video out capabilities!
  • Reply 14 of 14
    idebaseridebaser Posts: 121member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by IronMentality

    The PB G5 won't be out for awhile as specified by Apple. However, the G4 15.2" Widescreen with the 1.5 Ghz G4 processor is surely very nicely designed... and is more than ample for what I need a laptop for. (Word Processing, and Internet use -- occassional DVD viewing).



    Especially with Cram and Jam it really makes it worthwile + my educational discount. The G5 PB will likely also go for sale by the time my 2nd year of College rolls around -- and I'll likely spring for that update as well.



    The Mac is surely better for Word Processing, and for the weight of the unit along with it's display is better than any PC equivalent available.



    Appreciate the comments and feedback.



    go with the 1.5Ghz 15" PB and iPod deal...simply has all that u need as a student...i'm a student w/ a PB and wireless internet is the best!!...you'll be better off w/ one...u won't always work at your desk (you're a freshman, your dorm room will most likely suck) you'll wanna type your papers at the library or on your friend's bed or the lounge while u do laundry or at the student union w/ your classmates...see what i mean?
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