Compaqs and Macs
Hello there!
I currently have a Compaq Presario 1200 that I got in 2000. Since that time, it has given me a lot of trouble, including crashing 3 times. People have had so many problems with my same model laptop that my local Best Buy has refused to repair them anymore.
I am interested in buying an Apple iBook, but I am unsure of where to start, what exactly I need in a notebook, and how to get the best deal because of this.
I am decently computer-literate, but when it comes to speeds and RAM and things, I am completely lost. I am unsure how to find out the specifications of my Presario. I keep seeing things like G3 and G4 and G5 and I am not sure what the difference is between them, and which one would best suit me. I do not need the notebook to be super-speedy, but I would like it to be decently fast (aka. same or better speed than my Presario).
Basically I'm just looking for some purchasing help/advice, and someone to explain to me the computer lingo!
Thanks so much!
I currently have a Compaq Presario 1200 that I got in 2000. Since that time, it has given me a lot of trouble, including crashing 3 times. People have had so many problems with my same model laptop that my local Best Buy has refused to repair them anymore.
I am interested in buying an Apple iBook, but I am unsure of where to start, what exactly I need in a notebook, and how to get the best deal because of this.
I am decently computer-literate, but when it comes to speeds and RAM and things, I am completely lost. I am unsure how to find out the specifications of my Presario. I keep seeing things like G3 and G4 and G5 and I am not sure what the difference is between them, and which one would best suit me. I do not need the notebook to be super-speedy, but I would like it to be decently fast (aka. same or better speed than my Presario).
Basically I'm just looking for some purchasing help/advice, and someone to explain to me the computer lingo!
Thanks so much!
Comments
The G3 is a 32 bit CPU.
The G4 is a 32 bit CPU with a 128bit vector execution unit known as Altivec (from Freescale?).
The G5 is a 64 bit CPU also with Altivec technology.
You really need to choose screen size more than anything.
I personally find a 12" screen frustratingly small as I normally have 4 or 5 terminal windows open blah blah.
Make sure you have at least 512MB memory as your computer will just run that bit smoother(just like XP).
I would recommend the 14" iBook (1.33Mhz cpu) with Combo drive as I don't have a need to burn DVD's and you can always buy an aftermarket DVD burner with either USB or Firewire for the difference in price.
Hope this helps.
Dobby.
They are Apple Certified, but I am not sure if I should trust them. On the other hand, not all refurbished computers are bad. I am looking for a great system for a not too out of this world price.
I have a ghetto hookup going on as the screen on the Compaq is broken and it is hooked to a HP desktop monitor. The screen is $750 to fix, and for that price, I could easily spend $200 to $300 more and get a brand new laptop, which is what I'm looking to do.
Originally posted by aerith86
What kind of deal are refurbished clamshell iBooks that have 320 MB and a G3?
They are Apple Certified, but I am not sure if I should trust them. On the other hand, not all refurbished computers are bad. I am looking for a great system for a not too out of this world price.
I have a ghetto hookup going on as the screen on the Compaq is broken and it is hooked to a HP desktop monitor. The screen is $750 to fix, and for that price, I could easily spend $200 to $300 more and get a brand new laptop, which is what I'm looking to do.
The clamshell ibooks are oooooooold. OS X would not be a particularly great experience on it. Perhaps you are talking about the G3 ibooks from 1.5 years ago? You would be far better off to shell out the money for a current low-end ibook in my opinion.
Originally posted by Flounder
The clamshell ibooks are oooooooold. OS X would not be a particularly great experience on it.
Jaguar 10.2.6 flies on my original 300 MHz 288 MB tangerine clamshell. The only reason I'm not running Panther is because it probably wouldn't fit on my 3 gig HD. But Photoshop works great, there is no lag in any of OS X's graphics (genie-effects, dock movement, etc.)
The only thing that sometimes crashes is Safari 1.0, which would obviously not be a problem if you got Panther.
--B
I'm totally clueless. I'm a newbie to Macs and I've been attempting to learn the lingo.
I'm not talking about getting the newest Mac on the market or the flashiest -- I just need something attractive that runs nicely without the risk of yearly crashing and problems a la Compaq. I do a bit of graphic-making with PSP/paint/Adobe but nothing too serious, but other than that I don't do anything hard-drive consuming. No computer games or anything.
Email, blogging, chatting, surfing the web, typing up documents and a bit of website making with Notebook and graphics with PSP is all that I do on this computer.
Originally posted by aerith86
Safari? Jaguar? Panther? OS X?
Safari is the Mac internet browser. It's very fast and elegant.
Jaguar, Panther and Tiger are the three releases of Mac OS X (think 98, XP...) that you should know about. Jaguar (OS X 10.2) was released a year or so before Panther (10.3), the current release, and everything right now is about Panther. In the 1st half of next year, they will release Tiger (10.4).
If you don't play games, then you should be just fine with an old machine. Just remember that even if mine has lasted 5 years, that doesn't mean that all of them will. Laptop components do not usually have the lifespan that desktops do.
--B
--B
Originally posted by aerith86
I'm going to be a broke college student in a half-year, so my budget doesn't really allow for buying a $1,200 computer
Well, I don't know if this makes it low enough but your pricing is a little wrong. The low-end ibook costs $1000, which is reduced to $950 with an education discount.
Also, although they don't have any ibooks now, apple also sells refurbs. Often they'll be a ibook from the previous generation for $750, $800 or something like that.
Plus, sometimes when you're in college, you have to say "what's a few hundred dollars more of debt matter anyways?"
Originally posted by Flounder
Plus, sometimes when you're in college, you have to say "what's a few hundred dollars more of debt matter anyways?"
For someone like me, it means that much more time as someones debter. which means that much more time enslaved financialy to someone else which means more years of working long hrs to just break even at a net value of >0. DEBT SUCKS AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS...THAT IS WHY I STILL USE A 700mhz celeron. because i HATE DEBT...That is why I drive a 14 year old car, it is paid for, that is also the main reason I stil live at home while attending school, because my parents also want to help me stay debt free, going through school without debt is not easy at all, but in the end, I will be ahead for it.
It is very portable and very fast for most (non-3d graphic) purposes, and it is very competitively priced compared to pc's in the same class.
I have had both the 'clamshell' iBook and the previous G3 iBook models and I must tell you I haven't been perfectly happy until now, with my iBook G4. The older models just didn't have the power for serious work. Also, a new model will give you the latest OS included, and a warranty.
Originally posted by a_greer
For someone like me, it means that much more time as someones debter. which means that much more time enslaved financialy to someone else which means more years of working long hrs to just break even at a net value of >0. DEBT SUCKS AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS...THAT IS WHY I STILL USE A 700mhz celeron. because i HATE DEBT...That is why I drive a 14 year old car, it is paid for, that is also the main reason I stil live at home while attending school, because my parents also want to help me stay debt free, going through school without debt is not easy at all, but in the end, I will be ahead for it.
I agree with you, it's just sometimes you have to take a plunge and say $20,000 in debt isn't all that different from $20,500. I've got an old crappy car too! I managed to make it through undergrad debt free, but currently there is no avoiding it for me in graduate school.
For instance, I recently shelled out $300 for a plane ticket for the pure purpose of going to Halloween party. I had a great time and saw some friends that I really missed. It was worth every penny and I don't regret it for one second. I don't care it added a small amount to my debt, sometimes there are things more important than money. He's got a really old computer and is clearly intent on getting one that is new (or at least newer) so he simply has to weight out whether and extra 3 or 4 hundred is worth it.
I'm not advocating either, just bringing it up as a possibility.
Not really an apple offer, but i just bought a stock 12inch ibook ($999) for $835 off of amazon - no tax, no delivery, $150 amazon rebate and 1.5% amazon discount. I purchased it for my sister for xmas (I've had my powerbook for just over a month and already switched someone) and will be taking it home back to england. To purchase the same model there would have cost $1335, so i saved 37%!
--B, bringing down the debt
Originally posted by Flounder
Wow, that's a hell of a deal
But remember, the 37% figure is off of what it would cost a Limey...
Without taking Pounds into account, it's a savings of 17%.
apple ram is $$$$
This is very, very true.
--B
Originally posted by bergz
But remember, the 37% figure is off of what it would cost a Limey...
Without taking Pounds into account, it's a savings of 17%.
--B
Yeah, I know. I still think it's a hell of deal.