PowerBook options - graphics card? extra 20GB?

shaw6702shaw6702
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Hi everyone-



It's my first post and I made sure to search the forums to see if I could find something related to my question and didn't find anything substantial...so please, be kind.



Anyway, my question is this: I'm a PC user about to make "the switch" and I'm going to buy a 15" PowerBook with the 1.67GHz processor. But I have two options from my campus Apple store--one that comes with an 80GB hard drive and a 64MG DDR video memory, and the other comes with a 100GB and 128MB DDR video memory--those are the only differences. I have no idea if I'm going to need the extra 20GB--if all I do is iTunes, watch DVDs, use Word, email, internet, and occasionally use Photoshop for class projects, do I really need that big of a hard drive? Also I have no idea what the extra video memory will give me--will it really make a difference in normal daily usage? Or is the extra video memory really something only a person who is planning on doing something hardcore like producing movies on their laptop needs to worry about (who I am definitely not)? The extra 20GB and extra 64MB DDR will set me back another $160...is it worth it?



ALSO--I am very concerned that the extra 20GB or extra 64MB DDR will make my machine power up the fan to cool it off more often. One of the main and many reasons I'm switching from my p.o.s. Toshiba laptop is because it makes so much freakin' fan noise all the time--so I really don't want to do *anything* that will cause my new PowerBook to make any more noise than it absolutely has to.



Let me know--thanks! =)

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    IMO your decision about the hard drive depends on whether you have something to off-load onto, like a desktop with a large HD or an external drive. At the least, you could get the smaller HD and then when you feel yourself bumping up against the limit you could get an external drive. There's always a ton of stuff that you want to keep but don't need to use all the time that could go on an external drive. I recently bought an external drive and I think they're a great value. They're especially good for backing up.



    Also, if you do anything with DV movies you may want the larger HD.



    I also wouldn't need the 128 video card - from the sound of it you wouldn't see any difference from it. I'm not sure about the heat/fan issue. I doubt the hard drive would make a difference anyway.
  • Reply 2 of 3
    beakeebeakee Posts: 64member
    You don't need the extras. Buy an iPod or another toy Go for the model w/ 80GB & 64MB card! You will freakin LOVE IT!!
  • Reply 3 of 3
    digitaldavedigitaldave Posts: 445member
    I've got a 12" PB with the 80GB drive and 64MB graphics, and it's not a problem for me. The only game I really play is World Of Warcraft, and it copes fine with that. As for storage, I've still got about 30GB of space left, and that's after over 4000 6/7mp photos (10GB) and 5000 songs (400 albums) in iTunes (20GB) plus various other things like apps.



    I don't think the extra HD size or video RAM will cause it to heat up more, so I wouldn't worry about that.



    As others have said, you probably don't need the extras. So I think the decision comes down to the price difference, and are you willing to pay it, or would you rather sepnd the extra on something else?



    Hope that helps .
Sign In or Register to comment.