powerbook 12" performance

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
First of all, Hello!

I'm a student wanting to switch to mac. I hope os x will be much better than Win xp.

I've never really worked on a mac, but I've had the chance to use a 17" powerbook for a few minutes. That was the best-looking notebook I've ever used :-).

Since I'm looking for a small notebook, I'm particulary interessted in the 12" powerbook. Since I've never really used a mac please help me with the following questios I still have.

* Is there a big speed difference in daily tasks between the 12" and the 17" powerbook?

* I want do use my apple-notebook for about 5 years. Is this realistic? And would the new 900MHz ibook also do the job?

* Are the display properties similar to the 17" ones (brightness, viewing-angle...)?

* Will expanded-monitor mode work if I use an external Monitor with a different resolution then the powerbooks internal resolution(1024*768 + 1600*1200)?

* has anybody had bad experiences with logitech mouseman traveller (the aluminium one) with the powerbook?

* Using Virtual-PC 6 on the powerbook, can I expect similar performance to a celeron based 500MHz PC (using windows 2000 or xp pro)?

* Would you highly recommend any software beside the included (Mplayer; MS office v.x...)?

Any other advices to a future switcher are welcome. By the way, Mac do play divx and xvid, don't they?

I hope this is the right forum to post this tread.

Thank you for the moment!
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 22
    chychchych Posts: 860member
    1ghz vs 867mhz between the 17" and 12", so not /too/ much difference. You can look around for benchmarks but for most uses it will be quite adequate. 5 years is a long time, that would be like running a Powerbook G3/233mhz around right now... but yeah...



    The screen of the powerbook is the same as the ibook I believe, it is a good screen but nothing spectacular... maxes out at 1024x768. You can have multiple differing resolution monitors with the powerbook, as with the ibook if you hack the ibook (note: kill warranty).



    You will never get real PC performance with VPC6 because it does not emulate the graphics portion very well. Computationally VPC is very fast, my DP1250 can get the same RC5 scores as a Pentium 3/1ghz (at 3MKeys/s using x86 cores versus 25MKeys/s in OS X with altivec) however the interface is sloooow due to poor graphics emulation. If you can take the interface hit, it will still be usable.



    Mplayer plays divx (as does a bunch of other things). Don't know xvids.
  • Reply 2 of 22
    overhopeoverhope Posts: 1,123member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by future-ex-pc-user

    * Will expanded-monitor mode work if I use an external Monitor with a different resolution then the powerbooks internal resolution(1024*768 + 1600*1200)?





    The 12" Powerbook ships with a TV adaptor, not actually having an external monitor port: the maximum you can get is 1024x768 in video mirroring mode (both screens the same), and it steps down in monitor spanning (one desktop shared across the screens).
  • Reply 3 of 22
    keyboardf12keyboardf12 Posts: 1,379member
    * Using Virtual-PC 6 on the powerbook, can I expect similar performance to a celeron based 500MHz PC (using windows 2000 or xp pro)?





    i think the 12" is lacking in a L3 cache which means VPC will run slower than on the 17"



    realpc is claiming their vpc solution will be faster.



    only time will tell.



    if you live near an applestore you can prob cehck out vpc on a 12"
  • Reply 4 of 22
    keyboardf12keyboardf12 Posts: 1,379member
    * I want do use my apple-notebook for about 5 years. Is this realistic? And would the new 900MHz ibook also do the job?





    mac last longer then pcs but 5 yrs is a little much
  • Reply 5 of 22
    thanks for these fast answers.

    My problem is I just have one applestore about 30 km's of my house. They only had the 17" and a powermac.

    That's why I'm probably buy online. Is there a better webshop for europe than cancom.de?

    I've just remembered another question. Has anybody connected a garmin GPS to a mac? Is this possible, or do I have to use virtual pc?
  • Reply 6 of 22
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Overhope

    The 12" Powerbook ships with a TV adaptor, not actually having an external monitor port: the maximum you can get is 1024x768 in video mirroring mode (both screens the same), and it steps down in monitor spanning (one desktop shared across the screens).



    NO, the PowerBook ships with BOTH a TV-out AND VGA-out adaptor. You can span your external display up to 1600x1200 without any weird "hacks" a la iBook. It works out of the box, no problems. Plug in a monitor and the PB detects and uses it without any hassle.
  • Reply 7 of 22
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    5 years is not to much to ask from the PB12, but it is probably beyond the capabilities of any G3 based machine. By this time next year there will not be any altivecless machines left in Apple's line-up. While even the PB12 won't seem fast by those standards, any altivec enabled software will run 2-3X faster than it would on the iBook900.
  • Reply 8 of 22
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    Simply put it is the best portable in the world.



    I went to use an Apple Pro Keyboard the other day and my hands hurt. The keyboard is AMAZING.
  • Reply 9 of 22
    overhopeoverhope Posts: 1,123member
    I do beg your pardon: having had a look in the box, yes, there's a monitor adaptor sitting there. Never used it (no VGA monitors, y'see), so its very existence had slipped my mind.
  • Reply 10 of 22
    trebuchettrebuchet Posts: 176member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Aquatic

    Simply put it is the best portable in the world.



    I went to use an Apple Pro Keyboard the other day and my hands hurt. The keyboard is AMAZING.




    Agreed. My 12'' PB's keyboard is awesome. Very comfortable. But it makes using any other keyboard a chore, especially the cheap PC ones at school.
  • Reply 11 of 22
    stoostoo Posts: 1,490member
    Quote:

    * Is there a big speed difference in daily tasks between the 12" and the 17" powerbook?



    For web browsing, word processing, light graphic design (eg web pages), probably not much difference. The 12" is fairly Snappy?. The only weak spot is the video card's 3D performance. The 12"'s video chipset is slower than the 17" one.



    Quote:

    I want do use my apple-notebook for about 5 years. Is this realistic? And would the new 900MHz ibook also do the job?



    As long as you don't expect to play 2008's games on it, it should be fine. Altivec would probably push the PowerBooks' usuable lfe a bit further.



    Quote:

    Will expanded-monitor mode work if I use an external Monitor with a different resolution then the powerbooks internal resolution(1024*768 + 1600*1200)?



    Works fine, no problems with having an external monitor at a different resolution to the built in one. You can also turn the built in monitor off by closing the lid (temporarily) at the moment it boots.



    Quote:

    Using Virtual-PC 6 on the powerbook, can I expect similar performance to a celeron based 500MHz PC



    Probably around a PII 266 is closer: usuable if a little slow.



    Other tips include buy as much RAM as possible if you get a PowerBook/iBook. 256/128 MB is not enough. Do not think about skipping buying more RAM. Buy more RAM.
  • Reply 12 of 22
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    Yup get 640 RAM Apple is charing good prices on the PB 12" ram. And VPC with Win2000 gives about a 400mhz Celeron speed. faster than 266 for SURE.
  • Reply 13 of 22
    cyclecycle Posts: 187member
    i say...forget vpc



    just leave it behind...just force urself to not use it for a month..and u will never ever fire it up
  • Reply 14 of 22
    idebaseridebaser Posts: 121member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by future-ex-pc-user

    First of all, Hello!

    * I want do use my apple-notebook for about 5 years. Is this realistic? And would the new 900MHz ibook also do the job?





    after a few years it'll become your wireless internet station to check email or whatever while watching tv or eating breakfast-the powerbook has airport extreme and bluetooth...an aluminum coffee table computer for guests, open it up, check email...every household should have one!
  • Reply 15 of 22
    Quote:

    Originally posted by future-ex-pc-user

    thanks for these fast answers.

    My problem is I just have one applestore about 30 km's of my house. They only had the 17" and a powermac.

    That's why I'm probably buy online. Is there a better webshop for europe than cancom.de?

    I've just remembered another question. Has anybody connected a garmin GPS to a mac? Is this possible, or do I have to use virtual pc?




    You might wanna check http://www.novodrom.de. Bought my cube and ipod there.



    End of Line
  • Reply 16 of 22
    Quote:

    Originally posted by future-ex-pc-user

    * has anybody had bad experiences with logitech mouseman traveller (the aluminium one) with the powerbook?



    I'll answer this because I don't think anyone else has (although I have only skimmed the thread quickly!).



    I am not using a powerbook 12" but I do use my Logitech Mouseman Traveller (Aluminum look like you mentioned) with my iBook and I can say that it works without any problems. Out of the box without installing any Logitech software, OS X deals with scrolling and with 2 button input. If you want more than this (ie. want to use the 3rd button) you need to install the Logitech software which works but in my mind is not exactly a super driver (it doesn't work as well os scroll as smoothly as in Mac OS 9 for example). But I do use it and do use the 3rd button all the time with my iBook. So, yes, the mouseman traveller should work fine on a Powerbook 12" and, for that matter, any USB equipped macintosh.
  • Reply 17 of 22
    stoostoo Posts: 1,490member
    Quote:

    And VPC with Win2000 gives about a 400mhz Celeron speed. faster than 266 for SURE.



    VPC must have become much more efficient than I remember it being.
  • Reply 18 of 22
    As mentioned, mouseman traveller works right out of the packaging, just plug it in. I've discovered you can remove the logitech logo with nail polish remover and a couple of Q-tips.
  • Reply 19 of 22
    frawgzfrawgz Posts: 547member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by future-ex-pc-user

    * Are the display properties similar to the 17" ones (brightness, viewing-angle...)?



    The viewing angle of the 12" seems a little poor compared to both the 15" and the 17". That's been my experience from my brief usage of it.



    Regarding Windows emulation, if FWB's claims are true, you'll soon have an alternative that's faster than Virtual PC.
  • Reply 20 of 22
    mccrabmccrab Posts: 201member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by future-ex-pc-user

    First of all, Hello!



    * Using Virtual-PC 6 on the powerbook, can I expect similar performance to a celeron based 500MHz PC (using windows 2000 or xp pro)?





    The 12" PB is a fabulous machine - great keyboard, bomb-proof case, great design and a sensible price point. Highly recommended over the iBook (particularly the new iBook - the casing doesn't look as good).



    Which applications do you want to run under VPC? Have you checked to see that there aren't any Mac alternatives?
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