I need your opinions...

Comments

• Reply 1 of 6

  curiousuburb Posts: 3,325member

  August 29, 2003 8:31PM

  portables are fine as primary machines
  
  
  
  a new PB has superior features to a PMG4@450 (except extra slots/drive bays)
  
  but extra cash from a sold PM may help you max out PB RAM, tough choice.
  
  
  
  keeping an extra monitor for spanning is handy,
  
  some might suggest keeping the keyboard and mouse and buying an iCurve stand
  
  
  
  Once you're keeping that much of the PM, why not keep the CPU for clustering if Panther/Pooch supports offloading rendering to any Mac it finds on the network.
  
  
  
  Depends what you're doing... big PhotoShop work can still deliver progress bar blues. At such times, it's nice to have access to another box to keep busy while you wait.
• Reply 2 of 6

  cinori Posts: 21member

  August 30, 2003 1:57PM

  Yeah I agree about having another machine.... currently i have my G4 and a PC.... i would like to upgrade to say a G5... but right now the need for a portable outways the tower ;-)
  
  I am a student in design... and over the past couple of years the G4 has been great... but i figure eventually a faster machine would be a plus.
  
  
  
  Thanks!
  
  -Erica
• Reply 3 of 6

  ryaxnb Posts: 583member

  August 30, 2003 2:24PM

  Quote:
  

  
  Originally posted by CiNoRi
  
  So I need some input...
  
  I am looking to get a new Powerbook within the next few weeks (especially if apple releases g5 versions). My plan is to use the machine for mostly design work...
  
  I currently have a G4 450 tower... I was considering selling it to help cut the cost of the new PB... Do you think the new PB would be ok as my primary machine? I would hook up my monitor and such when I wasn't on the go of course... I guess my real question is in general, for the work I want to do... new Powerbook vs. A Tower of roughly the same speeds. <On down the road I will be getting another tower, but for now money is tight soooo one toy at a time ;-) >
  
  I was just curious as to your opinions of me making the switch.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Thanks a bunch!
  
  -Erica
  

  
  

  
  
  A PowerBook (or, for me, iBook) works great as a primary machine. You'll probably want to keep the display (unless you get the 17"), but otherwise PBs are fine.
• Reply 4 of 6

  francisg3 Posts: 168member

  August 30, 2003 9:06PM

  All right - here's one more opinion. Forget the PowerBook. Get a refurbished iMac with a 17" screen for $1599. Then, buy an iBook 800 Mhz for $999 when you want to move around. I'm really serious. That's about the same price as a 15" Powerbook 1 Ghz, and you'll get two computers for the price of one, literally.
  
  
  
  Compare these two scenarious:
  
  
  
  1. Sitting at your desk, with your arms and elbows all the way in front of you, and you're staring down at a 15" monitor.
  
  
  
  2. Sitting at your desk, your hands in your lap (with a slide-out keyboard tray), leaving tons of room on your desk, and you're staring LEVEL at a 17" monitor, which you can adjust to your whim (believe me - it's addictive).
  
  
  
  I have nothing against PowerBooks - they're wonderful computers - but if it spends 70% of it's time on your desk, the trade-offs are not worth it (smaller screen, uncomfortable typing position, the fear of dinging it if you take it anywhere.)
  
  
  
  Just an opinion. Best of luck.
• Reply 5 of 6

  pscates Posts: 5,847member

  August 30, 2003 9:41PM

  There are ways around those things, though: a variety of third-party risers are available to raise iBooks and PowerBooks to comfortable, ergonomically smart levels. And connecting an external keyboard and mouse to the PowerBook is something I plan to do with mine while working at home (sitting on the couch or slouching across the bed while surfing and casually typing is one thing, but for "real work", I'd prefer to be at a roomy desk, connected to peripherals and using an external, full-size keyboard and mouse...for comfort and all).
  
  
  
  I truly think Apple's recent crop of laptops (iBooks AND PowerBooks) are fine desktop replacements (depending, of course, on what it is you do and use them for).
  
  
  
  I've gone the "own a desktop and laptop at the same time" route before and I have to say: it really, really does suck.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  You spend more time making sure all your files match, bookmarks are the same, music is the same, etc. I know, I know...iSync makes all that MUCH easier.
  
  
  
  But still...
  
  
  
  I like the idea of owning a single computer (a laptop, in my case) and simply augmenting it with some smart, well-designed products to make it a bit more comfortable to use (risers, external keyboards, a dock perhaps, etc.). You get the best of both worlds: power AND portability.
  
  
  
  This iMac I currently own will most likely be the last desktop I ever own. Knowing that I can own a machine that tucks under my arm or in a backpack and does everything my G4 iMac does (and then some) even faster is an incredibly intoxicating feeling!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I can't wait to get one...
• Reply 6 of 6

  cinori Posts: 21member

  September 1, 2003 8:54AM

  Yeah, I have a 21" Studio display I'll probably hang on to.... and most likely give up the puck and keyboard with the G4....
  
  I'd much rather have the new keyboard/ mouse :-D