Powermac or Powerbook?
This is one of my first posts around here. I've been lurking for a while since I usually don't have much to contribute. I was going to ask a question though. I'm going off to college in late August (or so), and I need to buy a new computer. I have decided I want a Mac (it'll be my first), but I haven't decided what exactly I want. To me the question remains of whether portability is worth the drop in speed. I will most likely be making my purchase in March (right around my birthday), and whatever I buy will have to last me from then through college (so probably four years). The way rumors go (at least the ones I've read around the internet), we may see a small speed bump for the Powerbooks and a small speed bump for the Powermac. Since it seems likely that the Powerbook won't hit G5 till fall or winter, to me the choice seems to be between G5 or G4 and portability or not.
As far as what I'll use my computer for, it'll be mostly e-mail and internet stuff. That's typically what I use my current computer for. I may also want to do some minor video editing or maybe play around with Garageband. I will need a DVD burner (which is taken care of by both of my choices). I'd also like to figure out how much of a noticeable upgrade I'd get from either deal. My current specs are as follows:
1 Ghz AMD processor (not sure what type of AMD it is)
512 MB of RAM
16 MB Voodoo 3 card (very crappy and old)
80 GB hard drive
And that's really about it. I would just like to here people's views about both the Powermac and the Powerbook. Would a Powerbook be able to handle what I need it to? And, in the reader's opinion, is the speed decrease worth the portability? Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
As far as what I'll use my computer for, it'll be mostly e-mail and internet stuff. That's typically what I use my current computer for. I may also want to do some minor video editing or maybe play around with Garageband. I will need a DVD burner (which is taken care of by both of my choices). I'd also like to figure out how much of a noticeable upgrade I'd get from either deal. My current specs are as follows:
1 Ghz AMD processor (not sure what type of AMD it is)
512 MB of RAM
16 MB Voodoo 3 card (very crappy and old)
80 GB hard drive
And that's really about it. I would just like to here people's views about both the Powermac and the Powerbook. Would a Powerbook be able to handle what I need it to? And, in the reader's opinion, is the speed decrease worth the portability? Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Comments
As for laptop vs desktop, my personal preference is an Apple laptop (performance and reliability) and a PC desktop (upgradable and cheap). If you've never owned a laptop you might be amazed at the computing freedom it affords you, I love it. If cost is a factor and you must have a mac then you will get more bang for your buck from a desktop.
My vote is for the powerbook, desktops are cool and all but in my opinion laptops are far more useful.
Originally posted by AsLan^
I think a powerbook will have more than enough power for what you need to do, although some people say garage band is resource intensive...
^what he said, and
You're going to college (University, right?). Are you doing a lecture based course or a practical course? Can you type fast enough to use a PB in Class to take notes? Will your campus have wireless access that you can exploit by using a PB?
I have *almost* cut out (ha ha) paper from my work-life. I take my PB to all lectures and classes and type up notes directly in Word/TE. I can then take my PB to the Library and continue my work with reference material by my side (History Student). I get approx 3hrs 15 out of the battery in my 1.25GHZ AluPB. The weight is *nothing* to carry around in a backpack and the working freedom it gives is great.
On the more personal side, I love watching .avi movies, surfing the net (inc. AI), and having access to all my work, music, photos etc and using Poisoned, all in lectures. (While the network in school accommodation is crippled, I've had momentary D/L speeds of 1000+kbps before on wireless IN school )
And remember, if you're moving away from home, and you want to go visit your folks, you can take all your work (and your AIM contacts) with you.
There are so many advantages to having a PB if a student lifestyle is what you will have. Let someone else talk about desktops...
Originally posted by SonOfSylvanus
^what he said, and
You're going to college (University, right?). Are you doing a lecture based course or a practical course? Can you type fast enough to use a PB in Class to take notes? Will your campus have wireless access that you can exploit by using a PB?
I have *almost* cut out (ha ha) paper from my work-life. I take my PB to all lectures and classes and type up notes directly in Word/TE. I can then take my PB to the Library and continue my work with reference material by my side (History Student). I get approx 3hrs 15 out of the battery in my 1.25GHZ AluPB. The weight is *nothing* to carry around in a backpack and the working freedom it gives is great.
On the more personal side, I love watching .avi movies, surfing the net (inc. AI), and having access to all my work, music, photos etc and using Poisoned, all in lectures. (While the network in school accommodation is crippled, I've had momentary D/L speeds of 1000+kbps before on wireless IN school )
And remember, if you're moving away from home, and you want to go visit your folks, you can take all your work (and your AIM contacts) with you.
There are so many advantages to having a PB if a student lifestyle is what you will have. Let someone else talk about desktops...
I am going to a university (in particular the University of Texas at Austin). I'm fairly certain that they have at least the basis for wireless access around the campus (particularly the new buildings). Also, according to my brother who just finished up there, most classes will allow laptops and all. I'm a fairly fast typer, although I may have to revise my notes if I type all of them (since I'm bound to make mistakes like yuo instead of you). The main draw to me for the Powerbook was the ability to take it with me if I travelled back home or somewhere else. So yea. So far this has all been good information. The concern I still have left is the fear that the Motorola G4 will be left behind once the G5's are in most machines. Maybe it's an unnecessary fear, but it still crosses my mind.
There.
You have no idea how nice it is to have all the things that I love about using a Mac (iTunes, Safari, the Adobe stuff, Sherlock, iLife, iCal, writing, photos, cool shareware titles, etc.) with me, anytime and anywhere I want. I find myself using Photoshop and Illustrator more now than I ever did before. If I take a weekend trip somewhere - which I love to do - the PowerBook, and everything on it, is there with me.
Two things: today's PowerBook (and iBooks) are top-notch, solid machines that I truly consider a "desktop replacement". I'm not sitting here doing without or "taking a hit" for choosing to go mobile. I'm doing everything I could before, just in a wider choice of locations. Secondly, wireless Internet access is spreading EVERYWHERE it seems. There are two little cafe/coffeeshops here in my little town that offer free, broadband wireless access. So does the big park/pavillion downtown by the river. Nothing like sitting on bench on a nice day and getting your e-mail, 20 feet from the Tennessee River and boats going by.
All those years of using desktops, and only being able to have access to the things I wanted while at home, in my room or den, at my desk, sitting up straight in a chair, blah, blah, blah.
Ugh.
From silly, obvious things like surfing and e-mailing from the couch or front porch to more practical, "real world" uses like taking my PowerBook with me to meet with a freelance client, showing them progress on a project, demo some on-the-spot ideas and alternate approaches, etc. I can sit and make changes or show other concepts while that person is there. I couldn't do that with a 25lb. iMac or tower.
For what it's worth, I submit a MASSIVE vote for PowerBook. Or iBook. Either one. They're both great.
I just know that for the rest of my Mac-using life, I'll simply buy PowerBooks (or iBooks?) every 3-4 years (give or take) from here on out.
In fact, if I won a G5 in a contest, I'd sell it in a heartbeat and not think twice. I have no desire whatsover to be chained to a desk ever again, I don't give a damn how righteous the G5 may be. I'd sell it and use the money to get my PowerBook to 2GB RAM, or a trip somewhere or a whole bunch of songs from the iTMS. Or maybe a 20" Cinema Display.
Oh and get the powerbook. With the ed discount, it's the best deal in the Apple lineup. (IMHO)
ok, this is going to sound awful, and i'm normally the last person that would suggest this, so... dont kill me i got to demo a tablet pc last semester, and, as far as note-taking, it was incredible. the writing recog was excellent, and having all my notes in one place was great. i preferred writing on the screen rather than typing so i could draw diagrams if i needed to. now with that said, it would have been awful to only have the tablet. since you said you wanna do a little video, go with the pbook. if you ever get to demo a tablet or you find a cheap one (which wont happen) try it out. anyways, i dont want this thread to turn into the apple tbalet debate, so dont argue... i just wanted to tell pfresh that.
p.s. pbook with an isight to record lectures would be kick ass
To get a laptop of equivalent speed, however, would cost me a bit more than this desktop cost. Quite a bit more in fact. I would predict, based on what I've used, that my dual 450 is about equivalent to a 667 MHz PowerBook G4, which is still going for over $1000 most places. My desktop was closer to $600.
I have owned an iBook in the past, an 800 MHz G3. I really have to recommend against owning any G3 iBook after using it, because they are just too slow. It was the only laptop I could afford at the time, but had I known how bad the performance would be even during everyday tasks, I would have held out for something better.
Okay, I should get to bed now as I have typed at length without a very clear focus, deleting and redoing things. Last word: get a 15" PowerBook, they are awesome. And don't count out a refurbished Titanium model, because they are also very good if you're willing to live with the trade-offs.
I actually bought the laptop first, and was using that on its' own for a bit. However, it proved unreliable (this's a Time one), so when it had to go back for 2 weeks to be repaired I bought the desktop.
Depending on which course you're studying, different bits of software and hardware will be advantageous. TextEdit can handle the basic lecture notes fine. If you need equations, look at MathMagic for an easy way to enter them quickly without learning Latex. For drawings: well, I'm still working this out. A graphics tablet would be very useful here. I'm unsure about the software to use as I'm new to the Mac still
Finally, I'll second pscates about the portability being real nice. But disagree when he says a desktop isn't at all useful: it serves nicely as a base station, file server, and general second computer (along with a laptop).
you get more milleage and it will last you past college until you can afford another computer. a desktop/cheap laptop would be the ideal combo.
1) Powerbook takes up much less desk space
2) College dorm rooms are tiny
3) you can take the Powerbook home easily during breaks.
I had a desktop for Freshman year, and it was a pain. It took up the whole desk. Then I got (In March 2001) the original TiBook 500. It was great. I could move it off the desk when I needed to read books. In the middle of Junior year I upgraded to the 1Ghz TiBook which I still have.
I'm graduating in June and then moving to Tampa. At this point it makes more sense to get a desktop, though I think I'll also pick up a cheap iBook for those times when I need to be mobile.
Originally posted by pfresh85
... there is an increased danger with the Powerbook. It's a lot easier to steal than a Powermac. That's been another worry in the back of my head.
Buy one of those locks that goes into the "Lock Slot." They aren't too expensive, and fairly easy to operate.
As for the support, I'll leave that up to the pros.
Sh0e
12" iBook G4, Airport Extreme, extra memory - 1200$
Samsung SyncMaster 193T - 700$
10/100Mb switch with 802.11g - 100$
New graphics card with DVI to your old PC - 100$
Good quality DVD+-RW drive to your old PC - 150$
---
2250$
Now you have an iBook to lug around and the old PC works as a DVD burner and a file server to the iBook. One 19" TFT display is connected to both computers at the same time (it has analog input for the iBook, and DVI for the PC), you just have to press a button for it to switch.
Much more versatile than any single-computer setup. You can now backup all your stuff across computers, and continue working even if one of them breaks down. The whole setup eats very little desk space, and you can run the iBook in dual screen mode after you use the commonly available hack.
Note that the DVI graphics card price is overestimated so that the new card would turn your PC into an okay gaming platform. You can get cheaper ones as well.