As someone said upthread, I'd need to be convinced at this point why I should ever own a desktop again. After only 6 months with this PowerBook, I'm pretty sure it's laptops for me from here on out.
I too love laptops even though I currently use a tower.
However, I don't see laptops or portables ever completely replacing desktop computers.
Why?
Ergonomics.
As age catches up with us, our criteria for choosing the 'optimal' setup becomes much different. No longer are speed, portability, and minimalism paramount in the equation. Ergonomics can, and frequently do, override all of these other traits. Having the keyboard, mouse, and display in exactly the most comfortable and usable locations becomes critical to using a computer for any appreciable ammount of time.
Apologies, Giaguara. I married a woman who uses Windows and calls my iBook an iPod. So I was projecting my situation onto yours. Consider yourself very lucky!
To my wife's credit, she's great in every other respect. And when we visited our local Apple Store a few weeks ago, she picked up an iPod mini without any input from me, figured out how to use it on her own, and said that she would like to have a green one for the gym. Needless to say, I love her even more now and will be getting her a green iPod mini very shortly.
Today's G4 PowerBooks are - to all but the most envelope-pushing 3D/video type of person...
*sigh* Thus my plight. \
I've been wanting a new computer that will easily best my dual 500 G4. I also, however, want a laptop as a desktop replacement so I can take my work with me. The current G5 towers run circles around my old dual 500, but the PowerBooks have only recently become a measure faster than my current computer (since 3D and video rendering are all very well threaded and eek out every cycle from both my CPUs).
I refuse to buy a new computer unless it can at least double my current computing power. I don't make enough money to waste on a mediocre bump.
I've been waiting a long time for a PowerBook that can actually whoop my almost four-year-old tower. I can't afford both a new tower and a new PowerBook; so, I'm just going to keep on waiting a little bit longer for the next mystical rev that'll take PowerBook CPU speeds to the next level.
Hey, dfiler, that's why we need a Duo Dock, external (large-pixel) LCD, and Bluetooth mouse and keyboard for our PowerBooks.
I mostly agree.
For some people, the relatively limited size and difficulty in positioning a laptop display still make desktops preferable. With the rising prevalence of wireless, syncing or simple centralized storage will likely come to replace the duo concept.
Back on the topic of Advantages of owning a PowerBook:
Social Life. Geeks can effectively sequester themselves when holed up all day in a dark room with only glowing pixels for company. A laptop, especially a shiny apple one, makes conversations with friends and/or strangers more likely...
I've been wanting a new computer that will easily best my dual 500 G4. I also, however, want a laptop as a desktop replacement so I can take my work with me. The current G5 towers run circles around my old dual 500, but the PowerBooks have only recently become a measure faster than my current computer (since 3D and video rendering are all very well threaded and eek out every cycle from both my CPUs).
I refuse to buy a new computer unless it can at least double my current computing power. I don't make enough money to waste on a mediocre bump.
I've been waiting a long time for a PowerBook that can actually whoop my almost four-year-old tower. I can't afford both a new tower and a new PowerBook; so, I'm just going to keep on waiting a little bit longer for the next mystical rev that'll take PowerBook CPU speeds to the next level.
You know, I used to think this way, too. Then I went from a G4 400 tower to a G4 500 powerbook and never looked back. Sure, it was a minor bumb in speed and I lost a little VRAM, but all of the other advantages were HUGE for me.
Now I'm on a ghz tibook. I do audio and video (with logic, FCP and combustion in the center) and am not really hurting too bad for power. Part of this is because I still haven't totally adjusted to the advances in FCP, but when it comes down to it, I would spend the extra money to have a powerbook over a dual 500 any day.
John Q, if your going to get the 15" superdrive then i woud definately spend the extra $$'s and get a 17".
If your only getting the 15"combo then save the $$'s andget whatever you want.
in terms of swapping the HDD i would get an external 7200. It will end up being cheaper and you can keep this with you always if you want to upgrade in the future. People who buy it off you wont pay that much more for the upgrade than they would for the normal version!
So i would recomend an external HDD rather than the upgrade!(which would breach warranty? maybe?) i dunno?
In the Aluminum PB's, replacing the HD will void the warranty. This was an user upgradable part with the Titanium's.
I would replace the stock Apple drive with the faster 7200 HD and then put the slower drive in an external case. That way, you could re-swap them if you ever decided to sell it.
Hey GUYS, well THANKS a BUNCH for all your help. I decided to do it, and I went forth and purchased a 15" PowerBook. 1.5 GHz g4, with 1 GB SDRAM, Combo Drive, with the AirPort BaseStation. I am excited, Thanks.
Hey GUYS, well THANKS a BUNCH for all your help. I decided to do it, and I went forth and purchased a 15" PowerBook. 1.5 GHz g4, with 1 GB SDRAM, Combo Drive, with the AirPort BaseStation. I am excited, Thanks.
Congratulations, let is all know how it works out for you!
Well guys, I love the choice I made on purchasing the PowerBook. I also got the Airport, and also a wirelss bluetooth mouse. It is awsome. Thanks again GuYS.
You know, I used to think this way, too. Then I went from a G4 400 tower to a G4 500 powerbook and never looked back. Sure, it was a minor bumb in speed and I lost a little VRAM, but all of the other advantages were HUGE for me.
Now I'm on a ghz tibook. I do audio and video (with logic, FCP and combustion in the center) and am not really hurting too bad for power. Part of this is because I still haven't totally adjusted to the advances in FCP, but when it comes down to it, I would spend the extra money to have a powerbook over a dual 500 any day.
Towers don't even exist to me anymore.
Yeah but the point is he would have to get a top of the line laptop to get just a little bit of performance out of his purchase. I have a dual 533 so I know what he is talking about. I dunno about you but spending 3 grand on a computer thats the same speed and still slower at some things just so I can carry it around with me simply does not justify it.
If I am going to drop that kind of money on a new computer I want it to be at-least double the speed of this box.
Much like Brad and a few others, I have thought long and hard over my purchase.. I want to do some vid editing etc and was concerned about spending on a puter I was unsure about, how it will do the job and how I could live with it etc.. I currently have a DVSE500 so anything is going to be faster than that but I wanted something that would give me a noticeable speed improvement.. I pondered over many scenarios like a ibook/bottom end g5 tower combo, but have decided to get a specced out 15" powerbook... I didnt think I could justify the money having two computers (well I couldnt afford both anyhoo ).. so decision has been made and I wait impatiently for my new machine.. In the end when you want portability and a bit of power on the desktop its a juggling act, how much will you use the desktop after being able to just walk around with a lappy? dunno in everyone elses case but I think it would be less and less for me.. I will find out eventually if I have made the right decision, but at the moment it feels right..
Comments
Originally posted by pscates
As someone said upthread, I'd need to be convinced at this point why I should ever own a desktop again. After only 6 months with this PowerBook, I'm pretty sure it's laptops for me from here on out.
I too love laptops even though I currently use a tower.
However, I don't see laptops or portables ever completely replacing desktop computers.
Why?
Ergonomics.
As age catches up with us, our criteria for choosing the 'optimal' setup becomes much different. No longer are speed, portability, and minimalism paramount in the equation. Ergonomics can, and frequently do, override all of these other traits. Having the keyboard, mouse, and display in exactly the most comfortable and usable locations becomes critical to using a computer for any appreciable ammount of time.
Originally posted by Giaguara
not if they get married with someone with a G5...
Apologies, Giaguara. I married a woman who uses Windows and calls my iBook an iPod. So I was projecting my situation onto yours. Consider yourself very lucky!
To my wife's credit, she's great in every other respect. And when we visited our local Apple Store a few weeks ago, she picked up an iPod mini without any input from me, figured out how to use it on her own, and said that she would like to have a green one for the gym. Needless to say, I love her even more now and will be getting her a green iPod mini very shortly.
Escher
Originally posted by dfiler
Ergonomics.
Hey, dfiler, that's why we need a Duo Dock, external (large-pixel) LCD, and Bluetooth mouse and keyboard for our PowerBooks.
Escher
Oh yeah, now I remember. Those things they are testing the G5s in before putting them in real computers.
Originally posted by pscates
Today's G4 PowerBooks are - to all but the most envelope-pushing 3D/video type of person...
*sigh* Thus my plight.
I've been wanting a new computer that will easily best my dual 500 G4. I also, however, want a laptop as a desktop replacement so I can take my work with me. The current G5 towers run circles around my old dual 500, but the PowerBooks have only recently become a measure faster than my current computer (since 3D and video rendering are all very well threaded and eek out every cycle from both my CPUs).
I refuse to buy a new computer unless it can at least double my current computing power. I don't make enough money to waste on a mediocre bump.
I've been waiting a long time for a PowerBook that can actually whoop my almost four-year-old tower. I can't afford both a new tower and a new PowerBook; so, I'm just going to keep on waiting a little bit longer for the next mystical rev that'll take PowerBook CPU speeds to the next level.
Originally posted by Escher
Ergonomics
Hey, dfiler, that's why we need a Duo Dock, external (large-pixel) LCD, and Bluetooth mouse and keyboard for our PowerBooks.
I mostly agree.
For some people, the relatively limited size and difficulty in positioning a laptop display still make desktops preferable. With the rising prevalence of wireless, syncing or simple centralized storage will likely come to replace the duo concept.
Back on the topic of Advantages of owning a PowerBook:
Social Life. Geeks can effectively sequester themselves when holed up all day in a dark room with only glowing pixels for company. A laptop, especially a shiny apple one, makes conversations with friends and/or strangers more likely...
Originally posted by Brad
*sigh* Thus my plight.
I've been wanting a new computer that will easily best my dual 500 G4. I also, however, want a laptop as a desktop replacement so I can take my work with me. The current G5 towers run circles around my old dual 500, but the PowerBooks have only recently become a measure faster than my current computer (since 3D and video rendering are all very well threaded and eek out every cycle from both my CPUs).
I refuse to buy a new computer unless it can at least double my current computing power. I don't make enough money to waste on a mediocre bump.
I've been waiting a long time for a PowerBook that can actually whoop my almost four-year-old tower. I can't afford both a new tower and a new PowerBook; so, I'm just going to keep on waiting a little bit longer for the next mystical rev that'll take PowerBook CPU speeds to the next level.
You know, I used to think this way, too. Then I went from a G4 400 tower to a G4 500 powerbook and never looked back. Sure, it was a minor bumb in speed and I lost a little VRAM, but all of the other advantages were HUGE for me.
Now I'm on a ghz tibook. I do audio and video (with logic, FCP and combustion in the center) and am not really hurting too bad for power. Part of this is because I still haven't totally adjusted to the advances in FCP, but when it comes down to it, I would spend the extra money to have a powerbook over a dual 500 any day.
Towers don't even exist to me anymore.
If your only getting the 15"combo then save the $$'s andget whatever you want.
in terms of swapping the HDD i would get an external 7200. It will end up being cheaper and you can keep this with you always if you want to upgrade in the future. People who buy it off you wont pay that much more for the upgrade than they would for the normal version!
So i would recomend an external HDD rather than the upgrade!(which would breach warranty? maybe?) i dunno?
I would replace the stock Apple drive with the faster 7200 HD and then put the slower drive in an external case. That way, you could re-swap them if you ever decided to sell it.
Originally posted by k squared
In the Aluminum PB's, replacing the HD will void the warranty.
Really? That totally blows if it's true. I'm always upgrading my drives.
hotter lap, worse battery life and voided warranty are reason enough not to swap
unless you're grabbing video as a primary task, you'd probably never notice a difference in drive speed.
keep your warranty, and get an external FW drive, potentially even a 10,000rpm if you're a spec whore.
PowerBooks not only look cool from the outside, they look good in X-ray
Originally posted by giant
Really? That totally blows if it's true. I'm always upgrading my drives.
I thought that was only true for the 12 Al... care to provide a link?
Originally posted by curiousuburb
PowerBooks not only look cool from the outside, they look good in X-ray
that is a rev A or B Ti... (you can tell from the video connector at the top...)
I want to see an xRay-ed Al... someone call up macaddict!
Originally posted by genX
Hey GUYS, well THANKS a BUNCH for all your help. I decided to do it, and I went forth and purchased a 15" PowerBook. 1.5 GHz g4, with 1 GB SDRAM, Combo Drive, with the AirPort BaseStation. I am excited, Thanks.
Congratulations, let is all know how it works out for you!
Originally posted by giant
You know, I used to think this way, too. Then I went from a G4 400 tower to a G4 500 powerbook and never looked back. Sure, it was a minor bumb in speed and I lost a little VRAM, but all of the other advantages were HUGE for me.
Now I'm on a ghz tibook. I do audio and video (with logic, FCP and combustion in the center) and am not really hurting too bad for power. Part of this is because I still haven't totally adjusted to the advances in FCP, but when it comes down to it, I would spend the extra money to have a powerbook over a dual 500 any day.
Towers don't even exist to me anymore.
Yeah but the point is he would have to get a top of the line laptop to get just a little bit of performance out of his purchase. I have a dual 533 so I know what he is talking about. I dunno about you but spending 3 grand on a computer thats the same speed and still slower at some things just so I can carry it around with me simply does not justify it.
If I am going to drop that kind of money on a new computer I want it to be at-least double the speed of this box.
http://ladd.dyndns.org/xbench/merge....069&doc2=63193
I think that will feel a bit better than my current machine