Mac Advantages-Dis.
I am considering purchasing a 15 in. Powerbook with the SuperDrive and the following specs:
PowerBook 15.2TFT/1.5GHz/512(2 SO-DIMMS)/80G/SuperDrive/AIRPT/BT/56K
1.5GHz PowerPC G4 with 64MB Graphics Memory
80GB Ultra ATA drive @ 4200 rpm
SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
512MB DDR333 SDRAM - 2x256 SO-DIMMs
AirPort Extreme Card
The total price comes to $2499 (plus I would buy a nice wireless mouse), so obviously I want to ensure this is exactly what I want before purchasing it.
I have rarely used a Mac in the past, however I hate Windows and Linux just hasn't been working for me. I was wondering if you guys could list some of the advantages/disadvantages of the system I want to buy.
Thanks for your help.
- Eric
PowerBook 15.2TFT/1.5GHz/512(2 SO-DIMMS)/80G/SuperDrive/AIRPT/BT/56K
1.5GHz PowerPC G4 with 64MB Graphics Memory
80GB Ultra ATA drive @ 4200 rpm
SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
512MB DDR333 SDRAM - 2x256 SO-DIMMs
AirPort Extreme Card
The total price comes to $2499 (plus I would buy a nice wireless mouse), so obviously I want to ensure this is exactly what I want before purchasing it.
I have rarely used a Mac in the past, however I hate Windows and Linux just hasn't been working for me. I was wondering if you guys could list some of the advantages/disadvantages of the system I want to buy.
Thanks for your help.
- Eric
Comments
The one thing I notice right off the bat is the RAM. You have two slots to play with, 512MB is about as low as you want to go for decent performance, and upgrading RAM in a PowerBook is a royal bitch.
Why so much RAM? Because OS X loves caching everything it can in RAM, so you'll get a serious performance boost with 1GB RAM relative to 512MB.
The hard drive's going to be a bit slow, but depending on what you do (and how much RAM you have!) that might not be so bad. Relatively slow drives are a pretty normal tradeoff for portables anyway.
Without any idea of what you'd like to do with the computer, that's all I can think of. Even if you don't take my suggestion to go with more RAM, you should be very happy with that machine. I envy you.
Apart from that, it should perform admirably. Even with 512MB it'll perform well, until you ask it to work on a large file or project. Then it'll have to go to the hard drive, and that'll kill your performance and your battery.
Its not hard to install RAM on the new AlPBs. There is a hatch on the bottom that comes off using a small screwdriver exposing the ram slots. Took me no more than 10min to install ram on my 15" 1ghz AlBook.
PS 7 of the 10min were spent looking for a screwdriver.
In that case, go with a single 512MB DIMM, so that you have a decent amount of stock RAM and a slot free. Then buy more RAM from a third party.
Originally posted by Novablas
If you want to be able to play those kind of games comfortably, I'd spring the extra 100 for the better video card. 64 meg vid cards are becoming the bare minimum and it would almost certainly not serve well for Halo 2.
Either you're on crack, or you know something that I know NOTHING about.
Halo2 is going to have a PC (and probably Mac) release? Can I come?
Wow, this solves a lot of problems for me. No need to buy an Xbox, for one. And no need to buy a TV. I can spend that moolah on a 6800 instead.
But is it true?
Originally posted by Amorph
Ah, OK. So my information dated from the TiPBs. I'm glad they made it easier to upgrade the RAM.
In that case, go with a single 512MB DIMM, so that you have a decent amount of stock RAM and a slot free. Then buy more RAM from a third party.
RAM is easy to install on the Ti's. Lift keyboard and bam.
Anyway, it's a sensitive topic, but If you really want to play Halo2, get an XBox. there's something about console games that's nice: You can come back from the bar at 2AM, drunk, and deathmatch your friends. Doesn't work on a computer like that.
Since there's no crime for BWI (biking while intoxicated) there's no designated driver to kick all our butts.
You will need only ten minutes, to install it, if you have a very small screwdriver.
I have one GB ram on my powerbook 17 (first edition) and it rocks
Originally posted by ESBrennan21
Yes, Halo 2 is coming out for PC and MAC. The only thing is its not scheduled to come out until after the Xbox release. However, *hint, hint*, the boys at Bungie are full of surprises and I have a feeling that Halo 2 will be out sooner than you think
Nice! Halo2 was the only game I was buying the Xbox for.
But can you please dig up a press release or something? I want to know MORE!!!