Who wants a more professional PB?
Ok,
I just spec'd out a laptop from Alienware... 3Ghz P4 w/HT, 200GB RAID 0, 2GB RAM, DVD Burner, etc. for about $3,400 about a hundred more gets you a second optical drive as well. CPU and OS issues aside, there's a lot going for this more flexible configuration that you just can't get in a PowerBook without external bits. Why is this? Why can't Apple just give me a 17" PB with two 2.5" drives?
Does anyone else feel like Apple's screwed us on functionality in order to achieve portability/sex appeal? If you must have the thin line, at least give us a "fat boy" production laptop. I'd buy a laptop with that functionality, within the next week or two, if Apple released it, G5 or no.
Ironically, you can get dual optical on that laptop, when Apple doesn't even offer it in their tower.
I just spec'd out a laptop from Alienware... 3Ghz P4 w/HT, 200GB RAID 0, 2GB RAM, DVD Burner, etc. for about $3,400 about a hundred more gets you a second optical drive as well. CPU and OS issues aside, there's a lot going for this more flexible configuration that you just can't get in a PowerBook without external bits. Why is this? Why can't Apple just give me a 17" PB with two 2.5" drives?
Does anyone else feel like Apple's screwed us on functionality in order to achieve portability/sex appeal? If you must have the thin line, at least give us a "fat boy" production laptop. I'd buy a laptop with that functionality, within the next week or two, if Apple released it, G5 or no.
Ironically, you can get dual optical on that laptop, when Apple doesn't even offer it in their tower.
Comments
There's a reason why the P4 is being replaced by the Centrino platform. It's already obsolete technology. I wouldn't touch a non Centrino laptop and I don't care how much useless tech they through in.
RAID in a laptop..come on. That's just flat out dumb.
Two optical drives when you have DVD Burners that do it all?
I don't think Apple is screwing anyone. Portable users who actually carry their laptops generally want performance but not at the expense of weight and battery life.
I'm sorry but anyone who buys a $3400 P4 laptop is a dumbass of epic proportions.
Chevmat I don't mean you man. I think Alienware makes great desktops and nice laptops as well but throwing all that junk in a laptop seems like it's more aimed at the "Dood teh Alianware RAIDbook roolez" crowd.
You wanna talk cool tech check out an IBM T42 which parks your drive heads before impact if you drop it.
The thing I've always hated about the PC market in general is that they sell specks and not needs or solutions. Hyping the worst AID (RAID 0 isn't RAID..there's nothing redundant) in a laptop that can easily be dropped is asking for trouble.
1.35" thick iBook G4: $1000 to $1400, 1.2 to 1.4 GHz, 4 to 5 lb
1.00" thick Powerbook G4: $1500 to $2400, 1.5 to 1.67 GHz, 5 to 7 lb
1.70" thick Powerbook G5: $2500+, 1.8 to 2.0 GHz, 7 to 9 lbs
0.80" thick Ultralight G4: $2500, 1.2 GHz, 3 lb
If Apple can manage the inventory, they should target as many markets as possible. What I want is a 15" screen laptop for about $1500. Don't think Apple is going to offer something like it.
Originally posted by hmurchison
RAID in a laptop..come on. That's just flat out dumb.
Two optical drives when you have DVD Burners that do it all?
I don't think Apple is screwing anyone. Portable users who actually carry their laptops generally want performance but not at the expense of weight and battery life.
The thing I've always hated about the PC market in general is that they sell specks and not needs or solutions. Hyping the worst AID (RAID 0 isn't RAID..there's nothing redundant) in a laptop that can easily be dropped is asking for trouble.
I'm not worried about the redundancy of RAID... I just want the extra speed/capacity. In real life use I carry around my laptop but generally only off. I set up office somewhere, and stay there. For the record I'd skip the RAID if the laptop had a fast 3.5" drive instead, say around 400GB.
I could actually use dual optical because I'm often burning duplicates of this project or that and it would be a lot easier/faster if I didn't have to rebuild the disc every time. But, well, that's not terribly important for me.
As far as weight/battery life goes, well I'd happily carry the extra weight. I'm in decent shape, the difference between 7 and 9-10 pounds isn't that big of a deal to me. and if you are making it bigger anyway, a larger battery makes sense.
As a counter point, my battery is currently toast, the only Apple dealer near me is CompUSA and they've EOL'd the PB batteries, so I get only about 20 minutes of battery life at best and it's not a huge deal, mostly just an annoyance. What's an even bigger annoyance is getting Apple to honour my AppleCare. I've got this honking yellow line going down my display, and my power supply died; I tried to get Apple to deal with it in Jamaica and they left me hanging; I get back to the States and they say they have no record of me registering my AppleCare, which I did. My receipt is back at company HQ, it's going to take a month to get it, and the jamokes at the Comp I bought it from can't find me in the computer to print a duplicate. Now if I didn't know an electrician in Jamaica, or if the failure was something more critical, I'd be a professional out a laptop and bleeding cash. Not terribly f*c8!ng professional support if you ask me.
And yes, I agree centrinos are a better option for win laptops, but typically the desktop replacements aren't equipt with them. I'd go for that option if it was available.