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I have this big battle between getting a 15" powerbook or one of the new 14" ibooks. Does anybody have an idea for what i should get?
[help] Ibook Or Powerbook?
What are your needs? Will you use the larger resolution on the Powerbook? If so, get that. It's a remarkably compact machine with a larger resolution than the 14" iBook. Or are you after a durable laptop that you can throw in a bag and take anywhere? Then get the iBook.
The 14" iBooks are tempting with the new specs, I know, but for me the 10x7 resolution screen means that I'd go for the 12" (with the same resolution) or splash out for the 15".
That said, wait for the benchmarks of the new iBooks to come out - there's been some debate as to the quality of the G4 chips used, some have even suggested that AltiVec is not enabled on these chips, although I doubt this myself.
If you can, just go to a store and get your hands on both - chances are you'll make your decision the second you see them. There was something special about the 12" iBook for me, and this is why I got it over a 12" PB.
well i like the powerbook name and the 15" screen model plus the fact that it is powerfull. on the other hand i like the new g4 14" ibook, it comes with panther and it is cheaper. (Wait, do the powerbook g4's come with panther?) I'm planning to get an isight with the whole bundle using the education program also so i need to know what the right choice is
yes, the iBook comes w/ Panther, all of Apples products do.
The difference:
iBooks use SDRAM, which is slower than DDR
iBooks have better casing
iBooks are cheaper
Get the iBook, now that they have G4s.
As for iBook versus PowerBook, I'd say since both have G4 processors, if you tend to be a little rough with things, go for the iBook. Ever since Apple changed from the Titanium alloy to an Aluminum alloy, the pBooks can be bent really easily, and you save a little money. Your going to get a nice computer either way you go and I don't see how you can be disapointed.
Don't the new iBooks use PC2100 DDR now?
Hey Ludge, your right. Direct quote from Apple's online store.
Standard memory on iBook is 256MB of DDR266 SDRAM
So no worries on different memory. 
Even buying DDR from crucial is cheaper than apple by abou £70. I wonder how much cheaper it is on the high street?!
I was in the same position with 14" iBook vs 15" PBook. Now I'm going for the iBook as it's cheaper and the resolution isn't that bad. I mean, 1024x768 is good enough on a 14" screen isn't it?
Originally posted by contrasutra@Oct 23 2003, 11:38 PMThen why would someone get a powerbook?
The fools.
Because it's a sexy little machine. 
I say go for the iBook, that's what I'm getting. I wanted a tough & tiny notebook for school, and the iBook is it. (I'm getting the 12" version) Plus, it's a lot cheaper than the Powerbook, which is good for the wallet.
Well, don't forget the PBs have the cache difference and the built in bluetooth.
A lot of people ignore the cache specs, but it's the fastest memory in any comp...important stuff.
I chose the PB personally...aesthetics played a role as well though. 
Originally posted by mike273@Oct 23 2003, 09:12 PMIf you can, just go to a store and get your hands on both - chances are you'll make your decision the second you see them.
Dead right. Went into a shop, picked up both the 14" iBook and the 15" pBook and then bang! Decision made! I'm having the powerbook. I'll have to wait a bit longer to get the money but it'll be worth it. The powerbook was just so much nicer to handle and play with. Even the 12 inch one felt bigger than the 12" iBook. Must be something to do with the colour. But anyway, back to the point... The snap decision is true.
I purchased a 12' Powerbook for my first mac (Still my first and only mac at this time), along with some more ram (So it now has the built in 128 plus another 512).
I wanted to go for a cheap one as my first incase I didn't like the way they work, but I am very happy with the machine, and MacOS.
My next machine will be a G5 as, aside from the damn sexyness, they are very powerful machines. Got my eye on one of those 23' studio screens. Saw one in-store when I got my powerbook and I knew then that I had to have one so I think that'll go nicely with the G5.
Unfortunatly, I have fallen asleep at my powerbook and found it in all sorts of dodgy positions and angles where its fallen off of me, and it does scratch easy, and there are a few minor design flaws (The un-flush battery which gets on my man-boobs a little) but aside from those its a durable machine (Mine still works).
A word of warning, don't get anything from a company called Solutions Inc.
Me and a mate went to get our powerbooks on the same day, and when he got home he found his had a dead pixel, and no matter what we've tried, they won't do sh## about it. Tossers!
Changed mind. Get an iBook. Unless you have to have the higher RAM/resolution it isn't worth the £400 difference.
Besides, I'm pretty sure you can upgrade iBook RAM beyond spec.
And you get much more software with the iBook.
And there's a hack to get better external monitor support.
And it's what I'm saving up for.
if got the budget go for the powahbook.
Why?
15" powerbook - the cheaper version offered in apple® store:
Thinner, 256MB PC2700 (333MHz) DDR SDRAM, bigger resolution 1280x854, surperdrive x4, 60GB Ultra ATA/100, ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 (64MB DDR), Built-in Bluetooth, FireWire 400 & 800 and DVI & S-Video out.
the (great) iBook G4 14":
1024x768 resolution, 256MB (133MHz) SDRAM, 60GB Ultra ATA drive, Combo Drive, ATI Mobility Radeon 9200
32MB DDR video memory
AS you see, I stressed the differences.
Its your call.. :banging: make the right one.
A good reason for not getting a 15" powerbook just yet is there is an apparent flaw with the display see this article on Mac Rumours http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/11/200...102233505.shtml
Lots of people who have them have noticed obvious white spots on the screen. Even people who have had replacements still have the probem, so any 15" aluminum powerbooks around at the moment may well have this fault (if apple fix this new shipments should be fine).
I have been considering an apple laptop to go with my imac, but this has put me off the 15" pb for a while.
Bye Bye
iBook, please. This is such a great thread (Y)
Originally posted by N10248@Nov 4 2003, 09:53 PMA good reason for not getting a 15" powerbook just yet is there is an apparent flaw with the display see this article on Mac Rumours http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2003/11/200...102233505.shtml
Lots of people who have them have noticed obvious white spots on the screen. Even people who have had replacements still have the probem, so any 15" aluminum powerbooks around at the moment may well have this fault (if apple fix this new shipments should be fine).
I have been considering an apple laptop to go with my imac, but this has put me off the 15" pb for a while.
Bye Bye
Apple's gonna fix it. And it's only the people who had problems post about it online, there's also a huge number of 15" PB user who got perfect PBs.
Looking at Goku's post I'd say that the extra cost might warrant getting the PB... well going by what I use a computer for...
Actually on the topic of memory, does anyone know how much RAM in an ideal situation Panther needs to run smoothly? I asked at the Apple store and they gave me a vague answer of 256MB is enough for min, but if you want performance you'd want at least 512 (which is 640 for these iBook when you upgrade it) ... Hmmm <_<
Or possibly 1152MB maxed out if you think that crucial are right in what they're saying (I'm not gonna let this issue go)
I have 768, but 640 is more than enough to my experience (assuming you dont run high def footages and/or killing size images like 21" on 40" - only duals can survive those ).
Again, what I represented above was just the cheaper 15" powerbook with "inferior" features. >.<
I remember being blinded by the mac purchase and the more time went by the more I felt like compromising just to get the mac. I remember saying "I wont need to burn dvds, I'll fw an ext one" or "It has too many 'extra' features that I prolly wont use anyway". Wrong.
IMO (I know gp, taha and some others are going to kill me) if you love macs, you WILL be using and experamenting all features avaliable for you. Overall, there isnt a whole big difference between the two and I'd be happy to have an ibook, but for extra $200-400 you get A THOROUGH UPGRADE and MORE advanced software+hardware features built in e.g: iDVD will be installed and shipped along with the PowerBook for you, while with the iBook you'd either have to steal or buy separetly and you dont wanna buy it J/K.
Also you'll get the following DEAFAULTS which dont exist or cant be achieved on your ibook:
--------------
15.2-inch TFT Display - 14" TFT disaplay
1280x854 resolution - 1024x768
1GHz PowerPC G4 - Same
512K L2 cache - 256 L2 cache
256MB DDR333 SDRAM (333) - 256MB SDRAM (133)
60GB Ultra ATA/100 - Same
ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 (64MB DDR) - 9200 (32MB DDR)
Illuminated keyboard with ambient light sensor (1GHz 15-inch model only) - N/A
10/100/Gigabit Ethernet - 10/100Ethernet <-- Major difference
FireWire 400 & 800 - A single 400 FW
54Mbps AirPort Extreme Ready- Same
DVI & S-Video out - N/A
BlueTooth Built in - N/A (Optional for extra cash)
Superdrive 4x - N/A (not even an option for an upgrade)
-------------------------------------------------
for 15" monitor with higher rez, an extra FW800 slot, A bluetooth module built in, a SUPERDRIVE 4x, 10 times faster ethernet, luxury and cool looking keyboard, faster graphics card along with DOUBLE the ram, faster DDR and DOUBLE cache, i'd say these extra $399 get A LOT more than you'd ever wish for.
good case for the powerbook Goku, though you forgot that they look fooking excellent..
in the ibooks defence:
the ibook has ddr ram too,
no-one has gigabit hubs - they cost over $200 each, so gigabit, is nice, but pointless unless you connect directly to another gigabit enabled computer.
there are hardly any firewire 800 devices, just a few hard drives (which are all now blank thanks to panther, lol)
I'm fairly sure i'm buying an ibook 12" just after christmas, got the money sitting here waiting...
Well, anything I say is just me argueing for what I'm planning to get.
A correction: iBook RAM is at 266MHz. Thats not that different from 266 is it?
Also, the 14" iBook is either at 933 or 1000MHz. Thats a £150 difference (£200 to begin with, but you have to add the fifty to get the bigger HD).
Is the 67MHz worth £150?
@Fissy : these facts just help my points.
And as I was saying earlier mi amigo :hug: :
Originally posted by gokuI remember being blinded by the mac purchase and the more time went by the more I felt like compromising just to get the mac. I remember saying "I wont need to burn dvds, I'll fw an ext one" or "It has too many 'extra' features that I prolly wont use anyway". Wrong.
If you get All-in-one or Laptop computers, make sure you get the best. You'll never be able to upgrade them. EVER. *sigh*..Computers are bad investment in general due to a fast update of the hardware. Macs, hoever, evolves slowly, YET GRACEFULLY since they only deal with top notch technology.
With that "who needs a fw800" and "that 1000Ethernet card" you'll actually have a LONG LASTING computer. In my place we have 3 macs, and 3 Pcs (1 mac and 1 pc for me). Soon enough these "too advanced" features will become common (and we already have 1gig enabled in the apartment btw) so i can forget about my iMac being able to catch up with the joneses.
after 12-16 months, that iBook would be considered featureless, whereas the PB wont be reflecting any time change, AT ALL.
Originally posted by Ludge@Nov 4 2003, 11:34 AMWell, anything I say is just me argueing for what I'm planning to get.
A correction: iBook RAM is at 266MHz. Thats not that different from 266 is it?
Also, the 14" iBook is either at 933 or 1000MHz. Thats a £150 difference (£200 to begin with, but you have to add the fifty to get the bigger HD).
Is the 67MHz worth £150?
it is 133 - well according to ELPPA® 
but assuming it is 266mhz, I AGREE - you still get much for for the cash differences, IMO