So I think Im going to make the conversion to Mac. I have it narrowed down to the iBook 900Mhz G3 with the Super drive or the similarly equiped powerbook 867 Mhz with the Super drive. Now, the question is, is the Powerbook worth the extra 640 USD? Im attending a university next year, majoring in Art Education although this will probably change as Im already hoping to transfer to another school to study Photojournalism or Anthropology (My goal is to either teach at a private school or work for National Geographic). Any dopers with thoughts?
-PSM
I’d definitely go for the Powerbook at this point, if only for the G4 processor; I suspect more and more software will come out to take advantage of the G4’s parallel processing unit (the “velocity engine”).
The iBook might do fine as a second Mac, but it sounds like you’re looking for a primary.
Well, photojournalism says “digital photography” which says “Photoshop” which says “G4”. But “student” says “on a budget” which says “iBook”. I’d say that if the LCD is of equivalent quality, stick with the iBook.
No matter when you buy a Mac (or a PC, for that matter), there will be one cheaper and faster available shortly after, and either of the ones you mentioned ought to be a pleasure to own and operate.
Nevertheless, rumor has it that the Macintosh platform is about to make a really impressive speed leap (link, itself containing other links). Would you be significantly unhappy next January if the model replacing your 867 MHz PowerBook in the Apple lineup was a 1.4-1.6 GHz PowerBook pulling significantly more than double (maybe close to triple) the performance of the one you bought, using the 64-bit IBM PowerPC 970 chip and running the 64-bit MacOS 10.3?
(Some say the new Macs will retake the speed lead from the PC. Others say it will merely narrow the gap).
Speed ain’t everything, though. If you’re going to be using it mostly to write term papers and answer your email, maybe do a little Photoshopping for your Photojournalism class, it won’t make all that much difference.
I do recommend the PowerBook over the iBook unless you wish to run MacOS 9. MacOS X is much better optimized for the G4 instruction set. My PowerBook, an aging WallStreet, has had two otherwise identical accelerators in it at various times: a 500 MHz G3 and a 500 MHz G4. There’s a noticeable difference in responsiveness under MacOS X.
I think you’re a bit confused here. A SuperDrive allows one to read and write DVDs and CDs, while the Combo drive is a CD reader/writer and DVD reader. The iBook does not have a SuperDrive option, only a CD-ROM drive or a Combo drive.
Also, are you looking at the 12" PowerBook or the 15" PowerBook?
I don’t know about the newer models, but my first generation Powerbook G4 is shoddily built. There are marks on the screen from the keyboard. The one antenna is pushed in halfway. The screen is loose so that if you turn suddenly with it on your lap it will flop down. There are lines across the bottom of the screen. And it’s only three years old.
The iBook strikes me as a bit more rugged, and even if it’s not, it’s cheaper, so you’d be able to buy replace it sooner.
Regardless, I’d definitely wait until after MacWorld in July.
If you are on a budget, either get the iBook or wait until July and the G4 Powerbook will be greatly reduced on the refurbished markets. Supposedly the end of June will bring big hardware changes to Apple’s lines and that tends to drive down prices on older stuff.
We have a slightly older 800 combo IBook and I love it. I also have a G4 desktop. The performance difference is pretty minor except for the few software titles that include G4-based Velocity Engine functionality. Much of the impacted software involves higher-end graphics, like Photoshop, and rendering for 3-D modeling. I don’t know if that is relevant to your studies–find out what your peers use.
Either way you will be rewarded with an excellent computer.
Note that you don’t need a G4 to run Photoshop – I’m running Photoshop Elements on a 450 MHz G3 iMac – but it doesn’t hurt to get the latest tech your budget allows.
Well whatever you do, you should wait another month…
The new CPU is rumored to come out on June 23rd.
They will probably not stick the new CPU in the Laptops right away… at the very least I would expect to see Firewire800 in all Powerbooks by then…
There are other rumors of a Aluminum 15" Powerbook to replace the Titanium… so who knows what may happen…
and if you can wait until mid-July for Macworld NY…that would be your best bet… just so you don’t kick yourself for buying early…
but as far as the powerbook being worth $640 more…
The display on the powerbook is much better… You can only really view an iBook from 1 angle… but the powerbook can be viewed by a much larger field of view.
The G4 is also faster…
I would go for the Powerbook if I were you…
I went through this same thing in January…
14" iBook, or 12" Powerbook…
I went with the iBook, and I wish I spent the extra $$$…
I like my iBook, but the Powerbook would have been worth it for me.
If you’re really on a budget, go for a desktop machine, and not a laptop. I’m contemplating a new Mac, and the price breaks between a desktop eMac and an equivalent laptop are pretty ludicrous. (Pay $600 more for a slower machine just so I can lug it around? )
Is there going to be a summer MacWorld this year? I was under the impression that Apple threw a snit fit when the organizers tried moving it back to Boston and they effectively called the whole the thing off (or at least changed its name).
I was under the impression that the World Wide Developer’s Conference is where they’re going to show off all their new toys this year. (Slightly off-topic except that it might affect the timing of the OP’s buying decision.)
Barbarian,
You are right… the price difference is a bit high… but that is the convenience fee really…
If you want something smaller, you pay more…
like CRT vs. LCD…
I want the ability to carry my Laptop around… so it was well worth it for me… like being able to watch a movie on my computer while I am on a long flight… can’t really take an eMac with me…
Macworld is still slated for July in NYC…
I do remember Apple having some issues… I think they may have pulled their support for the show…I am not sure though…
You are right that any new products will most likely be shown at the WWDC
Supposedly, there will be no Steve Jobs keynote speech at Macworld NY this year and not as much Apple presence as previous years. I’d concur that that the major stuff will be announced at the WWDC, which does have a Jobs keynote speech and a preview of OS 10.3 Panther. Although…typically the WWDC isn’t used for new hardware announcements. Who knows, this year might be the exception.
I’m also looking to buy an Apple laptop sometime soon, but I’d echo the previous posters and say wait until after WWDC at least. I’ve heard advice to never buy Apple computers 4-6 weeks before any major Apple expo. There’s a good chance that there’ll be bumps to processor speed or reductions on prices to the G3 and G4 lines…and of course, that much hyped 64-bit PPC970…
In non-altivec programs, you won’t notice much difference in performance between the two computers. The new G3 processors in the iBooks are faster at a given clockrate than the new G4’s, but the G4’s have altivec which signifigantly speeds certain optimized tasks, such as photoshop filters.
In general usage, you probably won’t notice much of a difference.
Both the iBook and the Powerbook are really nice computers, it just depends on if a little bit of speed is worth the price difference to you.
For the record, I use photoshop on both my iBook, and my 400mhz G3 iMac, and it works absolutely flawlessly. My iBook is a 700Mhz Model.
And for those of you who find the iBook screen to be less than perfect, try this.
http://www.bergdesign.com/supercal/
It is a display calibrator. I used it for my iBook, and now the display is much nicer. The contrast and color depth is greatly improved now. Its a free download, more than worth the time to calibrate the display.