[yg17]

I need several opinions on this. Im planning on either getting a 900MHz G3 iBook, or a 8-whatever it is MHz Powerbook (12 inch). What I use my PC for, I'd also use on the Mac:
Web Browsing/IM/email
PHP programming
Music
The occasional small thing in Photoshop, nothing too major at all that wouldn't require a bunch of processing power.

Im not much of a gamer at all, and when I do play a videogame, it's on my PS2. And I don't need a DVD burner either. Movie editing? Nope, no need for that.

The thing is, I could eventually afford a PowerBook, however, I'm only a couple hundred away from an iBook. If I went with the iBook instead, would there be a significant, noticeable performance decrease? I have a feeling that for what my main uses are, a PBook wouldn't give me much more except bragging rights and an emptier bank account. Thanks.

[engaged]

Only things that I could suggest thinking about are whether you'd need the better video output (mirroring or dual display) on a monitor that the PB offers. Also, there is little else that strains a Mac more than PS, so a better performing computer would be worth considering..?

My ibook is from late 2001, and I note that the latest ones don't have quite the same finish, and I do think that the 12" PB does look better.

Hope others can offer more thought.

[arnette]

If you know you want a 12" screen, get the PowerBook. Jaguar takes advantage of Altivec, so do all the iLife programs (as is my understanding).

The PowerBook is smaller, it has a cool slot-load drive, BT, and AP Ex, so if cash isn't a big deal for you, get the PowerBook.

That being said, I'm waiting for 15" updates and 10.3 to come out before I get my new computer. Good luck!

[yg17]

Cash is a pretty big deal for me being a high school student and all. But if I'm going to spend $1600 on a laptop, I'd rather have a maxed out iBook than an empty PowerBook with just the basics.

[The Placid Casual]

Originally posted by yg17:
Cash is a pretty big deal for me being a high school student and all. But if I'm going to spend $1600 on a laptop, I'd rather have a maxed out iBook than an empty PowerBook with just the basics.

Seems like a good argument... But the Powerbook to me is a step higher than the current iBook line as long as you need all the extra features....

I owned a 12" PB for a few months and have only sold for the Dual 2ghz G5. Overall I was very, very impressed...

Standout features were Bluetooth, Airport Extreme, and the Keyboard... Probably the best Keyboard I have ever used not only on a laptop, but ever.

Also OS X was pretty damn speedy on the 12"... I had 640MB RAM, but OS X really was a joy to use. Altivec really gave a boost to some apps as well, and basic (and not so basic!) graphics stuff in Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign2 etc really was a breeze...

Overall it was a very sweet machine.

Downsides, Hmmm, Battery life. I could only get 3.5 hours max... other have reported even less! I don't know what the most recent iBooks do, but the G3 466SE I'm using to type this gets 5 hours easily...

I found the lack of DVI out to be a real issue too, although I guess this effects both machines.

Oh, and the heat. Not a ridiculous amount, but significantly more than an iBook... The machine was always 'hot to the touch', although not uncomfortable...

Is it really worth the extra premium if you don't use the features? Well, if speed is not your main concern, and you don't use bluetooth, it is a close run thing...

However, if you can get a 12" Powerbook for a good deal with a student discount or something, I would do it. It really is currently a step above the iBook range, and worth it for the keyboard alone...

Peace,

Marc

[arnette]

Originally posted by yg17:
But if I'm going to spend $1600 on a laptop, I'd rather have a maxed out iBook than an empty PowerBook with just the basics.

What chu talkin' 'bout, Willis? $1600 IS a maxed out Powerbook 12", let alone an ibook. The only detractor I can see is maybe the heat which isn't all that bad anyway, and maybe the battery life and which isn't too shabby anyway at 3 1/2hrs. But all that was said in the post above.

Apparently, I have no point. Get the PowerBook. I had one and it was good.. but I sold it because I wanted a bigger screen. The 12" was giving me headaches. Go figure.

[yg17]

Hmm, I came across this and it seems that the iBook beats the PBook in several things, and when it loses, the difference is just a couple seconds, except for the more advanced graphics stuff I don't do. Does anyone have any thoughts on that test?

[Lateralus]

The current 12" PowerBook is barely a step above the 12" iBook. It is crippled with a shotty video card and a lack of L3 cache, which is currently the only thing helping the G4 to stand out over the G3 other than AltiVec.

I would suggest that you go with the iBook, I have had many G3 and G4 machines (iBook 500, G4 533, iBook 700, Dual 867 G4, PowerBook G3 400) and IMO, the G4 is overrated.

What I would suggest for you, being short on cash at most times myself, is that you look into getting a refurbished iBook from a reputable vendor. My iBook 700 was a refurbished model and it was in mint condition when I recieved it, I still dont think it was ever touched by human hands. And, I saved $200 off of retail .

Right now, MacMall.com has the refurbished iBook 900/128MB/Combo/40GB/12.1" for $1,094.

Either way you go, good luck with your purchase and I can guarentee you that you will not regret getting a Mac.

[bighill]

Whatever you choose to do, be REAL careful when dealing with macmall....they don't have the best rep.

[yg17]

Nah, I wouldn't be getting it online at all. There's an Apple Store here that I'll go to.

[The Placid Casual]

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
The current 12" PowerBook is barely a step above the 12" iBook. It is crippled with a shotty video card and a lack of L3 cache, which is currently the only thing helping the G4 to stand out over the G3 other than AltiVec.

Ummm, integrated Bluetooth, DDR RAM, Airport Extreme, general build quality?

I have owned both machines recently, and can say that the Powerbook is by far the better model. The Powerbook is clearly an evolutionary step ahead of the iBook... I wouldn't be surprised if the next generation iBook is, or is very close to the 12" Powerbook! As for the benchmarks, yes they are close in theory, but in general computing terms such as using OS X, the difference is vast.

The keyboard on the 12" Powerbook is a point in issue. It is a work of art. Stunning to use.

Sorry to disagree PowerMacMan, but I would not recommend buying either a G3 machine behind the most recent revision, or a refurb. Unless you get a very, very good deal, you may as well go and burn your money when you want to resell...

This issue has also been dealt with in detail over in the Powermac forum... It is well worth checking out the threads as they are detailed and very informative...

[Lateralus]

Originally posted by The Placid Casual:
Ummm, integrated Bluetooth, DDR RAM, Airport Extreme, general build quality?

1) If Bluetooth is something you would use, it is nice. If not....
2) Apples decision to put DDR RAM in the 12" still boggles me. The bus in the 12" is an SDR bus, which means that the DDR RAM is being limited to SDR speeds.
3) If you are going to use AirPort Extreme, it can be nice. If not, it makes no difference.
4) The build quality level of each machine is debateable.

The keyboard on the 12" Powerbook is a point in issue. It is a work of art. Stunning to use.

I agree, great keyboard. But do it and the few things that the PowerBook have over the iBook really justify the premium price for somebody short on cash?

Sorry to disagree PowerMacMan, but I would not recommend buying either a G3 machine behind the most recent revision, or a refurb. Unless you get a very, very good deal, you may as well go and burn your money when you want to resell...

It's fine. This isnt exactly a subject everybody agrees on.

For some people, the G4 is necessary.

For others, the G3 is more than enough. And for those people, the iBook is a much better deal considering the price difference.

If money werent an issue for me and I were in the market for a small notebook from Apple, I would go with the 12" PowerBook. But for me and many other people, money is a very important factor. And from that point of view, I find it hard to justify the extra $300 for the 12" PBook, especially when the iBook is holding it's own so well against the 12" PBook, even with a G3.

[Scooterboy]

I'd go for the iBook 12" and with the extra cash max out the RAM and buy an iPod or a MiniDV camcorder.

The 12" PowerBook is nice, but then the 15" or 17" is so much nicer, and they have PowerBook features that the 12" PowerBook lacks i.e. FireWire 800, DVI out, max out at 1 GB RAM, and have much better video cards. The iBook's ATi Radeon 750 is arguably better than the 12" PowerBook's GeForce4 420 Go. As stated earlier, the 12" PowerBook G4 is further crippled since it is lacking the 1MB level 3 cache (or any cache) that is in the 15" and 17" PowerBooks.

[DigitalEl]

Placid Casual, thanks for the best posts ever in the PowerBook 12" vs. iBook debate. This decision has been torturing me for awhile now and I think you've convinced me to go with the PowerBook. That is, as soon as my two other computers sell on eBay.

Thanks again.

---

Whatever you choose to do, be REAL careful when dealing with macmall....they don't have the best rep.

I'll probably go through the Apple Education Store, since the wife's a teacher, but what's the deal with MacMall?

[The Placid Casual]

Originally posted by DigitalEl:
Placid Casual, thanks for the best posts ever in the PowerBook 12" vs. iBook debate. This decision has been torturing me for awhile now and I think you've convinced me to go with the PowerBook. That is, as soon as my two other computers sell on eBay.

Thanks again.

---

I'll probably go through the Apple Education Store, since the wife's a teacher, but what's the deal with MacMall?

No Problem at all, and thanks for the compliment! I'm glad that finally, something I posted has helped someone!

Good luck with selling the machines, and I hope you enjoy the Powerbook, they are really are great machines!