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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Just Ordered the 17" - And Here's Why

Just Ordered the 17" - And Here's Why
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Oct 1999
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Sep 26, 2003, 10:25 PM
 
I was a VERY HAPPY Ti 677 owner and after 2 years - I ordered a Al 15" but at the the last moment I switched it to the 17" and here is why:

1. 133 mhz
2. 512 megs in a single stick - room to add another meg soon - very soon.
3. more screen space - while I always liked the 15" screen I should like this that much more.
4. the more I read on these and other boards the more I became convinced that the 17" while bigger/heavier was worth the extra freight and wasn't actually too big...

I use these books for scientific work, image mining, and software design and development and of course for web surfing and a bit of gaming too....

It is a done deal and I hope I am as happy with it as I think I will be......but it is big - I just hope not too big....
     
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Sep 27, 2003, 12:18 AM
 
Congrats! I'm leaning in the same direction. (Actually I started looking at the 12" to hold me until a PBG5... and worked my way up to 17!)

It may be too late--and there are different ways of looking at it--but it may be best to get it BTO with 1 GB from Apple, installed in one slot.

It only costs $400 to do that--seemingly a lot, but then you can add 512 MB from a 3rd party for $120. Total cost: $520 to go from 512 Mb to 1.5 GB. If, instead, you order 1 GB for slot 2 from a 3rd party, you get the same 1.5GB--but for a cost of $650-$700!

Here's my RAM strategy for the new PowerBooks:
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=178674
     
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Join Date: Mar 2003
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Sep 27, 2003, 01:08 AM
 
I can say that you've made the right choice. Hehehe, glad you made the change. You won't regrat it.

Ming
A Proud Mac User Since: 03/24/03
Apple Computer: MacBook 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 3 GB Memory, 120 GB HD
     
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Sep 27, 2003, 01:24 AM
 
Originally posted by Podolsky:

512 megs in a single stick - room to add another meg soon - very soon.
Just as an FYI, you can get this on the 15" too.
2.16 Ghz Core 2 Macbook, 3GB Ram, 120 GB
     
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Sep 27, 2003, 02:27 AM
 
....I am still very much considering getting one soon.

For the screen space above all...plus I think that clients love it!!!!
"I'll take a extra layer of ram on that
gigaflop sandwich mister"
     
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Sep 27, 2003, 02:49 AM
 
Originally posted by coolmacdude:
Just as an FYI, you can get this on the 15" too.
Yes, but it is $100 extra. On the 17", it's standard.

"That's Mama Luigi to you, Mario!" *wheeze*
     
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Sep 27, 2003, 06:31 AM
 
Originally posted by nagromme:
Congrats! I'm leaning in the same direction. (Actually I started looking at the 12" to hold me until a PBG5... and worked my way up to 17!)

It may be too late--and there are different ways of looking at it--but it may be best to get it BTO with 1 GB from Apple, installed in one slot.

It only costs $400 to do that--seemingly a lot, but then you can add 512 MB from a 3rd party for $120. Total cost: $520 to go from 512 Mb to 1.5 GB. If, instead, you order 1 GB for slot 2 from a 3rd party, you get the same 1.5GB--but for a cost of $650-$700!

Here's my RAM strategy for the new PowerBooks:
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=178674
Interesting. I was the the fact that the 17" came with 512mg in a single stick that actually opened the door to my thinking about the 17 vs. the 15. Once I saw that advantage all the other pluses came at me and when I priced it all out - I felt that the 17 had significant advantage over the 15. The only reason I did not get 1.5 mg, my target for ram, from Apple was simply to split the investment. I got to believe that I can get and install 1 mg cheaper than I can from Apple. But, I did not research that at all. My ti book had 512 for over 2 years and while there were times I wish I had more - I never did add it....I will research and buy good ram and install myself - that is possible on the 17 no?
     
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Sep 27, 2003, 03:08 PM
 
Yes, you can install/remove RAM in both slots (1 comes filled) easily, without voiding your warranty. A 1 GB chip costs $650 from transintl.com, for instance. (But as I explained, that may not be a good move, unless you want to go for 2 GB right away.)
     
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Sep 27, 2003, 04:40 PM
 
I own a 17incher after having used for a year and a half. And it is great. The complaint about weight is a non exsisting one for me. Look it might be a bit heavier than the 15 inch but what the heck. You always have more with you than your 17inch alone and that is what makes your bag heavy. Since using my Powerbooks I decided to go for a paperless office and that makes the weight difference really.

So to anyone in doubt about 12-15-17 i can only recommend to go for the 17inch Big Al.
g.r.e.e.t.i.n.g.s
mark ®
hanging out in san francisco - wellington - cape town (or in between)
Powerbook 17 inch MacOS 10.4.3Eng • Palm E2 • Motorola Razr • iPod Flash 1Gb • iPod mini 2nd-4Gb
     
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Sep 28, 2003, 01:11 AM
 
Another big portability issue, if you're moving from a slightly older Apple laptop, is the yo-yo. The bane of my exisence with my PowerBook G3!

I can't wait until all I have to do is pull the little white power brick off the wall, wrap the SINGLE cable on the hooks, and throw it in my jacket pocket. Maybe a wireless BT mouse in the other pocket. Grab laptop and go!

Dealing with the two cables and massive size of the yo-yo is something I won't miss. Looks nice, sounds good on paper... but just plain annoying.
     
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Sep 28, 2003, 03:38 AM
 
I thought I was set on the AL15" even before they were released and have a TiBook 500Mhz but. I do development, light 3D modeling, watch movies, and the typical web, word, and email. I prefer a laptop cause I'll be moving from Italy to Ireland and back to the States in the next 3 years, so I won't have to pay so much to ship computer stuff around.

Since I only take it on the road to visit family, vacation and occasionally to work my portablity needs are minimal. Having the extra screen space to write code is the main reason I decided on the 17". A bit faster processor, and the single 512 chip helped tilt the scale.

I hafta wait till I'm back stateside late Oct to get it and am sweaty with anticipation.
If a group of mimes are miming a forest and one falls down, does he make a sound?
     
   
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