[nagromme]

In case this helps anyone, here's my quick chart of PowerBook prices and features. All models include 512 RAM for slot 2 from OtherWorldComputing.com, $118.


$1736 - 12" GeForce/32 1GHz Combo/40HD w/ TV adapter ($19), 768 RAM (or $1936 with SuperDrive)

... For $381 more:
$2117 - 15" Radeon/64 1GHz Combo/60HD (FW800/CardBus/Gigabit), 768 RAM (or $2186 with lit keys BTO)

... For $425 more:
$2542 - 15" Radeon/64 1.25Ghz Combo/Airport/lit keys/60HD (FW800/CardBus/Gigabit), 1GB RAM (includes $100 BTO for 1x512 not 2x256; and $275 BTO savings for 60HD and Combo downgrades)

... For $275 more:
$2817 - 15" Radeon/64 1.25Ghz SuperDrive/Airport/lit keys/80HD (FW800/CardBus/Gigabit), 1GB RAM (includes $100 BTO for 1x512 not 2x256)

... For $300 more:
$3117 - 17" Radeon/64 1.33Ghz SuperDrive/Airport/lit keys/80HD (FW800/CardBus/Gigabit), 1GB RAM


BTO Options (2 bottom models):
$200 SuperDrive
$100 Airport
(15" 1Ghz/60HD is $2486 with both & lit keys: $331 less than 1.25GHz/80HD)

BTO Options (2 top models):
$400 Upgrade 1 GB to 1.5GB (1 GB in slot 1)
$125 Upgrade 80HD to 5400 rpm
(17" is $3642 with both; or $4174 with 2GB via TransIntl.com RAM in slot 2)

BTO downgrades (applied above to 15" 1.25Ghz):
$200 savings: Combo vs. SuperDrive
$75 savings: 60HD vs. 80HD


I've assumed that TV-out and extra RAM (at the best price) are all desired. Prices are $US. Education pricing would be $200 to $350 lower. Note that BTO means you can't shop around for reseller promos like free RAM.


Weight vs. Screen Size vs. DPI (lower DPI is more readable):

12" - 4.6 lbs. - .79 megapixels - 106 DPI

15" - 5.6 lbs. - 1.09 megapixels - 101 DPI

17" - 6.9 lbs. - 1.3 megapixels - 100 DPI


I have concluded that the "sweet spot" deals are the 15" 1Ghz, the "downgraded" Combo-drive 1.25GHz, and the 17". Features aside, the 12" portability is great--but the 15" is only 1 lb. heavier. Also, reports suggest that the 15" may be the brightest, followed by the 17".

Every model has its uses... Now to decide...



P.S. Click here for high-res images of all models. Drag them to your desktop: when you open them, they are actually much higher res than you see on the web page.

[nagromme]

Just added some BTO "downgrade" options above. As with the G5 towers, that strategy can get you top performance for less, if you don't care as much about other features (like the SuperDrive--I'd use it rarely).

You can get near-top speed from a $2542 15" PowerBook that way. 1.25 Ghz, 1 GB RAM, Combo/60HD. Very tempting!

Or for education buyers, that same config is just $2259 for a lot of power! (With the stock 512 RAM, the downgraded 1.25 GHz is just $2051.)

Or for even more performance, get that same BTO Combo 1.25 model with the 5400 rpm 80 GB drive for $2742.

$500 more than that would get you a 17" screen with those same options, plus SuperDrive... but speed-wise, only .08 Ghz more.

You CANNOT remove anything from the 17" BTO, like you can with the top 15". (And it's too bad you can never remove the Airport card BTO--it's so easily added later. Nor can you downgrade the top 15" to 256 MB, which would be one way to free up a slot. The 17" has the advantage of having the entire 512 in a single slot by default--not so with the 15".)

[TheIceMan]

Thanks for the comparison info.

[nagromme]

I'll add two notes:

First, some tests on the high-speed 5400 rpm HD option:

http://www.barefeats.com/hard34.html

Given those results, I don't think I'd bother with the $125 5400 rpm drive. But nor would I void my warranty by installing a 7200 myself! The 5400 does add speed. Just not enough, for me.

Second, regarding RAM: modules over 512 MB are VERY expensive now--so having more than 1 GB RAM in a PowerBook is costly. The cheapest RAM configs now are 768 MB to 1 GB (depending what was in slot 1 when you add 512 3rd-party).

I posted my RAM strategy here:
http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=178674
That demonstrates that, if you DO want more than 1 GB RAM, it's actually cheapest to get some of it from Apple--normally not the case!

(And a new factor in my own decision: if the new SuperDrive does indeed rewrite DVD-RW in Panther (or even 10.2.8?), as rumored, then I'll want it for weekly backups. That makes the top 17" a good deal for me. Otherwise, a 15" 1.25 with the SuperDrive removed BTO. But I'll wait for Panther to arrive and early defects to pass.)

[Super Glitcher]

all I can say is that this 17" powerbook is the sweetes computer I've ever used in my entire life.

buyaka!