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t4r1q · Jun 14, 2004, 01:11 PM

I'm about to buy my first Mac (and laptop for that matter), but I'm just wondering about a few things.

Alot of you upgrade your PowerBook it seems every year or whenever Apple releases a new revision/model? Why is this? Is it because in ~1year the PowerBook has slowed down or because generally most of you just want the newest and fastest technology?

I want this PowerBook to last me at least 2-3 years, isn't that possible? (Even if it means running outdated OSX or software) I understand laptops age faster, but I've used a 4 year old PowerMac G4 400mhz desktop running OSX recently and it ran fine for heavy Photoshop and Flash work. Also there is that whole claim that OSX becomes faster as it's updated, shouldn't that then increase hardware life?

cszar2001 · Jun 14, 2004, 01:17 PM

I`ve had my PB17 Rev. a for a year now and intend to keep it for another 2 years. I have yet to find an application that it couldn`t handle.
The current lineup of PB`s should easily last even longer.
You can always upgrade RAM and add a faster HD.

BUY NOW!!

mcsharick · Jun 14, 2004, 01:29 PM

t4r1q wrote:

Alot of you upgrade your PowerBook it seems every year or whenever Apple releases a new revision/model? Why is this?

I wouldn't believe everything you read, ecspecially in forums. You should reasonably expect to run all OSX future revs, and applications as demanding as Emagic's Logic, Apple's Final Cut Pro, etc... on a current Rev C. PowerBook for the next three years. Which is exactly what the purchase of Apple Care will give you. I upgrade PowerBooks for the life of what the 'bumper to bumper' Apple Care extended warranty will cover. Get the PowerBook and get Apple Care. Now those are two decisions you will not regret!

angelmb · Jun 14, 2004, 01:37 PM

Originally posted by t4r1q:
I want this PowerBook to last me at least 2-3 years, isn't that possible? (Even if it means running outdated OSX or software) I understand laptops age faster, but I've used a 4 year old PowerMac G4 400mhz desktop running OSX recently and it ran fine for heavy Photoshop and Flash work. Also there is that whole claim that OSX becomes faster as it's updated, shouldn't that then increase hardware life?

Sure, one advice, get Apple Care, you can buy more RAM or replace the HD by another faster one later, but you only have the first year to buy Apple Care.

-Q- · Jun 14, 2004, 02:31 PM

I used my desktop machine (Beige G3) for 6 years. It was usuable thru 10.2. Things did start getting really slow towards the end, but I was expecting that.

I'm planning on keeping my TiBook 867 for another year or so (it'll be a year old in August). It's still perfectly capable for everything I need it to do.

Voch · Jun 14, 2004, 03:01 PM

I'm sometimes itch for an upgrade of my TiBook 667/DVI but will likely stick it out until the "next big thing". I have AppleCare on it until Feb 22, 2006, but I doubt I'll hold out that long

. I may do a hard drive bump on it soon but really don't feel like messin' with it.

Voch

t4r1q · Jun 14, 2004, 03:14 PM

Yea I definately plan on getting AppleCare, if not at the time of purchase, then before the first year is up.

vinster · Jun 14, 2004, 04:15 PM

Originally posted by t4r1q:
I'm about to buy my first Mac (and laptop for that matter), but I'm just wondering about a few things.

Alot of you upgrade your PowerBook it seems every year or whenever Apple releases a new revision/model? Why is this? Is it because in ~1year the PowerBook has slowed down or because generally most of you just want the newest and fastest technology?

I want this PowerBook to last me at least 2-3 years, isn't that possible? (Even if it means running outdated OSX or software) I understand laptops age faster, but I've used a 4 year old PowerMac G4 400mhz desktop running OSX recently and it ran fine for heavy Photoshop and Flash work. Also there is that whole claim that OSX becomes faster as it's updated, shouldn't that then increase hardware life?

I think a lot of people on this forum have too much disposable income and upgrade more often than they need to.

I got my first Mac in '96 (the infamous PowerBook 5300c) and used it for almost 4 years. Although it was never the fastest computer, it worked for what I needed it to at the time (web, e-mail and word processing). Got it through the Apple vendor discount program so didn't pay list (thank goodness). I still have this computer sitting in the closet and plan on setting it up as a plaything for my 3-year old niece.

In September 2000, I got a Powermac G4 (AGP graphics) with a 17" CRT. I only kept this computer for about 6 months before selling it. It never really fit too well in my small London flat and I missed being able to surf the net while reclining comfortably in the lounge/living room. So shortly before I sold the Powermac in March 2001, I picked up a slightly-used rev. B Pismo G3/400 for a great price (probably from someone like those on these forums who upgrade whenever a new model's released) and used it as my primary computer until April (3 years) when I upgraded to the 1.5Ghz 15" PowerBook.

I did upgrade the Pismo with a Powerlogix G4/500, a 40GB HD (from the stock 10GB) and added 768MB RAM. I currently have the Pismo set up as a file/print server, software base station and peer-to-peer client/server.

I feel that I could still happily use the Pismo as my main computer if I wanted to but just thought it was a good time to upgrade. I promised myself that I'd wait until the PowerBooks had 3x the processor speed of my current machine before upgrading.

I'd say you can get at least 3 years of productive use from a new PowerBook. In comparison, I know that if I'd bought an Intel-based laptop, I'd probably feel the need to upgrade every 12-18 months.

Hope this helps.

dennisbolt · Jun 14, 2004, 05:48 PM

Any computer will last as long as you want it to. I get a new mac every 4 years or so, only because i want to, and OSX can only be installed on a certain vintage of macs.

In 10 years, I am on my third desktop machine (now 3+ years old) and my second powerbook (I got the newest version in april) My current desktop G3 from 2001 runs 9.2 and is just fine for me really, but I lusted after the portability of the PB and OSX, so decided to get it as an eventual repalcement for the desktop machine. But they will probably coexist for a another year or more-I may even install OSX on it and network them?

You can run outdated OS just fine. It seems like some people need to be the first one to get the newest OS version, but that is $100plus every year (small in comparison to $2-4,000 machine though). You can probably get a new OSX.x every other update -unless you have serious problems that an update will fix.

Good luck

rambo47 · Jun 14, 2004, 05:56 PM

I think the current crop of PowerBooks will last at least 4 years, definitely worth buying now. With 64 MB graphics cards (or even 128 MB for an extra $50) and processors at 1.5 GHz, hard drives up to 80 GB, and AirPort Extreme, you shouldn't need to upgrade for quite a while. My Ti 667 (Gigabit Ethernet) is still very servicable so a new top-of-the-line PowerBook will kick some butt for many years to come.