[Goojini]

Hi. I recently got the chance to choose my first Mac as a graduation present from my parents. I was originally going to go the for the 12" PB, but decided to go for the 1.67 15", with 128 VRAM, Superdrive, and 512 RAM. I was afraid I had gone overboard - I don't know yet what I'm studying in college (thinking communications) but I really want this laptop to last me for four years. I have a relic PC from 1998 with 64 MB of RAM that I'm still using, so I can handle being "obsolete" .

However, I'm also worried that the screensize might be a tad big. This will be my only computer for the next couple of years, so I figured the extra space would be nice. I've played around with my uncle's 12" ibook, and while it was nice, the screen just felt a little annoying after awhile. I know I've lost some portability, but I figure it'll still be moved around campus with ease...right? Another concern is battery life...I've heard it only gets about 2 hours. Yet, I plan on keeping it plugged in mostly, except for when I get the urge to go outside and work for a bit.

Finally...and this is a bit trivial...but will it be able to handle games? I don't want to play bleeding-edge crap like Half-Life 2 or Doom 3...the most advanced thing I'll be playing is Sims 2 occasionally, plus Diablo II, Warcraft III, etc. Will the PB be able to handle it without getting outrageously hot?

Thanks for any input...I just want to be assured that I made the right computer choice

[SEkker]

Love my revA PB17; your new PB15 is faster in almost every way - enjoy!

[to run some games, you'll want more RAM]

[d.fine]

You made a good choice. It is a nice machine, that will go 4 years. I myself have a 15" and love it. The 12" just seemed to small to look at, but that's just a personal choice.
Portability is no issue for me with the 15". It's easy enought to carry around. Just get a good bag to carry it in. Check out the Backpack thread in the PB forum for some great advice and reviews.
It will handle games ok. It will heat up when playing games, but not to a burning point. for games I'd recommend upgrading to 1GB DDR so everything goes smooth. In fact I'd recommend upgrading not just for the games but for overall performance. OS X loves RAM and runs real smooth when there's plenty of it.
Battery life is ok for me. I can get over 2 hours from it (my PB is now 1.5 years) and I rarely need more away from a power outlet.
Congrats on the PB, and don't forget to post some pics in the PB Picture Thread.
Good hunting.

Z