[epsionbass]

I know first off, that everyone always says check old threads for the whole powerbook vs. ibook thing, however i have read up a lot on it, and i have a bit more specific questions that i'm curious about. I am looking to get one or the other, for the main purpose of a portable computer, being able to type up papers and notes, work on scripts, and wirelessly accessing the internet from various places. Now for this i would be perfectly fine with an ibook, it would perfectly serve my needs. However then come the 'wants'.

I am a film major and my current system is a pc. I use final cut pro at school on their g5 macs. I am perfectly fine working at school and its where i do most of my editing. I wanted to get final cut pro (not express) for viewing my projects, playing back, do some basic editing, (i dont expect ill be able to get away with major effects, but i can do that on the g5's at school).

My main problem is i would hope to only spend a ball park of 1000 dollars on a computer. Looking at the refurbished section of the apple page, i could get a 15 powerbook with only 1.0ghz or a 14 ibook 1.33 or 1.46 for about the same price, powerbook has 64mb video card and ibook has 32mb. I know ram is important, but most likely i'd upgrade it nomatter which book i got. But with ram upgraded to max which would run better with video, the 1.0 with the 64mb or 1.46 with the 32mb?

Sorry for the long post, but i like to get it all out on the first post so i wont have to rexeplain myself over and over again. I dont think im really up for spending more on a book right now, so like the 1000-1200 is about it for spending. I need the book for the papers/writing now, and the FCP is more of an extra i would like to get away with.

[yogi]

first of all, wait to see what is unveiled this week by Apple. BUt barring a total paradigm shift, I'd suggest to find some extra cash to go with the pBook. You are right in thinking that without using FCP, your other needs are totally met by the iBook. But, seeing that you are a film major, you might be underestimating the value of a pBook for film projects/FCP for the future.
The iBook is hampered by lack of I/O, as pBook has s-video, FW800, audio in ports that iBook lacks.

So if your budget is strict, the iBook is a great campus notebook, but don't expect to run FCP well on it. If not so strict, seriously consider spending more.

[mavherzog]

Considering that you want to maximize your "bang for the buck", I'd go with a brand new 12" iBook ($999 and you can get that price to your front door if you go through a place like Amazon that will save you sales tax and offers free shipping). Add a 1GB SoDIMM to max out the ram for $100 (through NewEgg, for example), and you are at $1100. That will definitely outperform the 1Ghz PB, even considering the VRAM difference.

[Yogi DOES make a good point though...if you need s-video, then you may want to consider the PB, but from what you've told us, I don't think that is, necessarily, a concern.]

[brokenjago]

The 12" iBook is actually $949 with student discount

[mduell]

I think the extra pixels off the 15" (~40% more than the iBook) is more important than the 1" difference in screen size (which is further mitigated by the change in aspect ratio). I've tried editing video on an XGA screen and it made me want to stab myself in the face.

If you're fine with editing at a low resolution, I'd go with the iBook and more RAM (add 1GB from Crucial); the VRAM difference isn't that big of a deal.

[buffswin]

I spent a good 45 minutes in the apple store yesterday- just browing the displays on the apple portables.

First - the iBook display is crap. It is DIM. I could barely read the fonts. I don't know if this can be improved with calibration, which I have seen some people suggest - but it is BAD.

Second-- the 12 inch Pb display is the EXACT SAME DISPLAY.

Third -- the 14 inch iBook has a better display, really, as far as brightness and color saturation are concerned. But the resolution on the screen is not any different than the resolution on the 12 inch iBook, so as a result - you get pixels that are more spread out - things look bigger- but not necessarily better. Still- if you want a bright display - the 14" iBook might be for you.

Fourth-- The best portable I saw was the 15 inch powerbook. Its display is clearly better than either of the iBooks, and clearly better than the 12 inch powerbook. Of course, it is also $1000 more.


Finally-- I would encourage anyone interested in a Mac portable to wait until October 12 -- see what gets released -- then buy.

[ShyGuy91284]

I think you've got too choices. I recently got an iBook. Not for the same purposes as you, but I wanted the best bang for the buck. 12" iBook currently has more features then the similar refurb pBooks. It's really the only *Book for ~1000, and the best. Sounds like you need to either spend $1000 on the iBook, or save up more money for a PowerBook. If you don't need it right away, I'd wait for the upgraded ones. But that might not matter to you.