[oflorey87]

Hi,

I've had my 12" 1.33ghz PowerBook G4 running with 768mb RAM since 2002 and it's been pretty much flawless for 5 years. However, recently certain keys have stopped working, the machine is starting to slow and I fancy a change.

I'm thinking about getting the entry level MacBook and sticking 2gig of RAM in it. Do you think there would be a noticeable difference between my old machine and the new one? I really want to try leopard and the battery on this is 5 years old so it lasts literally a minute before shutting down. Leopard and a new battery would be like £150 so I figured I might as well get a new machine?

I mainly use it for internet, music, essay writing, photo editing and the odd game. My PowerBook is still running Panther and is a rock - it never crashes or has ANY problems, its just a bit slow now. Are the new MacBooks as stable? Will I get 4 to 5 years out of one?

Thanks.

[f1000]

To say that a G4 PowerBook is a bit slow is an understatement. Many websites are now practically unusable on my PB 12" 1 GHz (768 MB); however, my Core Duo Mac mini handles these same websites with ease.

[Dork.]

I have a new MacBook which replaced a 12" PB running Tiger. It's been pretty solid for me. I have on two occasions gotten kernel panics when playing Civilization, but considering how often I play it hasn't been much of an issue for me. In all other ways, it's rock solid.

2 Gig will be enough for most things (it will actually be 2.5 since you'll keep one of the stock 512 MB sticks.) You will probably see a big difference, especially in the number of apps you can open at one time without paging out.

The most noticable difference will actually be the size. I know the 13" screen is bigger, but there is also a bigger border around the screen relative to what the 12" PB has. It took me a while to get used to the MacBook's larger size. I'd say that if you namaged to get 4 years out of your 12" PB, you'll get at least that long out of a new MacBook.

Note that various bits of Adobe software are not native Intel apps yet, so you may not see any speed difference in photo editing. Also, there is no numeric keypad accessible using the "fn" key.

[Macola]

I did a similar switch a when the MacBook was introduced, and I do miss the size of the 12" PB. However, performance will definitely be better on the MacBook for you. Other than the size, the only downside would be the integrated graphics card, but if you don't game much, that would be a minor issue.

[oflorey87]

Is the 64mb GeForce FX Go5200 significantly better than the new integrated graphics on the MacBook, then?

[Cadaver]

Originally Posted by oflorey87 

Is the 64mb GeForce FX Go5200 significantly better than the new integrated graphics on the MacBook, then?

No. At least the Intel 950 supports all of Core Image; there are a few functions that the GF5200 doesn't (a silly example is whatever function Apple uses to produce the translucent menubar in 10.5. Doesn't work on a 12" PBG4).

However, I still have a 1.33GHz (rev. C) 12" PBG4 that my older daughter uses. Its running Leopard with only 768MB of RAM and runs Safari just fine.

[amazing]

OTO, I hope you're planning on waiting to see what's introduced at MacWorld San Fran in mid-January. It's never wise to buy anything this close to the Expo.

The sub-notebook rumors seem less credible since there's a new rumor that the LCDs that Apple has pre-ordered at 13.3", however that now points to a re-design of the MB towards something lighter and slimmer. The MB and MBP are really too close to each other in weight, only something like 245 grams.

Hang onto that 12" for just a bit longer, especially if you carry it around a lot. Your shoulders will thank you.