[glhart]

It's very tough resisting the temptation not to get the new machine -- but does it really make sense if you have a fast Powerbook? The main advantage of the new machine is that it will run Windows natively (or almost natively under Parallels). But unless you run Windows all the time or want to play games, Virtual PC is more than adequate. The new MBP won't run Office faster, won't (yet) run the Adobe programs faster -- unless you want to put out $200 or so for Acrobat 8. I got a Pbk 17" 1.67 gb 2 gigs RAM, 7200 100 GB hd, high def screen, for less than half of what the new MBP would cost a few weeks ago. It's extremely fast, runs very cool, will run OS9 apps (which, strangely, turned out to be very important yesterday), and is an awesome machine. Everyone says there will be lots of new stuff at MacExpo -- I think it makes sense to wait. So here's my question: if you replaced a Powerbook with the new MBP, what real advantage have you experienced, over and above the thrill of getting the latest thing?

[gooser]

sounds like you answered your own question. a new mbp will not be top of the line for very long and then where would you be? you gave absolutely no reason for upgrading. runs vey cool? keep it.

[♥]

I am buying a new MacBook Pro because my company is paying for one for me as my warranty on my old PowerBook 15 inch/1.5Ghz is expiring and they only use systems under warranty in case of problems.

I did not want to move up to the newer system, but I am forced to.

I will let you know what I think of it when it arrives early next week.

Until then I say that you should use what you think is best for you.

[phazedowt]

I think its tough to say in your situation (since you have the last of the G4s). I went from a 1GHz PB and the MBP is faster at everything-- including non-universal apps. There have been times when I've honestly felt like something is wrong because a task that took a preceptible amount of time on my PB happens "instantly" on my MBP (launching apps is a good example). I think it comes down to what you use your laptop for. If you do any kind of serious number crunching or work with large graphics files (like I do), you'll notice a difference. It may not be as huge as the one I see, but it will be noticeable. On the other hand, if your computing needs aren't very demanding, the PB will probably be just fine for a couple more years.

[volcano]

Originally Posted by glhart 

It's very tough resisting the temptation not to get the new machine -- but does it really make sense if you have a fast Powerbook? The main advantage of the new machine is that it will run Windows natively (or almost natively under Parallels). But unless you run Windows all the time or want to play games, Virtual PC is more than adequate. The new MBP won't run Office faster, won't (yet) run the Adobe programs faster -- unless you want to put out $200 or so for Acrobat 8. I got a Pbk 17" 1.67 gb 2 gigs RAM, 7200 100 GB hd, high def screen, for less than half of what the new MBP would cost a few weeks ago. It's extremely fast, runs very cool, will run OS9 apps (which, strangely, turned out to be very important yesterday), and is an awesome machine. Everyone says there will be lots of new stuff at MacExpo -- I think it makes sense to wait. So here's my question: if you replaced a Powerbook with the new MBP, what real advantage have you experienced, over and above the thrill of getting the latest thing?

You have a good system and should keep it for as long as you see fit.

I think Photoshop runs faster under emulation on my 2.16GHz C2D MacBook Pro than what it did on my 2GHz G5 iMac. Maybe that's just me.

The one thing that always bugged me about the last Powerbooks were the limiting bus speeds and the L2 cache. If I remember correctly, your model has a 166MHz FSB, whereas my MacBook Pro has a 667MHz FSB speed. Also, the L2 cache on the Rev. B MacBook Pro jumped from 2MB to 4MB -- and your Powerbook has a 512KB L2 cache.

But like I stated earlier, the last Powerbook G4 was a rock solid machine. Use it until it becomes obsolete for you, and then upgrade.

[romeosc]

Sometimes the urge to upgrade to latest greatest is a burning desire.

If you are not hitting the ceiling wat until you feel you can't live without the newer models that will
always be coming out!

[♥]

Well, the new MBP arrived and I've been using it since last night. Seems that they took an awesome system in the last model of PB 15" and made it even better, even though I thought that the only improvement would be the new chipset.

I have to say that even though I thought the PB 15" 1.5Ghz was great, this is even better, and is definitely worth the money.

I got the new glossy screen on the system and was sitting outside this morning in the direct sunlight and viewing it was much easier than the previous matte finish on the PB 15". I could sit with it directly in the sunlight and still see the screen with ease.

Plus, the system is much faster - snappier. I also think that the keyboard feels better and maybe I'm wrong, but is the system a little lighter in weight? Maybe thinner?

I honestly think that it's the nicest notebook that Apple has ever made. I know that the larger system may be better to some because of size, but I don't care for a system that large since I use an Apple display on the desktop.

All I can say is that I'd definitely choose the MBP over the PB even though I previously thought that was not necessary. It's worth the money.

[mania]

the cool thing is you CAN still use a powerbook 1.25 (mine) and make a living without pulling your hair out. computers are finally getting more like cars in that you can use them for 5 years without being left in complete dust like in the 90s.

[KP*]

I currently have a PB 1.25, 15" (the first of the 15" Albooks -- white spots and all), and at over three years old, the fact that I can still use it at all is amazing to me, and a great testament to Apple's quality products. I'm a power user, bleeding-edge type person, and so far my trusty PB is only mildly annoying in its slowness and lack of newer hardware. I should mention that as I gamer, I long ago built a PC, which allows me to forget the fact that the PB is completely useless for gaming.

I would have gotten a MBP in May, but the IRS took all the money I had saved up, so I've been waiting (almost) patiently till I can afford it. Having gone through the Rev-A drama with the PB, I can see the advantages of waiting, especially since my most-used apps (Photoshop and Office) are not yet universal anyway (though I'm sure faster regardless).

There are times I think, "If I had a MPB this would not be a problem" but for the most part my PB holds up. I'm just a little paranoid that one day some component of it will up-and-die and I'll have to replace it immediately. In which case, I will buy the top-of-the-line 15" MBP with all the fixin's and figure out where the money is going to come from later.

But congrats to Apple, making me stick with a computer for 3 years, still able to acknowledge that I don't NEED the next big thing yet, is a real accomplishment.

[brother337]

Originally Posted by glhart 

It's very tough resisting the temptation not to get the new machine -- but does it really make sense if you have a fast Powerbook? The main advantage of the new machine is that it will run Windows natively (or almost natively under Parallels). But unless you run Windows all the time or want to play games, Virtual PC is more than adequate. The new MBP won't run Office faster, won't (yet) run the Adobe programs faster -- unless you want to put out $200 or so for Acrobat 8. I got a Pbk 17" 1.67 gb 2 gigs RAM, 7200 100 GB hd, high def screen, for less than half of what the new MBP would cost a few weeks ago. It's extremely fast, runs very cool, will run OS9 apps (which, strangely, turned out to be very important yesterday), and is an awesome machine. Everyone says there will be lots of new stuff at MacExpo -- I think it makes sense to wait. So here's my question: if you replaced a Powerbook with the new MBP, what real advantage have you experienced, over and above the thrill of getting the latest thing?

I just moved up from a 15" PB/1.5

The PB did everything I needed it to, and probably could have continued to do so for the next few years. I was bugged by the slow FSB. My MBP glossy screen is awesome. I can't believe that there's even a debate about why you wouldn't get this over the matte screen. I've used Virtual PC on G4 machines, and it's molasses. I also like the idea of having an intel machine for future-proofing.

I also edit video and author DVDs and while video isn't much of an issue (my G4 rendered things just fine) DVD authoring is much much *much* faster on my MBP.

When I'm not doing multimedia, I tend to run 9-12 apps at once, and the dual-core action is invaluable for that sort of thing.

Mainly for me tho, I had gotten an amazing educational deal on my PB right when the first MBP was announced so it was a bit of a temp machine for me. I blew my money on this current rev.b MBP because this is a machine I'm planning on keeping for awhile.

[pete]

Originally Posted by glhart 

It's very tough resisting the temptation not to get the new machine -- but does it really make sense if you have a fast Powerbook? The main advantage of the new machine is that it will run Windows natively (or almost natively under Parallels). But unless you run Windows all the time or want to play games, Virtual PC is more than adequate. The new MBP won't run Office faster, won't (yet) run the Adobe programs faster -- unless you want to put out $200 or so for Acrobat 8. I got a Pbk 17" 1.67 gb 2 gigs RAM, 7200 100 GB hd, high def screen, for less than half of what the new MBP would cost a few weeks ago. It's extremely fast, runs very cool, will run OS9 apps (which, strangely, turned out to be very important yesterday), and is an awesome machine. Everyone says there will be lots of new stuff at MacExpo -- I think it makes sense to wait. So here's my question: if you replaced a Powerbook with the new MBP, what real advantage have you experienced, over and above the thrill of getting the latest thing?

I made the terrible mistake of selling my wonderful powerboo G4 15" 1.67ghz so that I could buy a MBP. I had three MBPs and all went back to the store: crazy heat, warped bezel, whining, uneven keyboard, bulging aluminum etc. I got a macbook instead and went through TWO, or was it three, replacements from Apple before I got one that was OK, except for a defect LCD corner and some strange diagonal lines on the LCD . Apple repaired it and in the process gave my brand new macbook some nicks and scratches.

Anyway, it's working fine now. I've regretted the decision to sell my powerbook many times. Sure, the latest MBPs are much more powerful than the powerbook, but they're only as powerful as you NEED - if you don't use the power what's the point? Because of my rotten experience with Apple this year, I've changed my philosophy fundamentally. I will never give up a computer that is doing everything I need it to do smoothly and without inconvenient delay. The one reason I was tempted to sell was because I wanted to be able to run speech recognition software in windows, but in hindsight I should have just bought a cheap old thinkpad for that and kept my powerbook.

My experience has been that the trouble was not worth it. My advice is to use your powerbook until you feel that it's getting in your way and, by that time, the MBP series will have matured (hopefully) and Apple will have gotten its quality control fixed.

Good luck!

[KP*]

Originally Posted by pete 

I will never give up a computer that is doing everything I need it to do smoothly and without inconvenient delay.

This is why my Rev A Albook still has its white spots (which three years later are now "huge white lines and a white box in the center"), and a lid that doesn't latch. At the time I got it, I was touring with a show and couldn't be without it for a day, much less the amount of time it would have taken to be repaired. And I decided that I could live with the imperfections of brightness from the white spots and with the lidwake command could prevent my battery from draining because of the latch. I had heard too many horror stories of people getting their PBs repaired and having them come back with worse problems than they started with. My first Mac was a desktop, and a total lemon. To this day I've never been able to pin down what's wrong with it. It just freezes and kernal panics all the time, but with no logical pattern, and it was like that right out of the box. So that has made me appreciate the blessing of a machine that I can trust to do the really important things reliably. I will need to upgrade eventually, but I'm glad I was forced to wait when the MBP was released -- I hope most of the hardware and software growing pains will be ironed out by the time I get one.

[driven]

Since I make my living writing code for Windows (and teaching people how to code for Windows) an Intel based Mac would make a lot of sense. I hate to lug two airports through the laptop so many times I tend to leave the PB home. If I had a MBP then I could do my work functions and my personal stuff on the same box.

Right now I'm considering liquidating my Dual G5 and my PB for a MBP. I'd obviously lose disk space compared to the G5. (500 GB on my G5 vs. a max of 160 on a MBP) but beyond that I think I'd be in good shape.

(Just thinking outloud.)

[sedlacek]

I just upgraded from a rev-2 G4 PB and would have also upgraded if I had a later model PB as well. As a scientist I have to use several Windoze-based analysis programs for which there is no OSX analog. Now, instead of having to switch between two machines, I can use VM with the new generation macintel machines, which now allows me to reduce the number of computers I need down to one. Also, VPC would never have worked b/c analysis of data and subsequent 3-D plotting was torturously slow.

Finally as can be readily inferred from the replies above, you have to ask what your needs really are.....(and it appears that you already did)

having said this, this C2D MBP is really a sweet machine.