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mad cow disease · 01:57 AM

I'm dead set on buying a powerbook, so don't try to talk me out of it. The only problem is my budget is around $1800 (roughly what a PB costs after student discount purchased in Delaware).

The only question is do I get the 12" with the superdrive or the 15" with the combo drive? I could see myself burning DVDs in the future, but I know off the bat it probably won't be the case - but who knows a year down the line? I suppose I could always add an external burner for ~$100 in either a USB/Firewire enclosure so I'm leaning toward the 15". The fact that I've found that neither 12" or 15" can burn DL discs is a big factor in this decision. Besides, the $300 price difference doesn't seem to be enough to justify the greater hard disk space (currently have a 300GB external) and small speed bump. I would rather dump the money into 2GB of RAM.

Another thing to take into consideration is the fact I will be traveling FREQUENTLY and will need portability. I don't mind lugging the 15" around, it doesn't seem like it would be too much trouble (I've seen the 17" and that is just ridiculously big).

Generally this will be used for watching movies, some website design, some graphics work in Photoshop, word processing, internet, the usual. I don't expect to play too many games with it (it's a mac and a laptop) but some gaming power would be nice, which drives me in the direction of the 15" again.

What should I do? O laptop gods, tell me!

I purchased a Powerbook 15" yesterday and am loving it. Although it's a bit less portable widescreen kicks butt.

andretan · Jun 15, 2005, 11:37 PM

I'd say go for the 12" Superdrive version.

It's convenient if you need to burn DVDs on the go without lugging an external DVD burner around.

Though I wish they would squeeze more pixels into the 12" PB since 1024x768 can be pretty limiting.

Randman · Jun 16, 2005, 12:15 AM

Lots and lots of threads on this subject.

JoshuaZ · Jun 16, 2005, 02:26 AM

Superdive.

NYCFarmboy · Jun 17, 2005, 08:59 PM

get the 15"... as I post over and over.. I have the 12" Powerbook and the screen is a dog. the 12" LCD screen Apple uses on the powerbook and ibooks are dim, low contrast, poor view angle. compare yourself at a Apple store.. the 15" screens are MUCH MUCH MUCH nicer.

On the other hand, I still am able to use my 12" powerbook, and very much use the DVD burner all the time. I travel alot so I need a laptop that is small as possible, but would never want to have to work with the 12" powerbook all the time as the screen sucks too much.

done venting.

good luck

asodamiac · Jun 18, 2005, 06:10 AM

so far, i have never used the super drive to burn a dvd. i do appreciate the widescreen (but i've only watched one movie on my pb so far) and the better resolution. i find the 15" a LITTLE bit too big to carry around all the time, but i'm sure i'll get used to it after carrying it around for a while (i only took my pb out of the house twice).

i have never compared a 12" to a 15" side by side and i havent really used a 12" as well, so i cant comment on the resolution or the quality of the screen. im happy with my 15", but i could do with something smaller (but i didnt want to sacrifice the 1.67 ghz processor, the 128 vram, up to 2 gigs of ram, and the backlit keyboard

). i guess its best to test out both side by side at the apple store.

sodamnregistered2 · Jun 18, 2005, 06:19 AM

15" with Combo

if you need a DVD burner just get an external... they get cheaper every month... an external will prolly be like 8 million times faster than the superdrive would be... like 15,000x to -2x or sumthin...

the screen on the 12" blows, low contrast, dim and scuzzy skank lookin. And 1024x768 is like, so 5 years ago.

I went in the Apple store here about a about 1 year or so ago to buy a 12"... and left with a 15" over the screen alone.

The size of the 12" is compelling. Small, but the screen just looks like butt.

tekno_geek911 · Jun 18, 2005, 07:01 PM

The 12" screen isnt so bad once properly calibrated but the 15" screen is a LITTLE better,my friend compared his 15" 1.67 to my 12" 1.33 and the screens are practically the same besides the crappy viewing angle on the 12".
My friend is actually selling his 15" PowerBook and buying a 12" PowerBook+external LCD,he loved my 12" and wished he bought one in the first place,I dont know if I would do the same....The latest revision 15" PowerBooks are awesome,the bright backlit keyboard alone is almost worth the extra weight.
The 15" PB is a great machine but its too big imo,if I didnt travel so much I would have kept mine but it just didnt work out for me....I am very happy with my 12" PB setup but you will be happy with either machine.

ccsccs7 · Jun 19, 2005, 03:41 AM

My 12"'s screen is hardly dim. (It's almost blinding in the dark.)

Link · Jun 19, 2005, 03:52 AM

I don't know how bad the viewing angle is on the 12" but comparing to my cinema display, the one on my 15" --- is not pretty. I can look at my 22"er from any angle with no real prob but look at the powerbook's screen too high and the yellowish color on this forum turns to neon green and some of OS X's controls are inverted O_O

shabbasuraj · Jun 19, 2005, 04:04 AM

12"

NYCFarmboy · Jun 19, 2005, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by tekno_geek911

The 12" screen isnt so bad once properly calibrated but the 15" screen is a LITTLE better,my friend compared his 15" 1.67 to my 12" 1.33 and the screens are practically the same besides the crappy viewing angle on the 12".
My friend is actually selling his 15" PowerBook and buying a 12" PowerBook+external LCD,he loved my 12" and wished he bought one in the first place,I dont know if I would do the same....The latest revision 15" PowerBooks are awesome,the bright backlit keyboard alone is almost worth the extra weight.
The 15" PB is a great machine but its too big imo,if I didnt travel so much I would have kept mine but it just didnt work out for me....I am very happy with my 12" PB setup but you will be happy with either machine.

I've calibrated my 12" powerbook and did everything possible, nothing will take away the awful purple cast/viewing angle..it has a REALLY awful viewing angle.

you have to look at it dead on center always.

Some people say that Apple uses 2 vendors to supply the 12" screens in the powerbook and ibook line so perhaps screens from one vendor are better than another.

I was much happier with my old 500 mhz 12" screen.. it doesn't have that purple cast you get when viewings the current 12" screens from the side:

Apple should be ashamed of themselves for the 12" LCD screens they are currently using in my opinion.

I suspect if you are happy with your current 12" powerbook you lucked out on a different supplier than the screen I have on my 12" powerbook.

Again though: the 12" is a great computer other than the dog screen.

tekno_geek911 · 10:21 PM

Wow,mine isnt nearly as bad as that...I guess I did luck out. I can actually view mine from an angle it just gets a tad darker....Nothing to complain about I guess.

Sorry for the quality,taken with my phone