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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > 12in or 14in ibook which one is right 4 me?

12in or 14in ibook which one is right 4 me?
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ikeem
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Jan 16, 2004, 12:17 PM
 
Hello, well in one week I plan to purchase my first mac and since it's my first mac I don't want to spend to much money, so I am thinking about getting the 12in or the 14in ibook

I am looking at the 12in 800Mhz and the 14in 933Mhz ibook, I will go to my local Apple Store as well as MicroCenter to check them out, I am just wondering which one might be best for me, I mainly using my computer for writing and the internet, and I also will be using iphoto, since I am alwyas taking pictures,so I am trying to decide which one to get, and since this will be my first time making the switch I am a bit nervous, I just don't want to make a bad purchase, I have been researching macs for months now.

So if I am a first time Mac/Apple Computer user which computer the 12in 800 or the 14in 933Mhz would be best for me. I do plan to buy one from a store since I am new and if I like the MAC in a company of years I will order one BTO, but for right now I will buy one like they are, any suggestions would help

Also what are the pros and cons of both machine's

Sincerly

A Soon to be MAC User
     
fisherKing
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Jan 16, 2004, 12:53 PM
 
they are both great machines, have the same resolution, so...same screen real estate.

obviously, bigger fonts etc on the 14".

portability, the best reason to go with the 12".
are you gonna carry it around a lot?

otherwise, look at them both. either way, it's a great machine, the best ibook so far..


have fun!
"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
     
ikeem  (op)
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Jan 16, 2004, 04:21 PM
 
Ok I just came from the Apple Store, MicroCenter and CompUSA, I know what u thinking damn he went to alot of places, but hey they not to far from each other so I went around to all of them, I spent most of my time playing on them in the Apple Store(King Of Prussia,PA). I still like both the 12in and the 14in, this is gonna be a hard decision, I don't know how much I will get in my next pay check but that will reflect which machine I buy, but I will buy one of them, and regardless of which one I buy I am sure it will be a nice machine, is there any software anyone would also recommend, I looked at Office for Mac, and that looks really nice, I still need help in the ibook department any assistance would really help me.

Thanks.
     
darcybaston
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Jan 16, 2004, 04:27 PM
 
Get the 14 for the modest cpu boost and great screen. I use my 14" for all kinds of things and it's really practical to have it sit on a small table a little farther away (not on my lap) and the bigger screen makes that practical.
Macbook (white glossy) 2.16GHz | 4GB RAM | 7200RPM HD | 10.5.x
     
Tarcat
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Jan 16, 2004, 05:29 PM
 
I say go 12." Both screens are the same resolution and the 12" has a large advantage in portability. The size is perfect whereas the 14" is a lot more bulky and a lot less elegant.
     
darcybaston
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Jan 16, 2004, 05:37 PM
 
Bah, I toss this 14" around with one hand all the time. It's not bulky at all. The screen is so relaxing, it's gorgeous. Makes DVD watching and family photo slideshow presentations much more practical. you can set it up on a dresser or table and sit back at a distance and screen is big enough to make that very practical.

For clients in a board room, also very practical.

For friends coming over to watch movies, also very practical.
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iKwak
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Jan 16, 2004, 06:28 PM
 
14" is the way to go for you.
     
historylme
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Jan 16, 2004, 06:50 PM
 
I love my ibook, but if you don't plan on carrying it around, going from place to place, go for the 14 one, but yourself a key board and mouse, and woila, you have a desk top replacement.
     
tmjf_sifu
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Jan 16, 2004, 08:20 PM
 
Originally posted by Tarcat:
I say go 12." Both screens are the same resolution and the 12" has a large advantage in portability. The size is perfect whereas the 14" is a lot more bulky and a lot less elegant.
statements like this crack me up. i think most of them are made by 12" owners who either don't know better or who have 14" envy. remember, inches do matter. lets see here....

the 12" iBook occupies approximately 137 cubic inches, and weighs approximately 4.9 lbs.

the 14" iBook occupies 175 cubic inches and weighs approximately 5.9 lbs.

hmmmm.....

that means the 14" is about 22% bigger than the 12" while it is only 17% heavier. when placing a 12" on top of a 14" for comparison, the 14" sticks out approximately .75 inch on the sides and .57 inch at the back and front. both iBooks possess the same exact height of 1.35 inches.

soooo.....
while the 12" is cute, cheaper and definitely smaller, the difference is not as massive as one would think. the 14" is not a lot more bulky and the word "bulky" should not even be used to describe a mac notebook. the 14" is still smaller than many of my textbooks and the comment about elegance is really not true either. the 14" is absolutely as elegant as the 12" if not more so. it is solid and smooth and i love the extra room on deck and the way that keyboard looks in the middle of a little extra white. it is the calm little center of my world.

regarding the screen, yes both models have the same relative resolution and i think the 12" screen looks pretty dang sharp and better than the powerbook 12". but the 14" is gorgeous. everybody says you don't get more real estate, which is technically true. you can fit the same number of things/windows on the 12" desktop as the 14", but what really matters is how close you want to be to the screen and how much you want to squint. stuff on the 12" will have the same resolution but will be smaller because it is a demagnified version of the 14". if do a lot of word processing or detailed work for long periods of time, it can strain the eyes.

additionally, i feel the speakers on the 14" are louder and more clear, but that does not make much sense since the speakers should be exactly the same unit in both models.

so with the 14", you get more speed and screen, better fit and finish and a much better track record for dependability from what i can see after reading about a thousand posts. just take your time, don't rush in to it and get your hands on both models. you will see what i mean. choose what is best for you. if it is a 12" hey that is great, but don't listen to people who make quick judgements. heck, i was going to buy a powerbook until i saw an ibook and looked at the difference in battery life.

Holden McGroin


     
darcybaston
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Jan 16, 2004, 11:59 PM
 
I had a chance to use a 12" after having had the 14" for a few months and...man, what a little puny screen. I'd go mad trying to lean forward into it to get the same screen comfort.
Macbook (white glossy) 2.16GHz | 4GB RAM | 7200RPM HD | 10.5.x
     
BigDaddy
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Jan 17, 2004, 01:20 AM
 
I liked my 12 inch screen. I have just as much real estate with less bulk.
     
wataru
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Jan 17, 2004, 01:52 AM
 
Personally, I'd never buy a 14" iBook. If you're going to put that much more money into it, I'd get the 12" PowerBook instead. Plus the 14" just feels like it has too much wasted space. If the screen had better resolution, then maybe. But as it stands, the added bulk and price just aren't worth it in my opinion.
     
ikeem  (op)
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Jan 17, 2004, 11:40 PM
 
I have made my choice, the 12in ibook is not for me, it was just to small for me, so I have decided to go for the Apple ibook 14in.
     
tmjf_sifu
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Jan 18, 2004, 11:56 PM
 
Originally posted by ikeem:
I have made my choice, the 12in ibook is not for me, it was just to small for me, so I have decided to go for the Apple ibook 14in.
good choice! let us know how it goes and how you like it.
     
   
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