[cSurfr]

Hi all, I am thinking of getting a new powerbook, and I only have one requirement. I am taking classes in Graphic Design and will be for the next year or so. I am in the market for a new powerbook as my primary (only) mac. I currently have an Athlon as my desktop. My better half has told me that the new laptop (whichever I choose) should last me 2 years. If you knew my background with mac's (8 in the last 2 years) you'd understand why she has said this. For some reason, no matter what mac I have owned recently, I have not been happy with it. Anyway, back on topic. The 2 machines I am considering are: 17" Powerbook G4 (stock) and the 15" 1ghz (AE, 512, etc). Would either of these machines last me the requested time, and be able to run Maya, Photoshop, etc. If I get the 17" I won't have to purchase an extra monitor for more real estate. I can get the Apple Edu pricing, but I can also join ADC as a student for 99.00 and get the 17" for $ 2639.00 US. Please let me know if either of these machines would fit the bill, and how happy one should be with one of these.

Thanks,
cS

[hldan]

Originally posted by cSurfr:
Hi all, I am thinking of getting a new powerbook, and I only have one requirement. I am taking classes in Graphic Design and will be for the next year or so. I am in the market for a new powerbook as my primary (only) mac. I currently have an Athlon as my desktop. My better half has told me that the new laptop (whichever I choose) should last me 2 years. If you knew my background with mac's (8 in the last 2 years) you'd understand why she has said this. For some reason, no matter what mac I have owned recently, I have not been happy with it. Anyway, back on topic. The 2 machines I am considering are: 17" Powerbook G4 (stock) and the 15" 1ghz (AE, 512, etc). Would either of these machines last me the requested time, and be able to run Maya, Photoshop, etc. If I get the 17" I won't have to purchase an extra monitor for more real estate. I can get the Apple Edu pricing, but I can also join ADC as a student for 99.00 and get the 17" for $ 2639.00 US. Please let me know if either of these machines would fit the bill, and how happy one should be with one of these.

Thanks,
cS

I have the 17" Big AL. I say just get the best that Apple makes right now. The 17"PB fits the bill for so many things. Screen real estate for one. Also the memory is faster and the system bus is faster.
I wouldn't buy the Ti 15" but no one "really" knows when Apple is releasing the new 15.4" and it just may not be aluminum. It may be another TiBook.
Overall the 17" has the best airport reception also and that gorgeous light up keyboard. Don't forget about that keyboard.
As I said above, if you are asking how long will something last? then the best answer I can give is get the best that a computer company has to offer. Any will be obsolete quickly in the computer world but the apps you want to use will work their best on the 17"PB.
Take care.

[JHromadka]

For the Macs that you have bought, what haven't you been happy with? I've had my PowerBook 400 for about 2.5 years now and only now am really wanting to replace it.

[msuper69]

I have the original rev. A TiBook 500mhz and it has proven to be a rock solid performer. I've had none of the peeling paint problems so many are complaining about. Just lucky I guess. My only complaint, and it's really pretty minor, is the rubber feet are gone from the bottom and the little rubber nibs in the top left and right corners have worn off. But hey, I just use it w/o them and everything is fine.

I plan on using this Mac for quite a few years yet. A new PB would certainly be nice, but I can do all those things you want to do in fine fashion.

[SEkker]

All I can say is my PB17, now 5 months old, is as good as new. And with OS X 10.3 promising to add functionality and maybe some speed in the near future, I will be 'state of the art' for some time to come. My wife's Pismo, which is now 3 years old, is still a decent machine except for video work in OS X.

If you purchase any high end powerbook, they should readily last you 2 years. You may want to do a HD upgrade (to a 7200 rpm model) in that time, last I checked this is not an Apple BTO option.

I, too, am interested in what Macs you've owned over the past 2 years that have disappointed you. I've owned or extensively used at least one of the main laptops since the Lombard and two dual processor G4 desktop machines. All are still running strong and most are 2 years old or older.

[AssassyN]

2 years ago, it would've been realistic to assume a top-end computer would last 2 years; however, with technology steamrolling ahead these days, that's next to impossible considering Apple's PowerBooks are no a whole chip behind their desktop chips (not so in the PC world, as both desktops and laptops use Pentium 4's). If you do anything beyond typical tasks (Word processing, web surfing, email, etc.), then any current PB will probably not last you 2 years *comfortably*. However, the resell value on Apple's on insane on eBay, so you're bound not to lose much on whatever you buy. If you can handle the girth, pick up the 17" PB, and if you can stomach another month or so wait, wait for a revised edition.

[webb3201]

If the question is durability, then you should have many years of service with the appropriate care. I still have a few 520 machines that have been running for years.

With that in mind, you will be able to do the same work today for many many years regardless of which you choose.

[dialo]

I jumped up from a 500 mhz tibook to a ghz tibook (500 mhz was 2 years old), and the difference wasn't really unbelievable. Really, the biggest thing it gave me was an actualy usable video card. Either of those powerbooks you are looking at will be fine in two years. However, I would wait for a revision if I was you.

[Vicious]

Originally posted by AssassyN:
2 years ago, it would've been realistic to assume a top-end computer would last 2 years; however, with technology steamrolling ahead these days, that's next to impossible considering Apple's PowerBooks are no a whole chip behind their desktop chips (not so in the PC world, as both desktops and laptops use Pentium 4's). If you do anything beyond typical tasks (Word processing, web surfing, email, etc.), then any current PB will probably not last you 2 years *comfortably*. However, the resell value on Apple's on insane on eBay, so you're bound not to lose much on whatever you buy. If you can handle the girth, pick up the 17" PB, and if you can stomach another month or so wait, wait for a revised edition.

You spurred a thought in me... Being that the state of the art pc laptops utilize Pentium M rather than Pentium4 M would it not make sense for apple to develop a purely mobile CPU? Hmmm perhaps they already are... <cough> update </cough>

[cSurfr]

Originally posted by SEkker:

I, too, am interested in what Macs you've owned over the past 2 years that have disappointed you. I've owned or extensively used at least one of the main laptops since the Lombard and two dual processor G4 desktop machines. All are still running strong and most are 2 years old or older. [/B]

Here is a list of the macs that I have owned. iMac 350, tang ibook 333, imac 600, Cube 450, G4 400 tower, iBook 500 (2 of these), G4 533, iMac G4 800, and finally Ti 550. The main reason for getting rid of any of these machines as after a while not only did i get the itch to upgrade, i felt like that overall, the machines were slow. The G4 iMac didn't impress me much at all, and the 15" screen was just too small for me.. The Ti 550 was great, loved it very much, but yet again, the older machine was showing it's age and such. In a nutshell, I think maybe if I get a machine that has 1) a FAST G4, 2) A Large Screen, and finalyl 3) Will be able to run the latest photoshop and such at least a a year and a half from when I get it, I will bee in good shape. Right now I don't really *need* the machine, so I can wait a while and see what apple throws out, I just wanted to see if the Current Gigabooks would satisfy those 3 requirements.

Thanks for any more info.

cS

[dialo]

Originally posted by cSurfr:
Here is a list of the macs that I have owned. iMac 350, tang ibook 333, imac 600, Cube 450, G4 400 tower, iBook 500 (2 of these), G4 533, iMac G4 800, and finally Ti 550. The main reason for getting rid of any of these machines as after a while not only did i get the itch to upgrade, i felt like that overall, the machines were slow. The G4 iMac didn't impress me much at all, and the 15" screen was just too small for me.. The Ti 550 was great, loved it very much, but yet again, the older machine was showing it's age and such. In a nutshell, I think maybe if I get a machine that has 1) a FAST G4, 2) A Large Screen, and finalyl 3) Will be able to run the latest photoshop and such at least a a year and a half from when I get it, I will bee in good shape. Right now I don't really *need* the machine, so I can wait a while and see what apple throws out, I just wanted to see if the Current Gigabooks would satisfy those 3 requirements.

Thanks for any more info.

cS

Well, the ti550 was slower than the 500, so it's no wonder you felt it was slow. Really, the only things I wait for with my Ghz powerbook are all mechanical, like drives and drive mounting. Part of the reason I'm not worried about updating from it is this fact that the processor is not what is slowing me down anymore. Photoshop runs just fine on it. So does illustrator. 3D programs are fine, and I would have to work really hard to hit the ceiling when doing audio. This is not likely to change at all in the next two years.