[Ti X]

I just thought it might be nice to post something good about the current crop of PowerBooks in lieu of all of the negative posts recently. Yes there are plenty of fully functional, defect-free PowerBooks on the loose out there.

Anyone else?

[Podolsky]

Yes. My Rev b has been rock solid. The only problem I had was self-induced when I put in bad ram. I am using this machine a lot too and it has taken many road trips and few air trips with out a problem. I often have to get on various lans wireless and otherwise and it has performed flawlessly. The size isn't even a problem although when I move the G5 in a year or two I think I will go back to 15". But, I am in love right now.

[baglunch]

My 17" is great, no issues, i bring it back and forth from work, whip it out at various B&N/starbucks, as well as at friend's apartments, city parks, and skateparks..

Although, i still think we're lacking a good variety of quality cases. I've gotten the backpack solution hammered out (thanks to tom bihn, plus a water proof backpack i got), but i'm still looking for a sleek stylish shoulder bag solution.

[shrink]

My rev A 17" is perfect. Absolutely no issues since I received it in May '03.

[euchomai]

mine is great too, not one problem at all... Rev A too.

[cszar2001]

No problems on my PB17 Rev. A. The sizzling stopped after a few weeks; one Kernel panic in 6 months. Installed the firmware upgrade for my Superdrive-no problems there either.

[Tantrum]

My pb is a week and 1 day old and seems completely perfect! ...*knocks on wood in fear of whitespots*

[Tantrum]

Originally posted by Tantrum:
My pb is a 5days old and seems completely perfect! ...*knocks on wood in fear of whitespots*

I spoke too soon, bought my powerbook this past saturday...and i just noticed a pin point white spot....FUDGE!!!!..

[Karim]

Current:
My PB 17" Rev A is 100% perfect

Past:
PBG4 15" 1GHZ/SD 100%
PBG4 15" 800MHZ 80% - some paint flaking
PBG4 15" 667MHZ 100%
PBG4 15" 500MHZ 100%
PBG3/500 100%
PBG3/400 100%
PBG3/292 100%
PBG3/266 100%
PBG3/233 100%
PB 5300CE 30% - POS-SLOW- CE=CRASHED EVERYTIME. Only plus - didn't catch on fire like alot of other ones...

PB 170 100%
MAC PORTABLE 100%

100% = No bad pixels, no hardware faults of any kind.

[Badwisdom]

Well ive had experience with all three Aluminium powerbooks, and currently own the 12' Rev B and 15' 1,25Ghz. I sold the 17' 1,33Ghz two weeks ago. Heres a summary :

17' 1,33Ghz (Fujtsu Drive) Standard configuration, owned for two months

- perfect screen
- overevelated keyboard
- very slow hard drive
- extremely quiet (i never heard the fan, even when doing heavy work) : couldnt hear the hard drive or the superdrive
- Chirping noise when on maximum CPU setting and on mains AC
- amazing built in sound

12' 1Ghz RevB with 80G Toshiba drive and 512Mb RAM

- fantastic size. Absolutely perfect
- perfect keyboard
- disappointed with screen, especially vertical visibility. But no biggie
- Noisy hard drive but much faster than the Fujitsu of the 1,33Ghz 17'
- No chirping noise when CPU is in maximum performance mode and connected on mains AC
- Noisy Superdrive
- nearly perfect trackpad, button is a bit noisy
- maximum volume is too low

15' 1,25Ghz, standard config (Toshiba drive) - owned for two days
This is actually the 2nd 15' i got because the first one had a bad screen, overevelated keyboard and defective trackpad.

- perfect screen, no dead pixels or white spots for now
- perfect keyboard
- button on trackpad is terrible. It is very loose meaning when you actually click it feels like a double click. Very annoying
- Fast but noisy hard drive
- Noisy Superdrive
- No imperfections on case or anything else for the moment

Summary

I sold the 17' 1,33GHZ after buying the 12' because frankly the Fujitsu drive was so slow the 12' was actually faster and snappier in general use, even though it lagged behind in pure calculating power. The 12' opened Adobe apps faster, and all iLife apps much faster as well. Same feeling with the 15', but the faster processor speed and bigger screen are great. I think overall, if it doesnt manifest any screen problems, the 15' is the best. I have a sweetspot for the 12' because it is so cute and powerful for its size, but for someone looking for one powerbook, the 15' has to be it. Just be sure that you buy it in a store that has a return policy so that if you get a lemon you can immediately change it. I have 15 days Return policy and i was allowed to open and test the Powerbook before leaving with it. That is also great to have, as frankly Apple really have a terrible quality control on these new Aluminium PB.

Cheers

[urrl78]

My 17" REV A has screen arthritis in cold weather. There are pinstripe vertical black lines that fizzle when I first turn it on or wake it from sleep, but this clears up in a few minutes. In normal room temperature this never happens. Guess that's not normal huh? Otherwise my 10 month old 17" is great. Hope it holds out till the G5 model.

[Buzzfish]

I got my rev A 17" in April? can't remember. But it's been almost a year of using it at work, home, everywhere I go. I've had absoultely no problems at all. It has never let me down.

It does however make a strange ticking noise when the graphics card fan is working really relaly hard, pretty mucha couple times a week I'll notice it going nuts. I think it probably has a bearing going in the fan as this just started a couple months ago. I've decided to ride it out for the time being.

it also has a small dent in the bottom corner, but i must admint that was my fault.

great machine, As a software developer I can't remember the last time I "fell in love" with a machine like this, all the others just seem like bland, lifeless workhorses.