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Advice for purchasing 12" Powerbook G4
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Spokane, WA
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I'm moving cross-country soon, and in the process of selling my beloved 20" iMac for something more portable. I'm eyeing a 12" Powerbook, because I realize I don't need a ton of power, and I figure once I get to the east coast I'll buy a cheap 19" LCD for my desk.
I'm a little concerned about warranty issues. I know there have been recalls to various of the Powerbook batteries, as well as some logic board problems, but I'm having a hard time finding a consolidated archive of such problems. I'm hoping that ye of vast Powerbook-y knowledge can help me decide if I really do want to buy a laptop that either doesn't have AppleCare or won't be eligible within a year or so.
I'm currently looking for a 1.33GHz or 1.5GHz model (preferably the latter). Anyone have any specific reasons why one model of the 12" PB G4 is better than the other, assuming prices are all relatively fair?
I appreciate the help. (And if anyone's after an iMac, do PM me...)
Cheers!
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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i actually replaced my 1.33 with a 1.5 last year; i gained:
less heat, brighter screen, bigger hard drive, superdrive.
the 1.5 gets warm, my 1.33 got really hot.
b&h in ny had 8 NEW ones, so i got it there, and got applecare as well.
pleased with it (since apple won't give us a 12" intel machine...sigh).
check craigslist, maybe even call b&h...
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"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)
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Forum Regular
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Forgive my ignorance, please, but what is B&H?
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Maryland
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i have a 1.5 ghz for sale. If you're interest for a really good price, PM me.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Mar 2005
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B&H Photo Video - Primarily photography and video selling place in New York, but also sells a lot of other electronics stuff.
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
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if the original poster isn't interested, I'd be interested in purchasing. Or if anyone else has one for sale for a good price, I'd be interested in purchasing. Email me directly at larryjklassen (at) hotmail (dot) com - replace words in parentheses with symbols, of course. I don't check for PM's or replies too often.
thanks,
larry
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Madison, WI
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I wouldn't be surprised if 12" PB prices actually go up, now that the MacBook Air has been announced and everyone's hopes of a 12" PB replacement have been dashed.
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Forum Regular
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Macola-
Shhhh!
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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Originally Posted by Larry Klassen
if the original poster isn't interested, I'd be interested in purchasing. Or if anyone else has one for sale for a good price, I'd be interested in purchasing. Email me directly at larryjklassen (at) hotmail (dot) com - replace words in parentheses with symbols, of course. I don't check for PM's or replies too often.
thanks,
larry
if i decide to sell mine, will post at macnn. it's a good one; applecare thru nov09, 1.5g, 2gig ram, etc etc etc...
hmm sounds good. guess i'll keep it (and give up waiting for apple to make a 12" mbp)....
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"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)
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Forum Regular
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So... anybody with particular preference for the 1.5 over the 1.33? Not to get back to my original query or anything.
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
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I own a PB 12"... and let me tell you, Leopard runs slow on it with Max out RAM and a 80HD, so.. my advice bought a Mac Mini Intel or a used Mac Book and keep it real... peace
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Oakland, CA
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Quick question:
Why is the 12" powerbook superior to the macbook for your needs?
My understanding is that the 12" powerbook is slightly smaller and slightly lighter, but is inferior in every other way to the current macbooks. Am I missing something?
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17" MBP C2D 2.33/3 GB RAM/500 GB 7200 rpm/Glossy Display|-|
17" iMac CD|-|15" PB G4 1.25 GHz|-|iBook g4 1Ghz|-|Pismo
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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Originally Posted by tinkered
Quick question:
Why is the 12" powerbook superior to the macbook for your needs?
My understanding is that the 12" powerbook is slightly smaller and slightly lighter, but is inferior in every other way to the current macbooks. Am I missing something?
it's just a great form factor, that some of us prefer.
i like the size, weight. my 1.5g, with 1.25 gigs ram, is running leopard beautifully (tho not like my intel desktop of course).
the macbook, for my needs/tastes, is too bulky (and i personally prefer a matte screen...)
apple apparently has no plans to give us a 12" mbp, and the air is a whole other beast entirely...
(
Last edited by fisherKing; Jan 18, 2008 at 09:52 AM.
)
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"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)
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Forum Regular
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The form factor is a primary concern. It's the smallest laptop in my price range, is durable, looks incredible, and most importantly it's cheapest. I'm driving across the country; have you seen gas prices lately? Yes I can find a used Macbook for $800 probably, but I don't need it. I don't need all the computing power I purchased in the iMac, and I need to downgrade.
Price and form factor, I guess is what you're missing.
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Forum Regular
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BTW, fisherking, how did you get 2 gigs of ram? I thought the powerbook had 256MB soldered to the motherboard, and only one ram slot open... perhaps I was mistaken?
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
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I think that is the iBook you are talking about. My iBook G4 1.2 came with 256 soldered so I could only max it to 1.2 Gig RAM
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24" iMac 2.8 C2Ext,15" MBPro 2.2 C2D,20" iMac 2.0 G5,12" iBook 1.2 G4
16GB 3G iPhone, 60GB 5th Gen iPod, 20 GB 3rd Gen iPod
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Originally Posted by acorder
BTW, fisherking, how did you get 2 gigs of ram? I thought the powerbook had 256MB soldered to the motherboard, and only one ram slot open... perhaps I was mistaken?
oops. fixed! that's 1.25gigs ram...
i went to the apple store yesterday, played with the macbook.
i still prefer the weight & size of the 12" pb.
btw prices seems high for 1.33 or 1.5 12" powerbooks...a coveted item i guess...
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"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)
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2001
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IMHO you should skip the 12" PowerBook and go for a MacBook. It has a lot more processing power and is just a tad heavier.
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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Agreed. Don't waste your time with a 12" PowerBook, and get a refurb MacBook.
It's better in basically every way, and it's not very expensive.
If you really want to save money, you might want to consider a G4 iBook.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Spokane, WA
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Yes, well, Oreo, I'd love to have a MacBook. Heck, I'd love to have a MacBook Pro. But three or four hundred dollars is a heck of a lot of money to me, and I can't find any reason that I need the power of a MacBook over a PB G4. What will it do for me? I'm a freelance writer and editor, so all I really need is to run office suites, use the internet, and have it not get in my way. The only advantage I can see for me personally to get a MacBook is that I could get AppleCare for it. Aside from that, it doesn't seem like there's anything to gain for me.
And I've thought about getting a G4 iBook, but there's little enough difference in the price points there to make it a toss-up considering the features of the PB. So while $300 is a lot, $50 or so isn't. Or at least it's a small enough difference to be outweighed by the benefits of the PB. In my opinion.
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Clinically Insane
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Personally, I think the warranty is worth $200.
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Clinically Insane
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Well, up to you, but I've had to make use of the warranty for an iBook, a PowerBook G4, and a MacBook, as well as two iMacs.
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
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want mine? I got a nice PB 12" for $500.00
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