[maximusbibicus]

Hello Folks!

I will be purchasing a Laptop in the next couple of weeks, and was hoping you wise (wo)men could help out.
I am a light user, i use my computer for entertainment, not business. I use mostly internet apps, and i will dabble in Photoshop and iMovie.

Apps i most commonly use:

IE
Safari
MS Office Suite
iTunes (Big Time!)
Messenger
LimeWire
Photoshop
iPhoto
iMovie
And thats really about it.

I am currently using an iMac G3 500MHZ, 768MB RAM, 80GB HD, and i find it suits my needs. owever, i am sick of using a CRT. My first computer was a 6500, and it had a CRT, and i didn't mind. I upgraded to a Pismo 400MHZ, and was blown away by how clear the LCD display was. Also, it was compact, didn't radiate any heat, and was really easy on the eyes.

I made the decision to get rid of the Pismo to get a Quicksilver, with a CRT. Bad decision, impulse buy. Wanted the latest and greatest. Missed the Pismo to death. Money was tight, and the G4 was LOUD, so i sold it and bought this iMac. Its great, quiet, peppy, cute, but i am yearning for a LCD. What really put the nail in the coffin was that i bought a used PC laptop from work, and it has a beautiful LCD display. Using that for 5 minutes makes me yearn for an iBook or PB. Also, i am dying to go wireless, and wil be buying an ABS with my Laptop.

So i am taking the plunge!

After listening to me babble on about my computing habits, what machine would you recommend?

Here are my thoughts. iBook. Seems more rugged, has a high clock speed and decent vid card. Has been around for ages, and seems to be pretty reliable. However, what happens when Panther is released? How long of a lifespan can it have? It will be a couple tiers down processor wise. 970, G4, then G3. I was running a 603e when OSX was introduced, and i know what it is like to be left in the dust.

PB 12". G4!, no paint to chip, cooler look, same great screen. Altivec. And the potential to be more usefull, for a longer period of time. Now, unfortunatly, its is apparently hot as hell, and has had some issues with chassis warping. Also, the VideoCard doesn't seem to function as well as the iBooks ATI Radeon, in the opinions of some. And, it is a "Rev A" product. I have been told by many people that i should stay away from a Rev A Apple product. Especially a laptop.

Now, money isn't a huge concern. They are only about $400CDN apart.
Can any iBook owners (900MHZ preferebly) and 12" PB owners chime in with their thoughts? How has your machine performed? Have you had to send it back at all? Everyone else, let me know your thoughs as well please!

Thanks,

Peter

[The Placid Casual]

I'm a 12" powerbook owner. Blows the iBook out of the water... However I'm very sadly selling, to get a 15" with DVI out so I can use my Studio Display. It will be a big wrench as the 12" is such a cool machine...

I would go into more depth, but this was dicussed in a fair amount of detail in a multi page thread last week here:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...ighlight=ibook

Peace,

Marc

[maximusbibicus]

I appreaciate the feedback.

I should have done a more indepth search.

If anyone has anything else to add, that would be great.

Peter

[juanpacolopez]

Originally posted by maximusbibicus:
I appreaciate the feedback.

I should have done a more indepth search.

If anyone has anything else to add, that would be great.

Peter

I had an iBook 600 before I got my Ti... and I can make this comment:

From what I've seen in the Apple store and w/ a friend's... the 12" PB is of SIGNIFICANTLY higher overall build quality than the ibook. The whole thing feels more "solid" and "well made".

Also, if you're concerned about the quality of the LCD (which it sounds like you are), you should again consider the 12". While the ibook does, indeed have a nice screen... it doesn't hold a candle to the brightness/viewing angle/contrast of a PB display.

Same goes for the keyboard, ask any 12" owner... the keyboard is hands down the best laptop keyboard ever.

I'd say go for the 12"... you'll get more life out of it in the long run (even if the 970 is upon us... the G4 still has plenty of life left... look how long the G3 has stayed viable for).

[Robster1958]

Also, if you're concerned about the quality of the LCD (which it sounds like you are), you should again consider the 12". While the ibook does, indeed have a nice screen... it doesn't hold a candle to the brightness/viewing angle/contrast of a PB display.

===================

isn't the screen identical in 12" PB and iBook?

[maximusbibicus]

Thats the kind of info i am curious about.

Build quality means alot to me. My Pismo had the best build quality of any Laptop i have ever seen.

My iMac is not bad, but it just seems a little more inferior.

I must say after reading a few more threads here, and taking this advice, i would have to lean to the G4. I have such a soft spot for the little IceBook

Keep em coming!

Peter

[elfmund]

hi.. i'm a proud owner of the 12" PB...

i pumped 512mb of ram into the extra slot and i must say that comparing this computer to my girlfriends brother's iBook is no contest...

even when both machines had 256mb ram my PB killed the iBook in every test we made...

my feeling is that the PB is better built of the two computers and let's not even mention the best keyboard ever used in a laptop (or a desktop for that matter)

without a doubt man, check out the two machines side by side... you'll know then

the last thing i'd like to mention is the "heat" issue... of course it gets hot, like the ibook, but the aluminum is much quicker to cool down than the Plastic casing of the iBook

have fun with your 12" .......

[marumari]

I think as far as machine quality goes, it really is a wash. They're both excellent machines. If you are serious about the life-span of the machines, then the 12" Powerbook is going to be viable considerably longer than the iBook. I don't think it is inconceivable that they stop supporting G3 based machines in 10.5 or so.

That said, you can always buy an iBook now, and use the money you saved towards a newer Powerbook farther down the line. Or you can buy a used 12" Powerbook (they pop up quite often in the Marketplace - like mine here: http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...threadid=16346 )

[Michel_80]

Screens of 12 Ibook and 12 PB are IDENTICAL!

[juanpacolopez]

Originally posted by Michel_80:
Screens of 12 Ibook and 12 PB are IDENTICAL!

Well, let me put it this way...

My friend's 12" PB, when placed side-by-side with my old iBook 600...

Set to the same brightness level (full), the PB is considerably brighter, and the colors are slightly more vibrant (indicating a better contrast ratio).

This isn't based on any research, just observations I've made with my own two eyes.

[howieh123]

You said money was not a decision making factor. Get the 12" powerbook. I compared both side by side at the apple store and there is no comparison. You feel 10 times cooler with a 12 powerbook than an Ibook. The Keyboard/CDROM SLOT/and Side plugs are a big factor...the graphics card has not been an issue with me..I play warcraft III and Starcraft on it all the time.

My 12 gets hot...but who cares....if you cheap out and get an Ibook you will always regret it.

[PeteWK]

Originally posted by Michel_80:
Screens of 12 Ibook and 12 PB are IDENTICAL!

Perhaps, although some may have commented after seeing one that is a year or so old, thus making it seem like the new one was a different unit.

As for a comparison. The Powerbook has a slightly faster video card. This will make the pixels respond faster and the screen will thus seem brighter. Slow video sub system = blurry (or less clear) LCD. Not a lot, but it does crop up when playing a game etc.

PeteWK

[mousehouse]

with the risk of duplicating posts from other threads here's my ramble anyway,

i'd get the 12" pbook.

i've had the luxury of working with both (the albook is my neighbor's) and would advise against the ibook.

sure, the al casing will scratch a bit sooner than the ibook's (or you'll mind more) but it's very sturdy in my opinion. especially when compared to my tibook. performance wise the 12" will win clearly on the apps that you describe. it's not just the cpu but also the cpu bus that's faster (133 vs 100) which i think makes for the biggest difference, especially in imovie.

and you could get the 12" with the superdrive, instead of the CDR...

[Michel_80]

Yeah, it was confirmed by Apple that they used the same LCD for PB12 and Ibook 800 and 900.

Anyways, get the PB!