[killer_735]

Hey...I'm a communication/design student working in Ithaca, NY, and I'm about to buy my first Mac.(What finally made me switch? The first time I had to call Microsoft and read off a 98-digit number to register XP. And seeing os X didn't hurt.)
So anyway, I'm trying to deecide between a 14.1", 800Mhz iBook and a 12.1" Powerbook 867Mhz. Through various discounts and freebies, the cost of the Powerbook is only 200$ more.Here's the clincher; I do some design work, which wouldn't be great on a 12.1" screen, but I have an external monitor, so not too big a deal. I read recently that Apple will stop supporting G3 procecessors in the summer of '04, so the iBook may become obselete after that...which would suck.

My question to you; which do you think is the better idea?
A slightly cheaper ibook with a bigger screen, or a Powerbook with a small screen that will stay current for longer? Especially if you have a 12.1" Powerbook; just how much can you see on a single screen?

I humble myself before the collective experience of this group....let your wisdom go to work...mwa ha ha.

[Taloston Man]

Not exactly in the right place, if you're looking for a large response for this, but....

The 14 inch screen on the iBook and the 12" on the PBG4 have the same resolution, so if you're looking for more screen real estate, the only way one is going to be better than the other is through extended desktop using an external monitor, which only the PB officially supports.

I don't think Apple's planning on "killing" the G3 officially, but I think their primary focus (as it was in Jaguar, I believe) in this summer's 10.3 update will be on tweaking and optimizing for the G4.

The G3 isn't going to go "no longer supported" for a WHILE yet, I think, it's just that you may miss out on some performance and feature optimizations in future software updates.
(Look at Quartz Extreme, for example...it didn't make unsupported Macs any SLOWER, but it didn't do much FOR them, either)

[The Placid Casual]

Originally posted by killer_735:
Hey...I'm a communication/design student working in Ithaca, NY, and I'm about to buy my first Mac.(What finally made me switch? The first time I had to call Microsoft and read off a 98-digit number to register XP. And seeing os X didn't hurt.)
So anyway, I'm trying to deecide between a 14.1", 800Mhz iBook and a 12.1" Powerbook 867Mhz. Through various discounts and freebies, the cost of the Powerbook is only 200$ more.Here's the clincher; I do some design work, which wouldn't be great on a 12.1" screen, but I have an external monitor, so not too big a deal. I read recently that Apple will stop supporting G3 procecessors in the summer of '04, so the iBook may become obselete after that...which would suck.

My question to you; which do you think is the better idea?
A slightly cheaper ibook with a bigger screen, or a Powerbook with a small screen that will stay current for longer? Especially if you have a 12.1" Powerbook; just how much can you see on a single screen?

I humble myself before the collective experience of this group....let your wisdom go to work...mwa ha ha.

I would go for the Powerbook every time... no hesitation...

As Taloston Man said, the actual screen real estate/pixels are the same, but the real clincher is the G4...

While I have no doubt the G3 will be aroud for a long while yet in one form or another, OS X is in part, very Altivec enhanced so a G4 makes a big difference performance wise...

When you add in Bluetooth integration and the other features of the PB, is to me at least, not only a waaay better machine, but the better value too at the price points you indicate...

Peace,

Marc

[Camelot]

PowerBook. All the way.

I can't understand why the iBooks are still around. The PowerBook is a much better deal.

[dampeoples]

Originally posted by Camelot:
PowerBook. All the way.

I can't understand why the iBooks are still around. The PowerBook is a much better deal.

If it's $200 more, go for the PB.
The iBooks are still around for $999, how's a $1799 computer a better deal? you get what you pay for, and some people don't need a powerbook, such as my 3 year old, who's happily playing barbie.com on the ibook right now

[killer_735]

It's not actually a choice between 999$ and 17$99. The tossup is between a low end powerbook and a high end ibook, which is a difference of only 200$.

[rambo47]

I think Apple will phase out the G3 processor and migrate the iBook line to G4s, but not for another year. This is rampant specualtion on my part but it certainly fits Apple's pattern.

A possibility you might consider is picking up a used 15.4" G4 PowerBook, provided the price is right. There are a few offered here in the Classified Forum as well as on some other forums. The 12" G4 is a sweet piece of kit to be sure, but if you look at a 15.4" unit you'll say, "Damn! I got to get me one of these!!" They're thin, light, and almost as portable as the 12", plus the processors have L3 cache that the new 12" is missing.

[DaedalusDX]

Definitely get the powerbook.

The powerbook may have a physically smaller screen than the iBook, but they have exactly the same resolution (1024 x 768) and the Powerbook's screen is likely higher quality.

On top of that, the Powerbook has monitor spanning capability, so you can work with that external monitor of yours and double the space, while the iBook can only mirror.

And what everyone else said too. Integrated Bluetooth, faster processor, etc etc.

Much better off with the Powerbook.

On another note... you said you're a student in Ithaca too? Cornell?

[killer_735]

actually, I'm a student at RIT in Rochester. I''m in Ithaca to do a co-op (like an internship) at a magazine out here.

[mikerally]

The G3 is dying if not dead already...

[cgc]

Why does it matter if the G3 is no longer produced the second after he buys an iBook? It is a great CPU. With that said, go for the Powerbook.