[GoDucks]

I'm typing this note from a 15 Inch Powerbook (Titanium, 1Ghz, Superdrive, 60 Gigs, 512MB, 64MB Video) that I've had for the better part of 2 years. I was holding out for the PBG5 but as it looks (to me anyway) as though that machine is potentially a year away, I'm seriously considering an upgrade.

I'm considering making the move to a 1.33 Ghz 12 Inch Powerbook with the 4x Superdrive. I'd upgrade to the 80 Gig HD and purchase a 512MB stick of RAM elsewhere. I've run the numbers and considering the E-Bay potential of my Powerbook as well as the fact that I can get a rebate on an iPod if I purchase them together (current educational promotion) I can upgrade to the 12 Inch for under $150 when all is said and done.

I'm willing to give up the screen space (and actually am looking forward to something a little more portable) but have a couple of questions...

(1) How recently was the 12 Inch PB line refreshed? I don't think it was too recently - how likely is a refresh in the next 30-60 days?

(2) Any general performance comments on the 12 Inch. I'd be running mostly iLife, Office, Safari, etc. Typical home use with the exception of some light final cut pro. I know the 12 Inch will be fast enough for my needs but am wondering if it will feel different that my current 15 Inch. A little faster perhaps?

[TailsToo]

1. April. It would most likely be refreshed by the end of the year... probably Oct-Nov.

2. The biggest change will be the screen resolution. If Apple offered better than 1024x768 in the 12'ers, I would consider one. Otherwise, I'll stick with the 15.

[fisherKing]

the 12" for me is, hands down, the best powerbook i have owned or used.
not the fastest, and...wish i had the backlit keyboard.

but makes my girlfriend's new 15" pb look...bloated, overweight.
and i am taking this everywhere! feels great.

outside of the heat on the leftside (a nuisance sometimes).

recommended.

[jorgem4]

I just switch this week from a TiPB 867MHz combo dirve to a 12" 1.33 GHz superdrive (feels good to be in the GHz) and "hands down" it is the best computer I've own. It is a perfect balance for what I needed. Power and Portability....can't get any better. I as very afriad that I would miss the screen space...and thats why I got a 17" LCD to work on when I am on my desk. But when I go to my GF or this few days when ever I am onthe road...the 12" screen is fine with me. I was worried but discovered that I like have tons of stuff open when I am on my desk but on the road I just work on what ever I just need. Also I played for a little while with my sisters iBook and notice the screen was enough for me...so NO regrets so far. An other big concern I had was the qality of the screen, because the Ti has an amazing screen IMO...but to my surprice the 12" screen was very bright as well! I would even dare to say that has the same quality as my Ti screen.

Here is a little review I wrote on my 12" PB:

As many say, as son as you open the box this thing is slick, sexy and astonishing. Light, but yet feels strong and well build. Not like the TiPB (which I previously own) not a bad computer...but a little delicate.

My PB had no pixel issues so far and when I set it on the table I thought it had a little wobble but I when I open the lid the wobble was gone and I am yet to see it again...I did notice a 1/4 of a millimeter gap on the front left rubber foot (i guess that was where the wobble came from) but when I type in the computer or try to wobble it the thing is solid rock.

It also came with the migration setup assistance to transfer my files from my old mac to my new PB...it took a little long like 30 minutes, but it was really easy to use and did a great job...it transfer all my preferences, icons desktop pics and setups..is just like having your old computer in a new one...kudos to apple on that one!

Now for the screen....a wide concern and highly commented topic...it is great! I compared it with my GF brand new iBook that came on Saturday (by the way great little machine too, fit her perfectly as a low tech computer person) the screen on the PB is far from the iBook screen...not to bash the iBook screen...but the PB is just plain better. I was surprised by how bright it is I even had to dim it a bit like 3/4 of brightness and if the viewing angle is right is awesome.

The head phone jack gap was my only little disappointment but I went to the apple store and plugged in my headphones into their 12, 15 and 17 PB and all are the same a little gap. So I guess it is normal.

As for the heat issues...well yesterday was 85 degrees out side and I live on an attic with no AC so my room tends to be 8-10 degrees hotter than outside...so the machine got hot but not enough to drop some bacon on it for breakfast this morning.

Well these are my impressions so far...not to mention the machine is blazing fast and responsive. I had been waiting for this machine for about a year now and finally I own one. I hope this helps people that read complains and complains of people that have had bad luck with their PB�well here I stand telling you that it is a great machine and that YES there are good PB after all.

Any other questions fell free to ask.

[domymel]

very funny that you jut happen to post this topic- I did exactly the same move; or better o say I am in the middle of making it.
I had a 1,25gig 15" Powerbook with Superdrive and decided that I wanted an iPod. I study in the UK (law) and have to admit, that the 15" is an overkill for someone like me, who likes the looks and style, but who mainly needs a machine to type my essays, surf and research, chat and so on.
The 15" is a bit too big when it comes to carrying it on the plane (in my humble opinion)-same is true for using it during lectures or tutorials.
I went to an Apple store the other day and played around with a 12", cuz main concern for me was the screen size- I think I'll be fine with it- especially when using the automatic hide functio for the dock and expose in general (which I didn't do on the 15").
I decided to upgrade the harddrive as well

I think there is going to be an update in September- cuz I received a gift certificate (almost 200bucks off) when buying a portable until the end of August.
Cheers,
Dom

[TheIceMan]

Originally posted by TailsToo:
2. The biggest change will be the screen resolution. If Apple offered better than 1024x768 in the 12'ers, I would consider one. Otherwise, I'll stick with the 15.

Agreed. This was the deciding factor for me when I upgraded from my 15" Ti 667Mhz to the 15" Al 1.25GHz. It was not an easy decision since I wanted portability. For me, the screen on the 15" is much clearer. I spent a considerable amount of time debating, comparing, and studying the screen resolution, clarity, and crispness. In the end, I went with the 15". That said, the 12" is a fine machine. Best of luck in your decision.

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by TailsToo:
2. The biggest change will be the screen resolution. If Apple offered better than 1024x768 in the 12'ers, I would consider one. Otherwise, I'll stick with the 15.

I don't think I would like anything bigger than 1024x768 on this 12" screen. You wouldn't be able to read or see anything very well without overscaling everything.

[iREZ]

Thank you, finally somebody who makes some sense. I hate it when people ask for higher resolutions for the 12" PB, things are as small as they could be with 1024 x 768 (albeit still readable and not a nuisance), but any smaller would cause people to stare at their powerbooks from four to five inches away from the screen. Unless Apple decides on going with a 13" widescreen (like Sony) they should keep the resolution as is. By the way I own a 12" and at first was pissed because I wanted a 15" and couldn't afford it, but now that I take my PB wherever I go, I'm glad I got a 12" that fits virtually everywhere I go.

[MrForgetable]

Originally posted by madmacgames:
I don't think I would like anything bigger than 1024x768 on this 12" screen. You wouldn't be able to read or see anything very well without overscaling everything.

Exactly. I think Apple thinks about what resolution to put in their laptops and LCDs to give the maximum amount of pixels but not destroying readability.

[sworthy]

I made the same switch with no regrets... except that the screen is noticeably worse. Don't let anyone say the 12" has a great screen. It is just like the ibook.

You can't beat the portability though and I'm very happy I made the decision.

[jorgem4]

Originally posted by sworthy:
I made the same switch with no regrets... except that the screen is noticeably worse. Don't let anyone say the 12" has a great screen. It is just like the ibook.

You can't beat the portability though and I'm very happy I made the decision.

I will have to disagree on that one. My GF picked up an iBook on saturday and I got my 12" on monday...the screen is way! better. Much brighter and crisp IMO.

[Pierre B.]

Originally posted by jorgem4:
I will have to disagree on that one. My GF picked up an iBook on saturday and I got my 12" on monday...the screen is way! better. Much brighter and crisp IMO.

Did you buy the latest 12" Powerbook? I have an older one (867 MHz, first generation) and the screen is not like in its biggest brothers. Perhaps Apple changed that in the latest Powerbook update.

[jorgem4]

Originally posted by Pierre B.:
Did you buy the latest 12" Powerbook? I have an older one (867 MHz, first generation) and the screen is not like in its biggest brothers. Perhaps Apple changed that in the latest Powerbook update.

Yeah I got the latest rev.

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by Pierre B.:
Did you buy the latest 12" Powerbook? I have an older one (867 MHz, first generation) and the screen is not like in its biggest brothers. Perhaps Apple changed that in the latest Powerbook update.

I don't think anyone will argue that the 12" powerbook screen is as good as the 15 or 17 powerbooks, but it certainly is better than the 12" iBook.

[MrForgetable]

Originally posted by madmacgames:
I don't think anyone will argue that the 12" powerbook screen is as good as the 15 or 17 powerbooks, but it certainly is better than the 12" iBook.

The 15 and 17 inch screens are beautiful!

but there's this sony screen, forgot what it's called XBRITE ??, now that thing is CLEAR and bright.

[BenN]

It all depends on what you want to use it for, and how much you value portability vs. other features.

I`ve used both 12" and 15" AlBooks since they were introduced, and I much prefer the 15". I started off with a rev.A 12", and then sold it for a rev.A 15" when they were intro`d last year.

The best thing about the 12" is its small size, and hence added portability. However, there are some negatives, compared with the 15":

1) Heat
The 12" gets noticeably hotter (to the touch) than the 15". This is especially so for the front-left palm-rest, which makes it all the more noticeable. I think its a combination of the layout of internal components (i.e. got something hot under the palm-rest), and also the smaller surface area of aluminium (vs. the 15") for dissipating heat.

2) No FW800
It may not matter to some, but I find that FW800 does make a difference when working with fast external drives (for video editing). I`m getting an external FW800 RAID-0 system just for this purpose.

3) Wobble
A lot of people complain about this, and I noticed it myself. Its caused by the design, specifically the fact that one of the `feet` is attached to the battery casing, which is not flush with the bottom case of the PB. The `feet` of the 15" are all attached directly to the PB`s case, and so are even, hence no wobble.

4) Screen rez/size
I find 1024x768 too restricting for use with OS X. If you`ve got lots of apps open, wide-screen = better.

5) Speakers
The ones on the 15" sound better than those on the 12", IMHO.

6) Port layout
I like having a USB port on either side of the PB; it adds flexibility, unlike the 12", with both ports together on the left.

7) Open RAM slots
The 12" only has one open RAM slot; with the 15", both are open, so you can upgrade both.

8) Battery change: sleep vs. shutdown
With the 15", if you want to swap batteries you just put the PB to sleep; with the 12", you have to shut it down.

9) GPU
The 15" has a Radeon Mobility 9700, vs. the 12" with its NVIDIA 5200.

10) Backlit keyboard
OK, its not a deal-breaker, but it is cool.


Overall, my feeling is that the 12" is cool & sexy-looking, but its internal features are pretty ordinary; its not a lot more than a 12" iBook with a few additions. The 15" is more expensive, and bigger, but you get several compelling extra features for the extra money. In terms of portability, its a nice compromise between the 12" and the 17"; I find it very portable, and have no problems using it on long-haul flights (in Economy/Coach class).

So my advice:

stick with your current PB until next year.

[madmacgames]

Just to play the devil's advocate.

Originally posted by BenN:
1) Heat
The 12" gets noticeably hotter (to the touch) than the 15". This is especially so for the front-left palm-rest, which makes it all the more noticeable. I think its a combination of the layout of internal components (i.e. got something hot under the palm-rest), and also the smaller surface area of aluminium (vs. the 15") for dissipating heat.

Only the 1st revision 12" powerbooks got hot on the left palm rest. Apple fixed this in the 2nd revision and I would assume it is also fixed in the 3rd. It does get a little warm, but definitely not hot.

3) Wobble
A lot of people complain about this, and I noticed it myself. Its caused by the design, specifically the fact that one of the `feet` is attached to the battery casing, which is not flush with the bottom case of the PB. The `feet` of the 15" are all attached directly to the PB`s case, and so are even, hence no wobble.

well I think this stems more from the small footprint size of the 12". The battery on mine is about as flush as you can get but sometimes it will have a small "wobble" on certain surfaces. It is not noticeable though unless I intentionally apply direct pressure to very corner of the case.

4) Screen rez/size
I find 1024x768 too restricting for use with OS X. If you`ve got lots of apps open, wide-screen = better.

I think any screen size restrictions to having lots of apps open were effectively minimized with the advent of Expos�. And if that isn't good enough, you can get desktopManager and run virtual desktops as well.

5) Speakers
The ones on the 15" sound better than those on the 12", IMHO.

Ok, lets be realistic. All laptop speakers suck. There is not a single laptop speaker that "sounds good".

[curmudgeon]

for what it's worth ...

i traded in my 15" for a 12" last year and i've regretted it. the 15" screen is just so very much better than the 12" screen that i wish i had stayed with it, despite the other shortcomings of the machine.

[GoDucks]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and comments. I have decided that making the switch is the right thing for me at this time. I've ordered my 12 Inch with SuperDrive with the 80 Gig Option. Next step is to buy an extra 512 stick and wait until next week for it to arrive. Thanks again everyone

[domymel]

great, I did the same switch- exactly the same hard disk upgrade- but waiting for delivery. Hopefully it gets here next week---let me know what u think when u get it

[Homer1946]

I had a PB 12 867 and I loved it. One of the few complaints I had was the screen. It was far inferior to my iBook 500's screen. As it turns out, and for complicated reasons, I have a new 1.3 GHz PB 12 on the way. I believe that they have upgraded the displays for the newest release and that is why some are loving the screens, and others think that group is insane. For me I am thrilled to got rid of that lousy screen.

-R

[t500]

I have a Rev A 12inch and love it (No screen problems). If you plan on carrying aroung a computer all the time its the one for you.

I only wish they had a better graphic sub system.