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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > blah.. powerbook or ibook?

blah.. powerbook or ibook?
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idyll
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Mar 31, 2002, 04:48 AM
 
im a graphic designer. ive been using a pc for 6 years have grown sick of windows. i would love to experience a mac but dont know what to go for..

i would prefer a laptop - the idea of doodling with a wacom outside gets me excited. so i guess id be doing some heavy graphic design work on it. im considering the powerbook but the price apple is asking for it draws me away. the iBook doesnt seem that bad and i wouldnt mind the screen size that much but it depends on how much slower it is than the powerbook, i dont mind milliseconds. i have $1300 to spend, but could possibly go for more just not $2000. if anyone knows about any good deals on refurbished powerbooks/iBooks it would help. if not, then theres always ebay . what i mainly want to know is which one is right for me?
     
spb
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Mar 31, 2002, 07:57 AM
 
PBG4 - ibook is nice but a toy compared to the pro book..

lack of pc card slot , poor keyboard , sluggish videocard , ports on lhs,

whilst only pb caveat is screen res- everything else about is is stunning.

550 is vvvvvv nice...

OR wait until the inevitable Apple upgrade ( June/July ? ) get a 667 ?
     
idyll  (op)
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Mar 31, 2002, 08:13 PM
 
hmm.. i dont mind the keyboard, ive tried it. also i dont plan on playing many games on the laptop but the option to hook up a second monitor like you can on the powerbook is quite nice i agree.
if i do get an iBook it would have to be the 600mhz one with System bus @ 100MHz. The screen size I don't mind that much either, 100 pixels wont kill me. Its hard to decide..
     
seanyepez
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Mar 31, 2002, 08:23 PM
 
I don't think you should go for the iBook if you use your computer for a profession.

Even though the iBook is bearable now, it will be nearly useless in a few years for any kind of professional work. The G4 will become more essential for even office applications as applications become optimized for OS X. More complex software with more features essential to your trade will be released, and you won't be able to work diligently with a G3 anymore.

For the sake future-proofing your computing environment, get a 667-megahertz PowerBook G4 with the DVD-ROM drive at a lower price. The extra space, the faster CPU, and the faster graphics chipset will help immensely.
     
Mac Zealot
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Mar 31, 2002, 08:29 PM
 
iBooks are inefficient especially for OS X.

Unless you want to run yesterday's programs, get the 667
In a realm beyond site, the sky shines gold, not blue, there the Triforce's might makes mortal dreams come true.
     
idyll  (op)
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Mar 31, 2002, 08:44 PM
 
true.. i might as well buy something that will last for some time. Ill go for a used one then on ebay. Thanks guys
     
seanyepez
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Mar 31, 2002, 09:32 PM
 
Originally posted by idyll:
<STRONG>true.. i might as well buy something that will last for some time. Ill go for a used one then on ebay. Thanks guys </STRONG>
If you can wait a while, there's a new PowerBook on the horizon. While there always is a newer, faster model yet to come out, it might be smart for you to buy a new PowerBook when they come out or pick up a used, 667-megahertz PowerBook at even lower prices.

[ 03-31-2002: Message edited by: seanyepez ]
     
Podolsky
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Mar 31, 2002, 10:47 PM
 
I imagine you probably use or will use Photoshop and if that is true I would advise you to run PS7 on all these machines and weigh it's performance against price and screen characteristics. Once you figure out which machine works for you (G4 most likely), you only have to wait till this summer to pick up a used, new or refurbed machine,like a 550 or 667 which will be in your price range when the new crop appears. I also do alot with imagery but cannot on my 667. Too small and cramped or something. I use my desktop for all my image analysis and my 667 essentially as an OSX training platform!!!!
     
torifile
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Mar 31, 2002, 11:05 PM
 
While lots of people are bashing the iBook, I'd have to differ. (I bet if you posted this in the iBook forum, it'd be the other way around.) The iBook is pretty good for most tasks, especially if you can't afford a powerbook. But if it's going to be your primary design computer, you have to go with a powerbook. There some good deals out there on the non-combo drive powerbooks. I picked up a 667 model with 512 megs of ram for $2294 from macmall. It looks like they raised their prices, but they are still reasonable. Also check out clubmac for some good deals.

here's the macmall link, scroll to the middle of the page. http://www.macmall.com/macmall/families/powerbook/
     
Paul Huang
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Mar 31, 2002, 11:14 PM
 
One factor all designers must consider when they consider a notebook:

EXTERNAL MONITOR SPANNING SUPPORT

The PowerBook G4's 1600x1200/millions of colors and spanning or mirroring support is enough to shut out all other products.

No competition.
     
seanyepez
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Mar 31, 2002, 11:30 PM
 
Originally posted by Paul Huang:
<STRONG>One factor all designers must consider when they consider a notebook:

EXTERNAL MONITOR SPANNING SUPPORT

The PowerBook G4's 1600x1200/millions of colors and spanning or mirroring support is enough to shut out all other products.

No competition.</STRONG>
To what are you comparing it to? The iBook?
     
PeteWK
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Apr 1, 2002, 02:47 AM
 
No Contest: Powerbook.

PeteWK
     
idyll  (op)
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Apr 1, 2002, 11:47 PM
 
i am forced to buy either one of those within two months as I will be soon visiting a college over the summer. I have $1500 and its either a PowerBook G4/400 128/10gb/DVD Titanium or iBook G3/600 128/20gb/Combo. I understand a top class Powerbook can beat the iBook anyday, but is the G3 600mhz iBook really worse than a G4 400mhz? thanks in advance
     
skalie
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Apr 2, 2002, 01:36 AM
 
Originally posted by idyll:
<STRONG>but is the G3 600mhz iBook really worse than a G4 400mhz? thanks in advance</STRONG>
I'd be interested to here the answer to that one myself.

If the stats are similar go for the iBook, simply because it is smaller (the 12.1 inch model), i.e. portability which is the whole point of the exercise.

Anyway that's what I did.

*ducks* and runs for the safety of the iBook forum.
     
idyll  (op)
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Apr 2, 2002, 06:35 PM
 
     
iKevin
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Apr 2, 2002, 06:59 PM
 
My suggestion is PowerBook over iBook always.....till they put a G4 in the iBook. The G3 should be shot and killed. OS X drags it down too much.
     
msykes
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Apr 2, 2002, 07:03 PM
 
Originally posted by idyll:
<STRONG>i am forced to buy either one of those within two months as I will be soon visiting a college over the summer. I have $1500 and its either a PowerBook G4/400 128/10gb/DVD Titanium or iBook G3/600 128/20gb/Combo. I understand a top class Powerbook can beat the iBook anyday, but is the G3 600mhz iBook really worse than a G4 400mhz? thanks in advance</STRONG>
I say if you have two months... wait. I am betting on a new Ti within 2 months... and sure you won't be able to buy the new ones, but that means that you should then be able to afford a used 550. The 550/667 are quite a bit improved vs. the 400/500 series (with the exception of a few specific areas in which they are actually slower), with better overall build, and much better graphics. Even nicer, you could go for one with a combo drive.

Heck, in the next two months, there might be improved iBooks out there as well, and even though there are some very pro and very anti-iBook people out there, nobody will argue that an improved one is a bad thing!
     
typoon
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Apr 3, 2002, 03:16 PM
 
Well I just bought an iBook 600, So far I love it. I had a Pismo 500 and that was nice. The G4 will give you other things over the G3 chip but if you want something powerful and inexpensive get the iBook. for profession Graphic design I would spring for the 667 if you can. Photoshop takes atvantage of the G4 chip and the Altivec technology.
"Evil is Powerless If the Good are Unafraid." -Ronald Reagan

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idyll  (op)
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Apr 3, 2002, 03:22 PM
 
hmm.. thanks for the comments / opinions.
     
mgl
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Apr 4, 2002, 07:03 PM
 
Originally posted by seanyepez:
<STRONG>I don't think you should go for the iBook if you use your computer for a profession.
</STRONG>
I use my iBook 600 in a corporate environment constantly. It's perfect for everything I do except Photoshop which I do on my PowerMac G4.

There is nothing wrong with the keyboard on an iBook. It's an excellent laptop keyboard and almost identical to the PowerBook keyboard.

Word X is just as slow on a PowerBook G4 as on an iBook G3. It sucks on both.

But since the person asking the question said he wanted to do design work, then yes, a PowerBook would be the better choice. Monitor spanning and more horsepower are important for design work.

But for corporate use, the iBook is an excellent choice.
     
mgl
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Apr 4, 2002, 07:07 PM
 
Originally posted by seanyepez:
<STRONG>Even though the iBook is bearable now, it will be nearly useless in a few years for any kind of professional work.</STRONG>
Just like a PowerBook will be useless in a few years. I woudn't use a 3-yeard old Mac for professional work today. While I might go 3 or more years at home, my work computer needs replacing at least every 2 years. Yes, the PowerBook might be more capable than today's iBook in 3 years, but not much.
     
   
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