iDilemma
I’m thinking about getting a new Mac, and I also need a laptop. The obvious answer would be to get an Apple laptop I suppose, but I’m distinctly underwhelmed by their offerings.
The iBook is over-priced and under-specced: the cheapest model is 700 notes and comes with a 12″ screen and a 30 gig hard drive. The most expensive is a grand and comes with a 14″ screen and a 60 gig drive. All the iBooks run at a resolution of 1024×768, and come with an inadequate 256 megs of RAM and a 32MB ATI Mobility Radeon 9200. I could probably get a similarly specified ‘PC’ laptop for about half that, so no thanks.
The PowerBook range is lovely, but still over-priced compared to almost every other make of laptop out there. Although great for carrying around, the 12″ screens would be a little too pokey for me, so I’d have to go for the cheapest 15″ in the range, at £1400 by the time the RAM’s upgraded from 256MB. Think I’ll pass on that too.
What I’m seriously considering is buying a cheapish Windows laptop and one of the dinky Mac minis (if I can sort out a reasonably priced KVM solution); that way I get two computers for less than the price of one top-end iBook.
I dunno, it’s so complicated trying to be part of the iProduct generation!
New Powerbooks are expected in the next 2 weeks. Here is a URl of the rumored specs. from the same site that leaked the Mac Mini:
http://www.thinksecret.com/news/0501expo5.html
One thing to remember about the cost of Apple’s products. They typically contain a lot of free software that isn’t duplicated, for the most part, on equivalent PCs. Sure, you might not need some of the typical components included on the models. Or, you might have wanted a different upgrade instead. Apple needs to keep the options smaller than PC manufacturers who don’t have the same expenses. The cost of ownership is typically less when all is said and done. If security is an issue the Mac choice is a no brainer.
Don’t be too quick to dismiss the iBook. Decent performance, plus excellent battery life and wireless range. And, as the previous poster said, a wonderful software package. I use a 15-inch Dell Centrino at work, and it’s fast, but I far prefer the overall user experience provided by my home machine, a 1 ghz 12-inch PowerBook — which the current iBooks out-spec.
But do wait to see what, if anything, happens with the PowerBooks over the next few weeks. And, regardless of what you get, definitely up the RAM (and don’t buy from Apple — they rip you off).
Best of luck.
Check out http://www.macintouch.com/perfpack/comparison.html for a recent speed test of various Mac mini, eMac, iBook, iMac, Powerbook, and PowerMac. Note that all of them have more than 256MB RAM, altho other web sites are beginning to note that 256 isn’t that bad.
I’m typing on a 15″, 1.5GHz, with its lovely backlit keyboard. With its Airport, Bluetooth, and Superdrive it is simply the finest computer I’ve ever used. A thing of beauty really. Pricey, yes, but once you’ve got your hands on one, you’ll be so glad you did.
Wow, what a response – just when I was starting to edge towards the idea of a cheap Windows laptop and Mini Mac combo too! You’re not all Steve Jobs posting under different names are you?
I didn’t realise Apple were about to beef up the iBook range, and it might be interesting to see what happens with the PowerBooks too. The point about the bundled software is a valid one – the apps do seem a lot less like “filler” than most of the stuff that’s included with Windows. Security’s always an issue, and again I’d have to agree that OsX has the edge over XP by a long way in that respect.
Although significantly cheaper than the 15″, I do wonder if the 12″ iBook’s screen would seem a little small though – would it feel like going back to an old Color Classic (fond memories)?!. I guess if I’m just using it for browsing, email, watching DVDs and a little light coding on the move it would be OK. The battery life is a definite plus. However, I’ve read a few complaints about the durability of the iBooks, that the build quality’s not up to the standard of the PowerBooks. It’s all very well spending a few minutes prodding them in the Apple Store, but as everything looks seductive in there, it’s useful to hear how people find them in the real world.
Why did Apple have to bring out the Mini Mac now, it makes my decision so much harder! Anyway, thanks for commenting guys, much appreciated. Think I’d better go and read those comparisons now…
I have to add, a Powerbook will probably last longer (much longer) than a cheap windows laptop. Why buy two (or three!) cheap windows laptops over the same period of time that you would own a solid powerbook? My TiBook is almost three years old, used heavily every day, dropped several times, and yet never crashes, never gets viruses (virii?), and never gives me problems.
Also, the mac culture (not a cult) is incredibly helpful with this stuff. I was helped my innumerable anonymous people when I swtiched, and I am forever grateful, not being a geek or anything.
Good luck, and wait a few weeks for potnential PB updates.
Badger,
Current rumors are about PB upgrades — I haven’t seen anything about the iBooks.
Still, the current crop of iBooks is solid. (And, if you play the “When to buy?” game too much, you can drive yourself crazy!)
For “browsing, email, watching DVDs and a little light coding on the move,” I’d say the 12-inch iBook/PB would be fine, and you could always hook up an external monitor if need be (the PB supports monitor spanning — the iBook only does with a hack). The build quality of the PB is excellent (and the aluminum finish is so sexy!) — I especially like the keyboard, which has a more solid feel than the iBook’s. The iBooks did have a problem with bad logic boards, but that was with the G3 models (Apple fixed them for free).
If possible, go to an Apple Store/reseller and play with the machines.
Happy shopping!
Three typical Windows comments:
1: The iBook is over-priced and under-specced:
2: come with an inadequate 256 megs of RAM
3: I could probably get a similarly specified ‘PC’ laptop for about half that, so no thanks
When you are comparing a Mac to a Windows unit the first thing you have to do is build a fair comparison. Can you buy a Windows box for less than a Mac? Yes. But when you start bringing the Windows box up to snuff, adding software and firewire and wireless and when you stop looking at megahertz and start actually comparing how the computer feels, the Windows cheaper box begins to look like what it really is. A cheaper box.
Depending on how you intend to use the computer, 256 megs can actually be plenty. Sure, every Mac heavy hitter is going to grouse about it and Windows users know 256 is way too small for serious work. But the Mac doesn’t run Windows and putting aside the “My Mac has more memory than yours” posturing, the Mac uses memory quite efficiently. Lots of folk use 256 and are quite blissfully unaware that it is way too little memory for serious use. Because for them it is just fine.
Before you run off to WorstBuy and get that cheap Windows notebook, go try out the iBook line. Then go try out the ‘half price’ Windows box.
Lots of good, persuasive points made in all your comments – cheers. I’m popping up to the Apple store on Regents Street this afternoon to do a bit of ‘tyre kicking’ with the 12″ iBook.