Hi- My parents have decided they want a mac laptop, and are willing to let me give them my ibook 800mhz and let me take the new one, which would probably be a 12" PB. Would you say it's worth it because the 12" PB is noticeably faster or better than the 12" 800mhz iBook? We would wait for updates, but my parents want to have a mac laptop asap (before I leave for school in August). Thanks.
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speed difference? ibook vs. pbook
- Thread starter mmoin
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depends on the apps you are going to use. if your "old" 800 MHz iBook was fast enough for you for the apps you used, then PB won't be much faster. if you are planning on using apps that take advantage of altivec, then for those apps, PB will be faster.
consider other things: case material, dual monitor spanning, (IMO) better keyboard, AEX...
consider other things: case material, dual monitor spanning, (IMO) better keyboard, AEX...
Wait until the new Powerbooks with the 7457 arrive, they should have already came out, but Motorola is slowing things up.
i'd like to suggest the following. i think it's *generally* good:
get the computer you need (and know to be physically available) when you need it.
wait only if you don't need the computer now, don't believe all the rumors (about specs, release dates, prices, etc.) and won't be disappointed if rumor turns out to be false.
the worst thing you can do is wait, wait and wait to find yourself 6 months removed from the first time you thought of buying the computer and the updated hardware you finally got is only marginally better than what you could have gotten a long time ago. that 6 months is gone forever and you could have enjoyed your computer in the mean time.
don't wait for the sake of getting the newer and better stuff. whatever you buy whenever, it will be eclipsed by better and cheaper technology within months.
get the computer you need (and know to be physically available) when you need it.
wait only if you don't need the computer now, don't believe all the rumors (about specs, release dates, prices, etc.) and won't be disappointed if rumor turns out to be false.
the worst thing you can do is wait, wait and wait to find yourself 6 months removed from the first time you thought of buying the computer and the updated hardware you finally got is only marginally better than what you could have gotten a long time ago. that 6 months is gone forever and you could have enjoyed your computer in the mean time.
don't wait for the sake of getting the newer and better stuff. whatever you buy whenever, it will be eclipsed by better and cheaper technology within months.
I 1000% agree! I waited and waited, at least from Feb to May when I finally got my iBook. Waiting was painful and I wish I had gotten to the Mac experience waaaaaaaay sooner!
Well I got my PB 12' 2 weeks ago.
I have tested iBook 14' 900MHz G3 against the PB12' 867 MHz G4 at the shop.
Well to make a long story short, the G4 is faster in every operation you do. This is mainly because MacOs itself uses altivec. For example if you look at the gui you will notice that the dock itself uses this operations, as the "load" of the machine does not go up so fast when moving over the dock with the mouse cursor very fast.
Or just download some pdf files from the web and test it on the ibook and the pb. The difference is amazing. The PB flies, where as the ibook is dog slow.
I would buy a PB. There may be updates to the PB line, but well I got my 2 Weeks ago, and I think that there will be new ones mid september as I wanted my now.
I have tested iBook 14' 900MHz G3 against the PB12' 867 MHz G4 at the shop.
Well to make a long story short, the G4 is faster in every operation you do. This is mainly because MacOs itself uses altivec. For example if you look at the gui you will notice that the dock itself uses this operations, as the "load" of the machine does not go up so fast when moving over the dock with the mouse cursor very fast.
Or just download some pdf files from the web and test it on the ibook and the pb. The difference is amazing. The PB flies, where as the ibook is dog slow.
I would buy a PB. There may be updates to the PB line, but well I got my 2 Weeks ago, and I think that there will be new ones mid september as I wanted my now.
Go for the PowerBook. G3's are old. I've played around with G3's and G4's at the same clock speed and have found the G4 to be much more responsive and snappier in OS X, as msp mentioned. Also, the PB is a better machine overall. It has video out for extended desktop or mirroring at very high resolutions. I think this is important given the limited resolution and size of the built in screen. Also, to be vein, I think the PB is far sexier and "substantial" given its aluminum exterior. I also like the bluetooth and airport extreme.
LOL. What, did your test ibook have 128 RAM or something? We have gone over and over and over this point on this site. The PB is significantly faster only on altivec apps, and loses quite a few tests to the ibook. The G4 in the powerbook is badly hamstrung by the lack of an L3 cache, and the fact that the ibook has twice the L2 cache helps it out a lot. You don't have to take my word for it... look here:
http://macspeedzone.com/html/hardware/machine/comparison/portable/powerbook/index.shtml
hehe, 12" powerbook owners are so defensive about their computer's performance compared to the ibook.
yea i agree too... i ended up waiting well almost a year... i'm suprised i got so far with my imac 350 mghz (and to believe, it runs jaguar 10.2.6!!!) i just baught a pb 12" and i'm not too sure if it was the right buy if the ibook is the same thing... hmm.... but i like the pb it is deffinantly fast enough to do everything...
The powerbook is faster at FCE, photoshop and the like, but i do think a 900 mhz ibook would surf the web and do office quicker. the 12 inch powerbook is not a ibook killer. its better, but not by leaps and bounds. i only got mine cause i do a lot of studio mx, fce and the like. plus i wanted a powerbook, they look cooler and have the satus symbol quality to them but dont be afraid of the ibook, it'll do quite well.
but dont be afraid of the ibook, it'll do quite well.Agree with jxyama's comments about what to consider when buying. Personal experiences between the two
12" iBook:
Pros: Cheaper. Faster on non AltiVec apps. Better heat management.
Cons: Faulty logic boards (and if your first one fails, you're pretty much SOL because I've yet to see one replaced that permanently fixed the iBook for long-term use)-- this is a YMMV issue because of the recently purchased iBooks that have worked, the only ones which worked flawlessly are ones that have done so from the beginning. The ones that have been in to Apple to be repaired have all had the logic boards fail time and time again only to get replaced each time by Apple. This issue will showup usually within 30 to 40 days after using the iBook.
12" PB:
Pros: Faster on AltiVec apps (and there probably will be more AltiVec optimized apps in the future.) Sleeker look.
Cons: HEAT!!!! These babies cook... I don't care what kind of justification people present, they simply get too hot during long term use. Be prepared to insulate yourself from the surfaces of the PB. Also, I've started to see corrosion to the annodization of the Al on every Al PB so far, mostly in the wrist support area. In a year since their (the Al PBs) introduction, I expect to see forum boards littered with complaints about the corrosion much like the Ti paint issues.
12" iBook:
Pros: Cheaper. Faster on non AltiVec apps. Better heat management.
Cons: Faulty logic boards (and if your first one fails, you're pretty much SOL because I've yet to see one replaced that permanently fixed the iBook for long-term use)-- this is a YMMV issue because of the recently purchased iBooks that have worked, the only ones which worked flawlessly are ones that have done so from the beginning. The ones that have been in to Apple to be repaired have all had the logic boards fail time and time again only to get replaced each time by Apple. This issue will showup usually within 30 to 40 days after using the iBook.
12" PB:
Pros: Faster on AltiVec apps (and there probably will be more AltiVec optimized apps in the future.) Sleeker look.
Cons: HEAT!!!! These babies cook... I don't care what kind of justification people present, they simply get too hot during long term use. Be prepared to insulate yourself from the surfaces of the PB. Also, I've started to see corrosion to the annodization of the Al on every Al PB so far, mostly in the wrist support area. In a year since their (the Al PBs) introduction, I expect to see forum boards littered with complaints about the corrosion much like the Ti paint issues.
for all the pb users, i've found a solution for the powerbook 12" when it comes to heat!!!!!!!!!!! get one of those cookie racks (its like a small grill w/ the grill lines) if the cookie sheet gives you about a half inch of levitation, then your power book never gets hot!!!!!!! i sujest all powerbook users do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jayscheuerle
macrumors 68020
A good point to keep in mind is that the iBook is going to be more rugged and you will feel less intimidated about hauling it around without a case, setting it on a dirty picnic table, tossing it in the back seat, etc.
It won't have the "cool" factor of the fine machine that the 12" AlBook has, but I've steered more pragmatic friends of mine this way and they haven't been disappointed.
It won't have the "cool" factor of the fine machine that the 12" AlBook has, but I've steered more pragmatic friends of mine this way and they haven't been disappointed.