Should I sell both my macs to get a macbook pro?

[Wrao]

The more I look at the macbook's specs, the more I like it. It not only has a lot of processing brunt, but it has lots of little things that sweeten the deal.

I have a rev a. aluminum 15" powerbook, 1.25 ghz w/ combo drive and a rev b. iMac g5 2.0 ghz 17" 250 GB hd and 2 GB of RAM.

I bought the iMac because the powerbook couldn't handle what I was doing musically. I wanted a powerful desktop that could. But I don't really like having 2 computers. I still use each one equally though.

I like having a desktop station that I can sit down at, turn on, and start making music. Different than having just a portable that I can sit at my desk and churn out tunes on if I want, but can unplug and take to the couch as well.

If I sold both my macs, I could probably get in the neighborhood of $3000 which would be enough to fund a tricked out macboook pro and still have a little cash left over to get a 250 GB external HD.

Any input?

[NosferaDrew]

I'm selling my iBook G4 and my dead 12" PowerBook (for parts) for my MacBook Pro that I've already ordered.

Go for it.
The way I figure it, this new MBP is so much more powerful than my 1.2Ghz iBook that I can actually do some real work when I'm away from my dual G5 at home.

I'm a little worried about jumping in on a new architecture, but I have faith in Apple.

[709]

If you're composing in GarageBand I'd say go for it. It's probably pretty slick. :)

[psmith2.0]

Definitely, wrao. It appears to be quite the little monster, and you pretty much answer your own questions in your post!

And it sounds like you can do it without reaching into your pockets, so...YEAH!

:)

I would, for sure!

NOW, as of today, $1,999 for a PowerBook suddenly seems totally reasonable, considering all it now has/does (okay, Mac Book Pro...that's gonna trip me up for MONTHS). :p

I mean, THAT'S a laptop!

Heck, take the dual-core/performance thing off the table...

You STILL get a built-in iSight, FrontRow, remote, cool new power supply, true 16:10 display for the first time in a 15" PowerBook, dual-link DVI, plenty of VRAM, generous BTO options, thinner body than the previous 15", faster bus, etc.

:eek:

NOW, add to that Core Duo architecture...

See?

Pretty spiffy, and is VERY close to what I talked about this morning (15" model only, iSight, 1440x900, dual-core, etc.). Everything but a stock 7200rpm hard drive, really.

Do you all think a 17" model is forthcoming? And, if so, why wouldn't it have been announced today also?

:confused:

[Wrao]

The idea of a 17" model coming gives me pause. I do like the desktop component of having a concentrated recording space, and I dig the increased screen real estate. So the 17" po-macbook pro wouldn't necessarily be as convenient to lay in bed or on the couch with as a 15" But, it'd still be portable enough.

That said, most likely a 17" macbook pro would just be 17" macbook pro, nothing else perked up to make it significantly a better deal. Also, the higher resolution 15.4" screen(relative to my lower resolution 15.2" screen) makes up for the difference in physical size.

I am very tempted to start backing up all my shit and preparing my macs for the market. But, maybe I will wait for the rev b. macbooks. I can get by with what I have just fine for now. I bought the iMac because I was beyond the limits of what my powerbook could handle and it was seriously hindering my production. I have yet to reach the ceiling with the iMac(okay, not entirely true, I overdosed on effects that one time... but still).

But dang... everything about the macbook is so appealing. Even more alarming is that the massive hike the stock went up today basically pays for a macbook pro for me. Yeesh! If I hadn't been raised so frugally I'd be totally buying one.

I think I'll wait till some real world performance reports come out, till any potential QC problems surface, and also till I start topping off my iMac's performance.

Still though....*drooool*

[Wrao]

If anyone here is interested in a first rev. Aluminum powerbook 1.25 ghz with a combo drive, and/or a rev b iMac g5, let me know. :)

[torifile]

Who are you fooling? You know you're going to get one. ;) Same thing happened with the 20" iMac you eventually bought. :p Let us know how it is. :)

[Wrao]

I eventually bought the 17" actually, I liked the $400 price savings. :)

Ya, I totally am going to get one. It just makes a lot of sense. I think though, I'm still going to wait till I can play with one in the store. I'll open GB, load all the effects and loops and nonsense and see how well it copes.

Interestingly enough, as I've learned more about recording, I've also learned how to be more efficient with my processing power, so, even if the macbook is slightly less capable than my iMac, it should still accommodate me well.

Yeesh is all I can say. Thank goodness for AAPL being such a financial boon for me.

[torifile]

Thank goodness for AAPL being such a financial boon for me
Remember it's not real money until you sell. :)

[Wrao]

Remember it's not real money until you sell. :)

I'll real your money!!

into my pocket!


That was a delicious play on words, I'm proud

[sirnick4]

I wish I would have bought some AAPL...

I'm biting myself in the ass as we speak..

[billybobsky]

No. Wait a bit... this a first generation mac that didn't go through the roughing out process that is normally required with these things.... It is a new operating system, new architecture, new chipset...

[Performa636CD]

I would wait. I personally will not buy any of Apple's laptops until at least late 2007.

[MCQ]

Do you all think a 17" model is forthcoming? And, if so, why wouldn't it have been announced today also?

:confused:

My bet is Apple is trying to shoehorn a slightly higher end GPU into the 17"... don't know if the Geforce Go 7800 or an unannounced ATI mobility GPU could make its way in.

Not that the X1600 isn't a great GPU (I figured it'd make its way into the PB [MacBook Pro] somehow), but it'd be nice to see them find a way to get the top of the line GPUs into the 17" without too much compromise.

Could also be a hedge against any unforeseen issues cropping up in the Intel-based laptops.

[chaos123x]

If you use Garage Band ... then yes do it......

BUT you should wait if you run Logic, or Sound Track Pro.... They won't be Intel universal untill march.

Pro-tools.... Who knows when that will be universal.... My guess summer 2007 (then delayed till 2008)

[alcimedes]

I'm going to buy one, but revision B. I don't trust apple's rev. a products anymore.

[bassplayinMacFiend]

I'm going to buy one, but revision B. I don't trust apple's rev. a products anymore.

Gotta side with alcimedes here. I've bought 3 rev A products (TI-500, AlPB 15", iMac G5) and all 3 of them have had to be repaired by Apple (dead HD & DVD-ROM, white screenspots, mobo & PS & fan).

My PowerBook 1.25GHz is up for grabs though. It's just collecting dust now that my iMac G5 works well.

[badtzmaru]

I also have a 1.25GHz PowerBook and a new iMac G5. At home I want the big screen and the 500gb hard drive. With my PowerBook showing its age, I'm going to upgrade the CPU to the 1.92MHz Freescale when it becomes offered shortly by some company that does CPU upgrades, should be $500 or less.

[HezMah19]

I'm going to upgrade the CPU to the 1.92MHz Freescale when it becomes offered shortly by some company that does CPU upgrades, should be $500 or less.

Wouldn't bet on it, I was talking to an Apple Tech the other day who claimed the reason they hadn't pushed the G4 beyond 1.67Ghz was because it melts at around 1.9 Ghz.*


*Just what I've been told.

[saschke]

I'm just using an Oct05 iBook 12" with 1.5gigs of RAM at the moment and I say it again: it's painfully S-L-O-W. Got it hooked up to a 17" LCD with the spanning hack but processing power and harddisc are really, really bad.

I'm getting that MacBook Pro. Already ordered the Apple Developer Connection Student Account ;-) That should give me 20% on that stuff, once in a lifetime...

[badtzmaru]

Wouldn't bet on it, I was talking to an Apple Tech the other day who claimed the reason they hadn't pushed the G4 beyond 1.67Ghz was because it melts at around 1.9 Ghz.*

*Just what I've been told.

So you wouldn't go with this...

http://daystartechnology.com/Daystar_Technology_Company/Daystar_Macintosh_News/Macintosh_Press_Releases/2005_Mac_CPU_Press/051118-PBook_Alum_Dev.html

[HezMah19]

http://daystartechnology.com/Daystar_Technology_Company/Daystar_Macintosh_News/Macintosh_Press_Releases/2005_Mac_CPU_Press/051118-PBook_Alum_Dev.html

As I said, thats just what I've been told.

Though thats gonna get verrry hot if you put it on your lap...

[curiousuburb]

I'd vote NO... mostly for reasons cited above.

Bleeding edge != leading edge. Rev A... :(
Rosetta != performance boost.
Universal binaries for pro audio apps may take a while... plus, time dependent media apps and multi-track pro apps will be a lot flakier more sensitive to s/w optimization which you usually don't see in untested code.

Unless you desperately need the bragging rights of the h/w and are prepared to suffer in emulation until the UB code ships, I'd say stick with what works, even if PPC is slower than the intel (on paper).

Productivity counts.