Veteran Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Hi everyone,
Just about every day now I'm seriously thinking about getting a PB 15" 1.5 GHZ with 1MB of RAM. Also 80 GB HD at 5400 rpm. My question is would it be best to take the plunge now or wait until (sometime) next year for the G5. Is a G5 really going to be that much quicker. I mostly would use it for Internet, Mail, Japanese Translation work and text processing. I also worry that even when the G5 arrives there will be so many technical issues heat, screen etc that I would then want to wait another 6 to 9 months before those got sorted out. I think I see a cycle emerging here... Any ideas? Regards um..maybe this should be moved somewhere else? Last edited by Jason : 2004-10-07 at 16:21. Reason: wrong group |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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If those things you mentioned (surfing, e-mail, word processing, translation) are truly the things you'll mostly be doing, then no...I don't think waiting - and by "waiting", I mean possibly another 4-8 months - for a G5 PowerBook is sane at all.
Hell, the model you spec-ed out above is technically overkill for those needs! If I were in your shoes, I'd jump on the current G4 PowerBook and enjoy it. When people fall into that "just gonna wait another 6 months..." trap, it's tough to break. Live, and enjoy what's in front of you now. I would bump that RAM amount up a tad... |
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Antimatter Man
Join Date: May 2004
Location: that interweb thing
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I'll say later.
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/ lists the traditional upgrade cycles for Apple machines. iBooks are overdue for a rev. Powerbooks will likely get one at MWSF. Even if the specs don't jump to G5, the iBook G4 may get enough improvement to make it a consideration that extends your budget. It is also possible the current 15 may drop $ a bit. If you wait until January and find you still want a current 15 (not wanting to risk a new rev.A) you may find refurbs or trade-ins are an option as others upgrade to the bleeding edge. my .03 CDN |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
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yeah 1MB wouldn't go far these days...
Thanks for the advice. Regards |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Chicago
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For your needs a 14" iBook would be ideal. Surfing, e mail, chat, and translating will never require the kind of power you're talking about getting with the 15" PB. Save yourself about a thousand bucks and get an iBook.
But wait like two weeks, because they should be updated by than. No sense in not getting the most bang for your buck Come waste your time with me |
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Mr. Vieira
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
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Yeah, I should've chimed in with a hearty iBook recommendation (but I didn't only because you asked about PowerBooks).
But yes, if surfing/e-mail/writing is going to be your main activities, I'd have to lean toward the idea of saving about $1000 and getting a nice, top-end 14" iBook instead. That extra $1000 could go toward an iPod, some software, AirPort goodies, RAM, a nice bag, a Bluetooth module (internal or external), etc. But, as DMB said, I'd wait a couple of weeks. I believe the iBooks (and PowerBooks too, since they were BOTH updated on April 19) are on the cusp of an update, even if only of a routine "100-200MHz processor increase and a hard drive capacity bump" variety. |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Hampshire (the original one)
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Chicago
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It best be a 7200 RPM drive, or I'm rioting.
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Hampshire (the original one)
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Here's the link: 100Gb Drive And the article: Quote:
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ಠ_ರೃ
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
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Get an iBook. You could probably stand to wait for an update - they're already slightly overdue for one, and iBooks and PowerBooks have historically been updated in fall. October 2003, November 2002, October 2001, September 2000, and September 1999 (all five years the iBook has been out) have seen iBook updates. It would be silly to buy RIGHT NOW unless you really need it, for work or for a class or something. If it were July or August, I'd say buy in a heartbeat.
Re: Hard drives, hopefully that means that 80 GB laptop drives will now reach 7200 RPM. Apple should have a 7200 RPM option in the PowerBooks - they are very competitive even months after their release, but every other major laptop maker is now offering 7200 RPM drives, so Apple should too. Won't matter for iBooks though, consumer laptops will stay with 4200 RPM drives until 5400 RPM becomes mainstream (which could be a year or three). |
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meh
Join Date: May 2004
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Starts painting on protest sign," Apple, bring us 7200 rpm HD's in laptops or else!"
I agree though. Wait intill the next ibook rev and I am sure it will get the 5200(so it can work with coreimage). Then the pbooks will get a better GPU. giggity |
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Antimatter Man
Join Date: May 2004
Location: that interweb thing
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I'd be willing to bet that not only will the iBook get the 5200, it'll get a bump to 64MB VRAM.
I'm guessing the PBs will all start at 128MB VRAM, with an option for 256 depending on which GPU is used. |
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