12" iB v. 14" iB v. 12" PB v. 15" PB - Let's figure this out

[smartgirlglasse]

I'm looking to replace my 12" powerbook (1 ghz, 512 ram), which had terrible build quality, resulting in a faulty CD Drive.

I was waiting for the 12" PB updates on Wednesday; alas, none came. So, my options are to buy a fully loaded 12" PB, 12" iBook, 14" iBook, or 15" PB.

Here's how they work out. Now, tell me, for a student that values portability, wireless connectivity, and the ability to work with large docs/graphics and run multiple programs (hence, needing RAM), which do you think is the best buy, and why?

Specs are as follows, pulled from the apple site with my configs, edu pricing.

iBook 12" 1.33GHz Combo - $1400
1.33GHz PowerPC G4
1.5GB DDR333 SDRAM (512MB built-in & 1GB SO-DIMM)
100GB Ultra ATA drive
Keyboard & Mac OS X - U.S. English
Combo drive (DVD/CD-RW)
Accessory kit
12.1-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
ATI Mobility Radeon 9550
32MB DDR video memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Scrolling Trackpad
Sudden Motion Sensor

iBook 14" 1.42GHz - $1600
1.42GHz PowerPC G4
1.5GB DDR333 SDRAM (512MB built-in & 1GB SO-DIMM)
100GB Ultra ATA drive
Keyboard & Mac OS X - U.S. English
Accessory kit
8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
1.42GHz PowerPC G4
14.1-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
ATI Mobility Radeon 9550
32MB DDR video memory
60GB Ultra ATA hard drive
Built-in AirPort Extreme
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
Scrolling Trackpad
Sudden Motion Sensor

PowerBook 12" 1.5GHz SuperDrive - $1715
1.5GHz PowerPC G4
1.256GB DDR333 (256MB built-in + 1GB SO-DIMM)
100GB Ultra ATA drive @5400rpm
AirPort Extreme Card
Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
12.1-inch TFT Display with 1024x768 resolution
Slot-load 8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 graphics card with 64MB DDR memory
Full size keyboard
10/100BASE-T Ethernet
USB 2.0 and FireWire 400

PowerBook 15" 1.67GHz SuperDrive - $2430/$2159
1.67GHz PowerPC G4 processor
2GB PC2-4200 DDR2 - 2x1GB SO-DIMMs/1GB PC2-4200 DDR2 - 1 SO-DIMM
120GB Ultra ATA drive @ 5400 rpm
AirPort Extreme Card & Bluetooth
15.2-inch TFT widescreen display with 1440x960 resolution
Slot-load 8x SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics card with 128MB DDR memory
Full-size, backlit keyboard
Gigabit Ethernet
USB 2.0 and FireWire 400 & 800
Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English

 

[swindmill]

You would have to decide whether you want a 12" or otherwise. I personally like the portability of a 12" for use with school. Also, I would not buy the RAM from Apple if you are trying to keep costs to a minimum. The build quality of the Powerbooks is noticeably better than that of the ibooks, so keep that in mind. Some people are surprised at how different the two are in that respect. I would say the ibook fits your needs, but it also fits mine and I went with the Powerbook and I'm very satisfied with the decision. Sometimes merely meeting your needs isn't the only thing to consider.

 

[gwuMACaddict]

(*sigh* try using the search function...)

you say you're a student who wants wireless and the ability to run 'lots of programs'... and work with large documents and graphics... are you some sort of graphic design student? or you just like to mess around with photoshop?

usually, people who need a powerbook show up asking questions like- can it handle my RAW workflow? i need it to crunch and render this number of files in this ammount of time...

i think an ibook would be plenty fast for you. get whichever size feels right.

 

[gwuMACaddict]

uhhh... you've clearly created two identical threads...

 

[sethypoo]

If you think your 12" PowerBook G4 had terrible build quality, wait till you get your hands on a flimsy, plastic iBook. Now that will feel very, very cheap to you.

I would recommend the new 15" PowerBook G4. Unlike the iBook, the PB will have a solid feel to it, and its keyboard will be a dream to type on compared to an iBook. Also, the extra screen real estate that Apple has just released will make it easy for you to spread out.

Also, the more computer you buy now, the longer it will stay "up-to-date" in the real world. Max out your RAM after you get your PowerBook, too. Crucial.com is a good company to go with for that.

 

[PaRaGoNViCtiM]

I totally concur with Sethypoo. If you're weary about the build quality on your 12" PB, I definitely don't recommend going with the iBook. I went to a 15" 1.5GHz PB from a 12" PB. I just couldn't handle how small the 12" was, and I just didn't like the looks of it. I'm also a student so portability is an issue for me, and I find the 15" Powerbook works out very, very nicely!!!!