Powerbook G4

[Wuzup101]

Alright, I know this forum is dominated by PC users, and I am one of you. However, on the search for a perfect laptop I have come across the Apple's Powerbook G4. Now, short of the old green screan apple's we used to have in school, I've never had the pleasure of trying anything apple. I was wondering if anyone could give me any oppinios of thses notebooks. I was specifically looking at the new G4 with the 17" screen.

I want something with power that will also be easy enough to carry. Now I know this notebook isn't small; however, it is only 1 inch thick and weighs under 7lbs with the batt and optical drive.

Here are the detailed specs if your interested (its the right most model) http://www.apple.com/powerbook/specs.html

Anyway processor is a 1ghz G4 1mb L3 cache
512mb of pc2700 DDR
17inch TFT 1440 x 900 native rez
DVD-R/CD-RW superdrive
GeForce 440 Go 64mb
60gig ATA100 hdd
All the wireless and internet connections I would ever need
All the ports (usb, firewire, etc...) that I would ever need

Also any mac comments in general would help. I'm not to worried about the "limited" amount of programs, as all the ones that I already use are made for mac also. I do a lot of photo editing and will probably get into digital video editing in the future. I play some games, but they aren't too big of a concern as I don't think I"m going to have a ton of time for them in college. The only downside I can see is the price; however, between my parents and I, I think that can be covered (as long as there is reason to go for the G4). What would the power of the mac processor be compared to something in the PC world, I know the differnet archetecture (sp?) allows them to perform more operations per cycle.

 

[Justorq]

Let me tell you that it's one of the best choices out there ... and they're really good lookin too ... plus that 17" is really cool ... so go for it !!!

Justin

 

[imgod2u]

The Powerbooks are pretty exceptional. Good battery life (thanks to the power-lite PPC G4 processor), thin, good-looking, comes with a good OS and is pretty much all you want in a laptop asside from raw computing power. But such is to be expected in a laptop. Plus it's a perfect programmer's platform as it comes default with GCC and all of the binaries you need. Although I personally would get the 15" since the 17" is a little too big for my tastes, I am actually waiting for Pentium-M based TabletPC's first. I think those would suit my needs more as I am in the market for something similar to a TabletPC. But if you're looking to buy now, the Powerbooks are definitely superb.

 

[Eug]

The 17" won't be out until end of April most likely. Too big for me anyway. I went with the 15" TiBook with DVD-R/CD-RW. (Be aware it has no DVD-RW burning support though.) 60 GB 1 GHz, 768 MB RAM.

 

[Gunnar]

if you have any inkling of making this a totable piece, dont go for the 17, I guarantee youll regret lugging it around. I have an old Wallstreet powerbook, and the thing is just massively heavy, which is why its basically just a desktop for me.

I'd suggest the 15 or 12. The horsepower in those machines is enough for just about anything shy of Doom3, and you can watch several movies on a single charge, handy for long bus rides.

 

[Spikey289]

I would go with a powerbook. The mac os x is great, and apple has a solid product. I work in tech support for a computer reseller and we have not had problems with the notebook at all. If you can put up the cash go for it. Its a sweet machine. If you need to learn os x check out mac os x missing manual. Great book to learn os x.

 

[Wuzup101]

Sounds good... thanks for the advice! Don't get me wrong, I like raw power, but when I look at some of the real high end laptops powered by the upper level P4 (desktop processors) there are a few things that piss me off:

1) None of them really have a good fit and finish, where these mac seem to.
2) Their batt life sucks, I know the mac's have decent bat life... but what are we talking here... anyone have a figure???
3) They run hot. The last review I read ( I beileve here at AT) was for a sager 8666 model and they recorded temps of 130+ comming out of the massive vents. Also a noisy system. This is what I don't want in a laptop

Now, I will probably have a desktop at college in addition to the laptop, so if I need the power I'll have it. We'll see how much money I can get together this summer with my job and all. I do love that 17inch screen, but I'm also considering the other 2.

It still depends on the colleges I get accpted to also. My first choice is Carnegie Mellon University, and I would probably go with one of the smaller books if I get in there b/c of their nice wireless campus. Right now if I go to Penn State (was accepted to the Honors College at University Park) I'll probably go for the 17 since it will be more of a desktop replacement.... won't see a whole lot of out of the dorm or library use.

 

[Eug]

Well be forewarned: the 15" 1 GHz isn't quiet. There are two fans, and when the second one comes on it's very noticeable. I dunno about the 17", because it's not out yet.

One good thing is 6-pin powered Firewire. What I hate about PC laptops is no support for powered Firewire. I run a laptop external Firewire 60 GB drive with no extra hubs or power cables. (I thought about the iPod, but I don't need the MP3 features and the drive is too slow and it's $$$.) That brings me to 120 GB for my TiBook.

One consideration: If you already will have an uberfast desktop, why not just get the 12" PowerBook? It isn't super fast, but it's ultraportable. No DVI or PCMCIA, and no L3 cache though. I loved my 12" iBook 600 G3, but alas it was too slow so I went with the TiBook.

 

[amnesiac]

I've been a PC user for the last 12 years.
I bought my first mac, a powerbook 15", two weeks ago. It is by far the most elegant and surprising piece of technology that I've ever owned.

I considered a high end laptop from Alienware, Dell, IBM, and Sony in the same price range, but the Apple seemed to have them all beat in all counts.

Granted, it's maybe a tad bit slower than the PC counterparts, and I do have to get used to a new OS and new shortcut keys, but in all honesty I have absolutely no regrets about purchasing this laptop (posting from it right now).

Once you get the hang of OSX you'll realize why people groove on it so much and you'll start to loathe the Windows platform.

Also, if you have any Windows apps that you MUST HAVE, there's always Virtual PC which works surprisingly well.

If you have any other questions about powerbooks, IM or PM me and I'll answer them for you

IM: amnesimac



*edit*

I'd shy away from the 17" powerbook. The 15" is more than enough screen real estate to be productive, and is just right in terms of footprint and screen size. The weight is perfect too. IMO the 17" would be gargantuan and heavy and defeat the purpose of portability unless you plan on using it as a desktop replacement. Also there's a DVI/VGA out on this PB so you can hook up a 2nd monitor if you need more room.

And in regards to the fan, yes it's noticeable if you're in a quiet room, but if there's any ambient noise it's easy to drown out. I'm in a fairly quiet office with a couple PCs and a copier near me and I can barely hear the fan.

 

[Wuzup101]

Yeah I know the 17incher is pretty big... though not all that heavy. It's a heck of a lot better than the 12lbs the alien ware books and sager 8666 series books weigh. Though I did say portable, I should probably mention that i'm a pretty big guy (6'3"ish and a hair under 200lbs). I don't really mind carrying an extra 7lbs around, that's portable enough for me.... and I have a decent sized lap!

Thanks everyone... and feel free to add to anything!

 

[mchammer187]

i think it would be a great choice

17" IMO would be too big unless you want it as a desktop replacement


12" or 15" would be better

nm just read your last post

go for it

 

[Funyuns101]

i'd get a powerbook if i could afford one... along with the expensive software like micrsoft apps. i do like the new os "jagwire" X.2 and the fact that it recognizes a mouse w/two buttons. i think 17" is kinda overkill, but since you're willing to deal w/the weight and might be using as a desktop replacement, then by all means, go for it.
i'm sure it can't be all that loud especially when you're comparing to the other notebooks out there. given the chance, i know i would... i would like to upgrade my little 15" monitor as it's not qutie the same when watching movies, tv-ing, or gaming.

 

[dreamer]

I have a Toshiba s703. It has a a 15 inch screen with native 1600X1200 resolution, DVD-R/CD-RW, 512 DDR DRAM, 2M P-4, 60 Gig Drive, 2 2.0 USB ports, 1 Firewire port, built in 802.11b, and has good battery life (~2.7 hours).

The build quality is good, but it does weigh about 7.2lbs. I almost bought a 15inch Powerbook until I saw this and am very happy. Also, some of the apps I use (OrCAD/Gerberview) are not available in the MAC platform, hence my decision.

I am sure you will be very happy if you get the 17inch version though, but try and take a look at the Toshiba 5205 series.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Funyuns101
i'd get a powerbook if i could afford one... along with the expensive software like micrsoft apps. i do like the new os "jagwire" X.2 and the fact that it recognizes a mouse w/two buttons. i think 17" is kinda overkill, but since you're willing to deal w/the weight and might be using as a desktop replacement, then by all means, go for it.
i'm sure it can't be all that loud especially when you're comparing to the other notebooks out there. given the chance, i know i would... i would like to upgrade my little 15" monitor as it's not qutie the same when watching movies, tv-ing, or gaming.

10.0 supported 2 button mice also.

 

[Wuzup101]

Bump ^^^

Thanks for all the responces guys, keep um comming.

Dreamer: Thanks for the feedback, I will make sure I check out those toshiba books before I buy anything. I still want to try one of the G4's first hand, which will require me driving a little ways to the nearest apple store. I'm not dead set on apple yet or anything, there are still other (and cheaper) options. However, I like everything I see about the mac so far, and EVERYONE that has one at the college I attend part time (still in hs) says it's the best thing they've ever used.

 

[Wolverine27]

If cost is no object, the 17" Powerbook G4 is the one to get! I'm a PC user, but am seriously considering making the "switch" with my next notebook purchase. Gotta hand it to Apple when it comes to making sexy innovative products.

 

[PCMarine]

@ school I have been given access to OS X (For my computer science class) whereas the rest of the school uses OS 9.2 and I am quite impressed. Windows puts OS 9.2 to shame, however OS X is really good, along with the slew of also great programs like iMovie, iTunes, etc.

 

[Wuzup101]

Yeah there seems to be a pretty good software package included with the computer. Dammit the more and more I think about it i want the 17" and the 12"... I just can't decide.

 

[Justorq]

Get both ... no need to decide ...

 

[FlippyBoy]

my gf just plunked down the cash for a 15" powerbook, even though i was somewhat wary - ive been a PC guy since high school, and thats what i was comfortable with. i have to say, though, that after spending some time with it, i am truly impressed. apple has put a lot of thought and engineering into this product, and it really shows. i dont think you would regret spending the money for one, as well. osx is a very highly polished os, and the learning curve is very low. i know if i was looking for a full-featured laptop, the powerbook would be near the top of my list.

 

[prc00l]

Hi

Going into college the only mac I remember was the old apple IIc. Now I sell them at school and last semester I bought my first mac, an ibook.

In General:
If you're going to college, buy from your college bookstore or online through the education store because you'll save 150 bucks off retail (3149). There's also the 100 mail in rebate if you buy a hp 3820 or 5550 inkjet. Final Cut Pro is 300.

The 17 powerbook looks great but remember it is the first of its kind. When the 15 powerbook was released some customers did have issues such as with hinges. Just know it's the first and you might have issues.

AppleCare, is a must. Per incident fixing a powerbook through apple out of warranty will put you back 350. Get years 2 and 3 for 332, if you don't have 332 now you can buy it anytime within the first year.

It sounds like you've done quite a bit of research and you probably already know most things such as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and most Adobe programs are compatible with their PC counterparts. I don't want to bore you with too much info but if you have any specific questions ask them please.

If you're doing the artsy stuff check out your department, I'd bet they're using mostly macs if not ALL macs. They have a huge presence in edu, our journalism dept. is all mac.

Cheers

 

[Yoshi]

You will not regret it for even a second. I bought a Powerbook G4 early last year, my first Apple computer. I love it! It is the most elegant notebook solution I have ever used. I liked it so much I got a desktop Powermac G4 with Superdrive to go with it. I use the PB for everything I do on the go and the PM desktop is now my audio/video editing rig of choice. You can't beat Apples video, MP3, and DVD software. Oh yeah, OS X Unix is sweet. Since I started using it I have given up on screwing with Linux.

 

[Eug]

Yeah, good point about the educational pricing.

If you can get the machine at your school, there's quite a big discount. Plus most institutions have site or volume licencing for software. Stuff like MS Office is VERY cheap. I got my version of Office for something like $70.

 

[Wuzup101]

Yup I already did look at the educational pricing... i'll probably use that extra 150 off to put towards the extra 512mb of ram i want (a 285 option under college pricing). So with a gig of ram it should do what i want it to. Also, I'm under scholarship at a Lehigh University right now while i'm in highschool so i'm taking some classes there. They have an apple store on campus that I can get the discounts at. I'm going to have to find out where on campus it is and visit it. But yeah I'm definitly going to find the best price for everything.

Thanks for the help guys! I'm glad everyone seems happy with their powerbooks, I have to say I didn't expect EVERYONE to be happy.... lol

 

[RGN]

My next laptop will be a 12" PowerBook. I love the way they look, and the features are amazing. DVD buner in that little thing? No problem. Anybody wannt buy a Dell 2600 for a good price?