Powerbook or Ibook

[CaptianScooby]

I was planning on bringing my PC to school until I found out how much room I would have. Needless to say for the past few months I have been researching laptops and I cannot bring myself to purchase a Windows based machine after going to the Apple store and testing what I used to call the enemy. Anyway, I am in a fix b/c I cannot decide if I should buy the 15" Powerbook or 14" IBook. The price difference ranges from 400 to 600 dollars with educational discount. Can anyone help me make my decision ? I was planning on purchasing it this weekend from my local Apple store. Thanks.
I will be using it as my main computer for the next 4 years at school and ... well you get the idea.
Anyone know any good OS X books ?

 

[way]

I'd say go with the PowerBook. The faster processor and better video card makes it more future-proof for your 4 years in school. The increase in price is worth it---you get a much better quality display, faster CPU, better RAM expandability, built in Airport wireless and BlueTooth, bigger hard drive, faster bus, line-in audio, the option of the backlit keyboard, dual display without any hacks, etc.

The 14" iBook has the same resolution as the 12" Apples, so the bigger screen doesn't give you any more real estate than the 12" models. Plus, it's kinda clunky.

 

[jkresh]

go with the powerbook and use their devloper discount as well (costs about $100 to join, gives you a big one time discount and free updates for a year).

 

[CaptianScooby]

thanks guys. I will let you know what happens.

 

[jdogg707]

I vote Powerbook as well! I love mine!

 

[preslove]

I'll play devils advocate; if you get the iBook, you can use the money you save to buy applecare.

 

[DarkAmeba]

Powerbook! I love mine! Make sure you sign up for the apple student developer program.

 

[James3shin]

student dev program!? what the? I want in!!

 

[jdogg707]

Originally posted by: James3shin
student dev program!? what the? I want in!!

Apple Developer Program:

Student, Select, and Premier

 

[Wuzup101]

So did you decided on which to go with. I just got a new 15" PB (see sig) for college (going to be a sophomore at Penn State). You will love you purchase more and more every day. Make sure to get a nice sleeve for it and a screensavRZ from radtech.us. Also a quality bag comes in handy... I personally just throw it (in the sleeve) in my North Face Borealis

 

[CaptianScooby]

does the student developer program really make a large difference? What are the benefits of spending the 100 dollars that it costs to enroll? I am thinking of getting the 15 inch Powerbook

 

[Wuzup101]

The $99/year enrollment gives you a larger discount over the already discounted student rate. It also gives you some cool dev tools and a copy of the newest OS releases as they are released. If you got an ADC membership right now you would get a copy of OSX.3 "panther" in it and would get a copy of 10.4 "tiger" when it came out (assuming it's less than a year... which it's supposed to be). The top of the line 15" costs 2300 with regular edu pricing and 2000 with the student ADC pricing... so there is a decent amount of savings. Now if you're planning on getting an iPod too then save your ADC purchase for later as you can do cram and jam (not valid for ADC purchases) for about the same price (iPod + Notebook + Rebate).

BTW the 15" is a really really nice machine...

 

[CaptianScooby]

my sister wants the cram and jam. so with the deal we have worked out it does not matter If she gets the rebate or not. Thanks for the advice.

 

[btz0013]

want 12" pb sooo bad
aargh, must resist urge to empty bank account
damn you tempting cram and jam deal

 

[Wuzup101]

I wish cram and jam was valid for ADC students... i'd buy a 40gb iPod in a second....

 

[dbk]

I'm really tempted by the 15"pb right now...what's the "one-time" discount for adc members? How much is it?

 

[jdogg707]

Originally posted by: byung
I'm really tempted by the 15"pb right now...what's the "one-time" discount for adc members? How much is it?

Go to the links I posted above and follow them to the Developer's Discount store. The High-End 15" on the ADC connection is $1999.99, and the 17" is 2399. I got mine for $1869.00 by removing the SuperDrive, adding 128MB VRAM, 5400RPM Hard Drive, and getting mad at Apple so they gave me $50.00 off, of course that was before they upped the price on the 128MB upgrade.

 

[Wuzup101]

Dammit I got the same configuration as you and i paid just under $2000... now I know the vram upgrade was more expensive for me... how the heck did you get the extra $50 off?