iBook or TiBook?

Lt Major Burns

Lt Major Burns

"Dicky" Charlteston-Burns
i'm stuck between a 700mhz G3 iBook, 640mb ram, 40gb or a 500mhz G4 TiBook 512mb 20gb. i know the iBook doesn't have any original system disks. is this a problem? the ibook is £400, the TiBook £320.

which should i go for?
 
It depends on your preferences. You'll get more use out of the iBook, and it's probably the better value- it has a 40 GB hard drive, which is the minimum size you would need for multimedia projects. If you just work with text, the Tibook's hard drive should suit you. The iBook has more RAM, and a faster processor though, so it's going to last longer. According to this, a G4 processor is only 1 or 2 percentage points faster than a G3. Of course, some software just doesn't support G3 processors, so you will want to see what the system requirements of the software you use is. Office will work, I once installed it on an iMac G3.

Of course, I might go for the TiBook, because it looks so much cooler.
 
On the other hand, the 700 MHz G3 iBook _might_ support Quartz Extreme (my sister's does) while the TiBook does _not_ (that's a definite, I've had one...). From my experience, you'd find the iBook the better machine. There's the "ibook monitor enhancer" (google and you'll find) which lets you connect an external display as a second monitor rather than just mirroring the internal display. You'll need RAM, though (640 MB is the maximum, go for it), as well as the Panther retail version, I'd say. (For both 'books, that'd apply...)
 
it comes loaded with 640mb ram. i have a retail install of tiger. 640mb should be enough to run tiger, right?

also, i use H.264, Flash 2004, Adobe CS1. will these all work?
 
Mac OS X Version 10.4 requires a Macintosh with:

PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor
Built-in FireWire
At least 256MB of physical RAM
A built-in display or a display connected to an Apple-supplied video card supported by your computer
At least 3.0 GB of available space on your hard drive; 4GB of disk space if you install XCode 2 developer tools
DVD drive for installation (get CD media for $9.95)

H.264:
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/guide/hd/recommendations.html

Flash 2004:
600 MHz PowerPC G3 and later
Mac OS X 10.3, 10.4
256 MB RAM (1 GB recommended to run more than one Studio 8 product simultaneously)
1024 x 768, thousands of colors display (millions of colors recommended)
360 MB available disk space

Adobe CS1: I don't think so..
System requirements
ﾕ PowerPCﾮ G4 or faster processor
ﾕ Mac OS X v.10.2.6 with updated Java Library 1.4.1 from Apple
ﾕ128MB of RAM (256 MB recommended)
ﾕ 150MB of available hard-disk space
ﾕCD-ROM drive
ﾕ HFS+ volumes (UFS volumes are not supported)
 
The requirements may be met, but both notebooks are not really good for H.264. I'd say: Fuggeddabbouddid. Frankly.
 
k. it's not going to be a main machine, by any stretch. i'm going to go for the iBook. it's more durable, and more flexible. i'd be scared of denting the TiBook, whereas i'd probably cover the ibook in stickers.

It's going to be a digital porfolio, and also a mobile machine for café's and trains etc.
 
Your only concern would be the battery if you want it to be mobile. If it was hevily used, the battery is probably on it's last limbs. Other than that, it should serve you well.
 
i personally prefer the g4 over the g3, but thats me. also the tibook has a pc card slot, which will accept all kinds of things to make it more useful. why is it i can never find deals like that here in the states? i'd jump at getting a working tibook for 350. but all i seem to find are 68k based pb with issues, or ppc that won't even boot :( . oh well, may what ever you choose serve you with much joy for many moons.
 
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