To Powerbook or NOT to Powerbook?

ScottW

ScottW

Founder
Staff member
It has been the dilemma I have battled in my head for so long...

To be mobile or not.

I always had desktop Macs, never owned a Powerbook until I got a PowerBook 3400c in 1997. I decided I was going to be "mobile". Although I loved the speed (it was faster than my previous desktop) but for some reason, it just didn't cut it. I hooked it up to a monitor & keyboard when at home, yet I was able to be mobile as well. Best of both worlds right?

Guess not cause I think in 1998 I purchased a G3/300 desktop machine and I loved it and found using my 3400c less & less and of course all the much slower too. Then in 1999 my life changed a tad bit and I was traveling more and so I purchased the Powerbook G3/400. Of course, this was cool, faster than my G3/300 and I loved it to death. But even with my travels, I decided to purchase a PowerMac G4/500. There is just something about a Desktop that keeps me turning back to it.

No, both my machines are old, looking to replace them both, not with TWO systems, but with ONE system. I love the Ti Powerbooks, don't care for the iBook so much. Yet, the cost vs performance leaves much to be desired.

Of course, many of you will say... oh but Admin, the choice is clear. Do you spend most of your time mobile, get a PB, if you don't, get a desktop. Ah, but I am mobile and I am stationary (did I here I need a Duo?) oh wait, they don't make those anymore.

The idea of being able to be at location a,b & c with my own computer, my own settings, my own programs configured just how I like it just grabs at my liking... yet the sheer power and price of a desktop just leaves Powerbooks so far behind.

Getting TWO machines is out of the question, price & maintenance. I don't want two machines to maintain. I just want one.

So, with that said... my question to you all is this...

Have you faced the same dilemma, and if so, what decisions did you go through, what did you decide, and how do you feel about your decision?

Admin
 
For me this has been easy. I was totally a desktop guy until I got my 1400c back in '98. It was so totally capable for all the work I was doing, (Web design and managing my hosting business) I used my 8500 for very little except archiving due to all the disk space available, and the CD-RW being USB was not able to attach to the 1400 (I had added a USB/FireWire card to the 8500.)

Flash-forward several years; both machines having been upgraded to G3 processors, I still do most of my work on the laptop. Besides the convenience, I added wireless after buying my wife an iBook with AirPort so we could sit together computing away while caring for an aging parent with Alzheimers. But a recent project required access to OS X or Linux to do some programming-related consulting work. Neither machine was able to run OS X effectively (the 1400 not at all, the 8500 in a limited way via XPostFacto) I decided to upgrade completely and located an incredibel deal on a Pismo which I decided would replace both machines. Larger screen, capability of attaching another monitor, lots of memory expansion, triple-boot (OS 9, OS X and YellowDog Linux;) the list goes on. The only downside is figuring the best way to attach my favorite SCSI devices (DAT tape and scanner.)

Anyone want to buy an 8500?
 
To keep this short and simple for you...

This is not clear winner here. No matter which one you get you will want to have the other one.

I have do the same thing... I started with a desktop, then a laptop, and now back to a desktop. I have stayed with a desktop for now, but I do want a laptop to be my main machine (This G4 DP450 still works great for me).

A factor in your decision should be this. How often do you plan to purchase a computer to replace your older machine? If you plan to purrchase another one sooner rather than later, I would go with a laptop. Being that next generation chips are upon us soon, it would be awhile before you see one in a laptop. If you don't plan to get one for a long while, I would get a desktop mainly because I feel you will get more life out of a desktop than a laptop (wear & tear).

It's not a fact, but more of an observance of friends and co-workers; most laptops go through hell and do not last as long as desktops that stay in a room all day. The hard drives tend to get banged up move when moving a laptop around while on. Laptops tend to lose their cosmetic appeal after being scratched and ding.

On the other hand, the fact that you can take your work, or fun with you is a very big plus.

Either way you have a very tough decision before you, good luck!!

:p
 
I bought a new DVI PowerBook G4 and I love it. It was expensive, but no more expensive than comparable top of the line IBM ThinkPads and Toshiba Tecras. In fact the Apple was more cost effective than the other two machines - offering a better graphical subsystem (Savage XI versus Radeon 7500) and lighter and thinner.

The TiBook rocks and I think it makes a very worthy desktop replacement. I would be great if it were less expensive, but I don't think the price is that bad compared with other machines out there.
 
That is the question.

I have a PowerBook DVI as well. I love it. It replaced my Dell laptop and gives my desktop PC a run for it's money.

It's really no less upgradable then the new iMacs or eMacs, yet has a more powerful CPU with 1MB L3 cache, can hold the same amount of RAM, and has a larger display with higher native resolution.

The PB is more expensive than the iMac or eMac but is about the same price as the lowend PowerMac with 15" Studio Display. The PB DVI still has a larger display with higher native resolution to boot but would lack the expandibility or SuperDrive option.

If the iBook ever hit 1GHz, it would be a killer machine. The G3 is just as fast as a G4 in many applications and as far as being portable goes, I think it's a better machine than the PB G4. The PB G4 is extremely fragile despite being made of industrial grade titanium. It is easy to chip the paint or mare the finish just by putting it into a backpack. It also has a tendency to get extremely warm on ones lap. Titanium may disperse heat better than plastic but it gets a lot hotter as well. The iBook on the otherhand is "bomb proof." I wouldn't be as concerned about dropping it on the carpet or in the sand. Something I'm sure would seriously cripple a PB. They don't tend to get as uncomfortably warm as the PBs either.

If you plan on using the PB G4 as a desktop replacement and only occasionally going mobile with it, I think it's a great buy. You can hook up an external monitor, speakers, keyboard and mouse, close the lid and not even tell the difference between it and a PowerMac. It's nice to have a unit so powerful that you can take with you occasionally as well. It's thin and light and transports quite nicely. I would recommend getting a top of the line case for it though if only to proctect it.

I honestly see my PB DVI eventually phasing out my PC and becoming my primary computer. To never build another PC again is a scary thought but I really do like my PB G4 that much.

It's the ultimate portable "digital hub" and does what I need it for nicely. Office v.X, Photoshop, iTunes, CD burning and the occasional game of RTCWolfenstein. :)


It seems that you purchase computers sparingly so I believe the PB would be a great investment for you. You're content with using a system that works for you, even if it's not the latest and greatest. A trend I see more in Mac users than PC. PC users can't handle not being a part of the latest and greatest, even if their system works just fine.

Good luck with your decision. I'm confident that the PB G4 would be a great investment for you.
 
I personally don't understand how people 'come back to a desktop machine', as I'm a very mobile person. I love mobile computers. But the REAL question you must ask yourself is why _you_ *do* come back to the desktops. Maybe it was the screen resolution of the older PBs? The new Ti has a great screen with a great resolution. Even the old Ti I'm on has a great screen. Of course I hook it up to a 17" LCD at home, so I'm only using the internal LCD on the way, really.

You'll always get more processing power and expandibility with a desktop. You'll always lose mobility, though.

I've bought my TiBook 500 1.5 years ago, and of course this is already very, very old, if I compare it to a Dual GHz G4 that I could buy for the money I spent back then. But as much as I like processing power, for me mobility is invaluable. It's THE thing. It doesn't seem to be for you, though - else you wouldn't love desktops.

But why not take the money for the Ti or the highend desktop and buy an iMac or eMac plus an iBook? While you don't seem to care much for the iBook, I can tell you it's still a great machine! For portability, I'd sometimes love to get rid of my Ti and buy an ibook instead. But then I'd need the processing power at home - on an iMac for example. I've installed 3 newish iBooks lately for some friends, and have to tell you that they're all great machines (an iBook 500 CD-ROM which was very cheap, an iBook 600 Combo and a 700 Combo for my sister, all 12").

Don't be too hard on yourself. Get what you want AND need.
 
Maybe the choice is easier after MWNY?

With the current models, I think I would go for a PowerMac.
 
seriously, get both, and here's how and why. Get a G3 iBook, the little one, they're so portable and sweet for theit portability, and so they have that area covered. Then get a desktop with real sound, real comfort, real screen space, etc. Whatever you need. And here's the docking deal.

When you are at your desktop, shut down your iBook, bring it back in target mode, attach it via firewire to your desktop machine, and boot your desktop machine off of it. You now have one effective machine in that all of your e-mail, preferences, applications, etc are all in one place, but you now have a faster processor, a big hard drive if you want that too, PCI slots. It's a great way to live. But hey, that's just me talking, you do what you want.
 
You sounds like if your Mac dont pay themself ... I mean I know most of you make little jobs here and there ( I assume ) those machines are more than internet computers and I KNOW you all agree, the biggest question is how do you payback for your mac? do you do jobs with it that will pay the machine back? and most important,

POWER VS MOBILITY

Wich one attract you the most... because I am using a Ti550 and a 733Quick
and i would never dare asking my Ti to do the job I do on my 733
and theres nothing better than my Ti screen to type what I am typing now.

I mean its clear that if you always type and do html with your mac and need to do it all over the place the answer is easy... Vice versa...

I am asking you all, dont you do contracts with those Mac??
I mean I paid my 733 with only 3 jobs...

( No offence I am just curious )

-Sighter
 
Originally posted by fryke
I personally don't understand how people 'come back to a desktop machine', as I'm a very mobile person. I love mobile computers. But the REAL question you must ask yourself is why _you_ *do* come back to the desktops. Maybe it was the screen resolution of the older PBs? The new Ti has a great screen with a great resolution. Even the old Ti I'm on has a great screen. Of course I hook it up to a 17" LCD at home, so I'm only using the internal LCD on the way, really.
Click to expand...

No it's not the screen resolution...

I've had two G4 powerbooks. The first had a flickering screen. The second has paint peeling off, a fan which is constantly on and - last but not least - a growing dark spot over the sleep light at the bottom of the screen.

Judging from what other people write on http://discussions.info.apple.com, I'm not alone with these problems.

OK, they are pieces of art. Fine - I love the look of my PB (before the paint issue, that is). The screen was also great. And most importantly, they do a great job for people who want to work on the move. But until Apple has resolved the issue that these babies are simply too fragile and prone to developing rather ugly "problems" (even though I handle my PB with care), I'm going back to a desktop. It'll probably be a new 17"-iMac.

Sebastian

PS: OK, I admit that 2 powerbooks aren't a statistically significant number of machines for making these general claims. Probably thousands of users are happy. But currently, I'm rather "miffed". ;-)
 
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