Am I Missing Something?

I am being forced (truly) to buy a new Mac, preferably a laptop, in May. Cost is my top priority. So, 12-inch PowerBook or 12-inch iBook? Here is my thinking:

  • Both can hold at least 768 MB of SDRAM.
  • Both use the exact same LCD screen.
  • Both can do dual-display, pending the iBook’s firmware is de-stupefied.
  • Once comparably configured, the iBook is $300 less.
  • The iBook has a true battery life of over 4 hours.
  • The iBook is .2-inch thicker.
  • The iBook has better Airport reception.
  • The iBook has a stronger chassis.

Why would anyone buy a 12-inch PowerBook, save to have a DVD-R?

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 24th, 2004 at 0:28 and is tagged .

19 Responses to “Am I Missing Something?”

  1. Armen Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 3:52

    Less scratch resistant and Airport Extreme built in as standard perhaps?

  2. Tom Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 9:09

    You bring up a valid point Jeremiah. I think built in Bluetooth is an advantage for me and if I am not mistaken, don’t the PowerBooks use a slightly different G4 processor? the iBook is a nice machine though as well.

  3. Jeremiah Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 9:19

    I custom configured a PowerBook and iBook to match specs. The PowerBooks do not have Airport Extreme and Bluetooth “built-in” as much as they have it “included standard”. The iBooks are Airport Extreme and Bluetooth ready. I added those modules and AppleCare and the iBook was $300 less than the PowerBook (already with AE, BT) and AppleCare.

  4. Varian Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 10:06

    Hey,

    I asked the Apple folks at the Apple Store the same question almost - but mine was related to the 15 inch iBook and Powerbooks. They said I would definitely notice a difference in speed - the logic boards are different in the two. So the iBook - no matter how much memory you add - will be slower.

    If cost is your factor - you are right to get the iBook. If speed is your concern - Powerbook-it!

    Hope that helps.

  5. Mike Cohen Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 10:50

    The PowerBook has Airport Extreme & Bluetooth standard - they’re optional on the iBook. It also has a faster processor & system bus, and DVI video output so it can drive Apple’s LCD displays, which the iBook lacks.

  6. ryan h Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 12:22

    besides the dvd-r and the .33 GHz difference, i see no advantage to getting a powerbook, especially when your budget comes into play.
    and the ibook is definitely so much more scratch resistant and sturdier than the powerbook. i’ve seen a 12″ pb turned into a mesh of g4, a harddrive, and a completely scarred shell, thanks to a slightly incompetent owner. and bryan told me about his many slips and drops of his ibook that it took without flaw.
    sigh i just needs me a mac period. i still loathe this computer requirement. and next year they are requiring incoming freshmen to have 1gb of ram. that is so foolish.
    anyways.
    i need lunch.

  7. anonymous Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 13:19

    the ibook is built like crap, powerbook has a tougher body.

  8. also Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 19:03

    also the PowerBook G4 12″ has mini-DVI, a feature that allows cross compatibility with VGA, DVI and ADC displays, while the iBook only supports VGA. The iBook now has cheap plastic, which has been around for quite some time and the material won’t last long after much time. Get the PowerBook and you’ll have everything you need in a true-G4. And if the lack of FireWire 800 and Widescreen display bothers you, go for the 15″.

  9. Jeremiah Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 19:10

    Thanks for all the comments!
    - - -

    Varian: The Apple Store people lied. Here is what $300 more gets you: the *same* L2 on-processor cache, 33MHz more on the system bus, and 33MHz more on the processor. These are extremely negligible. The 12-inch PowerBook may be slightly faster at an unnoticeable amount, but not $300 faster.

    Mike: As I stated twice, I custom configured both. Even with adding the Airport Extreme and Bluetooth card to the iBook, the iBook is still $300 cheaper.

    I don’t need a DVD-R. The only valid point raised is the PowerBook’s DVI output. While I wish I could afford an Apple Display, they cost more than the iBook itself. My CRT is bigger, more color accurate, and has a faster refresh rate for the price. VGA is fine.

    Anonymous & Also: Actually, you’re completely wrong! The iBook is the most solid of all Apple products. The awesome guys at Apple HQ who are in charge of destroying Apple’s products (or rather, testing Apple product durability) confirmed this for me. The shell may be pretty industrial plastic, but the frame is magnesium. The durability of the iBooks is one of the primary reasons grade schools love to deploy this product.

  10. Bryan Schwegler Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 21:11

    I can confirm the iBook’s ruggedness from personal experience. I’ve yanked my iBook off the table onto the floor at least 10 times and one time knocked it off a desk clear across the room. It’s still going strong and really has no scratches on it :-)

  11. David Troyer Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 21:16

    Don’t forget the PB is available with an 80GB hdd, while the iBook only 60. I realize this is easily alleviated, but thought I would point it out. Also, .33 GHz still is 133% of the iBook’s processor, but I honestly think if what you’re doing on this machine doesn’t require a DVD-R, then there’s a good chance you won’t need that 333 mhz, either.

  12. David Troyer Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 21:17

    And yes Jeremiah, it’s 333 mhz, not 33.

  13. David Troyer Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 21:21

    One more thing :-) The PB does come with a superior (from what I understand) GPU, if that’s of any importance.

  14. Jeremiah Says:
    April 24th, 2004 at 21:32

    Yes, it is 333 MHz. My bad. And that would have a noticeable speed boost over the iBook.

  15. anonymous Says:
    April 25th, 2004 at 0:38

    The system bus on the PowerBook is 167 MHz, vs. 133 on the iBook - that will make a big difference in terms of performance. You can get the PowerBook configured with an 80 GB HD, while the biggest you can get in an iBook is 60 GB. The 12″ PowerBook is actually manufactured in the same plant as the iBooks, unlike the other PowerBooks, and uses the same magnesium-alloy frame, so it is every bit as rugged as the iBook, and regardless of what you’ve heard about AirPort reception, I’ve yet to see an appreciable difference between the two. Also, in my experience, the PowerBook’s screen has better color and contrast than the iBook’s. It’s still nowhere near as bright as the 15″ PB, but it is definitely better than what’s in the iBook. The PowerBook’s keyboard is nicer to type on. There’s no appreciable difference in battery life that I’ve seen between the iBook and the PowerBook. And both max out at 1.25 GB RAM.

  16. Jeremiah Says:
    April 25th, 2004 at 1:04

    I can’t wait to enable user registration when I switch to ExpressionEngine next weekend. There is no reason to be cowardice. Post your damn name. :-)
    Can you back any of your statements with evidence? You can rehash everything that has already been discussed, but I’m pretty convinced that the iBook has far more bang (i.e. performance) for buck.

  17. the latter anonymous Says:
    April 25th, 2004 at 10:36

    Actually, it could potentially be a big deal with my employer if I revealed my identity. Secondly, I can back up what I’ve said by two points - 1) I’m an apple-certified portable technician, and I’ve worked on them. The internal structure is almost identical, except the PB uses more metal, and is a bit more complicated. 2) I know how to decode apple serial numbers, which is how I know they’re made in the same place. Anyhow, as original anonymous said, chill. Given the choice of giving advise with my name attached to it in a public forum and possibly losing my job, or just not giving advise, I’d chose the latter. Anyway, from a user perspective, the 12″ PB is my favorite current apple computer, and I have access to every current model on a daily basis. A couple of other things to note - The 12″ PB is .3 lbs lighter than the iBook, and while it may not make a huge difference now, the DVI output is a much better option if you’re buying for long-term use. You may get a digital display in the years to come, and then that $300 you saved would go entirely to an analog-to-digital adapter, and you still wouldn’t have quite the quality. On the other hand, if your budget is tight tight tight, I’d say take the money you’re saving by getting the iBook and put it towards AppleCare - I think it’s only $199 (may be a bit less) with your student discount. On a portable, you will be more than glad you got it - any out-of-warranty portable repair will cost more than that.

  18. Jeremiah Says:
    April 25th, 2004 at 11:30

    Thanks for those details!

    1) I expect to buy a new computer every three years. I will be fine with VGA. Apple LCD prices are not going to drop into the affordable range in that time period.

    2) The $300 difference already includes AppleCare on both custom configurations. AppleCare is far more expensive than it needs to be, but totally worth it. AppleCare has save my friend’s PowerBook twice.