Apple or PC Notebook?

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2004-03-24 12:33am

Durandal wrote: Memory is cheap. Throw 768 MB in there, and you'll notice a huge difference. My mom runs Jaguar on her 350 MHz iMac with 768 MB of RAM and hasn't complained once about speed.

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2004-03-24 12:50am

Zaia wrote:Going shopping tomorrow to play with a number of different laptops, so we'll see what happens with that.

Thank you all again for you assistance, and for not crapping on my thread like a pidgeon.

Well just remember my motto; a sexy toy for a sexy lady equals a good choice!

P.S. Is this the first time I have hit on you?

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-03-24 01:45pm

The Kernel wrote:
Durandal wrote:Memory is cheap. Throw 768 MB in there, and you'll notice a huge difference. My mom runs Jaguar on her 350 MHz iMac with 768 MB of RAM and hasn't complained once about speed.
Thanks, I'll give that a try.

Of all the "modern" OSs (Windows 2000/XP, OS X, Linux), OS X seems to like memory the most. It aggressively caches just about everything it can.

Post by **Zaia** » 2004-03-24 04:24pm

*sighs*

Ok, so I really love the PowerBook...like, a lot. The iBook's good too--both come with a music program called GarageBand which I'm sure I'll use from time to time, so that's a nice little bonus--but I'd really like to get the PowerBook.

The PCs I checked out (mostly Toshiba's--CompUSA didn't have any IBMs, or I would've checked them out too) were pretty good, but I guess I went in there more biased than I realized, because nothing jumped out at me to sway me back to the Dark Side that is Microsoft. The Apples, on the other hand--again, especially the PowerBook--impressed me very much, since they looked and sounded amazing compared to the Apples I worked on last. The resolution, the vibrant colours, the speakers, the ease with which I got around--I even wrote a little song in GarageBand while I was conversing with a sales rep. It just felt very natural to me. Plus the PowerBook is just so damn sexay.

Problem is, I don't really need it; I'd just like it. It's roughly $600 more than the PC laptop that comes with more shit that everyone in my family is encouraging me to get (since it's a PC). I'm tempted to cover the difference in price myself so I can get the PowerBook, but I know my car's about to die soon (less than a hundred miles away from 239K), so I should really save my money for when my car does die...

It's frustrating to be so close to getting my ideal computer and then not actually get it. I know I don't have the money at the moment to get the car I really want, so it'd be nice if I could get the computer I really want.

Crown: You think if I explain your motto to the Apple store, they'll give me a bigger discount on the price?

Post by **Zaia** » 2004-03-24 05:13pm

What about buying a refurbished PowerBook? Link.

The Apple Store wrote:PowerBook G4 867MHz/256MB/40GB/Combo/GigE/56K/ Titanium/15"TFT - Refurbished

REFURBISHED APPLE PRODUCTS:

* Quality Products/Great Prices
* Stringent Refurbishment Process prior to Sale
* Covered by Apple's One-Year Limited Warranty
* AppleCare Protection Plan can be purchased
* Supplies limited. For latest availability, call 1-800-MY-APPLE (692-7753).

To learn more about Refurbished Apple Products CLICK HERE

This package contains the following items:

(1) Macintosh PowerBook G4 personal computer and Battery (Installed)
(1) Power Cord
(1) Macintosh PowerBook AC Adapter
(1) Modem Cable
(2) Manual:

* Getting Started-Users Guide
* OS X

(1) CD-ROM Discs:

* 2 G4 PowerBook Software Restore CD's (SSW Version 9.2.2 & 10.2.1)
* 1 G4 PowerBook Software Install CD (SSW Version 9.2.2)
* 1 G4 PowerBook Software Install CD (SSW Version 10.2.1)
* 1 HW Test CD

(1) 1 Year Warranty Card
(1) Jaguar OS 10.2 Update
(1) iLife
(1) OSX 10.3 "Panther" Update CD
(1) iLife Update CD

This refurbished one's $1399--the new one that I might possibly be able to afford is $1799 and comes with

• 1GHz PowerPC G4
• 256MB DDR333 SDRAM - 1 SO-DIMM
• 60GB Ultra ATA drive @ 4200 rpm
• Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
• Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
• 15.2-inch TFT Display

So.....? Thoughts?

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2004-03-24 05:39pm

Just a point: If you do stick with the x86, don't think you have to stay on the evil path.

The Way of the Penguin gets less painful to adopt with every passing release, (I know that Debian, for example, has a specific driver load for Toshiba laptops)

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2004-03-24 07:09pm

Actually, that refurbished PowerBook G4 isn't bad at all.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-03-24 08:03pm

That's a damn good deal on that refurb. You get Panther and iLife, which comes with Garage Band, I think. I'd jump at that, if I was in your enviable shoes.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2004-03-24 08:48pm

Hrm, I don't see that PB on Apple's site anymore, but it may be up for you /shrug. They did have a nice 12" PB, thoguh.

Xon · Post by **Xon** » 2004-03-24 09:33pm

The Kernel wrote:One thing you have to consider about Apple's is that Apple has a history of ditching their users with software upgrades, so if you plan to keep your machine for a long time (~ 5 years) I think the PC has a little bit more staying power. Apple is currently transitioning to 64-bit CPU's and I'm a little concerned that they plan to lock out older hardware eventually (much as they did with the OSX shift) so it's something worth considering.

There is also Microsoft's history of supporting stuff until the corpse has started to decay for the PC side. *cough* Win98 supported till 2006 *cough*

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2004-03-24 09:40pm

ggs wrote:There is also Microsoft's history of supporting stuff until the corpse has started to decay for the PC side. *cough* Win98 supported till 2006 *cough*

There are still places that run Windows 3.1 -- and IIRC, you can still get it off of MSDN

Someone I know on another board has to dual-boot (or maybe he got VMWare) because some custom (and classified) applications refused to run on anything newer

Xon · Post by **Xon** » 2004-03-24 09:47pm

phongn wrote:
ggs wrote:There is also Microsoft's history of supporting stuff until the corpse has started to decay for the PC side. *cough* Win98 supported till 2006 *cough*
There are still places that run Windows 3.1 -- and IIRC, you can still get it off of MSDN Someone I know on another board has to dual-boot (or maybe he got VMWare) because some custom (and classified) applications refused to run on anything newer

Not overly suprising.

The thing is that 2006 figure for Win98 is for active support. After that time all the existing knowlage would be kept, they just stop updating it.

There are very very few companies which over the level of support for their products like Microsoft does. I'ld go as far as I cant think of a single one which offers such long term support for such complex software(Win2k was touted as the biggest software project of its day).

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-03-24 11:18pm

When your company counts money in suitcases full of cash rather than the dollar, you can afford to support products until the end of time.

Post by **Zaia** » 2004-03-25 12:22am

Durandal wrote:That's a damn good deal on that refurb. You get Panther and iLife, which comes with Garage Band, I think. I'd jump at that, if I was in your enviable shoes.

Yeah, iLife (the '04 version) comes with GarageBand, iTunes 4, iPhoto 4, iMovie 4 and iDVD 4.

And apparently I have to stalk the 'special deals' area of the Apple website for the refurbished computers, because the one I posted about before isn't there anymore--a different PowerBook G4 computer is up (this one with 1GHz, 60 GB, and an Aluminum body instead of a Titanium one), for $1599 instead of $1399 like the other one.

It did mention that they were 'limited time offers;' I had no idea we were talking a matter of hours.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2004-03-25 12:36am

What about the 12" version? It's not as big, but isn't as expensive either.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2004-03-25 12:57am

If you had to pick a desktop what would you get? Mac OS or Windows?
If you'd pick Mac OS then you should lean towards a Mac laptop.

I saw you mentioned a refurbished model, hey if it comes with a standard warranty go for it.

The only issue I have with Macs, and I am a PC person, is that they support fewer things than say a PC.

As the others have said, if you do decide to get a PC laptop, go Thinkpad!

Post by **Zaia** » 2004-03-25 01:18am

phongn wrote:What about the 12" version? It's not as big, but isn't as expensive either.

That size difference is worth the little bit of price difference--seeing the two side by side and playing around on them both, it's a HUGE difference. And even when you take the 12" away from the 15" and 17" boys and play with it by itself, it still looks tiny. If I'm getting a PowerBook, it'll be the 15". If I don't get the 15" PB, I'll be getting the 14" iBook.

But I'm pretty sure I can work out this refurb thing so I can get the PB...at least, I hope I can.

Crown · Post by **Crown** » 2004-03-25 02:41am

Zaia wrote:Crown: You think if I explain your motto to the Apple store, they'll give me a bigger discount on the price?

He would have to be a philistine to not offer you a larger discount if you repeat the motto to him, or possibly gay. You know, one or the other.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2004-03-25 09:53am

Talk to Apple and see if they still have any in stock, or look around on the 'net for authorized refurb deals.

EDIT: the 14" iBook runs at the same resolution as the 12" PB and iBook.