iBook G4 12''

[GameGURU]

I am looking for a good portable computer that I can take around for college next year and have something to sit infront of my drawing table so I can look at things when I work. Also, a good computer that doesn't crash all of the time and something that doesn't tie me up in all of the monopolizing issues that Windows does, something ALSO that doesn't turn the heat in my room up in the summer and sound like a vacuum cleaner...

Seeing as how I cannot get enough money for one of the better iBooks or even Powerbooks...would the iBook G4 12'' (cheapest iBook) be worth the investment?

Even though it's the cheapes it is still kind of a steep price, are there any student discounts? Etc.

 

[macdude425]

They start at $949 with school discount.
Check here to see if your school qualifies:
http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/routingpage.html

To answer your question, yes, the low-end iBook is worth every penny.

 

[Qiranworms]

Student discounts, there are. Definitely significant difference. Check if your university/college sells them, becuase I've seen that be cheaper than buying at Apple's education store, even if you select that same university/college to even browse those online prices.

I'd seriously wait until January though, we'll have a much better idea by then of what the future with x86 CPUs will be, and all the rumour sites are predicting the early release of an Intel-based mac, they just disagree on which one. NOT that you should take these to be reliable sources, but it's very likely that the first machines will at least be announced Macworld 2006 the coming January, if not released for another several months.

 

[GameGURU]

Pshh, mine isn't listed. Oh well, $50 isn't much of a difference.

I have noticed though, that the specs are relativley low compared to modern Windows based PC's, Notebooks.

Such as only 32mb of Ram, 1.33ghz, 40gb HDD.

Even the highest end Mac has lower specs that my pc...do they utilize hardware and resources differently to compete with pc's or are they abnormally slow for today's standards?

 

[Qiranworms]

The G4 processor is getting seriously dated, which is why I said it would be seriously advisable to see what happens in January.

And don't you mean 32 MB of Video RAM? The system RAM in the base model is 512 I think.

 

[The General]

they didnt even ask for proof i go to my school ... might want to look into that lol

 

[GameGURU]

The G4 processor is getting seriously dated, which is why I said it would be seriously advisable to see what happens in January.

And don't you mean 32 MB of Video RAM? The system RAM in the base model is 512 I think.

32mb of video ram, yes.

It seems like the whole thing is lacking in performance...especially for the price.

 

[SteveGTA]

you dont need much vram for a 12" laptop screen and you arent going to be gaming so...

but i would just wait til jan for the mactels. i hear we could see some price drops and/or significant increases in performance.