[P1] Query about 14" iBooks

[Kirk McElhearn]

On 11/25/03 16:10, "Mike Wallinga" <mwallinga at mailup.net> wrote:

> I am considering purchasing a new iBook G4.  I've always been a fan of
> small, super-portable laptops (my current laptop is a 12" 600 MHz G3
> iBook), so I am automatically drawn to the 12" model.  But, the 933 MHz
> G4 in the 14" model sounds pretty attractive when compared to the 800
> MHz chip in the 12" one.  So, I am torn between portability and power.
> 
> To those of you who have used a 14 inch iBook (G4 or not, it doesn't
> matter) - and ideally to those of you who have used both a 12 and a 14
> inch model:

I've got a G3 800, and should be getting a G4 933 today or tomorrow...
> 
> 1. How noticeable is the increase in weight? Is the 14 inch model a
> burden if you're carrying it around for several hours?

I don't carry mine - I work at home. But it's not that much of a difference.
Think of the extra battery life and you'll forget the weight.
> 
> 2. Is the 14 inch model too big to use in cramped spaces (coach airline
> seats, buses, back seats of automobiles, etc)?

No.
> 
> 3. Does the 14" screen provide a more pleasant viewing experience, even
> though the resolution is the same as the 12" screen?

Definitely. Everything is bigger, since the resolution is the same. It's the
same size as a 15" CRT.
> 
> 4. Are there any other differences, positive or negative, that I'm
> missing - heat, battery length, Airport range/strength, etc? Or are
> these things not affected by the added size?

Nope, though I mentioned battery life above - the 14" has a bigger battery
and longer life.
> 
> 5. For a non-graphic arts person (I use web browsers, email, MS Office,
> Unix tools, Java programming tools, and do some light gaming - I do NOT
> use Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) will the extra speed in the 933 MHz
> chip be noticeable?  I'm already expecting a big boost compared to what
> I'm used to experiencing -  going from a G3 to a G4, better bus, better
> RAM, better video card, etc.  So with all of those factors already in my
> favor, how much difference will the processor itself make?

I think the 933 is a good deal over the 800; it's about 15% faster. However,
I didn't see the need to spend about $200 more for an additional 67 MHz.

 
Kirk
 
    Author of: How to Do Everything with your Mac OS X Panther (Mar. 2004)
    Author of: Unix for Mac OS X: Learning the Command Line (Dec. 2003)
 Co-author of: Mastering Mac OS X: Panther Edition (Fall 2003)
 Co-author of: Macworld Mac Upgrade and Repair Bible
 Co-author of: Microsoft Office v. X Inside Out
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