Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, PowerBook
12-inch versus 15-inch: More Better PowerBook
TUAW Reader, Ben, wrote in the comments to my previous post, saying "I have been looking at switching to the 15" PB. For better screen area and the PC Card slot as well as just an upgraded computer. My Powerbook goes everywhere with me...How does the 15" compare, do you take it lots of places? I would be interested on your thoughts. Thanks!"
Here's my thoughts: before I had a 15-inch PowerBook, I thought it was a hulking beast. Who would want to carry around such a large monstrosity? I was also a huge fan of the 12-incher and never thought I would go big.However, now that I have a 15-inch, the reality sinks in: it only weighs a pound more than the 12-inch and it's a better machine. Sure, it's not as easy to whip this puppy out on a crowded bus and type away as it was with the teeny 12-inch, but I'm taking it everywhere, jut like I did with my 12-inch, and there are other advantages. The screen is not only bigger, it's brighter and better. The light up keyboard is the coolest thing ever for a late night blog session. The speakers blow the tiny tinny little speakers on the 12-inch out of the water. It doesn't get as easy-bake-oven-ish feeling under my left wrist (or on top of my left thigh) after an hours or so of usage. It's faster, although I was having a few slow downs on the default 512MBs of RAM. Upping the RAM to 2GBs makes this puppy scream. And there are several bits of technology I haven't been able to use yet: PC-card slot and the FW800. And, so far, no warping (knock on aluminum). I love it, and highly recommend it.
The 17-inch, however, is a large monstrosity that I would never want to lug around.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Varun Seth said 9:07PM on 9-28-2005
I just upgraded to a 15inch and i must say i agree, it is not such a problem to lug it around.
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Ethan said 9:29PM on 9-28-2005
15" if you don't have a primary desktop computer. 12 inch if you do. I use my 12 inch powerbook as an exact clone of the desktop's data and most apps (not all). That way before I leave, I chronosync them up, and I have my desktop with me. I can work anywhere, battery life is great, etc. I get back, resync and I'm set :) It's not my primary computer at all.
However, 15" powerbooks are nice, I just needed something a bit smaller for airplanes, subways, trains, airports, meetings. A 12" is more a PDA type accessory.
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EVDO Guy said 10:14PM on 9-28-2005
Hey CK, check your email, I am offering the real advantage of the PB15 vs. PB12, EVDO. IF you want to try out EVDO for a week, let me know and I will send you a demo to play with. Check your email for all the details.
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ct77 said 10:16PM on 9-28-2005
If you spend a lot of time on commuter trains and buses, 12" is the way to go.
I do, and often notice envious looks from others who are trying to balance 15" machines on their knees.
And a 12" can still serve you well even if you don't have another desktop Mac at home. Just get an external monitor and bask in all that extra desktop space while you're at home.
As with most things, to each their own. 15" or 12", the advantages and disadvantages of each or very subjective. Context is key.
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C.K. Sample, III said 10:16PM on 9-28-2005
Hey, Mike,
Already got the email and replied. Check your email. ;-)
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Paul said 10:57PM on 9-28-2005
I've owned one of almost every "smallest" PowerBook going all the way back to the PowerBook 100. Very happy with the Rev. A, 867MHz 12" PB I've had for the last two years. I had a little problem with pitting that you may have read about (Google "pitting powerbook"), but otherwise it's been great and I love the size and build quality.
Recently my boss got me a new 15" and I agree with most of the above -- the brighter screen is especially nice. The illuminated keyboard is spiffy, and I like having a PC Card slot. I don't care at all about speakers -- honestly I'd rather have them left out entirely, since it would save weight. I use headphones or real speakers.
The size jump has been a minor inconvenience, as certain bags , like my motorcycle tankbag, don't fit the 15" as well or at all. (I use Marware sleeves for protection inside whatever bag I use.)
I do hope that Apple takes a stab at something that weighs even less than the 12". If they could get under the 4-pound mark (even the Duos weren't that light), I think they could inspire switching in a sector of the road-warrior market that has never been tempted by Apple before.
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Brad said 11:14PM on 9-28-2005
Just to be an ass...
I prefer my 14" iBook. She takes a beating in my backpack from time to time, but still looks good and runs good.
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USTommyMC said 11:18PM on 9-28-2005
I have a Powerbook G4 1.5GHz and it goes everywhere with me. I am a Marine that travels alot and am a lone gun in a military brainwashed by Dell and Windows. I didn't have it with me the first time I went to Iraq but when I go back in a couple of months it will be by my side. I've resisted upgrading and instead have invested in 2GB of RAM, 100GB Hard Drive and a dual-layered DVD burner.
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Philip said 11:24PM on 9-28-2005
I have the 17 in PB G4 and find it's fine. I don't think you can get enough screen real estate and the more the better. Working on buses is fine but my preference is to find the local Starbucks and sit back with a coffee and do my work. "A monstrosity" of a size it is not, in my opinion where you are trying to find someplace other than home to work. Besides, doesn't the battery get too hot to place on your lap for any extended period of time?
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Jose Izquierdo said 12:04AM on 9-29-2005
Originally i bought a 17-inch because i thought it would be the ultlimate portable desktop, and don't get me wrong, it is. However, after lugging it around everyday for a couple of months, they weight was killing my shoulders so i decided to get a 12-inch iBook for the "daily college work" and leave the 17-incher at home for more hard-core work like Video Editing, recording Podcast sessions, and other stuff among those lines.
long live the 17-inch!
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Hee Haw said 12:52AM on 9-29-2005
OK, I've owned several Mac-tops and I have huge oafish hands and I work in the advertising industry and here are my 2.
The 12" iBook G4 is the greatest Apple laptop ever made. Cheap, wonderful keyboard, sturdy case, lovely keyboard. Just be sure to special order a 60 or 80 gig drive, add a 512 meg sitck of RAM yourself, and you're good to go!
14" iBook -- dumb dumb dumb. slightly bigger screen but same resolution. not unless you're senile, hell no. and the screen looks like crap with that big clunky type to my eyes. and just not as portable.
12" Powerbook -- OK, a LITTLE more powerful than the iBook. better graphics card IF you do a ton of that. but seriously, don't you have a desktop for that then?? I hate the silver Powerbook keyboards. Just don't feel right to me. Costs A LOT more than the 12" iBook. My friend has one for work and he vastly prefers his iBook.
15" Powerbook -- OK, this is the second best laptop made by Apple. It's also 2000 dollars (twice the price of an iBook with most of the same features) and you still need to add a gig stick of RAM. And that doesn't even include a SuperDrive (and why don't people just buy a cheap external for burning DVDs anyway??).The extra screen real estate is kinda nice but portablity does suffer if you want to throw it in a small shoulder bag as I do.
17" Powerbook -- dude. this is a desktop. Just put a more powerful 17" G5 iMac in a duffel bag for half the cost.
Just my rant. I just don't know any professional who does heavy graphics work on a laptop on a daily basis. For surfing, word processing, presentations, basic graphics work in a pinch (I have Photoshop, Quark, InDesign and Illustrator on mine) it's pretty much ALL YOU FREAKIN' NEED!
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Guy said 1:05AM on 9-29-2005
I just upgrade from a 12" ibook to a 15" powerbook and am loving the extra screen size, backlit keys and better "perceived" sound from the speakers. It also feels more solid than the ibook, maybe it's because of the extra weight, I don't know. I also frequently use dreamweaver and photoshop, so the extra screen space definitely comes in handy.
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Hee Haw said 1:13AM on 9-29-2005
OK before the iBook bashing comes in, I'll cover for myself
Spanning-- you can do this on an iBook with an easy hack
Different resolutions with external monitor-- same hack as above
PC card slot-- I can surf anywhere with bluetooth and my Nokia phone at 2x dial-up speeds (Edge). Works OK during those extremely rare times I can find a free wi-fi spot. Don't need expensive EVDO service.
Video outs-- right, like how many people really do video editing on a laptop?
Power for games-- right, like how many people do that, on an Apple laptop?
HAHA! iBook rules. I don't care it's a "girl's computer". I am confident with my penis size. I've also read things about the wi-fi antenna on iBooks getting better range. True? I don't know. Mine goes through several walls.
I have a friend with a "girl's car". A Mazda Miata he purchased and turbo'd for less than $2000 total. He'll probably waste your BWM 330i convertible at the next stoplight. Suckas! :D
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Ben said 1:14AM on 9-29-2005
Hey great for the excellent response to my comment. Thats what I needed to know, I think I am going to buy a 15" for sure, especially since my days are turning into non-stop excel work. Thanks you!
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David Pham said 1:18AM on 9-29-2005
i'm currently a 12" powerbook user, opting for the 12" over the 15". i couldn't justify the price difference between the two. sure, the 15" has a backlit keyboard and bigger screen size, but in terms of performance, i find the two, under the same configuration, are identical.
i don't know, that's just my two cents. screen size and backlit keyboard are not worth the extra bucks. i'd rather spend the money on more ram and hook my 12" to my 20" dell LCD.
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penum6ra said 1:30AM on 9-29-2005
EVDO sure would be nice... but costly.
My recommendation for a cheap and extremely useful way to benefit from that new PC-Card slot: A Memory Card to PC Card adapter.
Currently in my 15" Al PB is a CF to PC Card adapter that I bought 5 years ago for $15. It's just as easy and cheap to find SD, etc.
Whenever I need to offload images or videos off my digital camera, out comes the memory card, slap it in the PC-Card slot (the adapter is in there, flush, all the time) and get nice full PC-Card transfer speeds. Done? Just eject the adapter, pop out the card, card back in camera, PC-Card back in slot. Done.
In a pinch the combination will even substitute for a thumb drive (been using it this way since WAY before those were available) between computers, even cross-platform!
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David Anasco said 2:05AM on 9-29-2005
I upgraded from a Powerbook Pismo G3 to a brand new 15" PB. I love the widscreen and the backlit keyboard. My Pismo is still running along just fine, but having a thinner and more powerful 'book is just heaven. 15" is the prefect size, and DVD movies look great. It is just big enough to do presentations to a small group without lugging a projector. I travel by air a lot (I am a missionary in the Philippines), the 15" is just the right size even for use on an airplane.
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Graham said 3:46AM on 9-29-2005
The easy-bake-oven-ish feeling will come with time... dont you worry!
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PaulH said 4:07AM on 9-29-2005
After switching from A 14" 1024x768 dell craptop to a 17" PB, I was obviously won over by the PB. The real estate is fantastic for a designer type like myself. I haven't used any smaller PB, but I don't really see any problem with mobility. Ok, it's large, but I have a decent bag to carry. It's much lighter than my previous Dell and it's only an inch thick. Come on guys, it's not exactly a ton of bricks you're carrying!
2 of my colleagues at work have 15" PB and it is strange to be hidden behind my larger screen in meetings, but hey, it's worth it.
However, I am deliberating about a 12 or 15" PB when the next rev, or possibly when intel arrives, just for my own personal [ab]use, and leave the 17" for work only. Maybe Apple may suprise us and introduce a new size of PB.
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tnkgrl said 4:37AM on 9-29-2005
I have owned a PowerBook 12" (1 GHz) and I own an iBook G3 12" (600 MHz) and a Titanium PowerBook (500 MHz). My wife owns an iBook G4 12" (1.2 GHz).
I love the PowerBook 12" but I feel that the iBook 12" is a better deal. It's almost as fast for less money an it can take more abuse without showing it.
I like the screen real-estate on the 15" PowerBook (both Al and Ti). The 17" PowerBook is too large for my taste...
I'd like to see Apple release a PowerBook (like the Sony T-series and Averatec 1000 series). I'd purchase one in an instant!
As for the PC-card slot, it can be quite useful, but I mostly use GPRS/EDGE via Bluetooth for the rare times I'm without WiFi access (I live in San Francisco, mind you).
FYI, several EVDO modems using a USB interface instead of a PC-card interface will become available next year.
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