[bernielike]

I've had my final-iteration 15in Powerbook for, oh, 4 years now. The logic board and fans were replaced under applecare about a year ago and I upgraded it to 2mb of RAM. It runs with no issues. I work in the TV business, and use it for word processing, movie viewing, some amateur photo editing, plenty of music playing (I stream all my music thru it to my home stereo), light gaming, heavy internet use, etc.

It works pretty well for me, does what I need. The issues I do not like: it's slow streaming video if several programs are open, and lags streaming my own music sometimes thru airport express. I am forced to keep my music library on an external drive because I've only got 80gigs on the machine. I use that as a wireless network disk with latest airport base, but that is NOT a smooth flawless exercise, believe me. tons of problems. The old wireless card and slower processor prob has something to do with that. Plus apples non-support of network disks with airport.

Also, PB has no isight camera which I'm starting to want as everyone else has one.

those are really my only problems with it! the thing is a beast and just keeps going.

So finally my question: When should I get a new one?? the only upside is I get isight and i can keep all my music on the 320 gig drive no problem. And of course faster performance. But I get by fine with the PB really.

Anyone have any other good reasons for me to cave and spend 3k on a new one? I kind of want to get the new one, but wow, is it worth 3k for me??

And yes, I keep computers so I always get the top model when I get one. fastest, biggest harddrive I can. Make it last. And I need 15inches and firewire, so no non-pro MB for me.

Advice welcomed . . . !! Thanks all.

[moose_n_squirrel]

bernielike said:

I've had my final-iteration 15in Powerbook for, oh, 4 years now.
The issues I do not like: it's slow streaming video

I stuck by mine for almost 5 years. The problem with video is that modern video is highly compressed and requires a faster CPU than a G4 to decompress it. But I can still watch video podcasts and Hulu on my G4, though Hulu is stuttery on the G4 while a MacBook Pro is smooth.

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I am forced to keep my music library on an external drive because I've only got 80gigs on the machine.

You can easily solve that. Spend less than $100 on a new huge drive and install it. Instructions at ifixit.com. I did that for mine and a friend's G4 to extend their lives another couple years. You can quadruple your drive space for $95 (250GB).

>The old wireless card and slower processor prob has something to do with that.

The wireless card does 802.11g, so it's not too bad actually. My G4 syncs with my Time Capsule just fine.

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So finally my question: When should I get a new one?? the only upside is I get isight and i can keep all my music on the 320 gig drive no problem. And of course faster performance. But I get by fine with the PB really.

The only reason I bought a new MBP was I got a job that needed it. Otherwise I would have pushed the PBG4 past 5 years. Sounds like you hold off for a while longer until you need an app that won't run fast on it. Don't forget that OS X is now compatible with many USB webcams of the type you can clip on your PowerBook's lid.

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Anyone have any other good reasons for me to cave and spend 3k on a new one? I kind of want to get the new one, but wow, is it worth 3k for me??

Why spend 3K unless you're outside the US? When I got my MacBook Pro, I bought refurbished and paid less than $2000. The important thing is that today's laptops are so fast that you no longer need the top end model for it to last a long time. I used to buy the top end PowerBooks, but now I bought the bottom end MacBook Pro, put 4GB in it, and I can't see having any regrets about going that way.

[bernielike]

incredibly helpful, great advice.

Do you think there are any new and amazing upgrades coming on near-future macbooks? Or was this revision the most that will happen for awhile?

I mean, the stuttery video is annoying, and if I'll have to buy a new one in a year anyway . . . plus put money into this one . . . maybe I just spend it now?

[moose_n_squirrel]

bernielike said:

Do you think there are any new and amazing upgrades coming on near-future macbooks? Or was this revision the most that will happen for awhile?

I think we just saw it. Remember, the PowerBook G4 Aluminum case was introduced 2003 (I think), and they just now, 6 years later, finally changed the basic case design to the Unibody. It could be another 6 years before the next radical design change! At the same time, they made other major changes, like the battery, Firewire, etc. It's got to be a while before we see anything that earthshaking again.

The expectation is that Apple should add Blu-Ray and maybe something tablet to the notebook line, but nobody outside Apple really knows.

[maflynn]

bernielike said:

incredibly helpful, great advice.

Do you think there are any new and amazing upgrades coming on near-future macbooks? Or was this revision the most that will happen for awhile?

I think you're good for a little while, intel is not releasing its Clarksfield processor until late 09, early 10 and who knows how long it will take apple to get their hands on it in sufficient quantities. That means is we'll see at best another modest speed bump later this year if at all. If you have a need to purchase a laptop, now is a great time to purchase one, because apple just updated the line (new 17" MBPs and a speed bump to the 15" MBPs)