[Gorecraze]

Hey everyone, imagine my surprise today when I heard Apple released a new mac... for education... right before I start college! I have a hard time deciding between laptop and desktop, as my original plan was still marred by an inability to deicide between the ibook and imac. I like the idea that I could carry my ibook around with me and use it for note taking (a big plus, as I can't write anything very fast anymore and would prefer to use a computer) and general surfing, but I like how the desktop can support games and is generally much faster. So now that the emac has come out, the choices are down to ibook and emac -- not to drastic of a change (obviously) =p

Anyway, I was wondering what your opinions were on which is probably better for a student who isn't going to be on the go, much. Also which one would last the longest, because this will be my last computer for probably 4 to 7 years (around the time I graduate from med school).

Right now I have a PC desktop (compaq pressario, 475mhz 192RAM, 10GB HD) that I could use along with my ibook if i got one.

I'm leaning towards the ibook, but I wanted to get some honest opinions in on the debate before it resorts to flame wars. =/

[Nobody]

If you are looking for something to last the longest, go with a desktop. I would get the high end eMac and max out the RAM. You could also get the any of the iMac models and max out the RAM if that is in your price range. Sure having a portable is nice, but unless you are getting a high-end Powerbook, the desktop has much more power and will last longer.

[iSpice]

I don't agree with Beowolf: If you're looking for something to last longer, take the iBook. Notebooks usually last longer, as they're mainly only working-machines.
Here my opinion on this whole thing:

You do already have a Desktop-PC, even if it's a Windows-machine. Doesn't matter. Being a student myself (University in Germany currently, if you're from Chicago tell everybody I said Hi images/icons/wink.gif) I know of the importance of having a notebook.
It's great for taking notes, for surfing the web, reading/writing Mails and even for just spending some time during classes. Also, my major is computer science, it's great for doing homework and programming homework while sitting around at university waiting for more classes in the afternoon (I got almost three hours of leisure time every thursday from noon 'till 2:45pm).
Take the iBook, if you don't you'll regret it. Believe me, having a notebook at university/college is the best thing that can happen to you.

Before I went to university I had to make the same decision: Either to upgrade my old PowerMac 7300 or get an older PowerBook (I didn't have that lot of money to get a new iBook or PowerBook). I took the PowerBook 1400, and upgraded my PowerMac at home afterwards. I think, that was the best decision I ever made. With the next available money to spend, I'll upgrade the PowerBook with an 233-333 MHz G3 and more RAM, and I'll be fine for the next few years.

[ 05-01-2002: Message edited by: D'Espice ]

[Nobody]

I would get the iBook. It will be plenty fast enough for your needs. I have used the 12" 500mhz model for a while and love the clearity of the screen and the quality of the unit. Very portable. Probably the smallest laptop in the business.

[Nobody]

I'd get the eMac. In my experience, notebook hard drives don't last as long. (Hey, you try being lugged around all day in a bag, and see how you hold up) Meanwhile, my 13 year old Mac LC runs great (and it's on its first HD).

Ultimately, unless you really really need portability, go with the eMac. Judging on the older iMac's performance, stability, and reliability, it's the way to go.

Also, the eMac is a G4, while the iBook is only a G3 (which won't be that spectacular for running Mac OS X).

The eMac is also quite a bit cheaper, good for the college budget.

Not that the iBook isn't quality, but it just doesn't really make sense when you could get a more powerful desktop for much less, a desktop that would probably last longer.

I'd go for the eMac.

[ 05-01-2002: Message edited by: dcipjr ]

[Nobody]

Just thought i would add my experience:
Last summer (after MWNY) I bought a DVD iBook. I was all happy and stuff using it to connect at home with our 56k dialup. But as soon as i got to school i realized a big factor that i didn't add into buying my college computer: games. I know the ibook has unreal and wolfenstein but the PC platform has so many more choices. Plus with todays p2p file sharing u can get this software for a... less expensive price. By november I was tired of watching all of my friends play counter strike on 17" monitors when i was stuck playing unreal on a 12.1" and with 15 fps. So i went onto ebay and bought a barebones AMD 1.3ghz system. I'm still very glad i got the ibook though. Its great to take notes in class (or the occasional frag fest when the professor gets boring). I would definately go with the ibook/PC combo.

[cappuccino_girl]

well, I bought my ibook last year, which came out just when I was about to start college. For me, it's ideal, as I go home quite frequently, so I can just grap by laptop, chuck it in my bag and take it with me on the train. I maxed out the RAM and am running OS X quite happily, switching back to OS 9.1 only to use photoshop. Sure, it probably doesn't run as fast as it would do on a G 4, but everything is relative. If you've never used a G 4, you don't notice the difference.

If you don't expect to be traveling a lot, then sure, go with the eMac, as it looks like a good deal, you'll get a bigger hard drive, and a G4, but if you want to be able to type up a paper in the library, then a laoptop does have it's advantages.

One final tip. I don't know how much there is to this, but with all these rumors circling, it could be that apple will dump a G4 into the ibook. So, it just might be worth your while waiting a couple of months. I got the ibook literally the day it came out. Now it's ships with a twice as big hard drive, more RAM, and a Combo drive for the same price as I payed for mine. But then you could wait indefinately.

[Nobody]

ok one question what is the big turn to the emac.

1 you need to buy it for education use.
2 its almost like the old imac. Dont get me wrong i love how it looks.
3 ok for 1516 bucks you get a 700 g4 40gig hard drive combo drive and the big kicker 512 megs ram oh dont forget a swivel stand.

New imac has the same 700 g4 40gig hard drive combo drive and 256 megs of ram. what do you lose a 17" screen to a 15" lcd on a kool arm. So whats its 30 bucks more for education. But its looks a lot nicer.

[Nobody]

one other thing pointing to the new iMac over the eMac is it'll be a TON lighter. if you're moving into the dorms, you have to consider every semester you're going to have to move in and out (at least i did when i went to college). that 17" CRT is going to add a lot of weight -- and the new iMacs are not the lightest things around either.

[Nobody]

Dude, get a laptop. Portability is great in college. Trust me.

As for games, you don't need them. Especially if you plan on getting into medical school.

If you must play games, your laptop will support plenty of them. Not the latest and greatest, but get a game system for that if you want to, like Playstation or whatever.

Think about it. Your computer will be portable. Take it to classes. Take it to other rooms. Take it to the library. Take it home when you head home for the weekend and still get work done. Take it on road trips and work in hotel rooms.

Believe me...once you switch over to a laptop for your primary platform, you won't ever go back.

I might be going out on a limb here, but if you can spare a few hundred more bucks (what you'd probably wind up spending on games, joystick, speakers, etc) you can get a Titanium 550 with DVD only for under two grand now.

It's a pretty solid platform that will last you a long time. And the display is great -- especially since you can attach an external monitor and double your desktop space. The ibook can't do that -- it can only "mirror" what's on the ibook screen. One of the reasons I upgraded mine to a Ti.

Don't worry about Titanium durability. All these people who are bitching about durability are probably just not taking care of it or being careful. I've had mine for six months, and I live at a boarding school where I teach. The thing goes -- EVERY DAY -- from my room, to my office, to my classroom. Sure it has nicks and scratches on it, but none of the serious problems people seem to worry about.

Well, that's my advice. Get a portable. You'll use the portability. And as for med school, well, forget the game issue kid.

PC

[Nobody]

eMac, IMO...if you can take the look, iMac... images/icons/wink.gif

Making notes on meetings or lectures on laptops is a way big pain, its only real use is if you want to type term papers at your parent's house or something. Get into affordable G 4 technology, I wish I was.

[Nobody]

You're going to be in classes most of the day. Studying. Even playing games. With an eMac or iMac, you can only work from your dorm (home, apartment, whatever). One place. With a laptop, you can work anywhere at all. In class, on the road, in a cafe. It doesn't matter where. Anywhere. The iBook is designed for college students. It's rugged and portable, built for a student's lifestyle. Go with the iBook. You won't regret it.

-Jim

[ericb02]

ibook...btu wait untill mwny.

[Nobody]

PJC1979,
I have a AMD 1.3ghz pc with 512mb of ram, 30 gig hd, and a geforce2 card. I built it for under the price of a new ps2 or x-box. Plus it has the functionality of a pc (including p2p file sharing which means i don't have to pay for games on disk), if anything he should buy a pc, not a next gen gaming system. Also, if you spend a little bit of money and put a firewire port in your pc (which i did) transferring files is easy and fast. I download songs with my pc and transfer them to my ibook. This is key since there is only one p2p program for the mac and IMHO it sucks.