10-15-2005, 04:28 PM

Hi, I am interested in the 12" powerbook... But I'm worried that the screen is gonna be too small... I'm a senior in highschool, and I'm gonna use it for college, and I was curious wether the 12" screen is gonna kill my eyes and neck my while typing a 5 hour paper. I also hear that oct. 19 is the release date for the powermac and powerbook lines... So it would be interesting to see what they do before I make any decisions.

So I hope to hear from people with 12" pbs lol... (I've been on a 15.4 inch SXGA pc, so the real thing thats holding me back is the screen size, I definatly wouldn't mind the reduced size!)

Thanks!

10-15-2005, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by Arichards

Hi, I am interested in the 12" powerbook... But I'm worried that the screen is gonna be too small... I'm a senior in highschool, and I'm gonna use it for college, and I was curious wether the 12" screen is gonna kill my eyes and neck my while typing a 5 hour paper. I also hear that oct. 19 is the release date for the powermac and powerbook lines... So it would be interesting to see what they do before I make any decisions.

So I hope to hear from people with 12" pbs lol... (I've been on a 15.4 inch SXGA pc, so the real thing thats holding me back is the screen size, I definatly wouldn't mind the reduced size!)

Thanks!

if you need something REALLY portable then get it, i just got my 12" inch 2 days ago and i love it!! It soo small but it doesnt hurt my eyes at all. I am a college student as well and i needed something portable and this works perfectly

10-15-2005, 05:07 PM

some articles say they might not even upgrade the 12'' model, but you might as well wait.

10-15-2005, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by bsmith08

some articles say they might not even upgrade the 12'' model, but you might as well wait.

Wait indeed.

But I can vouch for the PowerBook 12".

It is fast becoming the best computer I have ever owned. I do a lot of graphic design and so forth (Photoshop and Painter IX) and find the screen great.

Sure a higher res would be nice but for the size, not really practical if it compromises the clarity of the screen, an external display can solve that.

But in no way do I find the 12.1" screen on the PowerBook 12" hard to read, it is very clear indeed.

Vicky :flower:

10-15-2005, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by bsmith08

some articles say they might not even upgrade the 12'' model, but you might as well wait.

thats too bad... do you think they'll drop the price of it then???

10-15-2005, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Arichards

Hi, I am interested in the 12" powerbook... But I'm worried that the screen is gonna be too small... I'm a senior in highschool, and I'm gonna use it for college, and I was curious wether the 12" screen is gonna kill my eyes and neck my while typing a 5 hour paper. I also hear that oct. 19 is the release date for the powermac and powerbook lines... So it would be interesting to see what they do before I make any decisions.

So I hope to hear from people with 12" pbs lol... (I've been on a 15.4 inch SXGA pc, so the real thing thats holding me back is the screen size, I definatly wouldn't mind the reduced size!)

Thanks!

I went from a 14.1" PC laptop to a 12" G4 Powerbook during the beginning of my senior year in college. I love it--can't beat the portability and my eyes kind of suck, but I have zero problems on the 12" screen. Think of it this way:

1. You are already craning your neck down to see your 15" screen. You will have to crane your neck down ever so slightly more to see the 12". Or if you're a real smarty, you just adjust your chair down a few inches so that you're in line with the screen and keyboard, or you buy a laptop stand to elevate it for you.

2. The 12" looks downright puny in the high-ceilinged Apple store with its low tables--when I see it in the store, I can't believe that I use it on a day-to-day basis. Try squatting down to its level and seeing it that way, and put your hands on the keyboard to see if it'll fit your hands well. It's not THAT small.

3. I'm in grad school now and I don't have awesome vision (nearsighted) but I have zero problems typing papers on the screen. I've probably written hundreds of pages on this bad boy. Just don't buy Microsoft Office Student/Teacher edition at the Apple Store. It is constantly on sale for cheaper at other places (it's $129.95 at CompUSA right now.)

4. If you are into any sort of serious graphic or audio work--editing sound files, intense Photoshopping, using applications like Motion--then you should def. get the Powerbook. If you are just Joe Normal Student who wants to use Microsoft Office, check your e-mail, and surf the 'net, definitely consider the iBook instead. It responds better to abuse, it's ridiculously cheaper, and if you want to speed it up, drop extra RAM into it. I'm on a 1Ghz PB with a ton of added RAM and my machine flies compared to my friends' brand new 1.5Ghz machines, because I've got so much more RAM than they do.

5. If budget is an issue, you MUST factor AppleCare into your purchase price. It is dangerous business indeed getting an Apple without the warranty; I have rarely met someone who didn't have at least a minor problem with their PB or iBook in the second or third year of ownership. This is especially true at college, where you're prone to spill crap on the machine, jostle it around, etc. I weep for people who go "Oh look at the shiny Powerbook, I can only afford it if I don't buy AppleCare, but who cares, I want the pretty Powerbook!" Bad, bad, bad idea. If you can afford the Powerbook, you can afford the warranty. And if you can't afford the Powerbook warranty, get your butt over to the iBook table, because even AppleCare for iBooks is cheaper. Besides, AppleCare is a great selling point for your Apple laptop if you decide in a few years to get a new one and to sell the old one; people in the used market love to see warranty left on the machine.

10-16-2005, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by jn4jenny

2. The 12" looks downright puny in the high-ceilinged Apple store with its low tables--when I see it in the store, I can't believe that I use it on a day-to-day basis. Try squatting down to its level and seeing it that way, and put your hands on the keyboard to see if it'll fit your hands well. It's not THAT small.

I've noticed that as well. I was wondering if it was just me. :mac:

And yes, memory is critical when it comes to performance.

10-16-2005, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by technologist

I've noticed that as well. I was wondering if it was just me. :mac:

And yes, memory is critical when it comes to performance.

I have a 15" widescreen PowerBook and it's amazing. I was going to get the 12" G4 PB originally, but picked up this one at a good price, so I got it and am very glad I did.

10-16-2005, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by Arichards

Hi, I am interested in the 12" powerbook... But I'm worried that the screen is gonna be too small... I'm a senior in highschool, and I'm gonna use it for college, and I was curious wether the 12" screen is gonna kill my eyes and neck my while typing a 5 hour paper. I also hear that oct. 19 is the release date for the powermac and powerbook lines... So it would be interesting to see what they do before I make any decisions.

So I hope to hear from people with 12" pbs lol... (I've been on a 15.4 inch SXGA pc, so the real thing thats holding me back is the screen size, I definatly wouldn't mind the reduced size!)

Thanks!

Are you near an Apple store where you can go to see the 12", and decide if it is big enough?

10-16-2005, 11:17 PM

i have a 15inch powerbook and got it basically cuse it was widescreen and that seems to be the trend of laptops. another reason i got the 15inch is my mom has a 12inch and when my old pc died i had to use her computer to type papers for english and i have 20/10 vision and the screen is great for a few hours but after that its just to small. but now that i have the 15inch and i carry it around with me in college everywhere i go i always say to me self is the bigger screen worth it it gets heavy and big to carry around after 4 or 5 hours? also if you are going to be away from power for a long long time the 12inch will own the 15inch by at least 45min to an hour on battery life.

pros of 12inch- size, good battery life
cons of 12inch- small screen, square screen, no backlit keyboard

pros of 15inch. more power, widescreen, can have more ram and more graphics power.
cons of 15inch- size(not weight), lower battery life than 12inch