12-10-2006, 02:01 PM

Hi guys,

Hey guys, I'm brand new here. I'm a member of a couple of mac forms but I'm not 100% fond of any of them yet so I'm glad to have found this place.

Anyway, I'm looking for a little wisdom. I'm a student in the market for a very cheap laptop (I'm in Ireland, and my budget is €600, tops). I'd considered getting a refurb PC because most of the secondhand macs in that price range just weren't cutting it for me, but then I struck what appears to be a great deal: A secondhand 1.33Ghz 12' Powerbook with 768mb ram for €520.

The only thing that I'm slightly concerned about is that there is a small cluster of dead pixels down by the dock on this machine.

Here's a pic: http://www.adverts.ie/data/8/large/DSC_0006.JPG

So, I suppose what I'm wondering is, is this going to be a problem? It seems quite small based on that image (and I susepct the 'actual' size is even smaller as that image is blown up I think, as the text looks quite large to be the actual size on a 12'). Has anyone worked with something similar before? Has it caused you problems? Or am I being crazy
considering this a factor when I've found such a great deal?

I don't particularly care about having an aesthetically perfect machine, I just don't want it to get in the way of work or bug me at all.

Another option I've considered is buying this machine now, and if I find out that it does annoy me, going an getting a new 12' screen for the Powerbook, which I should be able to afford come next Spring. Is this a realistic option? I'd be willing to give the labour a go myself.

Any advice would be appreciated. This really is such a (literally) small issue, but as I've been looking for the right laptop for what seems like an eternity I want to get this right.

By the way, in case anyone was going to suggest a different route for purchasing, I've already considered a refurb Macbook, used machines from the US, eBay etc and have ruled them all out for a variety of reasons.

Thanks guys,

SG

12-10-2006, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by EyeballTickler

Hi guys,

Hey guys, I'm brand new here. I'm a member of a couple of mac forms but I'm not 100% fond of any of them yet so I'm glad to have found this place.

Anyway, I'm looking for a little wisdom. I'm a student in the market for a very cheap laptop (I'm in Ireland, and my budget is €600, tops). I'd considered getting a refurb PC because most of the secondhand macs in that price range just weren't cutting it for me, but then I struck what appears to be a great deal: A secondhand 1.33Ghz 12' Powerbook with 768mb ram for €520.

The only thing that I'm slightly concerned about is that there is a small cluster of dead pixels down by the dock on this machine.

Here's a pic: http://www.adverts.ie/data/8/large/DSC_0006.JPG

So, I suppose what I'm wondering is, is this going to be a problem? It seems quite small based on that image (and I susepct the 'actual' size is even smaller as that image is blown up I think, as the text looks quite large to be the actual size on a 12'). Has anyone worked with something similar before? Has it caused you problems? Or am I being crazy
considering this a factor when I've found such a great deal?

I don't particularly care about having an aesthetically perfect machine, I just don't want it to get in the way of work or bug me at all.

Another option I've considered is buying this machine now, and if I find out that it does annoy me, going an getting a new 12' screen for the Powerbook, which I should be able to afford come next Spring. Is this a realistic option? I'd be willing to give the labour a go myself.

Any advice would be appreciated. This really is such a (literally) small issue, but as I've been looking for the right laptop for what seems like an eternity I want to get this right.

By the way, in case anyone was going to suggest a different route for purchasing, I've already considered a refurb Macbook, used machines from the US, eBay etc and have ruled them all out for a variety of reasons.

Thanks guys,

SG

I think it would be annoying. Any time I have had to use a computer/Mac with dead pixels no matter where they were were annoying..

I think you have a great idea. why not buy it and if you find it drives you crazy save up for a new screen and replace it..

Thats the way I would go!

12-10-2006, 03:44 PM

It will bug you, but if price is a huge deal, I think its an acceptable sacrifice. Maybe put an open window with black on it there so that you don't notice it?

12-10-2006, 04:57 PM

That cluster looks a bit big. But I find most of my attention is above that point. If you were to play movies full screen, then it might be an anoyance. If that prices really is a good deal than give it a try if the system is known to pass its hardware tests. You can always fix it or sell it later.

12-10-2006, 07:12 PM

It definitely will be bothersome, but it's worth a try, and getting a new screen will be even better once you are able to afford it..now I'm not sure if this works or not, but if you do decide to get it, try rubbing the screen lightly where the dead pixels are..supposedly sometimes some of them come back to life!

EDIT: I shouldn't have said rubbing..massaging would have been a better term.

12-10-2006, 07:48 PM

it so small that it might not bug you.. I think if i was getting a deal on a computer like that it would not bug me, yet if a brand new computer came like that then it would bother me only that i was getting a computer that was not perfect, yet you are getting such an amazing deal that i think it is acceptable.

12-11-2006, 02:25 PM

I just noticed this in the picture. Where they shot the picture..shouldn't it say "Powerbook G4" on the screen right in the midle there?