06-27-2004, 11:43 PM

hi, i am a soon to be college freshman who will be majoring in computer science / biology. i am going to be a powerbook, but first i have a couple of questions that i would like your input on.

what size screen should i buy, are the specs available on the 12 inch enough to last for 4-5 years? is the screen too small for a computer science major who will be using the laptop for hours on end?

should i wait a few weeks before i buy the powerbook, will there be new hardware or lower prices after wwdc?

please respond with whatever you think, i am in need of your opinons.

06-28-2004, 12:10 AM

I make a point of using the 12's in the Apple store because I'm next to sure that is what I'll get. I am totally pleased with the size and you can't beat the compactness. I would give it a few weeks if possible, and having a new Powerbook reasonably up to date for 4 - 5 years is IMO plausible

06-28-2004, 02:48 AM

I don't think WWDC will make any difference on powerbook prices, as the newest models were released just shy of 2 months ago, so prices won't be dropping any time soon. As for keeping a computer 4-5 years, like Witeshark said, that's stretching it pretty far. I still have my PC laptop I used as a college freshman, making it 5 years old now, but that big old black brick just gathers dust. I've been through 4 macs in the meantime.

And if it's going to be your main computer for everything from downloading music to running science apps, from watching dvd's to lugging it to your 400+ person lectures, I would say that 12 inches is too small. Obviously, your budget factors in here, but if money is no concern, or if you're able to bite the bullet a little, I'd say ATLEAST a 15" to fit the bill. Of course, you can always check out the 14" ibooks as well.

06-28-2004, 11:51 AM

You know, the first two years of college are not even going to be focused on your major. So you may as well make your buying decision based on the Gen Eds. You'll be writing papers and surfing the web. By the time the computer science classes start rolling, you'll be wanting a new mac anyway.

My suggestion, get a 14" iBook loaded to the hilt. That will give you a nice enough screen to do the work you need for classes, still light enough to carry around on campus, watch DVD's in your spare time, great battery life, etc.etc.etc...

You'll save a little money for something else you'll need in the dorm. Then in 2 years when the real class start, get a powerbook.