Fast and powerful, yet small and portable
Written: Dec 06 '05
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Pros: Fast, Portable, Sturdy, Beautiful Apple design, comes with some great software.
Cons: Gets warm after extended use but not too much of a problem.
The Bottom Line: This is a great machine for anyone who wants more out of a computer than word processing and internet-surfing- for the professional computer nerd or beginner needing something user-friendly.
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| rss's Full Review: Apple PowerBook G4 12.1 in. (M9183LL/A) Mac Notebo... |
SIZE:
I completely love this 12" laptop. First of all, I use my computer mainly for graphics and photo-retouching and I personally do not find the screen too small. You just have to keep your windows organized. Anyone who is doing really serious video and animation work is probably using a desktop in an office anyway, but the 12" is more than sufficient for working at home.
Also, because of the smaller size it feels a lot more durable and less flimsy than the 15" whose hinges are known to cause problems.
USER FRIENDLY FEATURES:
One of the best things about buying an Apple computer is that the latest Operating System (mine has Tiger: OS 10.4.2) is already installed when you buy it. When I first powered it on it had a full charge and it walked me through some easy set-up steps to personalize it, but most of the settings were optional and could be changed later so I didn't feel like I had to make a final decision about something I hadn't fully looked into yet.
This model also comes with lots of software including GargeBand, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iCal, iTunes, Safari, Mail, and iChat. The computer comes with a barely noticeable built-in microphone (it is the size of a pinhole) so although it is fun to chat with otherpeople on iChat, if you want to have your hands free and especially if you want to make free long distance phonecalls you can have an audio conversation with someone on the other end. You can even do video conferencing if you buy the camera for it. But this model comes fully ready for the speakerphone-style chat I mentioned.
This model comes with a SuperDrive which burns and writes CD's and DVD's. I haven't burned any DVD's yet but the CD burning I've found is sufficiently fast.
Also, this model has not crashed once in the few weeks I've had it, which is pretty good compared to most computers.
INTERNET:
Another great feature that comes with this laptop is the AirPort Extreme Card- I didn't even have to set anything up- I just turn airport on and can see what networks are available and if I have the password or if there is no password, I can immediately be on a highspeed wireless internet connection. Anyone who's lived in a large apartment building might have noticed that you can often pick up free internet service from time to time.
VALUE:
I got all of the optional upgrades (instead of 512MB RAM I got 1.256 GB and instead of an 80 GB Harddrive I got 100 GB) for under $2,000. Three years ago I bought a 15" for around $2,200 and it only had 30GB of storage! Now I feel so spoiled.
ADVANTAGES OF APPLE:
Also, if you look at the specifications on all of those insanely cheap PC laptops advertised like Dell, you will see that the Apple Powerbooks are way more powerful and so it is worth it to buy an Apple if you are doing more than word processing and internet-surfing.
Another advantage of having an Apple computer is that because Apples are so much less common than PC's there are less viruses out there on the internet targeting Apples since the goal usually seems to target as many people as possible.
It doesn't even need to be said that no other computers hold a candle to the Apples as far as design and beauty.
WARRANTY:
As long as you have the Applecare Protection Plan the service is very good. It is definitely worth it to pay the $349 for the three year warranty because once the warranty is up repairs are very expensive. If you have Applecare you can also take your computer to any Apple Specialist and they will "take Applecare" almost in the same way that a doctor's office takes insurance.
One disappointing thing was that my last G4 from 2002 completely broke down right after the three years were up. It didn't seem worth it to pay hundreds of dollars to have it fixed because the memory was so obsolete but- here's the good thing- if you ever look on craigslist you'll see people giving away broken PC's or leaving them on the sidewalk. But there is a demand for Apple parts on eBay so that my friend was able to sell her completely useless 4 year old Apple Powerbook on eBay for around $400 to someone who knew how to use the parts. I plan on listing my old 15" G4 to make some of the money to pay for this new one.
Overall I reccomend this to anyone who uses a computer for any kind of creative purposes or anyone who appreciates good design or even someone who just wants a computer that is easy to understand. It may seem pricy but Apple also has financing plans available.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1,849.00
Operating System: Macintosh
Processor: PowerPC G4
Processor speed: over 1000
Screen Size: 12 inches
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: SuperDisk
Hard Drive (GB): Over 50
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Location: New York City
Reviews written: 9
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