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At that time, the Lombard PowerBook
G3 was available at 333 and 400 MHz, and the less expensive of
the two sold for US$2,499. By comparison, a $1,599 consumer model
running at 300 MHz was quite a value.
But everything has changed over the last year. The Titanium PowerBook G4 was introduced a year
ago - 400 MHz at $2,599. The redesigned white iBook (sometimes known as the iceBook)
came out last May and provided 500 MHz G3 performance for as little
as $1,299, half the price of the TiBook.
The equation changed again in October when Apple rolled out the
PowerBook G4 at 550 MHz and 667 MHz, then modified them again in
December by making the combo drive (which reads DVDs and burns CDs)
standard.
At the same time the TiBook was getting a speed bump, Apple
offered a faster 600 MHz iBook. And now they've added a 600 MHz
iBook with a 14" display to the mix.
With the new flat panel iMacs and the 14" iBook, Apple is defining a middle
level between the inexpensive consumer models and the pro-oriented
models. How well does the 14" iBook fill that niche?
500 MHz iBook
600 MHz iBook
14" iBook
TiBook/550
TiBook/667
500 MHz G3
600 MHz G3
600 MHz G3
550 MHz G4
667 MHz G4
128 MB RAM
128 MB RAM
256 MB
128 MB
256 MB
15 GB hard drive
20 GB hard drive
20 GB hard drive
20 GB hard drive
30 GB hard drive
CD-ROM
Combo drive
Combo drive
Combo drive
Combo drive
12.1" screen
12.1" screen
14.1" screen
15.2" screen
15.2" screen
4.9 pounds
4.9 pounds
5.9 pounds
5.3 pounds
5.3 pounds
11.2" wide
11.2" wide
12.7" wide
13.5" wide
13.5" wide
9.1" deep
9.1" deep
10.2" deep
9.5" deep
9.5" deep
1.35" thick
1.35" thick
1.35" thick
1.0" thick
1.0" thick
137.6 CI
137.6 CI
174.9 CI
128.3 CI
128.3 CI
$1,199
$1,499
$1,799
$2,299
$2,999
To keep the size, weight, and cost of the original iceBook down,
Apple used a 12.1" 1024 x 768 display. It's gorgeous, but a lot of
people found the screen uncomfortably small. For those who wanted a
larger screen with more, larger
pixels, the alternative was the $2,299 PowerBook G4 with a 15.2"
1152 x 768 display. That's a wonderful solution, and it's the
computer we use to run Cobweb Publishing, but some people
complained the TiBook was too wide.
Apple had two options: use a 13" screen and make the iBook just
a bit bigger, but also make the pixels only a bit larger, or use a
14" screen to make both the pixels and the iBook more than just a
little larger.
As baby boomers are increasingly fitted with bifocals, the
larger screen becomes a real blessing. The drawbacks are increased
size, weight, and cost. The benefit is tapping into a very real
market unwilling to ante up for the PowerBook.
Internally, the big differences between the old iceBook and the
new 14" model boil down to a bit more memory (worth about $50 at
the Apple Store) and an extra hour of battery life (priceless?).
The real world premium, once you factor in the memory value, is
$250 for the larger screen.
Compared with the TiBook, the 14" iBook is 0.8" narrower, 0.6
pound heavier, 0.7" deeper, and 0.35" thicker. The TiBook comes in
at 128.3 cubic inches, the iceBook at 137.6, and the 14" iBook at
174.9, making it easily the bulkiest of the three portable
lines.
At $500 less than the 550 MHz TiBook, the 14" iBook provides the
same pixel size (much easier to read with aging eyes - or share
around a conference table), has a bit more memory, and costs $500
less. The 600 MHz G3 provides roughly comparable performance with
the TiBook's 550 MHz G4, although the G4 will be beneficial when
using OS X.
We should note that the TiBook does have a PC Card slot and
supports dual displays, two hardware features not matched by any
iBook.
The real value of the 14" iBook is hard to peg. The entry level
iBook as $1,199 is an indisputable bargain. The Combo drive version
at $300 more is a bit harder to justify, even with the extra 100
MHz of speed. It's a good value, but less so than the $1,199
model.
Is the "entry level" TiBook worth $2,299? As someone who bought
a 400 MHz $2,599 TiBook as soon as it shipped last January, I'd say
so. The TiBook is a premium computer with a premium display and a
compact form. The extra speed, larger hard drive (vs. 10 GB in the
G4/400), and the addition of a Combo drive at $300 less than last
year's model make the TiBook/550 an excellent value for those who
need more screen space than the traditional 1024 x 768 display
offers. (Yes, that extra inch is definitely worth it.)
As for the 667 MHz PowerBook G4, unless you plan on burning DVDs
to an external FireWire SuperDrive, I just can't see any reason to
go beyond the 550 MHz model.
For those comfortable with 1024 x 768 but unable to live with
the smaller iBook's 12.1" display, the 14" iBook is a real
alternative to the much more costly TiBook. In fact, I expect the
14" iBook will significantly cut into the TiBook market until Apple
can move the PowerBook G4 to the 733 MHz level and beyond,
Apple notwithstanding.
While the smaller iBooks are indisputably good values, the value
of the 14" iBook is entirely a personal decision. If the small
12.1" display works for you, great; if not, the 14" iBook provides
a real solution at a reasonable price.
Mac of the Day: Mac LC III, Feb. 1993 - The first LC without compromise: 25 MHz 68030 CPU, 32-bit memory, up to 36 MB of RAM.
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larger
pixels, the alternative was the $2,299 PowerBook G4 with a 15.2"
1152 x 768 display. That's a wonderful solution, and it's the
computer we use to run Cobweb Publishing, but some people
complained the TiBook was too wide.
