Apple introduced the
colorful clamshell iBook in July 1999 as a lower cost alternative
to the PowerBook G3.
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?
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500 MHz iBook
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600 MHz iBook
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14" iBook
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TiBook/550
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TiBook/667
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500 MHz G3
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600 MHz G3
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600 MHz G3
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550 MHz G4
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667 MHz G4
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128 MB RAM
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128 MB RAM
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256 MB
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128 MB
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256 MB
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15 GB hard drive
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20 GB hard drive
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20 GB hard drive
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20 GB hard drive
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30 GB hard drive
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CD-ROM
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Combo drive
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Combo drive
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Combo drive
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Combo drive
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12.1" screen
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12.1" screen
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14.1" screen
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15.2" screen
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15.2" screen
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4.9 pounds
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4.9 pounds
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5.9 pounds
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5.3 pounds
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5.3 pounds
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11.2" wide
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11.2" wide
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12.7" wide
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13.5" wide
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13.5" wide
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9.1" deep
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9.1" deep
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10.2" deep
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9.5" deep
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9.5" deep
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1.35" thick
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1.35" thick
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1.35" thick
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1.0" thick
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1.0" thick
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137.6 CI
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137.6 CI
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174.9 CI
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128.3 CI
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128.3 CI
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$1,199
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$1,499
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$1,799
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$2,299
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$2,999
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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.
