Question:
Apple 15" Powerbook Pro or Not....
Well - I've been stuck trying to find out what notebook to get....with the wide range of brands and configurations available out there - I'm thoroughly confused...I'm getting a notebook to replace my Sager 4780 - which is a awesome notebook - lasted over three years and still going fast! - downside is the Sager 4780 is HUGE....I thought I could deal with the size while travelling - I was a fool for beliving that...battery life sucks big time, the battery life was no better then 90 minutes when new, now less then 10 minutes fully charged (expected after three years)...anyways, here are some answers from the faqs
General Questions
1) What is your budget?
no more then $3000 with three year warranty
2) What size notebook would you prefer?
b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen
c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen
3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?
Gaming for sure - I want this new notebook to be able to handle games!
Additionally word docs, spreadsheets, movies, online surfing
4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?
Yes for sure - I travel four days a week to different cities...
5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?
Games like Halo2, Empires at War, and would like to play online 1st person games
6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?
I like the Apple 15" Powerbook Pro for its features, but I heard its not good for games
Not a fan of Dell - had customer service issues with them before - new laptops are thick
No Compaq either
No Sony - had two - 12" locks up on overheating issues and a 14" with same problem
7) How many hours of battery life do you need?
Three hours - am I asking too much?
8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?
No
9) What country are you buying this in?
USA
10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?
Widescreen
11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?
Widescreen
d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.
12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?
Glossy screen
13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?
Function is more important - style is next
14) How long do you want this laptop to last?
Three Years
15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?
About 100GB
16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?
Yes - DVD-RW
I almost purchased a 15" Apple Powerbook Pro w/ 2.16ghz duo and the 256mb ATI card for about $2560+tax with 3 year warranty - I like the features Apple packed in the small footprint and 1" thick laptop - I would use the Tiger to do all office applications but I'm not convinced the laptop will run MS windows (for games) well...so here it is...HELP! and wish me luck...sigh...
Answer:
Re: Apple 15" Powerbook Pro or Not....
I would think something like the Asus W3j might be a better fit. The x1600 on the Mac is underclocked. They also run warm.
Answer:
Re: Apple 15" Powerbook Pro or Not....
Just to bring a little truth and a little less stereotype. The MacBook Pro will run just about any of today games. Remember, laptops (esp. 15" and under) are not meant to be REAL gaming rigs, no laptop in this class will run a game like Oblivion at max. Those that say they do are lying or don't really know. Most games that are out will play fine with the MBP using Boot Camp and Windows.
I see you (and alot if others) metioned Halo 2. Good luck. There are only a handful of laptops out today that will run that game at playable levels. That game is going to be Microsofts DX10 flagship. I'll say it again, good luck running that with anything less than 7800.