New I-book, ibook vs powerbook Options

[14Angel]

I'm just about to buy a MAC notebook and I'm still trying to decide whether to go for an ibook or a powerbook. If I were going for the Ibook. It would be the new 1.2 GHz G4 with 512MB and a superdrive.

The alternative is a 15" Powerbook, but this works out at least 600 EUR more even if I just go for an upgraded 15" Combo (512MB RAM, superdrive).

I know the backlit keyboard is nice (and also extra) but I basically seem to be paying an extra 33% for a slightly faster processor (1.33 GHz vs 1.2 GHz) and a faster type of RAM and system bus.

I know there used to be quite a difference between ibooks and powerbooks, but it seems to me (though undoubtably a newcomer to MACs) that with the recently launched models the difference has now become quite slim.

Any opinions? Should I go for an even higher RAM spec (I plan to use it for basic digital recording and as a synth/sampler/noise looper)?

[dixiechicken]

The slightly faster processor will not mean very much as speed or performance goes.

Faster ram and faster systembus will make a difference.
However that will be will negated if you have a slower internal harddrive
(i.e. AT/IDE-100 drive with 4200rpm/5400rpms)

Fast systembus, & fast harddrive, together with a fast graphics card
and fast ram will yield the greatest benefits, performance-wise.
CPU-speed is the least important factor.

When we're talking ram memory the golden rule is simple,
get as much ram as your computer can handle .

Mac OS-X has many strong points, however speed and resource-efficiency is NOT
among those.
Managing the memory thats available for Mac OS-X system though,
is done in an efficient manner, like all *nix/Linux os:es.

Cheers: Dixiechicken