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)?

[lushbudget]

Hey there - I just gotta say that there are some MAJOR differences between the G4 iBooks and the PowerBooks - especially where musicians are concerned!
For one there is the RAM deal - PowerBooks can hold up to 2gb, iBooks only 1.25gb - the more plugins and tracks you use, the more RAM you need to avoid lags and latency. Also, PowerBook RAM is faster, PC2700 RAM that runs at 333Mhz VS. the iBook's 267Mhz PC2100 RAM. More speed means better overall performance and less waiting for your work to become sound!
Secondly there is the VideoRAM. 32Mb is the Max on an iBook, 128Mb (max) or 64Mb (standard) for a PowerBook. If you plan on pushing a big display and making use of OS X's awesome video spanning, you'll be glad you have the extra power to handle the video rather than taxing your CPU for the job, thereby leaving your G4 free to handle more audio tasks!
Third there is the system bus. 133Mhz on an iBook, 167Mhz on a PowerBook - more push, less pull! And the L2 cache isa bit faster on a PowerBook as well (keeps often used instructions in RAM rather than on the HD so...it's faster!)
One last thing, and I think this is important cause I use it and know others that do too - The PBooks come with Gig-ethernet, which is 100% faster than T/100. If you use a music file-server like we do at my little studio, that extra speed makes ALL the difference in getting a job done! Moving huge audio files from the server to my PowerBook takes seconds, but with my wife's G3 iBook it takes minutes.
I know they seem a lot alike, but under that snazzy aluminum case if a WHOLE lot more Mac, and well worth the investment if you plan on using it as your main machine. I have a Titanium PowerBook G4 87Mhz that I use during live shows/rehearsals, etc. I LOVE it and am glad I spent the extra $ last year when I bought it.
My bass player has a G4 iBook, and I had to use it during a gig because my TiBook was in the shop getting a new SuperDrive. I gotta tell you, I truly noticed the diference in performance!
The iBook ran out of RAM quickly when I loaded my Live 3 scenes, and I had to trim them back in order to play them. I was unable to use all the plugins I had running on my real instrument tracks in ProTools, having to cut them by a third. also, I was limited to playing back 8 tracks of audio (heavily effected and processed) as opposed to my usual 12. The iBook was a G4 1Ghz with 640Mb of RAM.
Don't get me wrong, the iBook is a rockin' Mac - but if you really need all-out performance, then the PowerBook is the way to go!
If my 867Mhz TiBook can smoke a 1Ghz G4 iBook, then there MUST be some major differences!
Jason T
AKA lushbudget

Titanium PowerBook G4 867Mhz, 1Gb RAM
PowerMac G5 Dual 2Ghz, 1Gb RAM
MBox - Edirol PCR-30 - Digitech DSP128
ProTools LE 6 - Ableton Live 3 - Reason - GarageBand
Amplitube LE - SampleTank 2 - T-Racks -