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)?

[bubbledave]

If the MBox USB is decent (even if there's only 1 USB port I won't be recording audio and using my USB Edirol keyboard at the same time) and I can use one of my LaCie 80 FW HDs I think it would probably be cool to buy a refurbished 12" PowerBook...I am trying to avoid cracking the $2K mark as this is just a secondary system. Is adding RAM to a PowerBook pretty easy? I was thinking 768 total for now should be cool, no? Do the refurbished machines have any drawbacks?