12" iBook vs. "14 iBook


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What would you guys recommend for me, I want to do some video editing surf the net watch some dvd's etc. The resolution for the iBooks are the same. I'm really lost. is the 14" screen much bigger that I will be better off getting it?

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14? :p Well, seriously, I think 12 is too small for you considering what you expect to accomplish :) (at least the screen itself is bigger than 12. I'd feel so sick if I do video editing and watching DVD on a 12 ibook!)

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here is the thing I was looking at the same thing when I was going to buy a Notebook, I was going to get the 12" one but then I got a Windows Notebook, the iBook was just way to small. If I was you and you have the extra money get the 14' or even the PowerBook.

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Go with the 12". The 14" gives no additives aside from more weight. You'll fit the same amount of "stuff" on the screen with each, but everything on the 14" will be bigger. I've used the 12" doing what you do, and had no problems.

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You made a good decision going with the iBook, FatCat. I've had my iBook for over 2 years now and I still use it everyday.

In my opinion, the 14" would be the way to go for you. It has a bigger screen, which would make editing and reading a bit easier on the eyes. It has a faster processor and bigger hard drive standard, and the price difference is only $200. The powerbook is real nice but you probably don't need all that muscle unless you are going to be using it for some hardcore serious stuff, or have loads and loads of money. ;)

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I dunno, I use a 1600x1200@19" and 1280*1024@17" set of screens at home that have a LOT higher res than my iBook and I still want a higher res screen. Did I mention I run those screens at 70Hz and 60Hz, respectively? Yeah, I like my pixels tiny.

So, I got the 12" iBook G3 back when the only difference was going to a bigger screen and more memory (I think). To me, I like the smaller screen, because I'm not losing any screen space, but I'm getting a smaller and lighter laptop.

If you're seriously considering video editing, DO NOT GET AN iBOOK. They're good for surfing, programming, word processing, and even photoshop, but video apps suck on the iBook because the subsystem's not all that fast. After Effects was horrible on my iBook, and FCP just felt slow compared to what I'm used to. You'd be better off with a PB for something like that (or, ideally, a desktop).

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12"

I can't stand the look of the 14" and knowing how 1024x768 looks on a 14" screen compared to my 12", I don't like it at all. The 12 is much crisper to me.

The only reason I'd ever want the 14 is if there was an absolute dire need for the fastest processor. And if that was the case, I'd be looking at the low end 15" PowerBook.

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Knowing you and your style FatCat, I would say the 12"

The 14 inch screen is bigger but that means your pixels are going to be bigger. While I would recommend this for my mother, as she has a hard time seeing anything these days, I would not be recommending it to to many other people. With smaller pixels, you get a smoother, crisper picture. Try this out, take whatever monitor you are on right now, and switch the res to 1024x768 or if that is what you are already running, try 800x600. It totally looks like crap in my opinion. Grainy big picture, definitely not smooth.

On top of that, the 14" is bigger and heavier. Why in the world would you want that in a laptop? Just doesn't make sense unless you are gaining real estate, but in this case, you are not.

Tim is right, video editing is not a smart idea on an iBook. If you want to just mess around with it, then it will work, but you will definitely want something a little more powerful if this is going to be a constant activity for you.

I have a 12" powerbook and I have never found the screen to small in size. There are times, especially when using dreamweaver and occasionally photoshop that I wish I had more real estate, but that is just more resolution, not actual size of screen. When laying in bed, I keep the pbook at my knees typing, about 3 feet away and I have neowin's skin set to the small text version. It looks wonderful and is perfectly readable. I would really stay away from the 14".

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The 14 inch looks awkward and getting it is just going to give you stretched pixels and a lower quality lcd compared to the 12 inch. I'm getting a 12 inch iBook G4 next summer, once they've hit Rev. B. The 14 inch ibook must die.

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Tim is right, video editing is not a smart idea on an iBook. If you want to just mess around with it, then it will work, but you will definitely want something a little more powerful if this is going to be a constant activity for you.

The 12" comes in a 800MHz G4... that is plenty fast for editing video. I don't see why not. The only bottleneck would be the hard drive, which is only 4200 RPM, but I've edited movies in FCE and iMovie on this G3 iBook and it's plenty fast.

I don't see why this would be a problem, if you were putting this a few months before, the PowerBooks would have had the same specs and you'd be saying that they're fine for video. I think the iBook mentality is coming in saying that it's not a powerful enough machine, being that it was a G3 since it's incarnation as fruit colored clamshells. The new iBooks pack more than enough punch to do video editing.

Example, if it was an 800MHz PowerBook, I'm pretty sure the consensus would be that it's powerful enough. So why is the iBook any different now that the specs are pretty close.

Edit: Thanks SFNE Freak for tellin me about the 12" specs.

Edited by Bling3k12
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The 12" comes in a 800MHz G4... that is plenty fast for editing video. I don't see why not. The only bottleneck would be the hard drive, which is only 4200 RPM, but I've edited movies in FCE and iMovie on this G3 iBook and it's plenty fast.

I don't see why this would be a problem, if you were putting this a few months before, the PowerBooks would have had the same specs and you'd be saying that they're fine for video. I think the iBook mentality is coming in saying that it's not a powerful enough machine, being that it was a G3 since it's incarnation as fruit colored clamshells. The new iBooks pack more than enough punch to do video editing.

Example, if it was an 800MHz PowerBook, I'm pretty sure the consensus would be that it's powerful enough. So why is the iBook any different now that the specs are pretty close.

Edit: Thanks SFNE Freak for tellin me about the 12" specs.

I thought that RAM was extremely important when editing video. Since the iBook can only hold 640m and the powerbook can hole 1.25g, this would be a good reason. Also, the powerbook drives run at 4200 also unless you get a BTO.

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Nah...all of the 12" PB drives are 4200. You're thinking of the 15-inch or 17inch PB's. I'll be getting an external 80GB when I start editing along with 1GB of RAM (it should be down to around $300 by then).

By the way...I went to CompUSA yesterday. I'm in love with the PB's keyboard. Its so much more firm than the iBooks, not to mention more professional looking. Thanks for the opinions everybody!

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