Absolutely Awesome (15" Aluminum PB)
Written: Jun 18 '04 (Updated Sep 28 '04)
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Pros: Wide Screen, lightweight, fast processor speed, ergonomically correct
Cons: Battery life, no IrDA, minor problems with latch
The Bottom Line: Work on a machine you'll love. The Aluminum PB is a gem to work with. Sturdy, fast, beautiful, stunning. You won't regret it.
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| Chess613's Full Review: Apple PowerBook G4 15.2 in. (M8980LL/A) Mac Notebo... |
I bought this laptop as a birthday gift for me this week when I saw it on the Hot Deals section in Apple - it's a refurbished 15" Aluminum Powerbook. My trusty Pismo was stolen in a house break-in and I had to have a laptop - and with me, I have to have what I want, not just what will make do. So I saved up and went all the way with the Aluminum PB. I worried it would be too big for my bag and I had heard horror stories on the net about "white spots" problems with the screens and the machine getting really hot. I went for it anyway.
As with most Macs (and this will be my eighth mac in my lifetime - and all of those machines, save one, still work perfectly), this was was operational right out of the box. No words are needed to express how dazzling the 15.2" LCD screen is - I watched "Raging Bull" last night on it and I didn't have to go to full screen mode because the medium size was good enough for me. No glares, none of the flimsy screen problems I had with Pismo (too much pressure on the screen can damage it). The computer itself feels very solid - nothing plastic and nothing painted. Getting on the internet took - no joke - less than a minute. I have DSL and these were the only steps to take: open up System Preference; then Network; then go to TCP and select "using PPP"; then go to the PPPoE tab; then plug in your name and password you have for your DSL connection. That's it. Plug in the ethernet cord and connect! From a person used to remembering the DNS address and submask numbers and so on, you can't imagine how much of a joy it is to get online quickly and easily. After the setup, getting online is as easy as hitting the ethernet button on the upper right corner and connect. Apple has been brilliant in streamlining technology, making things painstakingly easy for the user - and considering the software and the hardware is all made by one company, it make it all the easier. This is one of the reasons I'll always be a diehard Mac fan. Also - with the Pismo, which I loved and will always be one of my favorite machines to work with, you had problems with the screen getting marked up by the keypad. I've only had the AlPowerbook for a week, but I don't think I'll have that problem. The keyboard is different in that the edges are rounded off so as to not mark the keyboard. I could be wrong and find marks later on, but I think Apple fixed this problem.
Ok.. moving on to some of the cons.
Hate to say it but the battery life appears to be dismal. I've charged the battery all the way and I still get less than 2 hours charge. Luckily I have an Electrovaya PowerPad which will give me additional 6 plus hours (check out my review on the PowerPad - I bought it for my Pismo and it works just as well on the Aluminum PB). It's a shame the battery life in most of the powerbooks have fallen short of expectations. I wouldn't be surprised if the batteries die soon, much like the earlier generation G3 Powerbooks. I also miss infrared. On the Pismo, I could HotSync my i330 phone/PDA via infrared with ease. As of now, I'm forced to buy a cable for the laptop so I won't have to carry my cradle with me. A minor bug for me are the positioning of the ports. When I'm in my bed, the ethernet cable is to the left side of me - but the port is on the right. So I don't have a real choice where the ports are. When the ports were in the back of the machine in earlier generations, it wasn't a problem. It's real ticky-tack stuff and once I go wireless, it won't be a factor.
To sum it up, this machine is simply brilliant. I do a lot of creative writing, and it's much easier to get inspired when you know you have a blazing fast notebook that's both beautiful, powerful and sturdy to work with. Another note: very easy to transfer files from one mac to another - get a firewire cable, turn your PB off, hook the PB via firewire to yoru desktop, turn on your PB while holding the T button down - and your PB turns into a external hard drive on yoru desktop! Once again, real simple. That's how life should be. Don't go to war with your computer. Go mac and be happy.
UPDATE: June 21, 2004
I should let you guys know that the 1 Gig is the only Aluminum Powerbook that does NOT have the illuminating keyboard (what a bummer) and I still haven't been able to get the battery to charge over one hour. Still a great powerbook but just wanted to let you know this stuff. Also, the screen can be marked by the keypads. So buy a cover to place between the keyboard and the screen. Still give it 5 stars.
UPDATE: June 25, 2004
There have been reports online about warping of the laptop and latch problems. I am noticing some slight warping, where the screen is not flush with the bottom part of the laptop when I close it - it's not a major issue as of now. It's speculated that it's the heat of the Powerbook that causes the warping. Others have reported the warping being at the bottom of the laptop, where it won't lay flat on a desk. I haven't seen that at all, but it's something to keep in mind.
There are also reports of problems with latch on the powerbook where it won't stay closed. I am experiencing problems like this but it's usually solved by closing firmly or "pinching" it shut. Apparently, there's an L hook that hooks the computer shut but needs a little help. Still not a problem. And I still give it five stars.
UPDATE: September 28, 2004
Figured it would be fair to do an update now that I've owned the machine for over three months now. I've grown very accustomed to it, and I've been able to add all sorts of free doo-dads to it to make computing easy and fun. I love surfing in coffee shops with this machine and I've begun to get back into music production - let me say that using this laptop for music production is a dream come true. Applications like Live, Cubase, Audio Hijack and of course GarageBand works like a breeze - no frequent crashes like I had to deal with on my Pismo. USB audio interfaces like MBox and the Edirol boxes work perfectly.
As far as durability is concerned, the powerbook is holding its own. Problems I thought I may have with the latch is not an issue - it's still a bit warped (the LCD doesn't lay flat with bottom part of the comptuer when closed) but the latch does secure (just shut it firmly). With my Pismo, I had a problem with the LCD screen where it was coming apart and the screen turned green and I had to pinch the screen to get it back to its original color. No such problems with the Aluminum PBook. Still very light, still a dream to type on. Still give it five stars.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 1650
Operating System: Macintosh
Processor: PowerPC G4
Processor speed: over 1000
Screen Size: Greater than 15 inches
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: CD-RW and DVD
Hard Drive (GB): Over 50
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Epinions.com ID:
Chess613
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Location: Piedmont, CA
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Playwright, composer, all around good guy. Lifelong Mac man and chess player.
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