Comments on: 13″ Aluminum MacBook vs. 12″ PowerBook — Is the Unibody A True Successor?

By: Ray

Ray — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:12:40 +0000

Given that the advent of the 13″ MBP will attract more potential 12″ PB owners, I’ll add my experience.

My wife and I have had 12″ PB’s since they were first introduced. I still have mine (1.5GHz) while she traded her’s for a 2.13 GHz Air with an SSD.

My PB has been dropped countless times, the frame is separated from the top and bottom, I’ve had to pound out parts of the case enclosing the battery with a hammer, money is not an issue, yet I still have it. I cringe to think what dropping the Air would be like.

For anyone wondering about portability, 12″ at 5 pounds versus 13″ (2″ wider) at 3 pounds, the 12″ is portable, the Air is not nearly so. Lack of firewire turned out to be a non issue. Performance is nice on the Air but the 12″ get’s the same job done in the same time.

If you love your 12″ PB, Apple has yet to replace it. A 13″ MBP at nearly the same weight is a non-starter unless you really need the compute power. Neither the Air or the MBP is nearly as portable or, for lack of a better word, handle-able.

By: christopher sferrazza

christopher sferrazza — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:02:18 +0000

My wife loves the 12″ and complained about the 13″… so after reading all these comments… I guess she’s not so crazy. Change is difficult

By: Craigypoos

Craigypoos — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:28:05 +0000

Hi all,

I own a 2.4Ghz Uni Macbook and I have to say that compared to my old 12″ 1.5 PB (One of the very last to be made) which was max’d out on Ram, although I loved the form factor it isn’t even close to the Uni-MB.

The new screens are a million miles off the old for clarity, the speed of the machine is phenominal and I haven’t even put any extra ram in yet, the keyboard is a joy to work with and the backlight makes it fantastic to Blogg at bedtime.

Now with Snow Leopard OSX as well, it’s unbeatable, no Windoze laptop is as tactile and fun to use whilst running so reliably.

And last but not least, having the built in web cam, (something which most Power PC Mac’s missed out on except very late G5 iMacs) is fantastic, iChat is wonderful to use for V-Conferencing.

I loved my G4, but won’t really miss it that much now I have the new one.

By: brendon

brendon — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:16:07 +0000

I recently sold my MacBook Pro 15″ 2.5Ghz, which actually sold on eBay for more than I bought it for new. I had a 1.5Ghz 12″ PowerBook that I kept for travelling but didn’t use much. With the money I made from the MBP, I maxed out the RAM and upgraded the HDD in the PowerBook to 250GB. I have to say I’ve owned many Apple laptops (Older Wallstreet PowerBooks, Lombard, iBook x 4, 15″ TiBook, 15″ AlBook, MacBook Pro) and the best laptop I’ve ever owned in this one I’m typing on now – the 12″ PowerBook. Sure I wish it had a Intel C2D in it, but with a clean install of leopard and just the basics apps I need for work etc, this machine is simply amazing and Apple hasn’t made anything better that this yet.

By: AVM

AVM — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:55:23 +0000

Amen. I’ve been down a somewhat bumpy road with my 12″ 1.33 but now it seems solid as a rock running Leopard off a stealth 128 GB Silicon Power SSD. S’got a SuperDrive compatible DVD/DL burner and a 1 GB Crucial upgrade to add on to its 256 MB built in. Drives any LCD and rocks the wireless keyboard (Front Row!) and mouse. For those interested the RAM slot had intermittent problems until I took an Apple Store tech’s advice and looped just a little electrical tape between the cover and the chip. Reed switch problems too, probably my fault, annoyances cleared up mostly after second reassembly and are completely manageable with Insomnia.kext in the Dock. The SSD is its fifth hard drive, but will likely be its very last. It’s comforting knowing I probably won’t have to open it up again. After my latest repairs it really seems smooth as butter and super reliable. My new Mac Pro doesn’t replace this computer, but befriends it. I like a happy ending!

By: Devon

Devon — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:59:38 +0000

I sold my powerbook G4 12″ for an aluminum macbook, and I dreaded the decision. I loved the macbook! It truely is great! BUT like some other poster pointed out earlier, the size difference beteen the 13.3″ macbook compared to the 12.1″ powerbook is gargantual. Especially for me, as a college student, when I’m taking notes in class and sometimes the desks are tiny and you can only fit a notepad on it, the macbook was just too large for me and didn’t fit right. Also the Powerbook G4 fits better on my lap, than the macbook.

I sold my macbook aluminum, and now I’m shopping for the perfect 12″ powerbook G4. Unlike my macbook, my powerbook will NOT be my main computer. It will only be for campus use and coffee shop use. I’m gonna buy a new 24″ iMac when Apple introduces the 2010 line. But for now I’m gonna stick with the classic 12″ Powerbook.

By: M. Morsi

M. Morsi — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:10:24 +0000

I am a fan of 12″ PB, best laptop I have owned (Overall).

But my job paid for a 17″ MP a year ago, while it’s a sickening heavy and big computer, the performance is second to non, and being a heavy Photoshop/Illustrator/Indesign user it really has increased productivity by milestones, but I do miss my 12″ and I had to buy new bags to carry around my 17″.

But with firewire port i the new UMBP I am seriously considering down grading to the 13″.

I think it is a worthy contender to replace both my 12″ and 17″.

By: intru_so

intru_so — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:22:13 +0000

I was expecting this moment forward! … many PB12 on ebay. I have just taken a 1.5/1.25G/120HD and I am happy. I will be mad?

By: Ragnar

Ragnar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:37:39 +0000

Well, it’s here, the 13″ Macbook Pro with a better screen and firewire 800! It’s made me seriously consider the switch from my 1.3 G4, but I still can’t get myself to do it!! A matte screen option would help, but the 13″ just doesn’t sit in my arm the same and doesn’t fit in my bag on end like the 12″ does.

I may never have the same affection for another computer ever, I still love my G4!!

By: Mac Head

Mac Head — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:53:25 +0000

Right on the side…