which apple laptop?

[solowproductions]

ok well im not sure if I'm in the right place forgive me if im not i was going to put it in the computers forum but it says nothing video related and im not sure if this would count. I searched but couldnt really put all the information together I gathered to answer my own question so I am asking for your help. but to the point I am looking for a good laptop for video editing. I am thinking a apple g4 but I dont know too much about computers and I don't know if there is a specific model I should look for. I found a few on ebay for like $1,000+ but they also have others for $2,000+ which have more ram and memory and what not so obviously i would think the one with more memory would be better but I would appreciate any input if there is any other options I may have that may be a better buy for my money and where else I might could find what I am looking for. I am new to this computer editing all my previous work has been done with a casablanca so I'm not sure what to get. I will be using premier pro 7.0 most likely and will be doing just basic uploading and editing from mini dv and exporting to dvd or back to mini dv then use my friends pc for the dvd burning if the laptop is not equiped with a dvd writer. Budgetwise I am probly looking at around 2,000-2,500 or so but I may get lucky and get more than I expect. Also just a simple answer with a model number would be appreciated cause I dont know all to much about computers. All help will be appreciated thanks.
-Zach

[tgpo]

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/72901/wo/VU1oKsEZIO1W3....1.1.1.0.0.1.0

Any of those will do ya' just fine

[sjk]

tgpo[/url]]Any of those will do ya' just fine

But your link with an embedded WebObjects session ID won't.

[tgpo]

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wo/StoreReentry.wo?family=PowerBook

This one should work

[solowproductions]

well thanks you very much. I will probly go with the 15in for $1999. Appreciate the link and the help.

[sjk]

And buy as much RAM as you can afford. It's significantly cheaper from third party vendors than Apple, e.g. a 1GB DDR333 DIMM from transintl.com is $169. Some people have system stability issues using third party RAM but I haven't had troubles buying from a reputable dealer that acknowledges Macs. I'd avoid buying from Bob's Bargain Basement.

Also, video performance can benefit from more VRAM (look under May 25th, 2005 -- PowerBook VRAM -- get the 128M option or is 64MB sufficient? on that Bare Feats page for some examples) but the upgrade from 64MB to 128MB is only available with the 1.67GHz model. FYI, right now there's a refurbished 17" PowerBook at the online Apple Store for the same price ($2299) as a new 1.67GHz 15".

Enjoy your new system, whichever you end up with.

[snuffy51]

Definately check the refurbs at Apple. having had two refurbished products from them, I am more than satisfied. Both were impossible to tell from a new unit. Same warranty as a new computer applies.

[solowproductions]

well you guys have been a big help with my research, I think I understand now and hopefully I can put in a order once I get home for one. I will keep you updated on my decision and what i pay etc. and how I like it. Comments are still welcome and appreciated. thanks.

[galactica]

If you are a student, dont forget about the student discount. Otherwise the referbished models are excellent. 2 of my past powerbooks have been referbs and there has never been a problem. I think they are just unsold old models when a new one comes out [or if you time it like that that is]

on a side note: wow, i have not posted in a long time! Look what happens when life gets in the way

[solowproductions]

lol i know what u mean. So student discount? How much? I didnt know that this just keeps getting better and better. Thanks snuffy for pointing out the refurbished section I didnt know about that either, and thank you galactica for telling me about the student discount info. Thats awesome. BTW a little of topic if ur name is after that game (galactica) that game is fun. And appreciate the info sjk about the ram and all that I dont really know too much in that category but that helped clear it up. Well I found one in the refurbished section for like $1699 I think I might go with but I still havent definately decided. It sounds pretty good to me
512MB DDR333 SDRAM
80GB Hard Drive
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (64 MB DDR)
AirPort Extreme
Bluetooth 2.0 + Enhanced Data Rates
Backlit keyboard
let me know what you think and after the student discount hopefully it will be even cheaper.

[sjk]

Actually it was me who first mentioned the refurb possibility

[galactica]

galactica came from the show battlestar galactica that i use to be addicted to long ago

The student discount doesnt apply to referbished models. If you are thinking of getting that one for 1699 however you could get the following

15 " powerbook
$1,799.00 [with student discount. this is only 100 more than what you were going to get]
Estimated Ship: Within 24 hours
Free Shipping
15.2-inch TFT Display
1280x854 resolution
1.5GHz PowerPC G4
512MB DDR333 SDRAM
80GB Hard Drive
ATI Mobility Radeon
9700 (64 MB DDR)
Backlit keyboard
Gigabit Ethernet
FireWire 400 & 800
Analog audio in/out
DVI & S-Video out

This would be the brand new 15". The specs you list sound like this same one however. So see if the processor speeds are not the same. If its same one i would just get the referb cause its 100 less than the student discount

G

[solowproductions]

sorry sjk for not given u the credit I was going of memory i didnt look through the posts but thanks to you then. Good lookin out that sounds better new than a refurb although they say the refurbs are just as good from what I've been hearing but new is always nice. I may end up with the refurb but idk though. My fathers trying to presuade me into getting this dell I think but I'm a lot more confident with the apple, but this is the specs on the dell
Inspiron 1200 notebook
Intel Celereon M Processor 350
1.30GHz 1mb cache 400MHz FSB
Microsoft Windows XP home edition
256mb shared DDR SDRAM
40gb hard drive
24x cd burner/DVD combo
Dell 1350 Wireless PC card
Inegrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
for $545
now he was saying I could get an apple but we just found out how much tuition is going to be and I think he is wanting to save some $$ because it was more than what we planned (the laptop is going to be for college were I will be studying television broadcasting). I know the apple is obviously the best choice but for the money would that dell be worth it and will it work for video projects? I'm pretty set on the apple so I'm still aiming for that but if I could save $1,000 for tuition it may be for the better for the time being until later. Or if anyone has any other suggestions that may save money then let me know. I know this isnt mac oriented but I'm already here so might as well. Thanks again for all the help everyone has been giving me and hopefully I won't have to many more questions.

[galactica]

if you are money tight the iBook series is about your only option

All i can say is NOOOOOOOOOOOO DUDE, DONT GET A DELL

Why do you think that baby is 545. Cause it will fall apart after about 2 weeks.

Ultimately its your call. Do you spend more and get somehting thats going to last and be a solid machine for probably all of your college [is it college? or gradschool] years.

The iBooks are good, they are solid and perform well. They are not made of the same case materials and dont have the neat back lit keys, some specs are less, but then again its not as $$

I know you can get the 12" [which i highly recommend for school bound users] for about 1000$

My wife went back to school and i got her that and she was the only one in a class of 200 with a mac. As of today, 1 year later there are 20 mac laptos all because of hers

Im in a graduate program, sport the 12" powerbook and i personally have sold 10 of them to my classmates. Its too bad i get no kickback, but the great thing is that people buy them and use them and love them. They practicly sell themself

just look at the dell and compare it to the powerbook. there's no way a person wouldnt say man id rather have that black plastic thing

[noconclusion]

My girls Dell (lappy) just died. Just boof. 2 months out of warranty too... She's now using one of my old powerbooks. G4 PB500 Ti. Not that I want to talk you out of getting a sexy new edition but depening on your video needs you can capture, edit and output video just fine on them old PB's. I use workstations now but that PB was used for years with FCP, DSP etc. and now is doing fine in her hands. Even hooked up to the Wireless network and wot not. Hit ebay or summin. It's great to have fast render times and loads or real-time layers but that isn't going to be a huge issue for you if you're just starting out at college...

I'd also factor in the apps you need, which the college course uses, where you want to end-up job wise etc etc.

If it's a FCP type college then it seems a bit dumb to get a Dell but if it's an Avid place then maybe you can get either with a slight lean towards Win/Dell.

If I was you I'd do everything I could to get a mac unless it really was a Win environment you were going too. But even then...

noconclusion

[solowproductions]

yea I agree with you guys I definately want to get the apple, I am goin with the dell as a last resort if I absolutely cannot go with the apple. I'll put up my small savings if I have to even though I would have to clean out my account, but if he still wont go for it then I'll have to deal with the dell. I was just checkin to see if it would even be any good at all. Appreciate the replies again but I'm goin back to the apple store (online) and checkin out some more refurbs and doing some more research so I can get what I need. Thanks for all your help.

[thoughton]

By the way, depending on where you live, the education discount could also apply if you are a TEACHER. (My wife is a teacher )