need help choosing between ibook or powerbook

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:36 am

hey mac-heads.... I need your help please...

My 333mhz g3 powerbook is getting old and doesn't meet the spec of most newer software. I still plan to use it to run a softsampler (and metasynth and LISA), but I have been meaning for a while now to get a new iBook or powerbook. Recently I have had the great pleasure of being invited to play a show in Berlin(!?!?!). I accepted and the show is a few months from now. Yikes!

This has added some urgency to my buying plans because I would love to run Live (or maybe Logic if I had to) on a new machine while I also trigger/play sounds from my old powerbook. So now I'm torn on the new machine and I need some help! iBook... powerbook... iBook... powerBook... argghh. head explodes.

This future laptop isn't meant to be solely dedicated to Live. I would also like to purchase Logic and use it to sequence audio+midi and run a few virtual synths and samplers and fx plug-ins. Eventually I want to buy a tower for those purposes, but portability is currently the most important thing, and that means I won't get that tower for a year or two. So ideally the laptop will have enough power to keep me busy/covered for the next year or so.

I know from reading here that I might not get the greatest results from Live if I run it along with other stuff (like Logic). If you could share your stories about how Live and Logic coexist (or didn't) for you on your powerbooks or ibooks I'd love to hear them!

Also, I've gathered from here that Live performs about the same with g3's and g4's... And that Live seems to run better in 9.x than it does in osX... is that still true? Of the new mac portables it seems only the iBooks can run 9.x. In light of my non-Live needs, should I possibly get a g4 powerbook? It's more expensive, but perhaps it is more future-proof? Will Live be stable enough under osX for me to perform in Berlin with it? Or should I stick with os9.x on an iBook? Will Logic, etc be too wimpy on the iBook?

Sorry for all of the questions, but your help is greatly needed!!
many thanks in advance,
scotty

p.s. Despite the superior track counts the pc folks get, I would like to stick with apple... I simply don't have the time or energy to stay on top of two platforms. So please no suggestions along those lines.

Alex Reynolds · Post by **Alex Reynolds** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 7:00 am

If you're patient, you may see a G5 PowerBook in a few months.

If you're forced to make a decision soon, a G4 will be worth it for the Altivec alone. A number of audio components make use of Altivec, present company aside, so a G4 will come in handy. And the PBs tend to have better video cards, faster bus, faster memory etc. in them which help OS X and apps run smoother.

When you compare the cost of an entry level 12" PB to a decked out 14" iBook, the PB is still a pretty good value.

I'm hearing rumblings of new 15" and 17" PBs within the next 5-7 days in any case. A little patience may save you money on an older PB rev or get you a little more performance for the same money you'd have planned to spend anyway.

Good luck,
Alex

scotty · Post by **scotty** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 3:25 pm

Thanks Alex! Unfortunately, I can't wait a few months on this purchase. I'm playing in December and will be doing most of my preparation during September and October. I too have read the rumors of new powerbooks to come in a week or so and I'm eagerly checking the mac related websites. I'm leaning towards getting a mid-level powerbook although I might consider getting an iBook if there were more compelling reasons.

Looking forward to people's responses...

Also to my previous post I should add that at some point I would like to get a firewire interface like the 828 mkII soon (but no hurry) for use with the iBook or powerbook and eventually to use it with whatever tower I end up buying. Just mentioning it in case that influences anyone's recommendations.

Thanks!
scotty

the dur · Post by **the dur** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 3:49 pm

None of the iBooks feature an audio input jack, but the Powerbooks do. This may seem trivial, but it's very handy.

Captain Magic · Post by **Captain Magic** » Wed Aug 20, 2003 4:40 pm

Go with a G4. Get the 15" with the 1GHz processor if you can afford it. Also, max out the RAM. You will be much happier in the end with the G4 over the G3 processors. I've got the 500MHz Titanium model and Live runs fine until I pile on the VST effects, then the stutters and flutters start.

muthafunka · Post by **muthafunka** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 1:57 am

'More is more. go for the 4'!! Like Alex said, maybe new Powerbooks in next 5-7 days so wait until then and get a 15" at discount and you can enjoy 9 and X on a beautiful machine. Also bear in mind that the 15" and 17" have the L3 cache that the 12" (and I assume the iBooks) do not.

nik

scotty · Post by **scotty** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 4:44 am

Thanks for pointing out that some of the powerbooks are dual-boot! For some reason I thought only the ibooks were still capable of that. nice... I'll definitely look into buying the 1Ghz 15" g4 when the new models come out! Thanks everyone!

And of course if anyone wants to still chime in on making Live and Logic work together (or compliment each other anyway) I'd still like to hear about it...

Thanks again,
scotty

Krzysztof · Post by **Krzysztof** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:12 am

Hello

I'm running Live on a PB 1 gig/1 gig ram....working just as fine as can be. I would also suggest the RME Multiface set-up.....a little rig like this will set you back in cash land, but boy does it ever fly. Logic is dreammmmy with this package aswell.....

have fun
Krzysztof

FORMAT · Post by **FORMAT** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 8:29 am

I would like to add my two cents:

I own a Powerbook G4 15", and despite the obvious performance bottleneck in Live (must be the Ableton engine as Logic performs much much better), I am very satisfied with it. If you want to work just in Live, I think an iBook would be the obvious choice (as performance is probably even better than on the PB), but as you're getting into Logic too, the G4 will definitely give you a power advantage.

The big plus on the PB is the screen size ---- handy when you're working with more than 8 or 9 tracks in Live. Still, screen resolution compared with a Sony Vaio 16" is meagre, but you want no PC ---- so there ya go.

I personally, if it weren't for Logic (which I just love and always have, so much so that I migrated from Cubase a long while back), I'd have gotten a Vaio. But now, what with "Freeze" and other great features, it's just marvellous.

For sheer future-proofness, and if you intend to become a "power user", go for any of the G4 PBs (preferably the 17" one, they're supposed to work quite well for audio and have DVD burning capability, and a larger screen of course). I don't reckon any G5 laptop will come out in the foreseeable future.

Hope this helps, if you have any questions feel free to contact me directly
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toyo · Post by **toyo** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 5:54 pm

hi,
I have got a G4 Powerbook 667mhz, one year old, i work with logic and live, also i edit video on this thing, and it works really well.
get a Powerbook, max the ram and you'll be very happy. i would also recommend a firewire audiocard, don't waste your money on a USB-thing.
and don't worry about a G5 powerbook, it's not gonna happen for a while.

let us know where in berlin you are playing

ciao

scotty · Post by **scotty** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 6:33 pm

Krzysztof, Format, toyo... What OS are you running Live under on your g4 powerbooks?

Toyo, I can't say any details about the show/festival at the moment because the organizers are still finalizing details/bands/etc. They should know more by the end of the month so hopefully soon after I can post the info.

Since the powerbook will suck me dry money-wise I plan to use it's built in audio outs for the show. I should be fine right? The audio outs on my 333mhz g3 powerbook have sufficed for shows in the past so I figure the newer powerbook will be similarly adequate. Later though, when I get more money saved up again I'll definitely go after some sort of firewireaudio interface.

thanks,
scotty

toyo · Post by **toyo** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 6:42 pm

hi scotty,
i am running my logic and live, and everything else, on X.
I don't have 9 on my powerbook anymore. but i also have to say that i just started out a few weeks ago making music on my powerbook, so far it worked really well, it crashed ones or twice, but with heaps of shit running in the background, I love OS X on my baby, but better get used to it before you do a gig live on a new system if you'd never used it before.
but this is just my opinion, and like i said, i just started making music.

dirtystudios · Post by **dirtystudios** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 8:35 pm

i'd go with two ibooks if you have the money. i had a tibook and it was neat and all, but it didn't feel that robust. it felt like if i looked at it funny it would break. the ibooks are tanks (the fact that mine died and apple won't fix it because of some bullshit technicality even though it's all their fault notwithstanding). this way, if one of you machines dies on you (*%$@#!) you'll still have another ready to go. plus two ibooks looks cooler on stage than one tibook.

k

image is everthing

Alex Reynolds · Post by **Alex Reynolds** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 8:47 pm

Or wait a week for the aluminium G4 Powerbooks, if durability is needed.

Yes, the titanium shell has a tendency towards scratches, bends and breaks if it is thrown around a lot. In that respect, the iBook is superior to the TiBook.

-Alex

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 9:19 pm

I bet two ibooks would look damn slick, unfortunately I don't have the cash! Truth is my wife is the next one in line for a computer, but I've been able to justify getting one for myself now because of the show ("pursuit of a dream" ya know?). Soooooo... funds will be tight! At least getting a powerbook (or iBook) will soften the pains of jealousy and envy that I will soon feel when my wife gets her new g5.

As for the show, I will be running Unity on my old powerbook (333mhz) and Live (hopefully) on a new powerbook or iBook. I'll try to be prepared for the worst. If the first machine goes down I will have prepared backup tracks/sounds in Live (on the second machine) that would roughly approximate my Unity samples (and performance thereof). If the second machine (with Live) goes down, then I will also have backing mixes prepared on minidisc and cdr which I can resort to. I might even dump loops from Live and map them to a few keys in Unity just to have on hand in case of an emergency. Hopefully these things will tide me over while I reboot the troubled machine... and if a reboot fails hold me until the end of the show if need be. Am I anal or what? :D

fingers crossed,
scotty