| Product: |
Apple iBook 700-MHz |
| Date: |
11/06/03 (484 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: Timeless design, Very portable, Its simply beautiful
Disadvantages: Ram upgrade if only 128mb installed
I have been a PC user for almost 14 years. I have been using them regularly since my first job and have developed a good working knowledge in particular the Windows operating system. I decided recently to have a look for a new notebook PC. I tried everywhere looking for a compact system which offered great portability but still with desktop performance. I could not afford more than £1100. This would also be my main system at home. I had used a Fujitsu-Siemens lifebook for years but this was looking very old and was so big you had to carry it out around in a suitcase!
I was watching TV one night when an advert came on for the Powerbook. The advert caught my attention and filled my head with thoughts of making the switch to Mac. I went to PC World the very next day. There was no way I could afford £2700 for a top of the range Powerbook. Even £1400 for the entry level model would be pushing it with my dead end job so I decided to look for something less expensive. That's when I found the Ibook. I read up on the product for a couple of weeks. I was practically living on the Apple Website researching as much as possible. Then I made the plunge. I opted for a CD Rom only model as I would never be watching DVD's on the move. I also had an external Philips jack rabbit CDRW drive which I used with the lifebook, this was compatible with the ibook.
Surprisingly I got the 700mhz model with 20gig and 128mb ram for an incredible £699. This was just before Apple increased the processor to 800mhz and 900mhz and PC World had knocked £100 off the price. I couldn't wait to get home, the drive from Edinburgh was the longest ever but as soon as I got home and opened the box I was in love!!!!! This was true love!!!!!
The design is timeless. Finished in white, reinforced polycarbonate shell which claims to be practically 'bomb proof' and weighing in at 2.2kg. Even the Hard drive is encased in rubber to make it shock resistant. I haven't d
ropped it yet though to test this and I think if it were to drop I would likely cry! The Keyboard is great and very quiet which means even if you are typing in a public place the noise will be kept to the minimum. The 12.1" screen is very sharp and I don't notice the 2" drop in size from my old system. A 14" Ibook is also available but this does not seem as cute. The Cd rom drive also seems solid as I use this extensively.
I use the Mac mainly for music creation and having a mess around with Photoshop version 7. I have also used Bryce and UZR 3d (design programs) and these programs run perfectly. A 700mhz system may on paper compared with the Intel chipset seem slow but I can assure this is not the case. We will soon be on an Intel Pentium 27 with a 10 gig processor or something like that but I feel the Mac uses the processor more intelligently as I have noticed no drop off in system performance. The one thing I would recommend is upgrading the ram. The system comes with 128mb which is dissapointing. I added a further 256mb which made a huge difference. I believe that the operating system Mac OSx uses 128mb alone so an upgrade would be a wise investment. The spare slot for the Ram can be upgraded to 512mb making a total of 640mb with the 128mb built in. I believe the bigger processor ibooks now come with 256mb ram built in.
The included connections are great. 2 usb, 1 firewire (400), phone connector for net access and Ethernet port for creating a network. The system also comes with a VGA out connector so if you feel flush you can treat yourself to a flat screen apple studio display which is all powered from the Ibook via the supplied connection. There is also a headphone port which can connect to a stereo system and gives great sound quality. If you are seriously into music and want to input music to the ibook the iMic is the ideal purchase as it turns a USB port into an audio out or in at the flick of a switch.
The b
attery life is also fantastic. Apple claim 5hrs. That may be based on the system doing very little but I have had upto 4hrs with everything blazing and ripping CD's etc. Compared to my other system which ran for 85mins.
The trackpad mouse is also quite good and ideal if you are on the move. If you plan to use the ibook as a home system though an external mouse is a worthwhile investment.
I have owned this product now for over 3months and it is without doubt the best purchase I have ever made. I have been so won over with Apple products that I am trying to convince my friends and family to make the switch. That though will take some doing. No longer am I tied to Windows systems. In a way its a two finger salute to the world of P.C's and Windows. Although I am at work at the moment typing this review on a Windows system so perhaps I should shut up.
I cant recommend this product enough. If you are a power user this may not meet the requirements you have but if you are looking for a system to use at home and take on the road from time and are not running monster applications or programs you will have no problem at all. The price was also fantastic. I had enough left over for an external mouse and other peripherals.
The system itself is only half the issue. If the operating system wasn't any good the product wouldn't be any good. I can safely say that after years of using Windows, Mac OSx, which is supplied with all new Macs is the most user friendly OS I have ever used. My ibook must be on for at least 4-6 hrs everyday and not once I have had an issue with the product or the operating system. The operating system is so good I could do another review for that.
I hope this review has been helpful to you. If you are considering switching to Apple check their website which is fantastic. Its packed full of information and the support section is first class. If you decide to purchase an ibook I hope you find the
same pleasure in the product that I have.
Summary:
|
|
