Do I dare to buy an iBook?

October 12, 2005 11:17 AM

I'm planning to buy an iBook within the next 6 months -- hopefully before the end of the year. Should I incorporate the upcoming switch to Intel processors into my purchasing plans? Is it time to hurry up or wait?

Honestly, I really don't understand the practical consequences of the switch to Intel processors. I've seen some extreme reactions among the Mac faithful (Omigod!!111 I am never buying another Apple again!) but the general reaction seems to be quietly optimistic. Will it shorten the useful lifespan of my machine to buy right before the switch? Or should I be buying now in order to avoid the onslaught of WinTel evil? Does this even matter? Opinions and explanations appreciated.
The new iBook will be used for web surfing, word processing, iTunes and the like, if that makes a difference, though I don't want to end up with a machine that 6 months later, I can't get software for.

posted by junkbox to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

Best answer: As a Mac developer: We're going to be building for PowerPC for years to come. There's a huge installed base of PowerPC machines and they aren't going to magically turn into Intels overnight.

In fact, you're more likely to have problems with a new Intel box, since they're a whole new architecture with its own new set of issues to account for.

There's always going to be some great new thing on the horizon, but if you need a machine now, get it now.
posted by xil at 11:30 AM on October 12, 2005

Best answer: You shouldn't hestitate to buy one, I don't think. A lot of software will rely upon emulation in the early days of the new Intel Macs, and that is going to cost in performance. Plus, Apple is famous for having troubles with revision A hardware, and this is the mother of all revision As.

The last time they did a processor switch, the first of the new machines, well, sucked.

Either way, the changeover is likely to take easily as long as the probable lifespan of yr iBook, so you're not going to run out of software any time soon. And PPC iBooks have a much longer battery life than any intels I've so far seen.
posted by bonaldi at 11:33 AM on October 12, 2005

junkbox, I always suggest to people that they look at the Mac Buyer's Guide before purchasing any Apple hardware. This potentially saves you some buyer's remorse when the new product comes along - it'll be further into your ownership time.
posted by lowlife at 12:03 PM on October 12, 2005

In fact, you're more likely to have problems with a new Intel box, since they're a whole new architecture with its own new set of issues to account for.

Yes, I'd be more wary of buying a first gen Intel Mac. I'd leave them at least one gen to sort things out.
posted by carter at 12:18 PM on October 12, 2005

I'd wait for the Intel powerbook. But then I value the ability to dual boot in OSX or Windows.
posted by phildog at 1:38 PM on October 12, 2005

It should be fine. The switch isn't expected to begin for a full 9 months, which means there will be PPCs in circulation for a very, very long time.

As for dual-booting... there's no guarantee that the Intel-Macs will allow it anyway.
posted by I Love Tacos at 1:47 PM on October 12, 2005

→ As for dual-booting... there's no guarantee that the Intel-Macs will allow it anyway.

I seem to recall several reports that some Apple official said that they would not go out of their way to prevent Windows (or other OSes, I guess) from being installed on Intel Macs. But I suspect they won't go out of their way to make it easy, either.
posted by zztzed at 7:46 PM on October 12, 2005