15" Combo or Superdrive

[cyberprince]

Hey guys. More than a month ago I posted on here that my powerbook was on its way. However due to continuous delays I am told it might arrive next week. At this point I don't know if I can wait anymore. This purchase has been months in the making.

I am told that there is a 15" Combo Drive available and I am considering getting it instead.

One of the reasons why I opted for the SD model is the backlit keyboard which is a feature that I have always wanted in a laptop (for use when all the lights are off). I know I will also be loosing the DVD-RW capability and getting a lower capacity drive and memory (If ever, I will definitely pay for an additional 256MB or 512MB RAM with my savings).

But aside from these above mentioned items what else is the difference? Is there a compelling reason to get the SD over the Combo Drive model.

Will 1.33 GHz vs 1.5 GHz make a big difference?

Here are my common tasks and the programs I will be using.

1.) Webdesign (Dreamweaver)
2.) Graphic Design (Photoshop)
3.) Amateur Video Editing (Final Cut)
4.) Office Applications...lots of work on Word, Excel & Powerpoint
5.) Email & Internet
6.) Page Layout & Design (In Design)
7.) Music (I-Tunes)

Your input and suggestions highly appreciated.

[shrubber]

i suggest you wait out for the superdrive.

also i think there's a thread regarding combo vs superdrive somewhere here.

[catrina]

i agree. wait for the superdrive. its really worth it. i first got it so i can burn my videos on dvd but now its i use it for backing up my data, burning my pictures, presentations and all that

the best thing about it is that the capacity of a dvd disc is 4.4 mb and its only P6 vs 650-700mb for P5.50

[peter_ob]

I have the 15" 1.5 Ghz Superdrive so I'm biased. :roll:
Seriously if you can afford it I'd wait it out. You'll knock yourself in the head when the time come for you to need those extra features that are missing from the combo.
Here's comparison of the powerbooks.

[Kelvin]

Good things come to those who...

But seriously, you'll never know when the backlit keyboard will come in handy. I find it useful when combined with WiFi, surfing on your bed 'til you fall asleep

[Edited on 12-7-2004 by Kelvin]

[super_ed]

hi cyberprince, i'm doing every tasks you enumerated except the video editing, and i can say a superdrive will save you from bunch of cdr's. but if you're really serious in video editing, i hope you've tried working on a 17"; editing video (time line) on a wider screen would be different, base on my experience on flash. i use a 15 powerbook, 1.25Ghz, 512 Ram.

[cyberprince]

I know what you guys mean about having a DVD-RW. I just got a Dual Layer DVD-RW drive for my desktop PC and am thrilled about being able to save so much onto one disk. If I get the Combo it means I won't be able be able to use iMovie with iDVD either; heard that's a cool thing to do!

But it is also a 30K difference is price.

[Edited on 12-7-2004 by cyberprince]

[freelancer]

If I could afford it (and if I needed it, for that matter), I would get a 15" Superdrive with maxed out RAM (yeah baby!).


Wait na lang. Or contact a different supplier.

[chairman]

I have the 1.5 GHZ Superdrive and all I can say is that it's worth the extra money. In fact I kinda regret not opting to have the video card upgraded from 64 to 128mb because i use my powerbook with an external display often.

The extra RAM, 200ghz processor speed, bigger hard disk, and superdrive more than make up for the price diff. As for the back lit keyboard, that's one feature that i thought i'd use but i hardly use it. The glare from the screen makes it hard for me to see the keys so I just try to work at a place where there's light.

[nargalzius]

with regards to the 1.33 vs. 1.5Ghz debate, i wouldn't really know since my pbook is my first Apple ever.

With regards to the super/combo drive issue - it really depends on how you burn. I for one have a superdrive (and was an early adpopter of DVD burners) but I can honestly say, though it is extremely useful at times, I don't really burn that much to dvds since I trust CDs more at the moment.

Until now DVDs still can't get their standards straight so unlike CD optical technology which has been "perfected" to some extent. DVD in any write-able format is still considered to be at its infancy.

There's no doubt about the capacity at which they are able to burn, but the big thing for me is if they can burn discs that will last like cds at least (and burnt cds themselves don't last long too btw).

So unless you absolutely need to burn stuff gigs at a time for transport (and prefer not using external hard drives, et all), then I actually recommend the combo since mas masusulit mo siya.

But I prefer pa rin the superdrive since the backlit keyboard is REALLY something else hehehehe, but i'm biased of course