Why I Chose iMac Over iBook

- 1999.11.24

The iBook is the number-one selling notebook, and it has helped push Apple's notebook market share to 11%. The new iMac is the evolutionary and ridiculously popular redesigned version of the revolutionary and ridiculously popular iMac. Why would Paulo Rodrigues (that's me!) choose the Tangerine iMac DV over the Tangerine iBook?

I would have carried the iBook around. I like the quality of TFT screens better than that of shadow-mask CRT displays.

The iBook, as cool as it is, didn't meet my specialized needs. I wanted a speedy system with a smooth keyboard and a foolproof pointing device. It would have to be a capable word processor, a speedy web surfer, and, during free time, a top-notch gaming machine with a clear and relatively loud sound system for playing CDs.

The iMac fits that entire description (yes, I am one of the chosen few who likes the Apple USB Mouse). The iBook, however, does not.

The iBook is the slowest computer in Apple's line. Yes the speed was shaved for heat and battery life reasons, but I want a computer that will remain speedy enough to stay competitively fast in the near future.

iMac DV 1, iBook 0

The Apple USB keyboard has ultra-smooth and quiet keys, with detents that seem just right. The iBook's integrated keyboard, like the Bronze PB G3's it's based on, seems rickety in comparison, and the keys seem oversized, making you stretch your fingers (and my hands are not small). Compared to PC laptops, it is great, but it seems Apple should have engineered it with desktop keyboards in mind.

iMac DV 2, iBook 0

The Apple USB Mouse is now less easily turned sideways, thanks to a dimple in the button; however, as much as I like the design, speaking on behalf of the average iMac user, it is not as user friendly as it should be. The iBook trackpad is easy to use and clean, but the surface feels uncomfortably grainy, and it is easy to bump. I'll call this a tie.

iMac DV 3, iBook 1

Both computers come with AppleWorks 5 and support numerous other word processing programs which operate similarly on either system.

iMac DV 4, iBook 2

Although they both have a 56k modem and 10/100 ethernet, the iMac excels because it has a faster processor and data bus, and more standard memory for those big graphics-, Javascript- and Java-filled websites. However, although both support AirPort wireless networking, the iBook uses it to its full advantage, since it is a portable in the first place (try surfing the Net out in the backyard on an AirPort equipped iMac - it's ridiculously inconvenient).

iMac DV 5, iBook 3

The iMac uses the ATI RAGE 128 VR in a 2x (133MHz) AGP slot, while the iBook uses the ATI RAGE Mobility (64 bit) in a 2x AGP slot. Because the 128 is about twice as fast as the Mobility, the iMac beats the iBook in graphics (and thus gaming as well).

iMac DV 6, iBook 3

The iMac DV uses the Harmon/Kardon Odyssey sound system (see Listen To The iMac). The iBook uses a single conventional notebook speaker. If you assumed the iMac sounds better, you're right. Also the iBook doesn't support the iSub, an optional subwoofer, so you'll have to buy a non-design-coordinated third-party speaker system to improve bass response.

The final score is: iMac DV 7, iBook 3

And that is why I bought a Tangerine iMac DV. Now you millions of fans can finally stop worrying. ;-)  

Further Reading

• iMac vs. iBook: The happy dilemma, Charles Moore, Applelinks, 11/26

Recent Content on Low End Mac

• Mac Pro overclocking, Windependence with Darwine, Blu-ray for Macs, and more, Mac News Review, 07.04. Also more on running Leopard on non-Apple hardware, Ubuntu on a Mac mini, the first autofocus webcam with Zeiss optics for Macs, and more.
• Wouldn't life be great with an iSlate?, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 07.04. PDAs and smartphones are too small for some tasks, full-fledged Tablet PCs are overkill, and ebook readers are too limited. Apple has the tech to own this niche.
• Mac of the Day: Original iMac G3/233, Aug. 98 - The Bondi blue wonder that bounced Apple back to profitability and into the public eye.
• List of the Day: Mac Pro List is for those using a Mac Pro.
  
• The Macintosh Portable started a notebook revolution, Carl Nygren, Classic Macs in the Intel Age, 07.03. Before Apple introduced the Mac Portable, notebook computers were text-based and ran MS-DOS. Ever since, graphical interfaces have been the norm for laptops.
• More links in our archive.

Go to the Tangerine Fusion index.

Tangerine Fusion begun 2000.02.29. All Tangerine Fusion articles ©2000-2001 by Paulo Rodrigues. � Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2008 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Advice presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
  LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
  Access our RSS news feed at http://lowendmac.com/feed.xml.
  Email may be published at our discretion; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. If you prefer your message not be published, mark it "not for publication." Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
  PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.
  Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iBook, iMac, eMac, iPod, PowerBook, MacBook, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.