New 12" PowerBook - Only $300 more than iBook

Yesterday Apple released new G4 PowerBooks.

Much has been said in the past about the high cost of the 12" PowerBook relative to the 12" iBook. With yesterday's updated features and the price drop, I believe the 12" PowerBook is now a comparatively good deal. If one matches the specifications of the iBook to the PowerBook, the price difference is only US$300:

12" iBook
• 1.2 GHz G4 7447A with 512 KB L2 cache
• 133 MHz bus
• 512MB DDR266 SDRAM (256MB built-in & 256MB SO-DIMM)
• 60GB Ultra ATA drive
• Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
• AirPort Extreme Card
• Bluetooth Module
• ATI Mobility Radeon 9200 w/ 32MB DDR video memory
$1199

12" PowerBook
• 1.5 GHz G4 7447B with 512 KB L2 cache
• 167 MHz bus
• 512MB DDR333 (256MB built-in + 256MB SO-DIMM)
• 60GB Ultra ATA drive @5400rpm
• Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
• AirPort Extreme Card
• Bluetooth built-in
• nVidia GeForce FX GO 5200 with 64MB DDR Video Memory
$1499

Benefits one gets for $300 with the new 12" PowerBook:

300 more CPU MHz
33 more bus MHz
Core Image capable GPU
32 MB more GPU memory
Scrolling trackpad
Lighter weight
Better keyboard
5400 rpm hard drive
DVI
Extra speaker
Audio line-in
Official monitor spanning support

I think for $300 more, the new 12" PowerBook is definitely worth it. Plus one has the option of adding the 8X SuperDrive in the 12" PowerBook. If I were buying now I'd get the PowerBook for sure.

However, I'm going to wait for the next revision. Maybe Apple and IBM will be able to get a G5 into that next PowerBook, before the end of 2005. And if not a G5, then in the very least a G4 7448.