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CNET editors' review
CNET Editors' ChoiceNov 02-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 11/19/2002
- Updated on: 05/05/2003
- Released on: 05/20/2002
Editors' note:
On April 22, Apple announced increased hard drives and faster processors in the iBook line. Please watch this space for an updated review.
Both iBooks feature the same overall design, with a gleaming white, scratch-resistant Lucite case.
On April 22, Apple announced increased hard drives and faster processors in the iBook line. Please watch this space for an updated review.
 The new iBook design chooses sleekness over color. |
 The 14-inch iBook's larger display. |
The 12.1-inch iBook features a relatively diminutive screen, while the 14.1-inch iBook's LCD is a wonderful upgrade option--if slightly harder to fit on an airplane's seatback tray. The 14.1-inch version maintains the 1,024x768 resolution of the 12.1-inch screen, but the larger screen size helps visibility tremendously, especially for small text.
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 Little keyboard, bigger iBook. |
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The iBook's keyboard is full-sized, except for Function and screen navigation keys, which are half-sized. But because Apple uses the same keyboard hardware in both the small and large iBooks, the keyboard looks a bit lost in the bigger model. Typical for an Apple notebook, the touchpad and the single mouse button are conveniently centered just below the keyboard.
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 Pop up the iBook's keyboard to expand RAM. |
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 A full complement of ports. |
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The standard iBook software bundle includes AppleWorks, an entry-level business suite; Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X; Apple's digital hub programs (iMovie, iPhoto, and iTunes); and Apple's standard array of Net software, including Internet Explorer and Mac OS X Mail. That's a full package, especially considering that the PowerBook G4 ships entirely sans office suite.
Application performance
Not surprisingly, Apple's updated, 800MHz G3 iBook with 256MB of RAM easily bested the 600MHz iBook in all of our Photoshop 6.01 performance tests--but it couldn't compete with the the 800MHz Powerbook G4 and its 512MB of RAM. The 800MHz iBook was able to beat the PowerBook in Unsharpen Mask by less than a second, however. This small victory may be due to the fact that the iBook is running a newer version of OS X (Jaguar), with an improved graphics engine.
The new iBook clobbered the 600MHz model in iMovie tests, besting it by almost two minutes and losing out to the PowerBook by several seconds.
The iTunes scores continue this trend; the 800MHz iBook beat the 600MHz model by almost a full minute and lost to the PowerBook 800MHz by only a few seconds. The bottom line: The iBook is an acceptably fast alternative to the more expensive PowerBook.
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Photoshop 6.01 tests Time, in seconds, to perform filter functions (shorter bars equal better performance)
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iMovie 2 test Time, in minutes, to covert a test movie to a QuickTime file (shorter bars equal better performance) |
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iTunes test Time, in minutes, to covert a CD track to an MP3 file (shorter bars equal better performance) | ||||||
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System configurations:
Apple iBook 600MHz
OS X 10.2.1; PowerPC G3-800; 256MB RAM; ATI RAGE Mobility 128 8MB; 20GB
Apple iBook 800MHz
OS X 10.2.1; PowerPC G3-800; 256MB RAM; ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 32MB; 30GB 4,200rpm
Apple PowerBook Titanium G4-800
OS X 10.1.4; PowerPC G4-800; 512MB RAM; ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 32MB; 40GB 4,200rpm
Battery life
The two iBooks tied at 3.2 hours in battery life. This duration was enough to beat the PowerBook G4 by almost 30 minutes since the G4 processor in the PowerBook draws more power than the G3 included in the iBooks.
CNET Labs uses three different applications (Photoshop 6.01, iMovie 2, and iTunes) to test Apple notebook performance. Through the use of a number of timing tests, CNET Labs is able to roughly determine the performance of a given notebook.
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DVD movie battery-drain test Time, in hours, for a DVD movie to drain the battery (longer bars indicate better performance) | ||||||
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Find out more about how we test notebook systems.
System configurations:
Apple iBook 600MHz
OS X 10.2.1; PowerPC G3-800; 256MB RAM; ATI RAGE Mobility 128 8MB; 20GB
Apple iBook 800MHz
OS X 10.2.1; PowerPC G3-800; 256MB RAM; ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 32MB; 30GB 4,200rpm
Apple PowerBook Titanium G4-800
OS X 10.1.4; PowerPC G4-800; 512MB RAM; ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 32MB; 40GB 4,200rpm
Apple's standard hardware service and support policies sing a consistently disappointing tune from which the iBook doesn't deviate. Apple's one-year parts and labor warranty is acceptable, but the mere 90 days of toll-free technical support (after that, you pay $49 per incident) isn't. While we've found the quality of that support to be generally high, it's still too short a term. An AppleCare warranty extension to three years costs a whopping $249; in most cases, it's not worth the fee.
If it's any consolation, the iBook is as easy to use as any Mac and comes with plenty of documentation. A handy Setup Assistant guides you through the initial launch in a matter of minutes. A 38-page booklet covers basic procedures and has a short troubleshooting section. Most of the information users will need, however, lies in the system's help menus or online at Apple's Web site, which features a rich collection of FAQs, knowledge-base documents, software updates, and discussion forums. However, you have to register at the site to access most support information.
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