Portable computing has always carried a premium. When you purchase a notebook computer, you pay extra for the research and design effort, the smaller components and, to a certain extent, the manufacturer’s positioning decision. In a time when portable computing is becoming less a lux- ury and more a necessity, utility frequenlty supercedes concerns of value. To overlook price/ performance, however, is a huge mistake in the realm of notebook computing. Many  manufac- turers over-charge for their portable systems, preying on those users who abosoultely need to carry their machines from one place to the next.

How do Apple’s sleek new 500-series PowerBooks fair? MacSense compares the new machines to equivalently configured desktop Macintoshes to find the ‘PowerBook Portabilty Premium’. The results are very enlightening.

The ‘PowerBook Portability Premium’

Given increased research and design budgets, the higher cost of small components and the convieniance of battery power, it is logical to assume you will pay more for notebook computer than an equivalent desktop. But how much more? What is reasonable?

For the purposes of this study, MacSense has established 50% as the desirable upper limit of the ‘PowerBook Portabilty Premium’ – i.e. in our minds, no PowerBook should cost more than 1.5 times the price of an equivalent desktop Macintosh system. (This figure takes into account higher component costs, research & design and product positioning.)

Before delving into the comparisons, it is necessary to state a few basic assumptions MacSense is making:
•     All pricing listed are estimations based upon recent market cost figures with an average
      markup; the prices themselves are not reflective of any one particular reseller. Applicable
      taxes are not indicated.
•     American readers please note that all prices are Canadian unless otherwise indicated. Given 
      a stable exchange rate and comparable pricing between Canada and the U.S., however,   
      MacSense is confident that the results obtained are applicable to the American market.
•     Where required, components have been added the systems to configure them equivalently. 
      In some cases, net cost of swapping a component is estimated.
•     This is purely a cost/ratio comparison. No equipment has been tested.

The PowerBook 520 vs. the LC 475

As Apple’s 12” monchrome monitor is no longer available, MacSense has not attempted to compare the PowerBook 520 with a non-color LC 475 system. When bundled with an LC 475, the 14” Color Plus Display is only marginally more expensive than a monochrome display and better illustrates value. 

The 520's obvious disadvantage is its lack of a color display, giving the LC 475 an edge in value. As the entry level PowerBook 500, however, the 520 falls below the 50% premium benchmark, making it an exceptional value for any user who does not require portable color. With 16-bit stereo sound, it may also be the ideal machine for audio professionals on the run.

The PowerBook 520c vs. the LC 475

Identical to the 520 in all other respects, the 520c adds a bright, dual scan 256-color passive matrix display. MacSense compares this PowerBook to the previous LC 475 system.

In this situation, the results indicate that Apple is charging an excess amout for the 520c. The 520c is priced 85% higher than an equivalent LC 475 system – and $955.00 more than the identically configured PowerBook 520. Is the passive-matrix color display worth that much more? Not likely. In fact, you could purchase a 520 and two 14" Color Plus displays for less than the price of a 520c. 

The PowerBook 520c only makes sense if you absolutely need portable color and are on a limited budget. If you like the 520c but have some time on your hands, wait until the intial demand for the 500-series PowerBooks tapers off and Apple adjusts its pricing.

The PowerBook 540 vs. the LC 575

The PowerBook 540 is a robust system with ample hard drive space, RAM and a 19.2k Global Village modem. Challenging this PowerBook is the non-CD version of the LC 575, which has been equivalently configured. (To be completely fair, an LC 575 Ethernet card was placed in the LC 575's communications slot and the machine equipped with an external 19.2k Global Village Mercury modem, rather than using the standard Ethernet LC PDS card and the LC 575 14.4k communications slot Express Modem.)

Like the PowerBook 520, the 540's obvious disadvantage is its lack of color. However, the 540 makes up for this with its crisp grey scale active matrix display and hefty configuration. Though the premium in dollars is still wide, percentage-wise it is only slighty over MacSense's 50% portabilty premium ceiling.   

At $1325.00 more than the 520c, the 540 is a much more 'complete' system: you lose the integrated color, but you more than make back the extra $1325.00 with a faster processor, an active matrix display, an extra battery, a 240 hard drive, 12MB of RAM and the 19.2k modem. 

The 540 is the ideal machine for busy people on the run who don't require color – pricey, but a fair value nonetheless. 

The PowerBook 540c vs. the LC 575

There can be little doubt that this PowerBook is the most complete portable system Apple has ever sold. Offering a crisp color active matrix display with up to 32,768 colors, 12MB of RAM, a 320MB hard drive, two batteries, a 19.2k Global Village modem and 16-bit stereo sound and speakers, this is certainly the 'supreme' notebook computer. And as such, you can well imagine the premium attatched to it.

The only negative aspect of this PowerBook system is its sky-high pricing. At an average price of $7475, this unit is twice as expensive as an identical desktop system. Surpassing MacSense's 50% premium bench mark by an additional 50%, this system represents the poorest value in Apple's PowerBook 500 series.

Is the 540c worth $2100 more than the 540? Absolutely not. You do get an extra 80MB of hard drive space, but in terms of input costs there is likely only a $150 difference in the price of the 240Mb and 320MB drives. That means you are paying almost $2000 for the active matrix color display...above and beyond the value of the 540's superb active matrix grey scale display. For this price, you could buy five 14" Color Plus Displays, 3 14" Color Displays (Trinitron), or one 17" Multiple Scan Display and one 14" Color Plus Display.

The PowerBook 540c is only for those users with cash to spare, and who absolutely require a robust color portable system. For the rest of us, the 540c will remain out of reach until Apple adjusts pricing.

Compare if you dare.

Before you run out and buy a new PowerBook (even the 520), MacSense suggests you consider what else your money could buy:

A tough choice.

After reading through the above comparisons, you may well think twice about buying one of Apple's sleek new PowerBooks. 

Apple's pricing will have to adjust significantly for its color laptops to be good values. If you had your heart set on a color PowerBook, don't give up yet. Apple periodically adjusts its pricing, and if the intial demand for the 520c and 540c drops off earlier than expected, Apple will act.

 If you are looking for a mid-range PowerBook to do word processing, some graphic design and audio work, or if you'd like a PowerBook to complement your desktop system, the 520 is the ideal machine. The more robust 540 can easily handle almost anything you throw at it, save for image editing. Color can be easily added to both these machines by simply connecting a standard Macintosh color display. 

If there is a moral to this story, it is that portable color commands a high premium. When comparing Apples to Apples and dollars to dollars, you find that color just isn't worth it. At least not yet. 

         Remember the 165c?