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    Need advice on iBook G3 800

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by stanthony, Jul 3, 2005.

  1. stanthony

    stanthony Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hello all,

    Here is the issue. I'm a die-hard PC user, been all my live, was working on PCs since 1989. All that time I was constantly considering switching to Mac, but for various reasons was unable to do so. Right now I facing a bargain at a local Apple shop. They're offering used (but re-checked by them) iBook G3 800 12" with 640 MB RAM, 30 GB HDD, 32 MB ATI video and AirPort with some 6 months warranty. The thing comes for quite a sweet sum for our region (where Apples are generally not very cheap). Let's say that for the same money here you can buy a new PC laptop with approx. Celeron 1500 / 256 RAM / 40 HDD / Integrated video / no wireless / 15".

    I have a desktop PC and a brand new Dell Inspiron 9300 :) At the same time I might reasonably use second laptop (share laptops with my wife). My question is: should I consider switching to Apple (well, partly switching, trying it) now and go with this bargain? Certainly I don't need another laptop for gaming (I9300 does the job perfectly, of course :)). But I'd like to know will this iBook allow me to feel all other good sides of Mac computers? I know processor is somewhat old, but it seems to have enough of RAM on board. Will it be able to run latest Office fine? Will I be able to surf Internet without problems? Listen music? Watch DVDs? And use multitasking with all that? :) I will very much appreciate your advice here.

    By the way, as I never used Macs before, it would be good to know how how this config relates to, say, Athlon 1700+ / 512 RAM / Geforce 4MX (which is NOT my present desktop, but I find that machine runs Windows XP a little slow for my taste)? Will iBook operate overall faster or slower with its OS and listed tasks than this Athlon PC? What do you think?

    Thank you for you help, guys.
     
    stanthony, Jul 3, 2005
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  2. fenderboy

    fenderboy Notebook Consultant

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    Hey stanthony,
    I am the owner of a 600mhz G3 Ibook with 640mb RAM, 60gb HD and dvd player. The Ibook is a great machine, and with the specs you have given the machine should handle all of the procedures you have mentioned.

    The problem with the G3 Ibooks is that all of the current Apple software has been aimed at the more powerful G4 and G5 processors, and the new Quarts Extreme graphics technology in OS 10.4 is designed for a higher spec'd graphics card than that in the Ibook. The Ibook is able to handle most of the software released, but will never handle the applications as well as a g4. Not only is the G3 outdated now, but with the switch to Intel processors looming in the near future (beginning of 2006), software will no longer be designed to operate on the G3, meaning it will be worthless in a couple of years.

    The OS X operating system is fantastic, but you'd be better off with a g4 system. (ie. the G4 ibook)
    Hope that helps.
    Steve
     
    fenderboy, Jul 3, 2005
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