What to look for in 2nd hand G4 ibook?

petertpetert
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hi,

I'm new to the mac world (or will be soon hopefully ) and I need some advise. I am looking for a normal use laptop (word processing, some basic multimedia (whatch movie, edit some holiday pictures), some minor gaming.

After looking for brand new iBooks I also checked out some ebay offers and found the prices better suiting my budget, however could you advice me on what to look for whith the following main questions in mind:



What is the average length of the battery life?

What is the minimum processer I would need to have a nice more or less up to date performance (new software runs as a train)?

What about upgradebility, e.g. from which models on airport module can be inserted, bluetooth module RAM possiblities etc)?

How about power supply, any regional diffrences (if I buy a US model can I just buy a European power unit and be good to go)?



Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 2
    ibook911ibook911 Posts: 607member
    I just sold my iBook G4, and it was a very capable machine. It has a 1.07 GHZ G4, Bluetooth, Airport, and 60 gig hard drive. I used it for Photoshop, Illustrator, iMovie, iPhoto, Microsoft Office, etc. The iBook is a nice machine in my opinion.



    I think you should go with a G4 iBook. I'd also go for one that has 256MB of memory built-in, versus 128 built-in. They all have the one extra slot too, but why not start out with 128 more? The first iBook G4s, if I'm not mistaken only had 256kb of L2 cache, so you might consider a second or third generation iBook G4, with the 512kb of L2 cache.



    The iBook's power adapter will handle differences in power. The only thing you need is a plug adapter, so that the plug will fit into your outlet.



    Finally, battery life. My iBook was 6-7 months old, and the battery was fantastic. The battery was still better than my brand new Powerbook. I could get close to five hours, even with airport turned on, if I turned down the brightness to the lower settings. Of course, that is with the CPU in reduced performance.



    Your decision to buy a slightly used iBook is not a bad one in my opinion. Knowing how well my iBook was performing, I think you can find something that will suit you nicely. Good luck!
  • Reply 2 of 2
    qchemqchem Posts: 73member
    You'll probably want at least 512MB or ram for decent performance, either find one with this fitted or budget for an upgrade.



    The latest revison iBook comes with airport extreme as standard, all earlier G4 iBooks will have the airport connector.



    The apple bluetooth module is a build-to-order (BTO) option only, bluetooth functionality can be added with a USB dongle at a later date.



    It may be difficult to tell on ebay, but watch out for slightly twisted screens or screens that don't close quite properly - these are good signs its been dropped.



    I'm not sure about the power supply option (but would like to know). You may just be able to change the plug part of the adaptor like on an iPod (apple sell a kit) but I don't know for sure - perhaps email someone in apple retail?
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