Opinions on G4 Powerbook for a potential buyer — #21

Post #21 by Gorgonops

Source Forum	Opinions on G4 Powerbook for a potential buyer — #21
Category	Hardware
Post Date	Fri, 1 Nov 2013 - 16:41
Original URL	https://68kmla.org/bb/threads/opinions-on-g4-powerbook-for-a-potential-buyer.29094/

Post

Even though it looked in great condition, I couldn't justify buying another out of date system. Not unless there was a clear purpose for it. When ever I purchase an old system, I always have a use in mind and not simply for it to fill a shelf and be a dust collector.

It has now come to a tie between a cheap 12" G4 Powerbook or an early Macbook.

Hate to say it, but I'm sort of confused here. The 12" Powerbook is no less out of date than a 15" one; it is in fact more limited, with its lower RAM ceiling compared to a (fully working) 15" and its cramped little periscope 1024x768 screen. In response to "Smaller then the 15" I was looking at, so could carrying it about with me", the 12" is 500 grams lighter than the 15", IE, 2.1 vs. 2.6kg. I guess that's 20%, but does that really make that much difference? And finally, last I looked (granted I haven't been keeping track) 12" PBs were no cheaper than 15" ones; in fact they seemed to be somewhat more expensive. (Checking Craigslist today I guess I'd say it's about a tie overall, but a 12" is the second most expensive listing after a 17".)

-Expect to get moderate internet experience, no trail blazing

It's going to suck in all the ways listed above, plus it's going to be more cramped than the bigger one. (Granted you may be used to it, it does have the same screen resolution as a Pismo.)

-This is the big one, It's Intel!, I'm still struggling with the idea of an intel Apple computer, years after they made the switch. Ok I understand why it happened, but my brain still tells me that every time i see a Macbook, I'm looking as a Winblows laptop with an Apple logo slapped on the case.

Can't help you there, of course.

As I said before, if you want the Powerbook (in whatever size) for the nostalgia value (/slash/ to run some PPC software that's really important to you and absolutely 1: can't be updated, and 2: won't work acceptably under Snow Leopard in emulation) totally go ahead and go for it. But you really shouldn't be comparing it to a MacBook *at all* in that case. They're two different animals.