[Jbroad572]

My girlfriend wants an ibook. $1000 limit (before taxes). What si the best configuration she can get? She doesn't mind refurbished. I saw on apple.com site they have an g3/900/mhz/128/ 40gb/combo for $799. why is it so cheap? It's brand new. Also where are other sites with good prices?
Thanks a lot.

[discotronic]

I just bought one of the G3 900 iBooks from Apple. Great deal. 10 more GB hard drive than the 800MHz G4, comes with Panther and iLife w/GarageBand. 512MB RAM for the G3 is cheaper (at least is was not long ago). Uses Airport and not Airport Extreme which is more expensive but faster. Doesn't have USB 2 but that doesn't matter if you don't need to take advantage of it.

For everyday tasks I can't tell much of a difference between the G3 and G4 iBook. The price can't be beat. The reason it is so cheap is because they are pushing the new G4's.

If the laptop is going to be used for more graphics intense work I would recommend the G4. It will be more useful longer. As with ANY laptop I would also recommend Applecare. Some G3's have a reputation for logic board failure but it seems that Apple is making good on it for the most part (but not completely yet).

Since the limit is $1000 she should go for the 900. She should max out the memory since OSX is a memory hog. The stock 128MB makes the system seem tooooo sloooow.

Good luck

[Jbroad572]

Book 900MHzG3/128MB/40GB/COMBO/E/56K/12.1TFT

Features:

PowerPC G3
Stunning graphics with ATI Mobility RADEON 7500
VGA, S-Video, Composite Video output
10/100BASE-T Ethernet - 56K internal modem
One FireWire Port - Two USB Ports
$799 and max out the memory is what you recommend? She's in college and will hardly use it for anything else other browsing, typing, research, and music.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally posted by discotronic:


If the laptop is going to be used for more graphics intense work I would recommend the G4. It will be more useful longer.

That needs to be emphasized. Spend the extra $100 and get the G4 iBook. If this is going to be something she wants to keep for 2 years or longer and if it is her only computer then it is worth the extra money. More and more programs that will be released will say a G4 is the minimum requirement. Also we do not know if future releases of OS X will support G3s.

[selowitch]

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
That needs to be emphasized. Spend the extra $100 and get the G4 iBook. If this is going to be something she wants to keep for 2 years or longer and if it is her only computer then it is worth the extra money. More and more programs that will be released will say a G4 is the minimum requirement. Also we do not know if future releases of OS X will support G3s.

I really don't think that any computer with a G3 is worth the money, even for $500 or $600, considering they are on a rapid downward slide to uselessness.

Save a little more money and spring for the G4. Your relationship may last longer, both with the machine and with the woman!

[Kenneth]

How about this?



Since you guys are in college.. you should shop at the educational store.

BTW.. Are you willing to drop $90 for a 512MB RAM for your gf iBook?

512MB DDR PC2100 from Crucial.com

Free shipping and 5% off by using this code BBUSERGROUP.

[Jbroad572]

Wow, I forgot to think about the future use of the computer and the disappearing of the G3, I'm a PB man myself (Don't mean anything by that). I think the G4 would be a very good choice. How's the performance of the 800mhz?

[discotronic]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jbroad572:$799 and max out the memory is what you recommend? She's in college and will hardly use it for anything else other browsing, typing, research, and music.[/B][QUOTE]

That is the exact model I have. I got it because I don't need a portable powerhouse and I already had the Airport and memory. The G3 is worth the money depending on what the computer is going to be used for. For everday tasks like you mention it is perfect. For less than $1000 after tax she could have a new iBook with memory maxed out. If she saved up a little money and added it to the amount she has left over from the purchase she could get Applecare before the end of the first year.

My mother used a PowerBook 3400c with 200MHz 603e until 2 weeks ago. She used it for everyday tasks such as word processing, internet, and play the occasional card game. It was running OS 9.1 like a champ. My best friend owns my first iBook which is the clamshell with the 300MHz G3. He uses it for everything he needs to do and it is running Panther with no problems. The only reason I upgraded is because I got a great deal on another iBook. I would still be using it today. G3's are a long way from be useless. I don't see Apple not supporting most G3's with new releases of OS X any time soon. That would just be bad for their business. Some of the lower speed G3's like my friends will be phased out soon but not the newer ones.

[iREZ]

Get a G4, 12 inch model and you could upgrade along the way (ram, airport exteme, bluetooth adapter if you really want one), but get the G4. Who knows what programs are going to look like in the next year, and now with the release of the G5 and G5 powerbook rumors saying they're right around the corner why would you want to be stuck with a G3. Get a G4
G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4 G4

[ghporter]

Originally posted by Kenneth:
How about this?



Since you guys are in college.. you should shop at the educational store.

I can't agree with Kenneth more strongly: Go with the educational store!!!!

We just got a new G4 800MHz iBook with AirPort Extreme, and upgraded to a 40GB drive. Including tax it cost less than $1200, and it arrived the day Apple told us that it would ship! Too cool!

Panther rocks, by the way. The only problem we had was finding the appropriate network driver for our Samsung printer. That took me about a day worth of searching and fiddling. Note that the driver on Samsung's site works FINE for USB printing, but the printer is way over on the other side of the room... Ok, I'll shut up.

[nredman]

www.smalldog.com

[SupahCoolX]

www.macprices.com shows the prices/special deals available on any Mac model. They also have a special section for used/refurbished laptops, which you might want to look into as well.

[Lateralus]

I had a good experience with MacWarehouse.