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ou_bobcat · Feb 24, 2004, 10:05 PM

I became a switcher in December with a 8oo iBook G4. Now I am wanting to do this on a budget. I am in college so my plan is to sell my PC(AMD 2600) and buy a Powermac. I have been trying to find to figure out what I want and if I can afford it but I am getting now where so I thought I would ask you guys.

My requirements are simple, must be atleast as fast as my laptop. Although preferably atleast a little bit faster. So what models should I be looking at and what are they going for? Keep in mind cheap is good.

dtriska · Feb 24, 2004, 10:22 PM

Are you considering only new, or will you take used models, too? I ask because all of the G5s are many times faster than your iBook.

ou_bobcat · Feb 24, 2004, 10:32 PM

Definatly used, probably very used. Basicly whatever I can get out of my PC plus mabey a little more.(It is an 1800, I am an idiot.) Basicly I want a desktop atleast as fast as the iBook. I am not sure what I can get from my PC but I am going to guess that 500 is going to be the limit. What models will gove the speed that I am looking for?

Thanks guys.

Lateralus · Feb 24, 2004, 10:38 PM

I'd suggest a nice Sawtooth/GigE G4 machine in the 350-500MHz range from eBay for $400ish and a $399 overclockable 1.3GHz G4 processor upgrade card from OWC.

ou_bobcat · Feb 24, 2004, 10:51 PM

How fast will the sawtooth be compared to my iBook? The OWC upgrade is way out of my price range right now.
Thanks for the replys. Keep 'em comin'

Captain Obvious · 11:09 PM

EDIT: If you budget is sub 600 then your only option is a sawtooth or DP. And a dualie might be a strech if you only have $500 to spend. Sawtooths went drom 350MHz to 500MHz with a 100mhz BUS, compare that you your G4 iBook.

ou_bobcat · Feb 24, 2004, 11:10 PM

I'm sorry for not being more clear on my budget. I am estimating its going to be about $500. If that cannot get what a machine that is fast enough I can except that. The last thing I want to do is spend that kind of cash and regret it. But even if what I desire is out of that range please post what you suggest incase I come across a blemished or otherwise not perfect example in my price range.

jasonsRX7 · Feb 25, 2004, 02:17 AM

Originally posted by ou_bobcat:
I am estimating its going to be about $500.

Not quite a year ago, I got a wild hair and decided to get a 400mhz G4 (gigabit ethernet) on ebay for $400. It didn't have ram or a drive, but I had plenty of both laying around anyway. 400mhz was painfully slow for me, so I got an 800mhz Gigadesigns upgrade from OWC for around $250. Stuck in 1gb of ram, Geforce 4 Ti, and 80gb drive to finish it off. 800mhz was pretty usable for most things, until you started with the CPU intensive stuff. However, it was good enough to make me decide to get a few more macs, and I sold that one on ebay for $1175 just a month ago. Those things sure do hold their value. Now I have a G5, Al Powerbook, an iMac and a B&W, and I couldn't be happier that I had that wild hair.

Truepop · Feb 25, 2004, 02:28 AM

the only way I see you not regretting something like that is to sell your iBook as well and get a dual 867 or dual 1GHz G4 and a 500MHz iBook or a clamshell SE with the cool handle. - you might be able to swing that without a loss.

I have given up on finding a good deal on eBay...

Mac of All trades has some nice computers for sale at I believe a good price considering it is through a company and not on ebay. $599 for a dual 450

http://www.macofalltrades.com/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=2

Lateralus · Feb 25, 2004, 02:45 AM

Don't lose total faith in eBay. My friend got his G4 500/256MB tower for $299 with a Buy It Now. And I got my G4 933/1.25GB/SuperDrive/60GB/GeForce for $720 Buy It Now.

fady · Feb 25, 2004, 10:21 AM

There's a few eMac's on eBay:

see this one:
item # 2789855245
eMac 700 Mhz, 512 mg RAM, 40 gig and CDRW...

only 400$.

F.

fady · Feb 25, 2004, 10:26 AM

if you want a powermac (i.e a tower with expansion...)... why not this item:

Apple PowerMac Quicksilver G4 867MHz
640MB RAM, 120GB Disk, Superdrive
Item number: 2790055514

at 510$ for now...

F.

cambro · Feb 25, 2004, 12:25 PM

If I were you, I'd use your iBook for a little while longer and try to save up enough for a refurbished eMac. That way you get new hardware with a year's worth of service. It will be worth it in the long run.

ou_bobcat · Feb 25, 2004, 07:49 PM

I really want to get a tower. How fast will an older dual compare, such as a 450 or 500?

mac freak · Feb 25, 2004, 10:19 PM

10.3 runs like a charm on my old dual 450. Can't go wrong with that machine, unless you're bothered by a bit of HD noise

ou_bobcat · Feb 26, 2004, 01:50 AM

What does a dual 450/500 go for?

fady · Feb 26, 2004, 01:54 AM

so... what's not to be liked with ebay #2790055514???

it's not too expensive... will be fast enough and loaded with features...
there's a SUPERDRIVE in it!

F.

ou_bobcat · Feb 27, 2004, 02:32 AM

It looks like i sold my iBook. So unless I find a deal for something else on ebay I am going to go with a dual 800 from small dog. Any thoughts?

Lateralus · 03:22 AM

Originally posted by fady:
so... what's not to be liked with ebay #2790055514???

it's not too expensive... will be fast enough and loaded with features...
there's a SUPERDRIVE in it!

F.

...You do realize that eBay is an auction site, right? And that by the time that the auction you're recommending ends, it will have sold for a much higher value than it is currently at. Unless there is a Buy It Now price, there is nothing special about that auction that makes it worth pointing out.

fady · Feb 27, 2004, 10:32 AM

hmm hmm...

of course!

I am just recommending that he looks at the different options available on ebay...

he does not lose anything by bidding at a price he can afford...

F.

treebark7182 · Feb 28, 2004, 08:03 PM

find an MDD dual powermac refurbed or on ebay. I have a dual 1ghz and the thing is still blazingly fast. A lot faster than that ibook and probably resonable. I too am a college student and completely understand. Deals are out there.... otherwise i wouldnt be typing this right now

.... !!!!!!

ou_bobcat · Feb 28, 2004, 09:18 PM

A dual 1GHZ would be nice but it is out of my price range. Right now I am debating between a dual 800 and a single 867. I cant make up my mind on which one but am leaning heavily twards the dual. It cost a little more now but I think the speed will be worth it in the long run.

ngrundy · Feb 28, 2004, 10:02 PM

if the ibook is fast enough how about buying an external screen (or keeping your old one) and just using your ibook as your desktop as well? And saving a bit of cash from the sale of the pc for more beer

ou_bobcat · Feb 29, 2004, 02:20 AM

Thats the way I had it set up. I just didnt feel that it was fast enough. I know that maxing out the ram would have helped, but I didnt see the point. I have not been using it as a laptop. So I figured I might as well get a desktop and be done with it.

Geoff Thompson · Feb 29, 2004, 11:59 AM

My situation was also the same, kind of. I had an ibook G4 and it seemed to run a bit slow. I sold it and got a DA 466mhz tower. Seems to be about the same responsiveness even though its at a much lower processor speed, and lower ram too (256mb vs. 640mb) Hopefully in a few weeks I can afford a Gigadesigns dual proc upgrade, and maybe even a raid card so I can run my WD 8mb 80gb drives in raid 0

The only thing that is not impressive about the tower is the usb 1.1. Transfering pics from my digital rebel takes minutes now at the slower speed...

olePigeon · Feb 29, 2004, 02:01 PM

Just a warning, if you plan on doing a lot of gaming, I would suggest you hold onto your Athlon and save up for a while for a Mac. Especially if you're in college.

ou_bobcat · Feb 29, 2004, 04:23 PM

The it is looking right now I will have a 1,000 to spend on a new(used) Mac. I have only recieved lowball offers on my PC. I was hoping to sell but I am not exactly to dissapointed. There are definatly alot of positives to be cross platform.