Is a Powebook G4 12" for $635 worth it?

[zer0tails]

There is a used powerbook for sale with the following specs 1.5Ghz 1.25gb, 80gb, Super Drive, AirPort, BlueTooth, OS X 10.4 - 90 Day Warranty at my local computer shop.

Currently, I am without a laptop and could use one. I am considering either this or a refurb macbook pro 2.5 which is considerably more powerful. However, the 12" powerbook is the perfect size.

My question is, since this is pretty old technology, is it worth the price at all? Am i better off putting that 600 dollars towards a macbook? And considering there's the chance it might fail within a year. I also would like to run leopard on it, could it handle that? I've never used a powerbook before, only came to mac after the intel switch so I would appreciate any advice.

much thanks,

zer0tails

[iBookG4user]

Put the money towards a MacBook, as a MacBook in real world testing will be at least 3-4 times faster. If you want something lighter, the MacBook Air is selling for $1000 refurbished and the MacBook Air will be several times faster than the PowerBook as well.

[DaveDaveDave]

Don't do it. This hardware won't even be supported by the next release of OS X this spring. Look at what you get for $350 more refurbished...
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook
(I won't even point out the apple credit card offer on the side-bar ;) )

Dave

There is a used powerbook for sale with the following specs 1.5Ghz 1.25gb, 80gb, Super Drive, AirPort, BlueTooth, OS X 10.4 - 90 Day Warranty at my local computer shop.

Currently, I am without a laptop and could use one. I am considering either this or a refurb macbook pro 2.5 which is considerably more powerful. However, the 12" powerbook is the perfect size.

My question is, since this is pretty old technology, is it worth the price at all? Am i better off putting that 600 dollars towards a macbook? And considering there's the chance it might fail within a year. I also would like to run leopard on it, could it handle that? I've never used a powerbook before, only came to mac after the intel switch so I would appreciate any advice.

much thanks,

zer0tails

[Pees330]

I would put that money towards a refurbished Macbook. A Macbook would last you for years to come.

[Macman756]

Nope not worth it at all. But don't be hatin on the Powerbook 12". I bought the exact same thing, 1.5Ghz, 1.25GB RAM, 80GB HD brand new battery and Incase Sleeve for $350. Love it! Plus I bought a 250GB HD from newegg, through that in, now its totally maxed. For about $425. So I would get a 12" PB g4 if you can find one cheap, otherwise, get a refurb 2.1 White Macbook for $850 from Apple. My 2cents

[JonMaker]

FWIW, I just passed on an identical system for $500 CAD.

[zer0tails]

thanks for the advice guys. I'm holding out for now.:)

[bigdaddyp]

How about a hacintosh? Dell Mini 9 makes a great hackintosh for less money. Take a look here at whats involved. http://mydellmini.com/forum/detailed-10-5-6-new-install-type11%5Cboot123v7-7-howto-t2267.html One and half hours after fedex dropped of my mini I had 2 gigs of ram and os x installed . I really like this machine and found the installation to be pretty easy.

[SnowLeopard2008]

How about a hacintosh? Dell Mini 9 makes a great hackintosh for less money. Take a look here at whats involved. http://mydellmini.com/forum/detailed-10-5-6-new-install-type11%5Cboot123v7-7-howto-t2267.html One and half hours after fedex dropped of my mini I had 2 gigs of ram and os x installed . I really like this machine and found the installation to be pretty easy.

I keep repeating this over and over. I hate the idea that I have to worry about each update and how things are compatible or not compatible. IMHO, Hackintosh is mainly for a hobby, to tinker around and to play with hardware and the OS. For real work, a Hackintosh is less sufficient. I just don't want worry about stuff bricking my Hackintosh (if I had one) or anything like that.

[bigdaddyp]

I keep repeating this over and over. I hate the idea that I have to worry about each update and how things are compatible or not compatible. IMHO, Hackintosh is mainly for a hobby, to tinker around and to play with hardware and the OS. For real work, a Hackintosh is less sufficient. I just don't want worry about stuff bricking my Hackintosh (if I had one) or anything like that.

Due to the install method used on the mini9 it is not really a worry. Out of the three mac os updates only the last one caused any issues at all. Those were solved in a matter of a few minutes with the 123disk. Not all Hacintosh's are created equal. The mini9 out of the box is one of the most compatable netbooks with mac os and the follks over at mydellmini.com have been writing drivers for it and we even have a working card reader now which no official mac has.
I bought the mini9 as a 3rd computer and as a toy but now use it the vast majority of the time. When working at home I connect it to the lcd tv and use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard. Is this a machine for running photshop? No. But it is a small fast and very stable machine for most other common computing tasks.

[gkarris]

thanks for the advice guys. I'm holding out for now.:)

Great. I was gonna say my friend traded his in at a local Mac retailer and got $250 - they were going to resell it for $400...

[zer0tails]

Quick Update for everyone :)

I ordered a refurbished 1.6, 80GB Rev. A macbook air for $999. I researched its potential problems like core shutdown but decided I'll install coolbook if it ever comes to that. I think its a very good price, and that was a convincing factor as I didn't want to go over 1200 (hence i decided no on the mbo) for a notebook that I'll only use for word documents, keynote presentations, internet browsing, itunes and instant messaging whilst on the road.

It would be nice if the Rev. A Macbook air could watch youtube for more than 4 videos but i think i can live with that as I don't youtube at work :p

I am guessing the MBA is faster than the powerbook I was initially considering as well. Am I correct in assuming this?

Can't wait till it gets here, $999 is abit on the high end for a netbook/sub-notebook whatever you want to call it.

BUT, it runs OSX and a mac laptop for $999 and a good looking one at that was a hard deal to pass up on. :D

[iBookG4user]

I am guessing the MBA is faster than the powerbook I was initially considering as well. Am I correct in assuming this?

Yes, it is much faster than the PowerBook that you were considering.

[zmttoxics]

Quick Update for everyone :)

I ordered a refurbished 1.6, 80GB Rev. A macbook air for $999. I researched its potential problems like core shutdown but decided I'll install coolbook if it ever comes to that. I think its a very good price, and that was a convincing factor as I didn't want to go over 1200 (hence i decided no on the mbo) for a notebook that I'll only use for word documents, keynote presentations, internet browsing, itunes and instant messaging whilst on the road.

It would be nice if the Rev. A Macbook air could watch youtube for more than 4 videos but i think i can live with that as I don't youtube at work :p

I am guessing the MBA is faster than the powerbook I was initially considering as well. Am I correct in assuming this?

Can't wait till it gets here, $999 is abit on the high end for a netbook/sub-notebook whatever you want to call it.

BUT, it runs OSX and a mac laptop for $999 and a good looking one at that was a hard deal to pass up on. :D

The same money could have gotten you a much faster white macbook. :p

Oh well, hope it works out well for you!

[drummerlondonw3]

The same money could have gotten you a much faster white macbook. :p

Oh well, hope it works out well for you!

Well I dont think it would be much faster, i.e. another order of magnitude. Sure the HD is limited only being PITA and 42k but overall I think for what the OP is wanting it should be comparable and it's likely you wouldn't really notice any discernible difference

I know you did that tongue in cheek its just that the OP seems concerned about the power of the MBA so I didn't want it to be a one-sided thing :)

zer0tails - glad you made the order - great machine...I have detailed my experiences and some of the steps I have made to make my MBA more 'complete' in this thread (I recommend a read) - hope it can be of some help .... :)

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=620188

D:apple:

[zer0tails]

Well I dont think it would be much faster, i.e. another order of magnitude. Sure the HD is limited only being PITA and 42k but overall I think for what the OP is wanting it should be comparable and it's likely you wouldn't really notice any discernible difference

I know you did that tongue in cheek its just that the OP seems concerned about the power of the MBA so I didn't want it to be a one-sided thing :)

zer0tails - glad you made the order - great machine...I have detailed my experiences and some of the steps I have made to make my MBA more 'complete' in this thread (I recommend a read) - hope it can be of some help .... :)

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=620188

D:apple:

thank you, thank you!!!! took a look and that thread should come in very handy if I have any issues. Yes, I knew the macbook spec wise is faster, but i base "faster" on whether I can feel the difference in regular usage and I doubt i'll be able to tell the difference. Plus I chose the MBA over the white macbook for portability.

I think most important is expectations, and I've kept mine low for the refurb rev. A macbook air i'm getting. I'm going to compare it to netbooks and whether it'll enable me to complete my work on the web, word, and excel documents successfully. <-- if it can do this, i'll say i have a winner. Any video/photo work..i'll stick to my Big Mac.

[drummerlondonw3]

don't mention it, glad to help :)

to me you have exactly the right idea about what this notebook is for. The form factor (and don't listen to ppl who will say you don't notice the weight + size difference, trust me you will) alone is such a bonus that I am sure you can live (and if your sig is anything to go by you won't be lacking for power :D )with the performance hit you will be fine.

The last point I will say though is you might be surprised how often you start using it INSTEAD of your MP, my MBP now is almost the 2nd computer to the MBA!!! :D:eek:

Good luck with your purchase and post back here with some of your thoughts, I'll set up a notification so I can see if we agree :rolleyes::)

D:apple:

ps
if you have any questions about anything that I did to my MBA in the other thread by all means PM me and I'll be happy to answer them

[lazyboy922]

Good choice! I had the last revision 12" PB decked out to the max as far as ram, and it was still super slow. I remember getting SO frustrated at the spinning beach ball. I did like the foot print, but I think you will be more than happy with the 13"! I personally own the white MacBook now, and it runs circles around that PB, and was much cheaper if you look at the price they were originally selling for.

[zer0tails]

I'll be sure to post first impressions when it arrives :D you don't have to worry about that. I ordered it on Friday and been checking Fedex.com every hour since then :p It shows a delivery time of 2 more days. can't wait!

@ lazyboy: good to hear the opinion of a powerbook g4 user, thanks. All I can say is glad I posted this thread before jumping on the powerbook, and then seeing the MBA for $999 thread. And yes, i loathe them spinning beach balls as well. The only thing about macs i don't like haha

@drummerlondonw3: are you serious? I've heard several people remark that in the past, but never thought to ask. Why did you start using the MBA more often than your MBP? It's not a bad thing, but my Big Mac might get jealous of the new kid on the block :p

[MacAgent84]

Yes, it is entirely worth it when you consider specs of the machine. MacBooks, not MacBook Pros, at 1.8ghz are selling for more than $635 online. I would make the purchase if you want the most for your buck and cannot afford to spend more for a nicer display, better finish, etc.

____________
OS X Mac Tips & Tricks (http://osxmactips.blogspot.com)

[loslosbaby]

Here's my two cents. I have a friend with a G4 12". Its like a little collectible swiss watch, its just neat. VERY nice screen.

Here's the downsides:
- Too puny to run leopard (I tried, backed up to Tiger)
- Really really difficult to take apart (3 layers)
- Only worth 400$ on EBay

Upside:
- SIMM's still available, and it can take 1.2gig total
- Small
- Kinda collectible
- Think of it as your ipod. Put a small SSD in it and it will be.

G.

[XianPalin]

I always wanted one of these. The Macbook just isn't as appealing to me, though the new aluminum ones aren't too bad.

I think the main deterrent for me would be the inability to run a lot of intel-only apps, since there are a fair amount that aren't universal these days.

I've always loved the form factor though.

[Lord Blackadder]

12" Powerbooks are very nice, the form factor is great for the mobile user. I'm still using my 15" G4 @1.33GHz and it's fine for Office, iPhoto, internet, light Photoshop and watching DVDs.

But (and I hate to say this, since I'm still all-G4 in my personal Macs), a MacBook would be a better buy from a performance and cost standpoint.

[fendol]

If you can't afford to buy a better one then the powerbook can be a good bang for your bang to use it for whatever you need to use it, except for for demanding tasks obviously ;)http://www.seoagora.com/img/589/d08l1104oulu/smiley2.gifhttp://www.seoagora.com/img/459/k08q1024glza/ecstatic.gif

[mr1970]

The question of whether it's worth it is not one that I'm qualified to comment on as I don't live in the US and don't know the secondhand market there. However, I will make a few observations as I've had one of these things for about 4 years now (12" 1.5Ghz, 1.25GB RAM, 80GB hard drive):

- it is hugely robust; a very, very well made bit of kit - much better built than my wife's black Macbook (last version)
- the keyboard is beautiful, better than any Mac laptop since (in my view)
- it does have the firewire port that newer low end macs lack and this is surprisingly useful for Time Machine, iTunes, iPhoto etc
- The notion that it won't run Leopard is nonsense. I have no idea what some people on here are running on it, but I've had Leopard on it since it came out and never had a problem - it's absolutely fine unless you're doing something VERY heavyweight (big image editing for example, not just the regular iPhoto stuff - multiple images open in Adobe or something). This is like saying a Ferrari 355's not quick enough because the 360 and 430 are quicker.
- the smallish hard drive shows after a while - I have Office, iWork (I know, I know, I should get rid of one) and Adobe CS2 so have had to move my big media libraries off to a separate drive - my iTunes is around 70GB and my iPhoto around 20GB so they just wouldn't fit any more. I could still have had them all on there with a 160GB drive
- the lack of n-class wireless is a bit of a pain - the wife's MB has it so I'd have liked to get an n-class router but no point with me on g
- I had to replace the battery at about the 4 year point - just wouldn't hold charge any more
- there hasn't been any statements about whether Snow Leopard will or won't support it - given that Apple were still flogging G5 PMs 3 years ago I'd actually be surprised / disappointed if it didn't support it, particularly since all the news about SL is that it's supposed to be leaner / faster

My wife actually bought an Acer widescreen windows laptop about 6 months after I bought my PB. I still use the PB every day, her Acer has been stuck in a drawer with a duff screen, knackered battery, keys missing etc for more than a year now - and she takes far better care of her stuff than I do. The Powerbook 12" is, simply, the finest bit of consumer electronics it's been my privilege to own. I'll replace it in the next 2 years, by which time it'll have given me almost 6 years of flawless service, and it'll probably just go to my son who has a PS3 for gaming and so only needs a laptop for iTunes, pics and homework.

[MatLane]

No i would not go there


For snow leopards sake

[drummerlondonw3]

@drummerlondonw3: are you serious? I've heard several people remark that in the past, but never thought to ask. Why did you start using the MBA more often than your MBP? It's not a bad thing, but my Big Mac might get jealous of the new kid on the block :p

Yeah that wasn't even meant to sound like a joke although I could understand that you might think its one ..... now! The thing about it is you start to use it all the time and without even considering should you use it, if that makes sense?

The weight is so minimal that there is no situation where you can't use it. The couch, bed, coffee shop etc and the screen is so good, on par with the MBP (think of it as a 13" pro screen) that you end up using it everywhere. Also I don't know how you use your computer, but for me having the SSD version (which I know you are not getting) meant that surfing the net and word processing were faster and more comfortable on the MBA. Its a companion machine I think, and the thing I found is it fits into ALL the gaps that you might have especially having a "Big Mac" like that!

I suppose to sum up my ownership ( and you know that I have had my problems) but I am now probably going to sell my MBP and get a Big Mac :D because the MBA fits all the notebook needs

I'm not sure if that all makes sense but I think :rolleyes: that is how :apple: intended it and if it is the case then its succeeded and if its not well if fits in VERY well in my life :D:D;)

D:apple:

[Horst]

Ahhh, the 12" PowerBook, arguably the finest portable Apple ever made.
Just imagine what it could be with today's technology....

[WinkWink726]

it seems like that's what they're going for nowadays, huh?

I thought about putting mine on ebay before i just gave it to my fiance and that was basically the range (was going to put a reserve out there of $500 and see what happened.

Anyhow, mine (though TODAY it had a recent minor glitch... grr!) is still lightning fast. It just did something weird today where it reset all of the settings to factory.

That aside, my specs are/were:
1.5GHz powerPC G4 w/ 512MB/80GB

[aprilzephyr]

Ahhh, the 12" PowerBook, arguably the finest portable Apple ever made.
Just imagine what it could be with today's technology....

I couldn't agree more. Thanks for the helpful thread and forum, everyone - I've been actually quite reluctant to move on from my 12" powerbook g4 (mine is even older than the OP's potential buy: 1GHz, 60GB 4200-rpm ATA, 1.25GB memory) because of its ideal (to me anyways) size and design. As slow as it is compared to everything out now and despite the fact that it cannot be upgraded to snow leopard, it is a fairly durable little piece of equipment considering my clumsiness and my dragging it around the world with me. I have waited 5 years to upgrade it because nothing in the current mac laptop line has caught my eye. Unfortunately, my powerbook's DC-in board has finally died on me last Monday. Although I too just purchased the $999 refurbished 1.6ghz macbook air--though I bought it before I read these forums--for travel reasons, I also bought a replacement for the dc-in board because I really love this powerbook and want to keep it going for a bit longer.

[mutantchair]

I have a very similar question.

My wife needs a laptop and was offered the same for around $275. We can't afford a new mac right now, but I'm worried about having to pay for a new logic board ($220 on ebay) if it breaks. (My macbook pro has had a lot of problems that have thankfully been covered under applecare, but I'm worried about repair costs stacking up) So it's either buy this one now, or wait a while 'til we can afford the more expensive refurbished macbook. Any advice?

[BlueRevolution]

I say go for it. I wouldn't be too concerned about the logic board. Just bear in mind that you'll probably have to shell out ~$130 for a new battery pretty quickly.

[dangdesigns]

my g4 powerbook battery is toast, I can go about 20 minutes without being plugged in.

[dvince2]

I second (or more like... 10th) most of the responses here.
If you're looking for a main computer to use a while, put the money towards a macbook or MBA.
If you're looking for a toy/collectors item, then grab it.

[akbc]

That's pretty damn expensive for a PB 12"...

I just simply consider PPC almost a dead technology in terms of macs :)
My Mac Mini G4 served me greatly and it was a fine machine, but I would never go back to that now...

[KingYaba]

Offer $300 cash for that G4 and if the guy doesn't accept save and move on.

[notjustjay]

I loved my 12" PB. It was only 1.0 GHz, though, and after five years of daily use the battery would only hold a charge for half an hour. Instead of spending $150 for a new battery, plus new ram, hard drive, new OS update, new iLife, etc., I put all that money together and bought a refurb MBP, and sold the 12" to a friend of mine. He loved it, too, and ultimately gave it to his girlfriend, and SHE loves it, and HER mom was so impressed that she went out and bought a MacBook for herself.

I like my MBP well and fine, but I kinda wish I had a 12" again. If they made a 12" laptop in that form factor, with the guts of a current Intel MacBook or MacBook Pro, I would be the first in line to order one!

Perhaps one day when they are dirt cheap I will buy a 12" PB again. If it has a decent battery, it might serve me well as a netbook.

[mutantchair]

I bought it, for $275. Came with a case and adapters, and the battery still lasts 3 hours. Not bad at all.