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Might be switching from an iBook, any issues?

W

Wireless Buddy

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 8, 2007
199
0
Baltimore, Maryland
Hey guys. I have an iBook G3 that has a busted logic board, and I'm very upset about it. I bought it only in November 2007 and I thought it was the perfect computer for me since I didn't need the power of the more modern Macs but didn't want to spend too much. Well, I loved it until now when I get the logic board failures. I think I am going to buy a PowerBook G4 now. And I am just wondering if the PowerBook G4s have any weird widespread issues like my iBook had. Just so I don't waste MORE money.

Thanks guys.

EDIT: I just read about the "lower memory slot failure" on some PBG4s. What does this mean?
 
Have you seriously considered the price differential that would get you up to a Macbook? Even among the diehards (and I have to admit I still have a G5, but I wouldn't replace it with another PPC), PPC's day is over.

That being said, off the top of my head...

- TiBook - the single biggest complaint for the Tibook is that the hinge breaks quite easily

- PBG4 12" Aluminum - Relatively issue free throughout its life, AFAIK. The batteries were recalled on them, though, so you want to make sure that the unit was either not affected or had the battery replaced

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml05/05179.html

(Not sure if that's a complete list of models affected)

- PBG4 15" and 17" Aluminum - there are some issues with hardware failure at the lower RAM slot:

http://lowermemoryslot.editkid.com/

That's the big one I know of. I'm not sure if the issues with the widescreen displays having banding and poor visuals started with the last gen PBs or the first gen MBP's (they would affect the 15-17 but not the 12). Also the battery recall I think applied to the 15" too.
 
Wireless Buddy said:
If I got a PowerBook, I'd get a 15". Does this lower RAM slot make the computer unusable?
Click to expand...

You might want to do some googling on that. Search for something like "powerbook lower ram slot" and you'll find plenty of hits. As I understand it, most commonly, the computer becomes unstable unless you empty the RAM slot. In some cases, though, the logic board dies completely....

I don't know that the failure mode is frequent. Just that it's the most frequently cited one I've heard of.
 
In some cases, though, the logic board dies completely...
Click to expand...

Thank you, I will not be getting a PowerBook. I am NOT dealing with another faulty logic board. I have had enough of that to last me a lifetime.

I guess I'll start looking for some good deals on MacBooks.
 
Egh, nothing has a zero failure rate. Like I said, as far as I know, Apple maintained its excellent reputation for low failure rates throughout the time that the PBs were manufactured. Lower than most competitors. And anything else you buy, including a Macbook, might have a failure also.

But the Macbook is probably the better investment.
 
Wireless Buddy said:
Thank you, I will not be getting a PowerBook. I am NOT dealing with another faulty logic board. I have had enough of that to last me a lifetime.

I guess I'll start looking for some good deals on MacBooks.
Click to expand...

For the price of a PB you could just sell your iBook and buy a refurb MacBook!!
 
Whee-ooh! If you get a PPC machine instead of a Macbook, I will *not* feel sorry for you when that thing breaks down. Let's stop beating around the bush: those are old machines. They are slow machines. They will not last nearly as long as Intel machines. You should absolutely buy a Macbook if at all remotely infinitesimally possible instead of *any* PPC machine.

Or you could play Powerbook roulette and discover the horizontal line phenomenon. Your choice.
 
heatmiser said:
Whee-ooh! If you get a PPC machine instead of a Macbook, I will *not* feel sorry for you when that thing breaks down. Let's stop beating around the bush: those are old machines. They are slow machines. They will not last nearly as long as Intel machines. You should absolutely buy a Macbook if at all remotely infinitesimally possible instead of *any* PPC machine.

Or you could play Powerbook roulette and discover the horizontal line phenomenon. Your choice.
Click to expand...

Slow? Compared to new machines, sure. But doing the same tasks now it did back then, no. Mine's 4 1/2 years old and is still kickin' just fine. As for problems, the displays had the white-spot issue. I had my display replaced under warranty a few years ago. No hardware problems since.
 
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