Closeout iBooks a good deal?

[Bhennies]

Hi. I've decided I need a laptop in addition to a desktop ('m getting a new dual g5 this summer for heavy duty tasks). It will be for basic web design (dreamweaver), some photoshop, and must be able to give presentations etc. I'd also like to be able to watch DVD's. Are the closeout g3 ibooks a good deal? How much slower is Airport versus airport extreme? Will I even notice a difference? Can I easily network the desktop and laptop? I would like a powerbook, but too much $$$. This will be purely for portability factor(ie light use)...this will NOT be a desktop replacement. Thanks!

 

[26139]

YES!

Hell yeah. I wish that I had kept my 500Mhz G3 iBook that I sold to finance my 17" powerbook. Nothing can beat those 12"G3s in portability, battery life and airport reception. Airport stills runs way faster than the internet (12Mbps compared to, at the most 1.5Mps from a dedicated line)

 

[Crikey]

I teetered on the edge of buying a 900MHz G3 iBook for a while. Two things ultimately stopped me. The first was the problems some users have had with logic boards and display failures. The clincher was that Software Instruments in GarageBand won't run on a G3, only on a G4.

The G3 iBooks offer fabulous bang for the buck, if you get a reliable one, and if you don't need any functionality that requires a G4+.


Crikey

 

[pinto32]

That G3 is kinda dated, but hell, if the price is right I dont think you can go wrong. Suposedly the logic board issues were cleared up about a year ago, so you should get a solid unit, and even if you do get a dud, Apple has their logic board replacment program in full swing.

 

[jemeinc]

I know I'll catch some grief for this , but stay away from the G3 iBooks... The logic board failure is not a small % of those named in the replacement plan, it's pretty close to inevitable... Good deal or not, going without your computer for several days at a time every couple of months sucks... Not only is that lame, but when it's running your always making sure everything is physically backed up or stored on your desktop unit ( I know- we should do that anyway), which isn't the best feeling in the world... Having a G3 iBook is like being back in college , or high school & driving that hooptie car again— you know, the one that's either broken down, or getting ready to break down... It's not worth it... Trust me, I'm working my way out of one, & don't even get me going on Apples repair plan- I'll just say it should be a "replacement" plan & leave it at that...

 

[Bhennies]

I know I'll catch some grief for this , but stay away from the G3 iBooks... The logic board failure is not a small % of those named in the replacement plan, it's pretty close to inevitable... Good deal or not, going without your computer for several days at a time every couple of months sucks... Not only is that lame, but when it's running your always making sure everything is physically backed up or stored on your desktop unit ( I know- we should do that anyway), which isn't the best feeling in the world... Having a G3 iBook is like being back in college , or high school & driving that hooptie car again— you know, the one that's either broken down, or getting ready to break down... It's not worth it... Trust me, I'm working my way out of one, & don't even get me going on Apples repair plan- I'll just say it should be a "replacement" plan & leave it at that...

I think you're right. I'm scared of that problem and a lot of my friends warned me about it. Well, I'll just buy a g4 ibook then. Thanks everyone!