iBook 500mhz in 2010?

[76ShovelHead]

Hey, my first time posting here, but anyways- i just bought an eMac 1.25 Ghz G4, and it completely replaced my Desktop PC (Literaly, i had to send in my PC's Hard Drive and have had no problem using this computer for everything). I need to get a laptop soon, and a g3 iBook is in my Price range (Under 100) The ones ive been looking at are 5-700Mhz iBook G3's. Is it Sufficient in this day and age? Like web browsing, streaming youtube (HTML5 and Flashplayer 8) iTunes, AIM, Mail and my Web Design (Adobe CS3)/Foreign Language classes? Its running 10.4 Tiger.

 

[iBookG4user]

It'd try to at least get a G4 if you're going to go with an iBook. But any model is going to be slow nowadays, as even the newest iBook is over half a decade old.

 

[WildCowboy]

I believe the minimum requirements for CS3 include a G4 processor and at least 1 GB of RAM, neither of which you'll be able to get in an iBook that old.

I had a 500 MHz iBook and it was barely able to handle basic web surfing and word processing by about 2006-2007, even maxed out.

 

[drewdle]

As much as I want to say go for it, you're going to run into issues due to your requirements.

Adobe CS3 won't run, it needs a G4 minimum - http://store.adobe.com/store/en_us/popup/software/creativesuite/mastercollection/systemreqs.html

As to the web, the best experience with HTML5 on PPC Macs is had with Safari 5, which will only run under Leopard. G3s cannot, in any way shape or form, run Leopard, so Tiger is the latest OS you can run on that iBook. Safari 4.1, which is the newest version for Tiger, isn't nearly as good at HTML5.

I think for what you need to do, you'll need an iBook or PowerBook G4. If you're alright with the performance of the eMac, then any of the aforementioned laptops with a 1Ghz or faster G4 chip should give you that same performance on the road.

I like the G3 equipped machines, especially the Clamshell series, but then again my mobile needs are practically prehistoric. I do with my laptop what most people do with their iPhone, minus most of the internet surfing. I'm not one to recommend buying more than you need, but in your case, what you need you won't get from a G3.

 

[millertime021]

I just switched from an iBook G4 to my new MBP.

The iBook had a 933MHz PPC G4 processor with 640MB RAM.

Basically, flash killed it. Any site that had flash slowed it down like crazy. Even some HTML5 was too much.

I could surf the web and type word docs, but youtube was a no go.

 

[76ShovelHead]

Thanks for all your input and personal experiences. I decided ill spring for a G4 iBook equal to or better than my eMac when i can.