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crachoar said:
Wait a year - get an Intel-based mac. It will be around longer, and if Apple plays their cards right - it will be a little cheaper.

Either way, I would wait.

And if you wait for the switch - the market will be saturated with PPC based macs. That's your best bet for a cheap PPC based mac I think.

But seriously? Just wait. Wait!

A year? That's over 1% of a lifetime. You tell someone to waste 1% of their life to get something they want now just so they'll have a slightly better system?

Get it when you can get it, and get what you need.
 
crachoar said:
Wait a year - get an Intel-based mac. It will be around longer, and if Apple plays their cards right - it will be a little cheaper.

Either way, I would wait.

And if you wait for the switch - the market will be saturated with PPC based macs. That's your best bet for a cheap PPC based mac I think.

But seriously? Just wait. Wait!

Wait 2 months - fine, you'd get something more up to date and/or better value for your money in September, assuming that they are updated then (and if they are, I'm predicting 1.4GHz and 1.6GHz 7448s in the iBook, and 1.6GHz and 1.8GHz 7448s in the PowerBook, maybe 2GHz 17" even).

Wait 1 year - why? In that time you could be using something that could increase your productivity, or is simply more fun to use, even if it isn't next year's best! Never mind that next year's Intel based systems will be Revision As at best! Never mind that the Intel based iBook will be using a Celeron M (2006 edition), probably at 1.6GHz. I don't think it will be all that amazing.

80% of the value of an Apple system is in the software it comes with, the ease of use, the low stress factor, and so on. That won't be increased with the jump to Intel.
 
If you do go back to considering a second hand iBook, then I'd say it's best to avoid the G3 line entirely.

There were a lot of problems with them and some owners ended up having theirs 'fixed' 3 or more times. The issue was often a failed logic board / display cable connector which was covered in the extended logic board repair program, but was always a breakdown waiting to happen purely because of the design of the G3 series.

I know, my display went bad 3 days ago and it is not covered due to it being more than 3 years old.

Furthermore, my G3 600 (8MB VRAM) is maxed out on RAM (640 MB) but really is feeling the strain running Tiger. Panther was a lot less taxing on it, but I don't want to go back of course.

So, get a decent G4 if you go second hand, but as has been said, hold off on a new purchase if you can as the current models have not been updated since October.
 
The slowest iBook you should get is an iBook G3 800MHz with 640MB of RAM. That is the lowest, and is only a consideration if this is just a play thing so that you can use a Mac and see if you like it.

But actually, I'd recommend getting an eMac if you don't have a monitor. Those things are fast and cheap, and are probably the best deal in the entire Apple line-up, even the Mac Mini.
 
I could either get a iBook 800mhz or possibly a G4. Possibly a G4, that would be about a year and a half. An e or i mac whatever i wont get. i can use my old PC monitor and wireless logitech keyboard and mouse set.
 
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