PowerBook G4 upgrades for gaming

[Abbbby333]

Hi everyone! This is my first post!

I would like to upgrade a 17" Powerbook G4 so that I can use it to play games from when I was a kid (nostalgic I know). I am planning to upgrade the ram to 2gb and replace the battery as well as doing a full tear down to give it a thourough cleaning and replace the thermal paste. The part I'm struggling with is finding an SSD to swap out the old hard drive for. I was planning on using OWC, but it looks like they're not offering SSDs for computers this old anymore. I'm at a total loss of what to use for my SSD now.

I would love recommendations for the best parts to get for each upgrade and where to buy them as well as any other pointers of what I should know going into this process. I'm a total noob to this and would appreciate any and all advice. TIA!

 

[Amethyst1]

Hello and welcome to the forums.

It's best to go for a modern mSATA or m.2 SSD in a reliable IDE adapter.

Native IDE SSDs are old, slow and ridiculously overpriced. Especially OWC's.

 

[Abbbby333]

Hi! Thanks for your response! Do you have a recommendation for the best ones of those or a reliable place to look?

 

[eyoungren]

Hi! Thanks for your response! Do you have a recommendation for the best ones of those or a reliable place to look?

I use this adapter by Addonics: https://www.addonics.com/products/adms25ide.php

It's $25, but it's quality, so I know it will work and not fail. If you want inexpensive though there are a number of Chinese adapters on eBay that cost less than $10.

I recommend Zheino SSDs (I have two), but there are plenty of other brands out there that will work.

 

[Abbbby333]

Thanks for the recommendations! I'm not too worried about cost. I'm much more concerned with getting something that has proven to be a good buy for other people! I will check out the 2 you mentioned above!

 

[Abbbby333]

It looks like the addonics one isn't available anymore, but I did find this one.

Ableconn IIDE-MSAT mSATA SSD to 2.5-Inch IDE Adapter Converter with Aluminum Frame Bracket - Latch and Retain mSATA SSD as 9.5mm 2.5" IDE SSD Drive

Ableconn IIDE-MSAT mSATA SSD to 2.5-Inch IDE Adapter Converter with Aluminum Frame Bracket - Latch and Retain mSATA SSD as 9.5mm 2.5" IDE SSD Drive

www.amazon.com

Does anyone have any experience with this one?

 

[Amethyst1]

Post Your SSD/CF SATA/PATA PowerPC Benchmark Results

It would be interesting to compile a collection of real world PowerPC benchmark results with different configurations of solid state drives from factory sealed 2.5" PATA SSDs, mSATA and the various adapter caddies and CF solutions. There is a lot of information floating around, but nothing that...

forums.macrumors.com

This thread contains some details on which SSD and adapters have been used successfully

 

[Abbbby333]

This is another option.

ChenYang mSATA Mini SATA SSD to IDE 44Pin 2.5 inch Hard Disk Case Enclosure Box White for Notebook Laptop

This adapter using JM20330 Serial ATA Bridge Chip. Case Size:70mm x 100mm X 9.5mm. This adapter is only compatible with 50mm size mSATA Mini SATA SSD. Not compatible with 50mm Mini PCI-e SATA and Mini PCI-e PATA. Not compatible with M.2 NGFF SSD(B-key or M-key).

www.amazon.com

 

[Abbbby333]

Post Your SSD/CF SATA/PATA PowerPC Benchmark Results

It would be interesting to compile a collection of real world PowerPC benchmark results with different configurations of solid state drives from factory sealed 2.5" PATA SSDs, mSATA and the various adapter caddies and CF solutions. There is a lot of information floating around, but nothing that...

forums.macrumors.com

This thread contains some details on which SSD and adapters have been used successfully

Thank you! I will look through it now!

 

[Abbbby333]

So I think I've decided to go with
This adaptor: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GRMUQRG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3TUR5JBYCEPNE&psc=1
and this mSata SSD: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GZLJD5R/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1VKKODYGEC6T6&psc=1

If anyone has any comments or suggestions of better options, I would love to hear. Thank you for all your help! I cannot wait to install them!

 

[eyoungren]

So I think I've decided to go with
This adaptor: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GRMUQRG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3TUR5JBYCEPNE&psc=1
and this mSata SSD: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GZLJD5R/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1VKKODYGEC6T6&psc=1

If anyone has any comments or suggestions of better options, I would love to hear. Thank you for all your help! I cannot wait to install them!

The SSD is the exact one I have in my 17" PowerBook, so you're good there.

 

[RogerWilco6502]

It looks like the addonics one isn't available anymore, but I did find this one.

Ableconn IIDE-MSAT mSATA SSD to 2.5-Inch IDE Adapter Converter with Aluminum Frame Bracket - Latch and Retain mSATA SSD as 9.5mm 2.5" IDE SSD Drive

Ableconn IIDE-MSAT mSATA SSD to 2.5-Inch IDE Adapter Converter with Aluminum Frame Bracket - Latch and Retain mSATA SSD as 9.5mm 2.5" IDE SSD Drive

www.amazon.com

Does anyone have any experience with this one?

Not sure if you still need advice on this one, but I use it in my iBook and it works well.