Powerbook Ti Advice....help with deciding.

[EHUnlucky7x9@ao]

Hey guys, well I have a Powerbook G4 Ti... it's the Mercury one. 400Mhz. Well, I need advice on what I should do with my TiBook. I plan on purchasing a MacBook Pro in the summer and for now, I have my TiBook. It has a few problems that I have left to make it a perfect running machine.

I need to know whether or not I should sell the TiBook along with my iBook clamshell and buy a 1Ghz TiBook or even an AlumBook until I get my MacBook Pro.

My Powerbook's flaw is that the keyboard is missing two keys (but it still works if i press my thumb in the empty space), the battery holds a charge for about 1/2 hr, and the HD is only 10 Gbs. large. Those are what I could fix/upgrade. I've got the computer to physically be in good shape except for these minor things. The DVD works, LCD is clear, laptop is great.

Here's some pictures:

Now, my main purpose of having a laptop is to surf on the web, email, word processing on the road, and video chat. With that said, should I sell my Powerbook G4 for a faster one like an 867+? Or do you think I should just buy a larger HD, a brand new battery, and the two keys missing from the keyboard? Please help, because I just can't decide if buying a faster Powerbook would do me any good since I'm getting a MacBook Pro eventually. I just feel like I SHOULD get a faster Powerbook because I primarily use my PowerMac G5 and everything just loads faster and I want my Powerbook to do the same, but I know it can't. So basically... in the long run, what do you guys say? Upgrade current parts or buy new Powerbook?

Thanks for all your help in advance MR members!

 

[Some_Big_Spoon]

Refurb and sale PB's at the apple store online are going for next to nothing.
If you're only surfing and doing the iapp thing on your PB, then maybe go for one of those. For under a grand you get a machine that's probably twice as fast as you have now and will let you ride out the bumpy ride that's ahead with the first couple revisions of the intel machines.

I'm doing the same thing, FYI. I have a 12" 1.33 Rev C. PB and I've beaten it to hell. I'm waiting till the MacBooks ship, then I'll grab a 15"PB from the refurb or sale section. I run pro apps though, so my consideration is Universal Binaries taking a bit to materialize and be fast enough.

Anyway, I say go for a refurb/sale. Super Cheap and it'll last. As for what you have, do an As Is on ebay and you'll probably get 1/3 to 1/2 the way to that $1kPB.

 

[California]

Now, my main purpose of having a laptop is to surf on the web, email, word processing on the road, and video chat. With that said, should I sell my Powerbook G4 for a faster one like an 867+? Or do you think I should just buy a larger HD, a brand new battery, and the two keys missing from the keyboard? Please help, because I just can't decide if buying a faster Powerbook would do me any good since I'm getting a MacBook Pro eventually. I just feel like I SHOULD get a faster Powerbook because I primarily use my PowerMac G5 and everything just loads faster and I want my Powerbook to do the same, but I know it can't. So basically... in the long run, what do you guys say? Upgrade current parts or buy new Powerbook?

I had that same machine through last summer. Bought it and babied it from new. I dropped a new and much faster hard drive into it, stuffed it with 1gb of ram and bought a 550mhz CPU upgrade from Daystar for 199 bucks that put it back under warranty and then -- sold it to a good friend who LOVES IT COMPLETELY.

I am a good authority on Tibooks because I then bought a 500, a 550, a 667, and a 1GHZ Tibook in successive order last year.

With a full gig of ram and a 80 or 100 gig 7200rpm hard drive -- or a toshiba 5400rpm hd with 16mb cache -- that old Tibook will sing.

I'd only do the upgrade if you want to sell it because then you have a new warranty on it and can feel comfortable selling your machine. That's what I did. The 400 turned 550 runs Tiger very well and is fast enough for your needs, especially with the upgraded hard drive. Oh and I put a combo drive into the Tibook, too, you might want to upgrade to a superdrive but you need a new bracket. You can do all this work yourself on a Ti. It is SO easy to put in the hd and even the combo. Just go slow.

Then, when you want to sell, you can either put back your old ten gig hd into it or not. The CPU upgrade made the machine more than a third faster I think, and the memory upgrade was really great. Those are great machines.

If you really want to sell it though, don't bother with anything but the 1gig machine. It has a faster video card and is really faster -- the other Ti's are faster but not that much of an advance for you from the 400mhz for the expendiature. If I were you I'd just drop the hd and memory into it, maybe the CPU because you'd be sure to get more money on resale for it, and then get your macbook when you want. Also, they sell individual keys for Tibook keyboards at Daystar and on eBay. Check around, not a big deal. And youknow you can drop memory into the Tibook very very easy, right?

 

[faintember]

To fix it i think a new keyboard is around $120, a new battery is around $70 and a new 60gig HD Hitachi (42oorpm i think...not sure) is around $150, so thats what, $350 all together? I couldnt find a price on individual keys for the keyboard, but i have seen them for sale before.

If you do this, you probably will not make that money back in resale value IMHO, but with the problems that it has now it probably would not fetch too much money in resale anyways. If you can do without the laptop(s) for a while, sell them and use the money towards a new MacbookPro, if not i would do the upgrade to your Ti, and keep it until the 64bit MacBookPros come out (probably fall of 2006). I did upgraded my HD to a 100gig 5400 rpm and maxed my ram out in my 1Ghz Ti PB and i am loving it, and am waiting for the 64bit MacBookPro.

Just my 2¢...

 

[gallivant]

$120!? I got a brand new keyboard for my TiBook 867 for $40, about a year go, and that included shipping.

 

[California]

Keys for the keyboard are like five bucks each.

A top of the line Hitachi Travelstar 7200rpm 60 gig 150 on eBay new.

Memory -- depends what he's got in the machine. too bad I just sold a stick of 512 for sixty five bucks.

REMEMBER you can pull the hard drive out when you sell the machine and you can pull out the extra memory, too, and resell it.

so for $225, he's in business and he can resell the new parts anyway.

For another 200, he can upgrade the CPU and put it back under warranty.

He'll be lucky to get five hundred for the machine, but with a new warranty, you never know. Those Tis are great machines. I guess I would just put in the HD and the memory and fix the keys.

 

[EHUnlucky7x9@ao]

That's what I'm thinking of doing. Just upgrading my parts. I can wait until June/July/August to get a MacBook Pro. Or even in the fall.

I'm just tryin to find the cheaper route in this. I'm only concerned about accomplishing those tasks I mentioned but spending the least amount of money.

 

[faintember]

$120!? I got a brand new keyboard for my TiBook 867 for $40, about a year go, and that included shipping.

I just quoted what i saw after a quick google search. I am sure there are better deals out there (as other posters and yourself pointed out). Either way, it is a cheap and über easy option to upgrade the HD, keyboard, etc. It might take an hour, tops. I swapped my HD in 20mins or so on my Ti, and that was the first time i had even opened up a laptop.

 

[T-Stex]

ebay?

I'd check out ebay for a new keyboard too. I think I was just looking around, and thought I saw a PowerBook Ti keyboard for around $10. I didn't check it out, but just wanted to pass that on.

 

[dblissmn]

I'd just buy the replacement parts for the keyboard and get a good, basic, 5400rpm drive (perhaps a 40GB at just over $80 or a 60GB at just over $110) and a new battery. Total cost would be about $250 plus applicable taxes and shipping. I think going through the hassle of selling and buying two computers in the space of six months is not worth it, either with regard to the time involved or the depreciation.

One other thing you might want to consider is that a 5400rpm drive of decent size makes a good candidate for placement inside its own bus-powered housing as an external backup drive on FireWire 400 with a new computer in the end. Put the 10GB drive in a safe place, then swap them back around when you're ready to sell the TiBook. Your newly liberated 40/60GB drive will still be large enough to back up the user file(s) on your MacBook and give you a basic OS installation for booting emergencies, and that's what counts; you don't necessarily need space for all the applications.

 

[California]

Well I just today sold my iBook so I can sell you a new and warrantied Toshiba 60gig for 95 bucks if you want it -- it has the 16mb cache and 5400rpms -- it is every bit as fast as my Hitachi 7200rpm 60 gig that only has an 8mb cache -- for certain tasks. Let me know or it's going on Craigslist/eBay!

Oh, I also have a 40gig Toshiba laptop drive, same warranty that I was going to put in a friends 12" ibook -- same 5400rpms -- same 16mb cache, that I'll sell for 65 bucks -- new and never installed either. The reason I have all these hard drives is that my Titaniums spoiled me into thinking I could swap out the drives just as easy as a Ti as on an iBook.

Uh. No would be the answer to that question. So, I'm selling them!

Let me know! And you MIGHT be able to pry my 7200rpm Hitachi 60 out of my hands for $115. None of these have ever been installed. Literally, just sitting around in their static bags.

 

[jadekitty24]

If you plunk the money into your current computer you should be ok until you can get your MacBook. In your shoes I would do that as opposed to buying a current Powerbook. Your mind is already made up to get a MacBook, so you don't want to spend that much right now. That's several more hundred you could put into the macBook, or accessories.

 

[EHUnlucky7x9@ao]

Yeah... that's what I think I'm going to do. I will definately upgrade... i just need to sell my iBook clamshell and with that money... i will buy the parts I need.

 

[EHUnlucky7x9@ao]

So I guess upgrading the PB is the best way to go. How does upgrading the CPU going to bring back warranty?


Hey Cali...happen to have a G4 battery too??

 

[ITASOR]

How does upgrading the CPU going to bring back warranty?

Well, it gives the processor a new warranty...since it's a new processor.

I was going to suggest selling your clamshell to get a 40GB HD and keyboard, but you already suggested it to yourself.

 

[California]

So I guess upgrading the PB is the best way to go. How does upgrading the CPU going to bring back warranty?


Hey Cali...happen to have a G4 battery too??

Gave 'em away but they were down to minutes I think on the batteries.

Daystar warranties their CPU upgrades. Nice selling or reselling point when the time comes. That forty gig Toshiba I have is really nice... and cheap...

just trying to tempt you. Don't worry.

 

[California]

So I guess upgrading the PB is the best way to go. How does upgrading the CPU going to bring back warranty?


Hey Cali...happen to have a G4 battery too??

Gave 'em away but they were down to minutes I think on the batteries.

Daystar warranties their CPU upgrades. Nice selling or reselling point when the time comes. That forty gig Toshiba I have is really nice... and cheap...

just trying to tempt you. Don't worry.

Hey I just saw your pm, will pm you back. We were thinking alike!

 

[EHUnlucky7x9@ao]

Payment send and thank you! If anyone knows someone with a battery that holds a good charge on it...let me know cuz man I want to make the most use out of this thing.

I want to say thanks for everyone that provided their personal criticism on my situation. This does really help me much more now.

 

[kmarketing]

Hi,

I think you made a good choice in upgrading and saving some cash for possibly a rev. b macbook. I actually had a couple of aluminum powerbooks and ended up selling them to get myself a cheap (but in Mint condition) ti400 a few months ago. I have a dual g5 that does all my heavy computing so I just needed a basic laptop to go wireless, typing, some photoshopping, entertainment, etc. The ti400 does that for me. So I ended up saving a ton. I got a great deal for my ti400 and with all the upgrades (1gb memory, airport card, 80gb 5400 Hard Drive, combo dvd/cdrw drive, 2 Strong batteries) the total cost was about $400.

One suggestion that I may make to save even more money is if you have an airport card, to sell it. I just recently sold mine for $100, and bought a third party linksys wireless g card for $25. So in other words my fine ti400 cost $325. The wireless range is definitely better, and I was willing to sacrifice the clean look of having an internal wireless card. I just want to have the cheapest laptop possible to hold me over til the new ones have been fully tested.

So have fun upgrading, but just be careful about the pricing about some of the parts especially the memory. But I think you will end up with a fine machine. And in my opinion, the titaniums still look great and better than most laptops out there. If you have any computer skill whatsoever, they are easy to service almost like the pismos. I've taken the aluminums apart also, and while they are not difficult either, the titaniums are much easier.

Good Luck!

 

[ericssonboi]

Hi,

I think you made a good choice in upgrading and saving some cash for possibly a rev. b macbook. I actually had a couple of aluminum powerbooks and ended up selling them to get myself a cheap (but in Mint condition) ti400 a few months ago. I have a dual g5 that does all my heavy computing so I just needed a basic laptop to go wireless, typing, some photoshopping, entertainment, etc. The ti400 does that for me. So I ended up saving a ton. I got a great deal for my ti400 and with all the upgrades (1gb memory, airport card, 80gb 5400 Hard Drive, combo dvd/cdrw drive, 2 Strong batteries) the total cost was about $400.

One suggestion that I may make to save even more money is if you have an airport card, to sell it. I just recently sold mine for $100, and bought a third party linksys wireless g card for $25. So in other words my fine ti400 cost $325. The wireless range is definitely better, and I was willing to sacrifice the clean look of having an internal wireless card. I just want to have the cheapest laptop possible to hold me over til the new ones have been fully tested.

So have fun upgrading, but just be careful about the pricing about some of the parts especially the memory. But I think you will end up with a fine machine. And in my opinion, the titaniums still look great and better than most laptops out there. If you have any computer skill whatsoever, they are easy to service almost like the pismos. I've taken the aluminums apart also, and while they are not difficult either, the titaniums are much easier.

Good Luck!

Which speicific Linsys card did you get?

 

[EHUnlucky7x9@ao]

Got the laptop hard drive... i haven't installed it yet.. .but i will check it out tomorrow when I have time to install it. Thanks... and I'll keep you updated California!