Used laptop prices?

[40167]

Well i'm thinking about getting a used apple laptop for a while, just to do internet and typing documents... the desktop can still do everything else even though its a windows box.

So i'm wondering what you guys think I could get for around $250... ibook clamshell? powerbook g3 maybe?... been lurking around ebay but I would like to atleast know about how much to pay for something.

Thanks for your help.

 

[bigpumbaa]

I'm in the same boat. Hopefully someone can help us out.

 

[mian]

Low End Mac

Here is a link to a list of used mac sellers. It will get you started

http://www.lowendmac.com/dealers/index.shtml

 

[mrgreen4242]

You should be able to get a 'clamshell' style G3 iBook at 300mhz for about $250 from a variety of eBay sellers. Shipping will be extra of course...

I'm not sure how well those machines will run OSX, however... maybe someone else can comment. Without OSX, you'd be better off with an old Windows machine.

Even if it will run OSX (I think Apple says it SHOULD), you will want to bump up the RAM, at least 192 or 256 MB I would say is a minimum. I think the 300mhz iBooks go up to 320MBs.

Other than that those little computers should make good portable web/email/document editor.

 

[7254278]

I wouldnt buy the clamshells simply because if they do run osx they will run it very poorly... To make it run properly you will need to add another 128mb stick of ram which will cost you extra.

 

[musicpyrite]

lol you guys act like you NEED os x to run a mac. os 9 is perfectly acceptable for what what you want to do.... internet, email, word processing.

 

[cluthz]

Beware of the first generations of ibooks, they only has one usb port and only the latest models has firewire and video-out.
The screen is also not that good, only 800x600 and they aren't bright at all.
(i own a ibook 300 myself, nice computer, but very slow with OSX)

 

[mrgreen4242]

lol you guys act like you NEED os x to run a mac. os 9 is perfectly acceptable for what what you want to do.... internet, email, word processing.

My point is why bother with getting a machine that can only run OS9? Yes it is ACCEPTABLE for the sort of things they will be doing, but you can easily get a windows machine that will be ACCEPTABLE for those task as well, and it will be a much better computer for the price.

To me, and I think ALOT of people, 75% or more of the appeal of the Mac is OSX! If you can't get a machine that will run OSX in your budget, you mind as well buy a PC laptop and run linux on it.

 

[Duff-Man]

Duff-Man says...I used to have a clamshell iBook - the original 300mhz one - and for basic email, web surfing and word processing it ran OS X just fine - and that was 10.0 and 10.1. As long as it has that bare minimum of 256MB of ram it 'll do that job just fine....oh yeah!

 

[40167]

Cool, well i'll look around for a clamshell ibook then... osx would be nice, but not needed, I use pearpc to run osx on my ibm sometimes and I like it alot.