iBook G3

Question

iBook G3

I use a desktop iMac G5 and am considering a used iBook G3 as a second computer for portability. I know nothing about the iBook G3 (has system 9.2 in it the seller thinks) and am wondering what trouble I will run into - if any - working on it and transferring my work to my iMac. I use MS Word, QuarkXPress, Photoshop and Illustrator mostly.

Will you discuss whether the iBook would be an adequate choice? Whether the two computers are compatible. Can I update the system in the iBook to 10?

ibook G3, Mac OS 9.2.x

Posted on Sep 28, 2006 2:00 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Ronda Wilson

Level 8

42,650 points

Sep 28, 2006 3:54 PM in response to Christine Roen

Hi, Christine. Welcome to Apple Discussions.

I would recommend upping your sights a notch to an iBook G4. You won't pay a whole lot more for the G4, and you will end up a lot more satisfied, I believe.

The G3's have only USB 1.1; the iBook G4 has USB 2. The AirPort is upgraded from the 802.11b standard on the iBook G3 to 802.11g on the iBook G4. While this doesn't make a huge difference in most instances, it's a big deal when you're replacing the AirPort card. Apple quit selling the original AirPort card over two years ago, and it's getting kind of hard to find them, and rather expensive if you do manage to find one. It's easier (and cheaper) to find an AirPort Express card for the iBook G4.

While the iBook G3 can run OS X without a problem (my G3 800 MHz runs Panther just fine with 640 MB of RAM installed), I chose not to push it to run Tiger and upgraded to an iBook G4 when I wanted to go up to Tiger.

All in all, I think you would be much more satisfied with an iBook G4, but if it must be a G3, then just don't expect it to be a powerhouse. There are lots of people here loving their iBook G3's (and I love mine, too, for that matter). It's just that, as usual in the computer world, newer is most frequently better.

Good luck!

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