01-19-2011, 05:08 PM

I was given the offer of $175 dollars and I thought it was a good price. I just want a starter laptop that will do me for three years while in school. I will be doing a lot of video editing with sound. It is coming with Microsoft Office 2008 and a video editing software. I know it's not perfect, but is it worth it for right now? As soon as I get a real job, I plan on buying a new Mac laptop, so this isn't a set thing. I just need some advice on what to do...

01-19-2011, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by anna_banana

I was given the offer of $175 dollars and I thought it was a good price. I just want a starter laptop that will do me for three years while in school. I will be doing a lot of video editing with sound. It is coming with Microsoft Office 2008 and a video editing software. I know it's not perfect, but is it worth it for right now? As soon as I get a real job, I plan on buying a new Mac laptop, so this isn't a set thing. I just need some advice on what to do...

An iBook from 2001 is:

- no where near worth $175 bucks
- it will in no way be able to do what you want it to do
- or last you 3 years in school

This is a 10 year-old laptop...and if you did get it & used it in school...it would be 13 years old. That is an old, old, old computer. You really need something that's at least no older than 5-6 years old.

Even if this computer could do what you want it to...the main point is $175 is too much for it.

Just my humble opinion,

- Nick

01-19-2011, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

An iBook from 2001 is:

- no where near worth $175 bucks
- it will in no way be able to do what you want it to do
- or last you 3 years in school

This is a 10 year-old laptop...and if you did get it & used it in school...it would be 13 years old. That is an old, old, old computer. You really need something that's at least no older than 5-6 years old.

Even if this computer could do what you want it to...the main point is $175 is too much for it.

Just my humble opinion,

- Nick

what would be a reasonable price for it?

01-19-2011, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by anna_banana

what would be a reasonable price for it?

I would need to know:

- what is the cpu speed
- what size display
- how much ram
- how big is the HD
- does the battery hold a charge
- does it come with the power adapter
- what OS is on it

But roughly speaking (depending on exactly what model it is & the exact specs)...I wouldn't pay more than $20-$50 bucks for it.

- Nick

01-19-2011, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

I would need to know:

- what is the cpu speed
- what size display
- how much ram
- how big is the HD
- does the battery hold a charge
- does it come with the power adapter
- what OS is on it

But roughly speaking (depending on exactly what model it is & the exact specs)...I wouldn't pay more than $20-$50 bucks for it.

- Nick

its a 500 MHz powerPC G3 640MB SDRam display may be 13" HD is 9.24 GB, the battery can hold a charge for about 30 to 45 mins and it comes with the power cable. and it has OS X 10.4.11

01-19-2011, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by anna_banana

its a 500 MHz powerPC G3 640MB SDRam display may be 13" HD is 9.24 GB, the battery can hold a charge for about 30 to 45 mins and it comes with the power cable. and it has OS X 10.4.11

Thanks for the info...sounds pretty much what I was expecting. If you keep your needs modest:

- light internet surfing
- no You Tube videos
- e-mail
- using MS Office 2008 (an older version would probably be better/faster)
- mp3's will be ok
- video editing...I really doubt it. If you're using really old software (maybe)...but don't even think of running any modern video editing software.

Like I said...$175 is way too much for this. I bought one like it a while ago for $40 bucks. I would say it's worth no more than $75.

To add another example. I bought a Powerbook G4, 867mhz, built-in airport & bluetooth, 640 gig ram, 20 gig hard drive (this is a 2003 computer) for $80.

Good luck,

- Nick

01-19-2011, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

Thanks for the info...sounds pretty much what I was expecting. If you keep your needs modest:

- light internet surfing
- no You Tube videos
- e-mail
- using MS Office 2008 (an older version would probably be better/faster)
- mp3's will be ok
- video editing...I really doubt it. If you're using really old software (maybe)...but don't even think of running any modern video editing software.

Like I said...$175 is way too much for this. I bought one like it a while ago for $40 bucks. I would say it's worth no more than $75.

To add another example. I bought a Powerbook G4, 867mhz, built-in airport & bluetooth, 640 gig ram, 20 gig hard drive (this is a 2003 computer) for $80.

Good luck,

- Nick

well thanks for the help. if i could afford a macbook i would, that's why i was looking at this...

01-19-2011, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by anna_banana

well thanks for the help. if i could afford a macbook i would, that's why i was looking at this...

Guess what???...there's a lot of Macintosh laptop models between this 2001 iBook and a much newer MacBook.

If $175 is the maximum you have to spend...then that's the way it is. But with only $175...you at least want to get as much computer as possible! Paying $175 for a 2001 iBook that's probably worth $75 or less wouldn't be a good purchase.

Keep looking for something a little bit newer...and a little bit better...so you get the most for your $175.

- Nick

01-19-2011, 06:32 PM

If you're going to use this at school, I'd really try for a Macbook, or one of the fastest PowerBooks at least. I'm currently using an iBook G4 as my main computer, and it's starting to just not cut it. I can't even play a moderately simple flash game without slowdown anymore. Granted if I got more ram it would probably run better and faster, but you're gonna need something that's future proof, and the ever aging Power PC G3's, G4's, and G5's definitely are not. Just my opinion. Also, if money is a problem, try looking at apple's refurbished machines instead of the brand new ones.

-Good Luck

01-19-2011, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by MacDude121

I'm currently using an iBook G4 as my main computer, and it's starting to just not cut it.

And you actually have a pretty nice & fast 1.33ghz iBook G4.

The computer the OP is talking about is only 500mhz...just imagine how slow that would be compared to your 1.33ghz.

- Nick

01-19-2011, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

And you actually have a pretty nice & fast 1.33ghz iBook G4.

The computer the OP is talking about is only 500mhz...just imagine how slow that would be compared to your 1.33ghz.

- Nick

I know. 500MHz is almost nothing compared to today's computers. As for my iBook, it's no speed demon, and I'm a fairly heavy computer user. I'm starting to lose my patience when it comes to the lagging of videos and games as well. Oh well, it gets the job done for now anyway.

01-19-2011, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by MacDude121

I know. 500MHz is almost nothing compared to today's computers. As for my iBook, it's no speed demon, and I'm a fairly heavy computer user. I'm starting to lose my patience when it comes to the lagging of videos and games as well. Oh well, it gets the job done for now anyway.

Actually I forgot that you have a 500mhz iMac...so you do have something to compare your 1.33ghz iBook to.

- Nick

01-19-2011, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

Actually I forgot that you have a 500mhz iMac...so you do have something to compare your 1.33ghz iBook to.

- Nick

Kinda hard to do a comparison when it can't get on the internet:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/air...-internet.html

But as far as application launching and start up/shut down times go, it's no competition to the iBook.

01-19-2011, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by MacDude121

Kinda hard to do a comparison when it can't get on the internet:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/air...-internet.html

But as far as application launching and start up/shut down times go, it's no competition to the iBook.

Yeah...I wasn't really thinking about the internet...I was thinking running apps. like the OP referenced in their posts.

- Nick

01-19-2011, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

Yeah...I wasn't really thinking about the internet...I was thinking running apps. like the OP referenced in their posts.

- Nick

Yeah. Well like I said, the applications are no competition either. But then again, the applications and OS that are on the G3 are older and therefore "lighter" and probably better configured for the computer.