Upgrading vs. Buying New

toxictaipan · #1 May 19th, 2009, 07:56 AM

Hello everyone,

I need some opinions....

I have a iBook G4 that I bought used. It's kinda old (made in 2004), and I really love this thing to death. I have so much trouble and nonsense out of my windows computers it's pathetic. I really do adore this thing, it doesn't ever give me trouble!

Well, I'm a teenager, and in this economy it's hard for adults to get jobs, much less people under 18. With no income, money is short.

Because my computers coming up on 5 years, its specs aren't all that great. I have Mac OS X 10.4.11, 256 MB of RAM, a PowerPC G4 1.2 GHz Processor, and other outdated stuff.

I don't really have the money to go buy a new Mac, and I'm trying to figure out what's the better choice. Would it be worth it to do a little upgrading here and there on this Mac, or should I just save up for a whole new computer? I'm not really a hardcore computer person. I just like to surf the web a little and listen to a bunch of music.

I really want to get Mac OS X 10.5 on this thing, and I think I need an Intel Processor for that. Is that true? Can my computer even take an Intel Processor?

Could I also get a rough price range on what it would cost for a new Processor (that could support OS X 10.5) and about 1 or 2GB of RAM?

Thanks for reading,
toxictaipan

**fryke** · #2 May 19th, 2009, 10:27 AM

Generally, you can only upgrade the RAM inexpensively. I'd suggest going to ca. 1 GB. That'll make it quite a bit quicker. I wouldn't upgrade it to Leopard. And no, you can't upgrade the processor.

Invest _little_ money. Just do the RAM. And then work towards a new laptop.

Jesse714 · #3 July 23rd, 2009, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toxictaipan

I really want to get Mac OS X 10.5 on this thing, and I think I need an Intel Processor for that. Is that true? Can my computer even take an Intel Processor?

Could I also get a rough price range on what it would cost for a new Processor (that could support OS X 10.5) and about 1 or 2GB of RAM?

10.5 is leopard, and no it doesnt require an intel processor, its PowerPC or Intel, however, the newest OS Snow leopard requires an intel processor, but that isn't going to be released until september. Your iBook will run leopard just fine, I had a PowerBook G4 12" 1.33, and it runs leopard just fine. My brother use's it now. For your Processor upgrade- No, you can't change your processor, Intel and PPC are completly different platforms, even if you COULD remove your processor and get a Intel in there, your computer wouldn't turn on, it isn't designed that way. So you can't even buy a new processor... at all, so changing it out isn't an option. iBook G4's cannot take 2 gigs of ram. they can take a 1 Gig stick, of PC 2100, or 2700, which is a total of 1.25GB (256 is soldered into the board)
it is about 50 bucks for a 1 gig stick. ill post a couple of links.
Leopard (10.5) is 129 brand new on apple.com. I'm sure you could find it for cheaper, but if you think about it, buy leopard, and then buy Snow Leopard for $30 (discount price for buying leopard) And then without opening Snow leopard, put it on ebay, for 100 or so. And then all you have to say in your posting description, I bought this thinking i could put it on my iBook G4 and sadly I cannot.

And then you make your self 70 dollars!! And then, you can do a hard drive upgrade, the ram if you haven't, a new battery, you know just small upgrades to help your self out.

http://crucial.com (run the system scanner)
And it will show you your memory upgrades.

Or you can go the ebay route
1 gig stick
http://cgi.ebay.com/1GB-Apple-Powerb...3A1%7C294%3A50

512MB

http://cgi.ebay.com/512MB-PC2700-RAM...3A1%7C294%3A50

This should help you out

**fryke** · #4 July 24th, 2009, 03:22 AM

But that's what I mean... If you invest on RAM, HD, Leopard, you pay far too much for what you actually get. Investing hundreds of dollars on such an old machine seems ludicrous, when a couple of months later (saving up a little money) get you a new MacBook. As I've said well before: Do the RAM (will make it a bit faster) and be content with it until you can get a new MacBook or MacBook Pro. You'll get Snow Leopard then along with the newest iLife and hardware that's just soooo much faster...

Jesse714 · #5 July 24th, 2009, 05:16 AM

I do agree, but, like he said he's a teenager, under 18 and can't come up with 1000 bucks plus shipping, but spending 200 wouldn't be such a big deal.

The iBook G4's came with 60 gig hard drives i think, that's plenty of space for alot of people, ram is 35, leopard is 129 brand new (cheaper on ebay) and for a 320 gig hard drive, its 89. And a hard drive upgrade isn't all that necessary, but that extra space is nice.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136345