Getting first apple laptop have a few question

leglez

Platinum Member
Nov 12, 2005
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I am picking up a Powerbook G4 later this week. Trading my old $200 home theatre for it.

It has:
1GHz Processor
1GB Ram
Combo Drive
15 Inch Screen
Wireless Internet
OS X 10.5

How will this run 10.5? Is it fast enough for it?

I am assuming it is only a single core processor is that right?

Is it possible to upgrade the RAM, and HDD in these?

Are there any good aftermarket batteries that hold a charge longer than the normal battery?

I am sure I will have a few more questions later on.

Thanks!
 

ChAoTiCpInOy

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2006
6,442
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Yes it will run 10.5, how fast, probably not that fast. Yes it has one core. Yes you can upgrade the RAM and the HDD.
 

Tegeril

Platinum Member
Apr 2, 2003
2,906
5
81
It will run 10.5 tolerably well - this is of course said with the disclaimer that the G4 is a slow processor and many web technologies, especially Flash, run sluggishly. I have a 1GHz iMac G4 (1.25GB ram) running leopard in my kitchen with a 7200RPM aftermarket hard drive and it's still sluggish. It is single core.

The model you're getting is one of these...some can have more RAM, some cannot (if it's the top one, that is the best and will run the fastest by far with its mobility radeon 9600):
http://www.apple-history.com/?...=date&order=ASC&range=
http://www.apple-history.com/?...=date&order=ASC&range=
http://www.apple-history.com/?...=date&order=ASC&range=
http://www.apple-history.com/?...=date&order=ASC&range=

I think the normal battery is the way to go.
 

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
Moderator
Jul 19, 2001
38,572
2
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Originally posted by: Tegeril
It will run 10.5 tolerably well - this if of course said with the disclaimer that the G4 is a slow processor and many web technologies, especially Flash, run sluggishly. I have a 1GHz iMac G4 (1.25GB ram) running leopard in my kitchen with a 7200RPM aftermarket hard drive and it's still sluggish. It is single core.

The model you're getting is one of these...some can have more RAM, some cannot:
http://www.apple-history.com/?...=date&order=ASC&range=
http://www.apple-history.com/?...=date&order=ASC&range=
http://www.apple-history.com/?...=date&order=ASC&range=
http://www.apple-history.com/?...=date&order=ASC&range=

I think the normal battery is the way to go.

Flash is sluggish on my 2.2ghz Core 2 Duo Macbook :)
 

MovingTarget

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2003
9,002
115
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You will want to max out the ram in it though. I've considered upgrading to Leopard, but I wouldn't do if I hadn't already upped the ram. Even Tiger was slow for me with only 512Mb of ram.