In the Market for a Used Mac? Consider the Power Mac G3
Written: Jun 23 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast, powerful, trouble-free
Cons: Cheesy mouse and keyboard, looks a bit like a toy
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| Dr_Steph's Full Review: Apple Power Macintosh G3 (M7104LL/A) Mac Desktop |
This is a significantly revised version of an earlier deleted opinion
Just to give you a little history on me and my computers...I bought my first Mac when I was in graduate school - a Mac Plus. Ever heard of that? I paid about the same for this first computer (with no hard drive) as I paid for my Power Mac G3 about 1 1/2 years ago. It was "cutting edge" at the time. We've sure come a long way! I've owned a total of four Macintosh computers in the past fourteen years. I'm positive I'll buy another Mac someday - but not for a long time. The Power Mac G3 has all that I need in a computer, and much more.
I bought the Power Mac G3 to replace my old Performa 6200 which was fraught with problems. I was encouraged by one friend to wait until the G4's came out but I couldn't stand the Performa for another second and had to do something. Besides, the blue and white G3's had just come out - they WERE the cutting edge then.
I was a bit perplexed about which G3 to purchase because they had different processors and slightly different features. On the advice of my dying Mac guru friend (who has since passed on to the great Macintosh processor in the sky), I special ordered my Power Mac G3 from the Apple Education Store website. This is available to faculty, staff, and students in K-12 and higher education programs and can provide significant savings in many cases. Rather than going with one of the three pre-configured options, I chose to configure my own system to best meet my needs. For example, I knew I didn't need a huge hard drive so I ordered my system with a 6 GB hard drive instead of 12 GB and saved a bunch of money there.
Features of Custom Configured Power Mac G3
~ 350 MHz G3 Processor
~ 128 MB SDRAM
~ CD ROM drive
~ Zip Drive
~ 56K internal modem
~ RAGE 128 graphic
~ ULTRA SCSI card
I knew that I would want a zip drive, especially since the Power Mac G3 does not come with a floppy drive. I use the zip frequently for backing up files and transferring files from home to work. The SCSI card was also essential because I had all old peripherals and didn't want to buy new USB stuff right away. Well, I wanted to, I just couldn't afford to buy new peripherals. Right now I have a ScanMaker X6, an Epson Stylus 800, and a LaserWriter 4/600 PS hooked up to my Power Mac G3 (all non-USB) and they all work just dandy.
My Experience with the Power Mac G3
I LIKE this computer. I mean I REALLY like this computer! It's fast, it's efficient, and it's trouble-free. I've had very few freezes or crashes with the Power Mac G3, a welcome change from my constant problems with the Performa. The few problems I have had were due largely to my choice of browsers (Netscape). I know, I know - time to check out Internet Explorer. I'm slow to change, what can I say.
The physical appearance of the Power Mac G3 is a bit odd, I must admit, but I've gotten use to it. I guess one advantage of the handles and raised case is that you can keep it on the floor under your computer table if you need the room. However, this option didn't work for us because my kids were attracted this computer immediately and kept hitting the power button and generally messing with it. I guess they thought it resembled some of their toys, which it does a little. Now I have it safely off the ground on my computer table.
About the only thing I don't like about the Power Mac G3 is the cheesy keyboard and hockey puck round mouse. I replaced the mouse immediately but I'm still limping along with the keyboard. I have no idea why they made it so small. Someone at Apple must have smoked too much funny weed when they were designing these features.
Do I recommend the Power Mac G3? Well, that is really a moot point for new computer purchases because the G4 has swept the market and you can't find these anymore (with a few exceptions). However, the popularity of the more mature looking silver and white G4's means that there will probably be an increasing number of the Power Mac G3's in the used computer market.
I think the Power Mac G3 would make a terrific used computer purchase. You just can’t have mine - I still plan to use it for a long time!
This review is dedicated to my dear friend and colleague, Don Shupe, who shared my love of Macintosh computers, kindly mentored me in computers and statistics, and taught me that there is no such thing as a stupid question - unless you don't ask it. I miss you, Don!
Recommended:
Yes
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