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The PowerBook G3, codenamed 'Kanga', introduced the PowerPC 750 'G3' chip to the Macintosh mobile computing world. It also superseded the PB 3400 as the fastest portable computer in the world. Introduced in November 1997, it was essentially a G3 CPU in a 3400 case and featured the same PCI architecture.
 
 

Features:
PPC G3 at 250MHz
50MHz system bus
PCI based architecture
LiION battery
Expansion bay supports 3.5" and 5.25" modules, including CD-ROM and all PB 190/5300/3400 modules
ADB, serial (GeoPort), ethernet and modem standard
2 PC card slots
Tappable trackpad
Software and hardware-compliant IrDA at 1 megabit per second
12.1" active matrix screen displaying 16 bit (thousands) colour at 800x600
4-speaker 16 bit stereo @ 44khz; includes subwoofers
5GB IDE hard disk
512K 'backside' Level 2 cache
32MB RAM standard; maximum of 160MB [for comparison see  PowerBook statistics] using a single 128MB card
External video supports millions of colors on external displays up to 21" (mirror mode only) Note: VGA connector; Apple monitors require an adapter
2MB VRAM
Supports SCSI disk mode
Original System software: 7.6 (supports 7.6.1, 8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 8.5.1, 8.6).

Buyer's Guide

The G3 Kanga, as noted above, is really a 3400 with a G3 chip. A 3400, in turn, is a stretched 5300 with different internals. The G3 wasn't on sale for long as it was superseded by the faster Wall Street G3 models (although the Kanga G3 proved much faster than the cacheless Main Street G3/233, despite the G3/233's faster (66MHz) system bus.

The Kanga was very expensive and, as a result, there aren't a lot of them around on the used market. 2nd hand examples still fetch $4,000+ in Australia where they retailed for about $10,000. In the US, they still seem to fetch $2,000 or maybe a bit less, which is comparable with current-model G3 233s and 266s (note that the current G3/233 *does* have a 512K L2 cache).

So why would you buy one? Well, for a start, you get a top of the line machine (yes, that includes a floppy). Sure you 'only' get a 12.1" screen (he says as he taps this out on a 10.4" screen), but you *do get a 5GB hard drive that's a helluva lot bigger than the 2GB you get in the G3/233. It's super fast, even by today's standards and it's compact compared with the current G3s which are a lot wider (if slimmer). Its CD ROM is fast and its external display support is excellent (although it doesn't support a 'virtual desktop' - the 5300 was the last PB to do this, although the forthcoming Lombard models are likely to reintroduce this feature).

Why else? The speaker system is superb. The 33.6 modem is fast enough and PC cards are available if you just *have* to have 56K. The IrDA lets you communicate with other PBs, Wintel laptops and even the iMac. You can also use the built-in ethernet to connect to a printer, network or another Mac or PC for seamless file transfer (well...it'll be seamless if you connect to another Mac. But you'd be hard pushed to find a Wintel laptop with ethernet built in. And be prepared to hang around a few hours while your friend works out how to make it work. No. Better make that days).

The screen is outstandingly good, even if it's not 14.1" big. It is certainly far superior to the passive matrix 12.1" screen on the first generation G3/233. Put it this way: the Kanga is a much better buy than the G3/233 in every department, although the current G3/233 with a 14.1" screen is far more competitive. Via a PC card, you can also run Zoom Video (software free from Apple) for external display presentations. However, note that Kanga G3 PC card slots are not CardBus compliant (later G3 PC card slots aren't). So ensure when you're buying that the card doesn't demand CardBus. Naturally, your old modem and other PC cards are readily transferrable if required.

What other factors? Well, if you're upgrading from a 190, 5300 or 3400, you can keep your batteries, expansion bay hard drives and expansion bay Zip drive. If you have a large investment in extra hardware, staying with the 5300/3400 form factor makes sense - while at the same time you move up to the G3 processor. Unlike the 190/5300/1400, the G3 Kanga does support DMA (Direct Memory Access) for expansion bay hard drives which significantly improves hard drive speed and access times.

Another bonus is that you'll also be able to run OS X on the Kanga.

Like the 3400 before it, the G3 implemented active termination on the SCSI bus which makes it less difficult to figure out termination when connecting a number of SCSI devices.

Upgrades

Unfortunately, like the 5300 and 3400, the G3's CPU is soldered to the logic board and cannot be upgraded. THe same actually goes for the later G3s. Although these are theoretically upgradeable, unlike the 1400 and 2400, the later G3s use 'personality cards' - this refers to the daughter card the CPU is mounted on. However, certain proprietory ROMs are mounted on the cards and Apple has not licensed them. As a result, no upgrades to any G3 PB models exist.

Nevertheless, you can upgrade other aspects of the 'Book, including the RAM, add expansion bay modules, a faster modem or a larger hard drive.

In summary, the G3 Kanga is an exceptionally capable all in one PowerBook that should satisfy all buy the most demanding users. It has more speed than most of us could need or use. Your only problem will be tracking one down.

And I want one. (Don't email offers; I can't afford one - unless of course Apple wants to donate one to host this superb page on).

For PowerBook utilities, check out the PowerBook 190 page.
For PowerBook G3, 5300, 3400 and 190 expansion bay modules and other options, see the PowerBook 5300 page.
For stats on every PowerBook ever built, go to the PowerBook Statistics page.
For a discussion of PowerBook software, head over to the PowerBook software page.