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The PowerBook 3400 (code-named 'Hooper' - jumping through hoops??) was the first PCI-based PowerBook, breaking away from earlier  PowerPC,  100,  and  500  series PowerBooks which were based largely upon 68030 architecture. The PCI bus permitted the the 3400 to take advantage of the full-64 bit architecture designed into the PowerPC chip (previous PPC PowerBooks, such as the 1400 and 5300, had only 32-bit data buses, creating a performance bottleneck e as the bus could not accept data as fast as the processor could handle it). Available in three models, the 3400 upon its release in February 1997 became the fastest notebook in the world, only to be have this title usurped in November 1997 by another Macintosh PowerBook, the  PowerBook G3 ('Kanga').
 

Model	CPU	MHz	Modem#	Ethernet#	IrDA*	CD ROM	Display	Battery
3400/180	603e	180	Opt	Opt	Std	Std	12.1" Active matrix colour	LiION
3400/200	603e	200	33.6	Std	Std	Std	12.1" active matrix colour	LiION
3400/240	603e	240	33.6	Std	Std	Std	12.1" active matrix colour	LiION

* IrDA supported in software as well as hardware.
# Modem and ethernet are mounted on a single card.

Features:

- 1.3, 2.0 or 3.0GB hard drive
- 256K L2 cache
- 12x CD ROM
- 5.25" expansion bay (accepts 3.5" modules)
- 10-base T ethernet (optional some models)
- SVGA TFT screen
- Tappable trackpad
- 2 PC card slots (accept 2 Type II or 1 Type III card(s)).
- Ports: ADB, SCSI, ethernet*, modem, serial, sound in/out, IrDA
- Stereo 16-bit (CD quality) sound; supports audio play-through
- 4 speaker stereo system
- Direct Memory Access support
- 16MB RAM standard; expandible to 144MB via single 128MB card (60ns speed or faster)
- SuperDrive (1.4MB floppy expansion bay module) standard; reads, write and formats both Macintosh and PC disks
 

Based on a stretched versions of the 5300/190 casing, the 3400's form factor permitted a much larger display and - most importantly - an internal CD ROM. Although the CD ROM module had been an option on the PowerBook since the late 1996 introduction of the  PowerBook 1400, the CD ROM was standard on all 3400 'Books - as one would expect of the high-end model. For the first time since the  PB500 series, the PB3400 featured on-board 10 base T ethernet (optional on 3400/180) as well as a 33.6 modem  This left both PC card slots open for various cards, such as Zoom Video. However, bear in mind that like earlier PBs, the 3400's PC card slots are 16 bits and thus cannot use the new USB PC cards. Moreover, the 3400 did not reintroduce spanned video, something that remains a major omission from all PBs since the 5300. The 5300 does a 'virtual desktop' as well as mirroring; since the 1400, all PBs only do mirror mode. However, it's rumoured that the forthcoming 'Lombard' PBs will reintroduce this feature.

The 3400s are largely differentiated by their speed and feature list. But all models feature a 12.1" active matrix colour TFT capable of thousands of colours. The CD ROMs are 12 speed, all get a tappable trackpad, four stereo speakers with sub-woofers, LiION batteries, 33.6K modem and an internal mini-PCI slot. As a result the 3400/180 is something of a bargain. You get nearly all the benefits of the more expensive models at a much lower price. However, despite what some people might say, there is a not-insignificant speed difference between the 180 and 240MHz models. If you're thinking of editing Photoshop images on the road, the 180MHz model is fine, but the 240MHz 3400 will render your images a bit faster.

Moreover, although the 603e chip has been disparaged by some (in comparison with the 601, 604e and G3 chips), the 603e is indeed a close cousin of the G3. It lacks the considerable amount of backside cache that the G3s have. For example, the cacheless G3/233 PowerBook Series I MacBenches at only a bit faster than the 3400/240, despite the G3's 66MHz system bus (the G3/233 is only about 60% the speed of a  PowerBook G3 'Kanga' ). The 3400's bus runs at 40MHz (versus 33MHz for the 1400 and 5300) which gives it quite a speed increase. The 3400 also has a 256 L2 cache (versus the 128K on the 1400/133 and 1400/166.

Like all earlier PBs except the 5300 and 1400, the 3400 has an internal modem, thus saving the use of another PC card slot. However, if the standard 33.6 modem isn't fast enough, you can easily replace it with a 56K card or connect to the net via cable modem using your ethernet connector.

Other modes of communication include standard LocalTalk via the serial/modem port (which also permits connection to AppleTalk and serial printers), along with - for the first time on a PB - fully software-compliant IrDA. This means you can talk to an iMac, for example, via an infrared connection.

Expansion

All 3400s support large external monitors up to 21" at 16 bit (thousands) of colours at 1024x768 resolution. The mini-PCI slot notionally supports expansion cards, but I'm not aware of any 3rd party cards for this slot. If you know of any, let me know  here. Naturally, like all previous PBs, the 3400 supports external SCSI devices like hard disks, scanners, Zips, Jazes and old SCSI printers. You need an HDI-30 cable to connect up your 3400. For a discussion of SCSI on a PowerBook, go  here. And, like all PBs except the 140 and 170, the 3400 supports SCSI disk mode. However, in many respects, the 3400 was really the first PB that could double as your desktop Mac.

180, 200 and 240MHz 3400s come with 1.3, 2.0 and 3.0GB HDDs as standard. However, larger IDE HDDs are widely available. MCA (www.mca.com) make larger IDE HDDS, as well as 'empty' IDE drive cases which connect via a PC card. These cases permit you to retain your original IDE drive and have it as an external drive. They're not cheap though.

A more elegant solution is to invest in an expansion bay hard drive. VST makes them in 1.4 or 1.6GB sizes. They're hot-swappable and bootable and connect via the internal ATAPI interface where the floppy or CD module normally resides. They're a good fast solutuion as they're Direct Memory Access compatible - something the 3400 supports - but they're also compatible with the 190, 5300 or G3 Kanga (note: they function but do not take advantage of DMA on the  190  and  5300).

Another option for the expansion bay is VST's Zip drive. It's totally compatible with all Iomega and 3rd party Zip disks and is an extremely convenient way of transferring large files between Macs or between Macs and PCs. They're more expensive than the traditional SCSI Zip, but for many the versatility is worth the investment. Like any other expansion bay module, they're hot-swappable and bootable.

Moreover, all 3400 modules, with the exception of the CD ROM drive, are compatible with the 190, 5300 and G3 Kanga PowerBooks (later PB G3s use a different form factor). 3400s can also accept the 190/5300 NiMH batteries, although of course battery life is not nearly as good as the LiION cells. Nevertheless, NiMH batteries are cheap: Other World Computing sells these NiMH batteries for only $US29.95, versus Apple's RRP of $149 or so. Buy a couple (and a VST charger maybe?) and you'll have hours and hours of mobile computing

All 3400s come with 16MB RAM, a miniscule amount in this day and age. However, you'd probably be hard pressed to find one that hasn't been upgraded. They'll take a maximum of 144MB which is a good amount and involves adding a single 128MB card. The card is transferrable to a G3 Kanga.

The downside of the 3400, if there is one, is that there is no upgrade to G3. Like the 190, 5300 and Kanga, the 603e CPU is soldered to the logic board. Short of (expensively) intalling a Kanga logic board, there's no way of upgrading the CPU. However, unless you run really intensive tasks, a 3400 - the 240MHz model in particular - should be plenty fast enough.

For system software, there's no reason not to install OS 8.5.1 on a 3400. They came with a special version of 7.6 but go for OS 8.1 at least and obtain the benefits of HFS+.
 

Buyer's Guide

The 3400s are powerful, highly-flexible notebooks that can be your only Mac if connected to an external screen and keyboard. Unlike their 190/5300 cousins, case plastics have not proven a problem and quality of build is not an issue with the 3400. They sport excellent active matrix screen and, at a slightly higher price than the 1400, they represent a better buy, despite their lack of upgradeability (the 1400 is still limited to 64MB of RAM even with a G3 upgrade). They are heavy, but their CD ROM drives are fast enough for most tasks, they offer built-in ethernet (most models) and a pretty fast modem. The 3400 hard drives are easily replaceable and even in their standard configurations offer adequate storage capacity. At a reasonable price, these make a solid, cost-conscious alternative to the Series I and II G3 PBs.