|
|
Codenamed 'Mainstreet' and 'Wallstreet',
the all-new PowerBook G3 series was released to universal acclaim in 1998.
They remained on sale until 1998 and some 233 and 266 models are still
available (July 1999). The G3 models broke completely from the earlier
PB designs. The earlier 603ev-based
PowerBook
3400 and the G3-powered 'Kanga'
PowerBook
G3 were based upon the case design of the first PowerPC based PB, the
PowerBook
5300, itself externally identical to the
PowerBook
190. The Mainstreet and Wallstreet models, however, are easily idistinguished
from earlier models by their white 'crystal' Apple logo (ealier models
have thr small six-colour logo on the lid). The Wallstreet and Mainstreet
models employed totally new casing and a new logic board design. They also
used CardBus (32 bit) PC card slots, and a removable processor daughtercard
(known as a 'personality card' with critical Apple-only ROMs on it). These
two G3 models als introduced a bewildering array of options: the build-to-order
specifications are many and varied, ranging from screen size and RAM to
hard drive size processor speed. Therefore, it's often difficult to find
two G3s (from two different series) sporting identical features. This,
if nothing else, means that your G3 PB can be more or less unique. But
first off, let's take a glance at the six main factory standard specifications:
| Model/MHz | Backside cache | MB RAM (Standard/Max) | System bus speed (MHz) | CD/Floppy/DVD | Display (") | Screen type | Ethernet | CardBus PC card slots |
| G3/233 | None | 32/192 | 66 | S/O//NA* | 12.1/13.3/14.1 | Passive matrix/Active matrix | 10 base T | 2 |
| G3/250 | 1MB | 32/192 | 83 | S/O/NA | 12.1/13.3/14.1 | Active matrix | 10 base T | 2 |
| G3/292 | 1MB | 64/192 | 83 | S/O/NA | 12.1/13.3/14.1 | Active matrix | 10 base T | 2 |
| G3/233 | 512K | 32/192 | 66 | S/O/NA | 12.1/14.1 | Passive matrix/Active matrix | 10 base T | 2 |
| G3/266 | 1MB | 64/192 | 66 | S/O/NA | 14.1 | Active matrix | 10 base T | 2 |
| G3/300 | 1MB | 64/192 | 66 | S/O/O | 14.1 | Active matrix | 10 base T | 2 |
* S = Standard. O = Optional.
NA = Not available.
Not all specifications can
be covered here. Features may vary considerably from model to model.
Minimum system: OS 8.1
Weight: 7.7lbs (with
CD ROM drive)
Keyboard: full 105 keyboard
emulation
Expansion bays: 2 (swappable)
PCI-based architecture
Speakers: 4/stereo
Optional floppy: 1.4MB
Superdrive reads/writes Mac/PC/ProDos 800K and 1.4MB disks
Ports: LocalTalk/serial,
ADB, HDI-30 SCSI, S-video (with 13/14" models), sound in, sound out, IrDA,
VGA, modem (RJ11), ethernet (RJ45)
CD ROM drive: 20x
Memory: Two SO-DIMM slots
(PC standard memory; variety of 3rd party sources)
Hard drive: EIDE; 2,
4 or 8GB
Battery: One LiION (2nd
battery for expansion bay optional)
Modem: Optional K56 Flex
(V.90 upgradeable)
Resolution: 800x600 (12.1"
display only); 1024x768 (13/14" displays)
Colour support (internal):
Thousands of colours (12.1"); millions (13/14").
External video support:
Millions (all models)
VRAM: 2MB (12.1"); 4MB
(ATI 3D RAGE) (13/14" models).
Input device: Tappable
trackpad
This G3 series is likely to retain its value in the first instance because of their huge speed and massive screens. And in the second place, they are the last - ever - Macs produced to have built-in LocalTalk and ADB ports. Their 'Lombard' G3 successors have moved to USB. The great thing about upgrading PowerBooks - even with the Lombard in some cases - is that you get to hang on to most of your peripherals. Items such as SCSI cables, PC card modems, ethernet, Zoomed Video and so on work in a variety of models. You can still use your external keyboard, mouse, a Mac or PC monitor (a VGA-to-Mac adapter was included) and printer.
This
is not the place to compate Wallstreet with Lombard, but it's worth noting
that if you need two PC card slots, Wallstreet/Mainstreet is the way to
go. USB connectivity is possible via a number of USB PC cards. As a result,
this G3 is perhaps the most complete PowerBook ever offered by Apple.
What are the main differences between the first and second series of the Mainstreet/Wallstreet PowerBooks?
Here's where things get a little complicated because there are few external differences between the models. The CPU speed isn't inscribed on the 'number plate' for example. The screen doesn't necessarily give a clue either as the Build-to-Order (BTO) option means that configurations vary widely. Even Apple retailers operating by mail order were known to send the wrong spec.
Your
best bet, if you're buying privately, is to take along a copy of TattleTech
(shareware) or TechTool 1.1.8 (freeware) on a floppy (if the vendor has
a floppy module!) or on Zip. Ask what storage devices they have first.
Both of these will tell you the clock speed of the CPU, the number of hours
of use (should be true; the PRAM battery shouldn't have been pulled) and
the number of writes the HDD has done (TechTool). This is especially useful
if the owner is a bit dodgy and you suspect the PB doesn't have an L2 cache
or whatever.
The first generation G3/233 is only
one of these models that lacks a backside L2 cache. This is important when
you consider your needs. If you run a lot of older 68K software or render
graphics or do DTP, then this is not for you. While the G3/233 I is faster
than the PowerBook
3400/240 , it benchtests at only around 60% of the speed of the earlier
PowerBook
G3 'Kanga' which, despite its slower system bus (50Mhz v. 66MHz) has
a 512K L2 cache (same as the original iMac) and a 250MHz clock speed. As
a result, Kanga is twice as fast as the PowerBook 3400/240. But
for most everyday tasks, only the power-user is going to really take advantage
of a G3 with cache. The cacheless G3 is still very fast and given its other
features can make a great buy - at a substantially lower price than its
siblings.
A better bet for speed-freaks is
the G3/233 II. It benches ariound twice as fast as the cacheless model
and is about 10% faster than the Kanga. It also comes with a 14.1" screen
as standard whereas the Series I model came with a choice of screens
including the passive matrix 12.1" screen. That makes differentiating between
these two models a little easier.
The really big iron is the Wallstreet model which comes in 250 and 292 MHz varieties (Series I) and 266 and 300 MHz (Series II). However, a 300MHz model is only a little faster than the 292. This is because the system bus on the 250 and 292 models runs at 83MHz. Apple dropped the speed of the Series II models, so they top out at only 66MHz. But if DVD is your thing, the G3/300 is your only option.
Expansion
These PBs come pretty well with everything that opens and shuts. 10-baseT ethernet; modem (opt), CD ROM, floppy (opt), IrDA (IR and IRTalk protocols), serial/AppleTalk, ADB, SCSI, video out, S-video (13/14" screens) and 16-bit audio in/out. So what else?
Plenty else:
You can also easily upgrade the hard
drive. The 2GB HDDs in the G3/233 are rather small by today's standards.
I have no technical information on the largest HDD the EIDE controller
will handle (if you know, email me here).
But I've heard of 14GB HDDs being installed in these PBs without any problems
whatsoever. The sky's (probably) the limit. 10GB HDDs are readily available
(they're a BTO option on the Lombard PBs).
Software
I can't think why you'd do it (maybe to test a system config) but you can install Mac OS X Server on the G3. It's not supported by Apple but it can be done.
Virtual PC (www.connectix.com) or SoftWindows 95/98 (www.insignia.com) run extremely well of course (although less so on the G3/233 I). On other models you'll get approximately the speed of a 166MHz Pentium (games aside probably). As a convenient all-in-one solution, these are much better than a 2nd computer (i.e. a PC). You can partition your HDD to run Win 95/98 or you can simply carve a portion out of your HDD. They support all your internal/external peripherals and can run in a window alongside the Mac OS. You can even just access the net (if you want to) using your Mac OS TCP/IP connection or via ethernet. Bear in mind that a typical Windows 95/98 partition will run to about 150MB+ though - and you'll want room for PC apps and files).
For mainstream compatibility, Office 98 gives you file compatibility with both Office 97 and Office 2000. Other software like Quark, Photoshop, Pagemaker, Filemaker Pro etc. all crossover more or less seamlessly. One item that a lot of businesses use is MS Access which is Windows only. VPC or SoftWindows is your key here.
The beauty of the G3 is it's the first PowerPC chip designed specifically for the Mac OS. As a result, if you want to run Word 5.1 or Excel 4.0, go right ahead! I can't guarantee that your 68000 arcade games'll work, but it can't hurt to try!
The latest and greatest versions
of software are of course optimised - and runs optimally - on the G3 processor.
So Netscape 4.61, IE 4.5, OS 8.6 and QuickTime 4.0 will run fast, very
fast. As will Mac OS games. Linux is also very fast on the G3 and if you're
connected to the 'net all the time (stock quotations or email or fax reception
or whatever) a Linux OS running Netscape may well be a good bet for months
and months of uninterrupted stability (Linux Live PPC doesn't need a specific
Linux partition; it can run off a Mac OS boot disk, like VPC and SoftWindows).
Mind you, that's not what you bought a PowerBook for, is it?
Hardware
There's very little that doesn't work with the G3. Scanners, external hard drives, SCSI disk mode, printers, Zips, Jazes, Syquests - just plug in and play. CDRs and CDRWs also work well with the G3. While Toast software doesn't officially support any PowerBook, burning CDs works well and is especially speedy using the G3/250 and G3/292 with their particularly fast system buses. Of course, you'll need an external SCSI drive to do this.
The optional floppy drive is not a bad investment. These were in very short supply in the first half of 1999 when these models were being run out. Pick one up if you can; otherwise you'll have to invest in a PC card with a USB connection and a USB floppy drive just to make floppies!
VST make hard drives that slip directly into your G3's expansion bay. Like the ones that fit in the PB190/5300/3400/Kanga G3 expansion bay (see the PowerBook 5300 page), the VST drives run a standard ATAPI interface, are, bootable, hot-swappable come in a range of capacities and take advantage of Direct Memory Access (DMA) for faster data transfers. If you need additional storage or need a removable drive for large files (or for, say, VPC), this could be just the ticket. You can also just swap drives or exchange data with other Wallstreet/Mainstreet users.
Upgrades
None officially. Critical
ROMs reside on the removable daughtercard and Apple has not licensed the
ROMs as it has for the earlier desktop Power Macintosh and PowerBook
1400 series. However, it is
notionally possible to replace the CPU daughtercard with a faster one from
another PowerBook (for e.g., a 233 with a 292). However, these would be
hard to come by as there are no upgrades (sort of a circular argument,
isn't it?). The only way around this might be if you find another G3 being
parted out. The hard economics of this issue is that Apple needs to sell
PowerBooks, and getting you to pay another firm for an upgrade is not an
intelligent way of staying profitable.
What to look for
My pick of the Mainstreet/Wallstreet line is probably the G3/250. Its fast bus, 1MB cache and rapid CPU make it a Best Buy. It's far faster than the G3/233 I and not much slower than the G3/292. Of course, if a DVD module is your speed, you'll have to plump for the G3/300.
The keyboard is excellent with a light, crisp feel and the mouse button is still but positive. Check the palm rests: these are rubberised and can be worn with use.
These 'Books also have internal fans (something that first appeared on the PBs with the 3400). A lot of people have complained that they get too hot on the lap and can burn your bare legs! What you're doing typing with your pants off is your concern, but be aware that they can get uncomfortably hot underneath, especially in warm weather. Remember this is normal and you should only be concerned if the fan isn't functioning. Jeremy Kazer's MyBattery will tell you the internal temperature of the unit. But there's no way that they get as hot as those literally Pentium-toasting Windows laptops that have been known to MELT - even the reputable brands. The reason is cooling. While the G3 can get hot, it consumes only 5 watts (versus 37 watts in low power mobile Pentium notebooks). Not only does the G3 provide better battery life, but it doesn't require two fans to keep the thing from (a) giving you third degree burns and/or (b) metamorphosing into instant abstract art expressioism (read: a lump of melted plastic).
Watch out for the 13.3" screen. There were some problems with them. While it seems most were fixed by Apple, be a little wary of them. By all means go for the 13" model if it looks good, but a year of AppleCare after purchase wouldn't go astray. That's what computer insuurance is for.
Don't forget that there was a budget-model
G3/233 in Series II as well. The 12.1" screen makes a reappearance. It
was known as the G3/233L (for 'low-end'?). So it's possible that the G3/233
you're looking at is a cacheless model. So you should use TechTool/TattleTech
to find out. If it's a 233 with a 14.1" screen, it's almost definitely
a Series II model - unless the screen has been replaced (unlikely but possible).
Checking the Monitors & Sound control panel and setting the internal
display to 'Millions' of colours will tell you. The cacheless 233 can't
do more than thousands of colours on the internal display.
The Bottom Line
The Lombard G3s aside, you probably
can't get a better PowerBook. Certainly as far as traditional Mac connectivity
is concerned, the Mainstreet/Wallstreet 'Books can't - and probably
never will - be beaten. They have had no serious quality problems and offer
virtually unparalleled speed and flexibility. They really can double as
a desktop with a large external monitor and keyboard. Weight and size aside,
they are probably the ultimate Macintosh PowerBook.
On-line resources:
MyMac Magazine <www.mymac.com>
About This Particular
Macintosh magazine <www.atpm.com>
MacWorld on-line reviews:
June 1998 (original Mainstreet/Wallstreet
models)
December 1998 (PowerBook
G3/300/DVD)
