Apple iBook Laptop (500-MHz PowerPC G3, 128 MB RAM, 10 GB hard drive)

by Apple

Product Details

Product Manual [7.85mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 11.2 x 1.4 inches ; 4.9 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005NBJB
• Item model number: M8520LL/A
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: March 5, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com

This model of Apple's new iBook line offers multimedia mavens something of a conundrum. On the one hand it offers a combo drive that handles both DVD-ROMs and rewritable CD-RWs, so you can watch DVD movies and burn your own custom CDs. On the other hand it forces you to live with a cramped 12.1-inch screen. So if you're serious about multimedia, our suggestion is that you look at the PowerBooks; consider the iBook if a compact Mac notebook is more what you're looking for. This model includes a PowerPC G3/500 MHz processor, 128 MB of memory (expandable to 640 MB), 10 GB hard disk drive, 56K modem, and 10/100 Mbps Ethernet NIC. It comes with both the classic Mac OS 9 and the slick new Mac OS X installed.

Product Description

IBOOK G3-500 10GB 128MB DVD/CDRW 12.1-SVGA ENET 56K

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost (not quite) the perfect notebook, September 20, 2001

By 

Josh Turiel (Greater Boston, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apple iBook Laptop (500-MHz PowerPC G3, 128 MB RAM, 10 GB hard drive) (Personal Computers)

I have an iBook 2001 (DVD-CDRW), which is the fifth in a long line of Apple laptops over the years I have owned (PowerBook 140, 520c, 3400, Rev.A iBook before this). I've also owned quite a few Wintel notebooks of various stripes over time, as well.
With the combination of size, ruggedness, expandability, and performance that Apple squeezed into the latest iBook, it's darn near the perfect laptop. It's a very nice good performer with the 500 MHz G3 processor. CD burning with the combo drive is as transparent as can be - the included Disc Burner software extends the Finder to support CD-R. DVD playback performance is good, with minimal skipping (I haven't done too much playback thus far). Video performance is snappy, if not quite state-of-the-art (it uses the older Rage 128 rather than the newer GeForce 2Go) - games are nicely playable. And the 12.1" display is razor-sharp. Video mirroring works very well, and the VGA cable needed is included. The iBook will work with the lid shut when mirrored.

The only shortcoming comes when stressing the system heavily (for instance, with the included MacOS X 10.0.4) - the 66MHz data bus becomes the most glaring bottleneck. Though Apple includes more features pound-for-pound (and dollar) than competing Wintel notebooks, the competition has pretty much moved on to the 100MHz bus at the low end. It does make a difference.

Unfortunately, Apple is caught between a rock and a hard place in this regard - with G4 processors constrained in speed (to 500 MHz max on their Powerbook Titanium), it'd complicate things to have the iBook running at the same exact clock rate (despite the older G3). So Apple chose to constrain things further - and it's not a huge problem, though hopefully the next generation of iBook will leave this bottleneck behind. A larger hard drive as standard equipment would be nice, too - most Wintel vendors make the hard drive easy to swap out (even in lower-cost models), whereas the iBook requires a full disassembly to do the same.

All in all, I'd strongly recommend the 2001 iBook to anyone looking for maximum portability for a very competitive price. The only thing holding me back from giving 5 stars is the slow system bus - hopefully the improved performance planned for MacOS X 10.1 will compensate for it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very practicle, October 8, 2001

By 

Bakari Chavanu - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apple iBook Laptop (500-MHz PowerPC G3, 128 MB RAM, 10 GB hard drive) (Personal Computers)

Just want to advise anyone who cares that Apple's new iBook is a very practical laptop computer. I have a bigger G3, but I've always wanted something smaller that is also a Mac. Now I have the computer I've always wanted. I also like the small additions like iTunes (a place to digitally store your favorite songs and music CDs, and the iMovie--an editing software that will be useful for editing my vacation videos while on vacation.)

Finally, unlike other people, I don't mind the small screen, for I rather have the less weight than a larger screen for the one of two DVD movies I might watch on the screen. I also think this computer pretty affordable for what it offers.

So if you're looking for a good laptop, the iBook is the way to go.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very pleased with this purchase, October 14, 2001

By 

D. Dubei "ioancuza" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apple iBook Laptop (500-MHz PowerPC G3, 128 MB RAM, 10 GB hard drive) (Personal Computers)

i must say that this is one of the best investments i have made. everything about this computer is excellent, itunes, dvd player, cd burner, everything. the only thing i can complain about is that 10 GB is not enough! i've already run out of space!