Would You Believe I Picked Up a Decent Old PowerBook for Just $26?
- 2006.02.21
Low End Mac Reader Specials
Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com
LA Computer Company: LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, Apple Displays, MacBooks, iMac's, MacBook Pros, Laptop and iPod accessories and more. Apple A/C Adapters for laptops starting at $25.00 Call 1-800-941-7654 or Click Here.
OWC: Burn DVDs, DVD-DL, CDs, DVD-Ram - FAST! Superdrive upgrades from OWC starting from $31.99 with options for nearly every Mac. Models with Lightscribe, Blu-Ray too!
Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.
Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.
Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.
New MacPro Memory 800Mhz With Apple Spec Heat Sink 2GB $104 / 4GB $172 / 8GB $338. Click to Maximize your Macs...
A few weeks ago I received an email from a young family member. It said, "Thomas, do you know of any place where I could get an older laptop computer? Nothing too expensive, just something to play games on and use some old programs."
Well, I figured I'd be able to find something here in Kansas City. We have several computer recycling centers and discount shops. So I sent him a message back saying I'd be at the computer recycler sometime in the next couple of weeks. That Saturday I ended up going down.
It's usually hit-or-miss at these types of places - sometimes they have a whole ton of Apple items, and sometimes none at all. You have to keep in mind that everything there is donated by people because they no longer use it.
Well, when I got there, they didn't have quite what I was looking for in terms of older laptops, just some old Windows ones. They did have a 700 MHz eMac though, which was something very unusual.
I ended up buying a broken WallStreet PowerBook for $5. That wouldn't be suitable for him - it didn't work, and it's a bit overpowered for the type of things he wants to do.
After I left the recycling center empty-handed, I figured I'd turn to the Low End Mac Swap List. With the amount of people there, I knew I'd find something. I didn't even have to make a post saying what I wanted; I found something in someone's listing that day.
It was a PowerBook 520c for $16 shipped. This was a great
deal, and I bought the computer almost immediately. I purchased a power
adapter for it and got it up and running. With a 25 MHz '040, 12 MB of
RAM, and a 160 MB hard drive running Mac OS 7.6, it makes quite a good
computer for a younger person. With built in ethernet, it also makes a
good machine for Web browsing (not too much) and email.
The total amount I spent on the computer was $26, plus some other
cash for a new keyboard. I'm sure it will pay for itself with all the
usage it will get. 
Recent Productive Mac articles
- New homes for 3 WallStreet PowerBooks, 04.07. Although they may need a little restoration work, these are fine machines for using the classic Mac OS in the field.
- Would you believe I picked up a decent old PowerBook for just $26?, 02.21. If you're looking for a low-cost, low-power laptop for light use, there are some real steals out there. Like this Powerbook 520c....
- What's a good, inexpensive, useful, older Mac? The PowerBook 1400, 02.01. Relatively compact and not especially heavy, the PowerBook 1400 is a great low-cost way to run the classic Mac OS - and it's portable.
- More in the Productive Mac index.
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- Mac Pro overclocking, Windependence with Darwine, Blu-ray for Macs, and more, Mac News Review, 07.04. Also more on running Leopard on non-Apple hardware, Ubuntu on a Mac mini, the first autofocus webcam with Zeiss optics for Macs, and more.
- Wouldn't life be great with an iSlate?, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 07.04. PDAs and smartphones are too small for some tasks, full-fledged Tablet PCs are overkill, and ebook readers are too limited. Apple has the tech to own this niche.
- Mac of the Day: Color Classic Feb. 1993 - A cult classic, this was the compact Mac with color that everyone had been waiting for.
- List of the Day: MichiMac is our list for Mac users in Michigan.
- The Macintosh Portable started a notebook revolution, Carl Nygren, Classic Macs in the Intel Age, 07.03. Before Apple introduced the Mac Portable, notebook computers were text-based and ran MS-DOS. Ever since, graphical interfaces have been the norm for laptops.
- More links in our archive.
About LEM | Support | Usage | Privacy | Contacts
Have a question?
Ask an expert!
Navigation
Used Mac Dealers
Apple History
Best Used Macs
Video Cards
Email Lists
InfoMac's Low
End Mac Forum
Favorite Sites
MacSurfer
MacMinute
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
Macs Only!
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac
Museum
DealMac
DealsOnTheWeb
Mac2Sell
ramseeker
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System
6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End
Mac FAQ
Abandonware
Petition
Mac vs. PC Info
Affiliates
The Apple
Store
Mac
Connection
MacMall
TechRestore
MacResQ
ExperCom
Crucial
Memory
batteries.com
Advertise
