Best Buys in Used Macs

Updated 2001.09 and 2003.05

Best Buys - 68K Macs

• SE/30: best of the compact Macs, US$15-30.
• IIci: decent speed, plenty of expansion options, US$20.
• LC III/Performa 460: the first LC that wasn't crippled, plenty of capability for low end use, US$15, but relatively rare on the used market.
• IIfx: wicked fast in 1990, expandable and affordable today, US$10-30.
• Centris 650: good speed, lots of upgrade options, US$40. The Quadra 650 is also a good value at about $10 more.
• PowerBook 540c: The Blackbird series was Apple's best pre-PPC machine, and the 540c the best value among them, US$70-100 and up.

Best Buys - Power Macs

• PowerBook 1400: Sometimes available for under US$200-350 and with a G3/333 upgrade option, this is a less costly alternative to the iBook. Avoid the cacheless 117 MHz model unless you plan on replacing the CPU.
• Power Mac 7500: decent speed; easy, inexpensive, and powerful G3 upgrades; generally US$40-80 on eBay. The 7300, 7600, 8500, 8600, 9500, and 9600 are also good choices, but the 7500 trumps them all for low cost.
• Power Mac G3 (blue & white): good speed, plenty of expandability, sometimes available for under US$300.

Good Buys

• Power Mac 7200: acceptable speed, very affordable, two drive bays, no affordable processor upgrades, US$25-50.
• Power Mac G3 (beige): sometimes selling for under US$200, they deserve a close look. They typically come with a 233-266 MHz G3 and can be upgraded to 500 MHz and possibly beyond.

If you're looking for a used Mac, be sure to visit our Dealers page, which lists dozens who sell used and reconditioned equipment.

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