Low End Mac's Best Deals

Best iBook G4 Prices

2012.02.06

Short link: http://bit.ly/ADKj9

Got a G4 iBook or PowerBook? Join the G4 'Books email list.

G4 iBooks are a good option with prices starting below $250 including AirPort Extreme - well under half the cost of a refurbished 13" MacBook. The biggest drawback to the iBook design is the tedious process involved in disassembling and reassembling it to upgrade the hard drive.

12-inch iBook G4
12" iBook G4

Apple last updated the iBook line in July 2005 and replaced it with the 13.3" MacBook in May 2006. The final revision iBooks shipped with 512 MB RAM, Radeon 9550 graphics, Bluetooth, scrolling trackpads, and sudden motion sensors as standard features. For our assessment of their value at release, see The 2005 iBook G4 Value Equation. For a good overview of the iBook G4 line, see Low End Mac's Compleat Guide to the iBook G4.

We recommend at least 512 MB of RAM with OS X, and that's what Apple suggests for Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger (which comes installed on most used G4 iBooks) as well. More RAM is better, and all of the G4 iBooks support 1 GB of RAM in addition to 256 MB or 512 MB on the motherboard.

14-inch ibook G4
14" iBook G4

Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard is supported on all 867 MHz and faster G4 iBooks with at least 512 MB of RAM and the ability to run the DVD-based installer. We recommend at least 768 MB of RAM for Leopard; more if you can afford it.

The 12" 800 MHz iBook G4 is the only G4 iBook officially "unsupported" for 10.5. You cannot run the Leopard installer from the original DVD without a firmware hack. You can install Leopard from a supported Mac, create a hacked install disc, or modify Open Firmware. See our article on Unsupported Leopard Installation for more details.

Used Macs usually have a 90 day warranty. Listings note RAM/hard drive size and whether AirPort Extreme (APX) is included or not. We strongly recommend adding a 256 MB or 512 MB module for better system performance. (For most users, adding 1 GB is probably excessive, but you can best determine your own needs, and prices are pretty reasonable.)

Be sure to factor in possible shipping costs (often included) and sales tax. Your best value depends on whether you need/want, a larger hard drive, more memory, etc.

Profiles

12": 800 MHz (10/03) - 1.07 GHz* (4/04) - 1.2 GHz (10/04) - 1.33 GHz (7/05)
14": 933 MHz/1.07* GHz (10/03) - 1.07*/1.2 GHz (4/04) - 1.33 GHz (10/04) - 1.42 GHz (7/05)

* Apple never officially offered a 1.07 GHz iBook, but the 1.0 GHz iBooks (4/04) report themselves as 1.07 GHz models. We suspect that Apple rounded the number down to an even 1.0 for marketing purposes, and benchmarks show the performance you would expect from a 1.07 GHz CPU, not 1.0 GHz. We list them on their profile pages using Apple's nominal 1.0 GHz rating and list them here with their actual 1.07 GHz speed.

We factor in ground shipping costs when selecting the best prices. Ground shipping charges vary by distance and carrier - the numbers we use are for shipping to Low End Mac headquarters in Michigan.

Best Prices

We do not include GainSaver prices here, because the company removes the AirPort card, replaces the Combo drive or SuperDrive with a CD-ROM drive, and uses a third-party power adapter instead of Apple's adapter to generate its extremely attractive prices. We list GainSaver as an option, but we want to make sure you're aware of their practices and policies when you weigh them against other dealers who don't strip their used Macs before selling them.

12" 1.33 GHz Combo, $158, Beta Macs
14" 933 MHz Combo, $279 shipped, PowerMax
HOT 14" 1.42 GHz Combo, $295, DV Warehouse
14" 1.42 GHz SD, $389 shipped, PowerMax

Recent RAM Prices

All G4 iBooks are compatible with PC2700 memory and have only 1 available RAM slot.

PC2100: 256 MB, $12.88; 512 MB, $14.97; 1 GB, $35.99
PC2700: 512 MB, $14.97; 1 GB, $35.99

Replacement Batteries

5000 mAh/55.5 Watt-Hour NuPower for 12" iBook G4, 11% more capacity than original, $89, OWC
74 Watt-Hour NuPower for 14" iBook G4, 21% more capacity than original, $99, OWC

Mac OS Prices

Classic Mac OS (use 9.2.2 for Classic Mode)
Mac OS X 10.0-10.3
Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger
Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard (requires 512 MB of RAM and DVD compatible drive)

Unless otherwise noted, there is no surcharge for credit card purchases. Vendors are listed in alphabetical order. Be sure to visit their sites for full details. iBooks are used unless otherwise noted.

Prices may be limited to quantity on hand. Not responsible for typos. Please email any corrections or additional sources with competitive prices toDan Knight .

Buying through some of these links benefits Low End Mac. Buying at these prices benefits you.

BetaMacs

Shipping may add $23 or more.

12" 1.33 GHz Combo, 768/40, APX, OS X 10.5, $158

DV Warehouse

Shipping may add $20 or more.

12" 1.07 GHz Combo, 256/30, OS X 10.4, $199
12" 1.2 GHz Combo, 512/30, APX, OS X 10.4, $238
12" 1.33 GHz Combo, 512/40, APX, OS X 10.5, $268
14" 1.42 GHz Combo, 512/60, APX, OS X 10.4, $295

GainSaver

GainSaver appears to have an ongoing daily 10% off sale on Apple products, but we list the undiscounted price just in case. Prices include a 30 day warranty; 90 day warranty is $25 additional. Diagnostic testing costs $25, and shipping insurance costs $25.32. These ship with CD-ROM drives - you can upgrade to a CD-RW/DVD Combo drive for $19, a SuperDrive for $39, or a dual-layer SuperDrive for $79. You can custom configure your iBook with an AirPort card ($29), a larger hard drive, more memory, a fresh battery ($79), and more. We strongly recommend that you verify the equipment you want is in stock before placing an order. Caveat emptor.

12" 1.07 GHz CD, 256/20, $169
12" 1.2 GHz CD, 256/30, $189
12" 1.33 GHz CD, 256/30, $219
14" 1.07 GHz CD, 256/30, $219
14" 1.2 GHz CD, 256/30, $229
14" 1.33 GHz CD, 512/30, $239
14" 1.42 GHz CD, 512/30, $279

Mac of All Trades

Ground shipping averages $30. OS X 10.4 installed. Mac of All Trades has the highest product turnover of any usedMacdealer we track.

12" 1.33 GHz Combo, 768/40, $199.99

Mac-Pro

Shipping may add $20 or more. 60 day warranty. OS X 10.4 installed.

12" 1.33 GHz Combo, 512/40, APX, $297.77
14" 1.42 GHz SD, 768/60, APX, $397.77

Midwest Notebooks

Ground shipping can add $20 or more.

12" 1.07 GHz Combo, 512/30, APX, $214.88
12" 1.07 GHz Combo, 512/30, APX, new battery, $238.88
12" 1.33 GHz Combo, 512/40, APX, $244.88
12" 1.33 GHz Combo, 512/40, APX, new battery, $279.88
other configurations listed

Operator Headgap

Shipping included. Operator Headgap thoroughly refurbishes and tests every Mac they sell. OS X 10.4 installed. When ordering, please let them know you heard about them on Low End Mac when entering your shipping information. Thanks!

12" 1.33 GHz Combo, 1 GB/40, APX, $349.77 shipped
14" 1.33 GHz Combo, 1 GB/60, APX, $399.77 shipped
USB 802.11n WiFi adapter, OS X 10.3 and newer, $34.77 shipped
60W AC adapter, $39.77 shipped

PowerMax 12" - 14"

Free ground shipping. OS X 10.4.11 & Classic installed. PowerMax has the broadest selection of used Macs of any Mac dealer we track.

12" 1.2 GHz Combo, 256/30, APX, $259 shipped
12" 1.33 GHz Combo, 512/40, APX, $289 shipped
14" 933 MHz Combo, 640/40, APX, worn keys, $279 shipped
14" 1.42 GHz SD, 512/60, APX, $389 shipped
many other configurations listed

Teksale.com

Ground shipping can add $15 or more. OS X 10.4 installed.

14" 1.42 GHz SD, 512/60, APX, $299

Wegener Media

AirPort Extreme not included except as noted. Add $35 for APX. Shipping may add $25 or more. 60 day warranty.

12" 800 MHz Combo, 256/30, $289.99
12" 1.07 GHz Combo, 256/30, $319.99
12" 1.2 GHz Combo, 256/30, $329.99
12" 1.33 GHz Combo, 512/40, APX, BT, $339.99
14" 1.33 GHz Combo, 512/60, $429.99
14" 1.33 GHz SD, 512/60, $469.99
14" 1.42 GHz SD, 512/60, $499.99
add $39.99 for a new high capacity battery

Need more power or a larger screen than the 1024 x 768 iBook offers? Check out our Titanium PowerBook G4 deals, 12" PowerBook G4 deals, and 15" PowerBook G4 deals, and 17" PowerBook G4 deals. Don't need G4 power? Check out our iBook G3 deals and PowerBook G3 deals.

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2012 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iPad iPhone, iMac, iPod, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.
Advice is presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
Email may be published at our discretion unless marked "not for publication"; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.

Custom Search

Follow Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac on Facebook

Low End Mac Reader Specials

TypeStyler 11 is now in the Mac App Store!! -- Special Introductory Price of $59.95!! -- To Buy From The Mac App Store Click Here Now!! Or buy direct from Strider Software.

Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker and Mac Casino applications in minutes.

Affiliates

Amazon.com
The Apple Store
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
GainSaver
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay