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Miscellaneous Ramblings

PowerBook 5300: The Real PowerBook

Charles Moore - 2002.04.01 - Tip Jar

The concept of Luddite Mac appeals to me at the gut level because I am temperamentally resistant to change. When I have found something that works well for me, I'm happy to stick with it and reluctant to move along to the next big thing.

This is why I'll probably never find a computer that grabs me emotionally as much as the PowerBook 5300 did and still does. The 5300 wasn't my first Mac, but it was my first portable, and I discovered - in about the first five minutes after taking it out of the box - that I'm a portable computer guy.

For me there was something just right about the 5300. I loved its size, its styling, and even its fairly hefty weight. There's something reassuringly substantial about a diminutive object that turns out to be heavier than it looks. Ever pick up a Krugerrand?

Even though my base-specification 5300 had only a passive matrix grayscale monitor screen, I even liked that. Of course, I wouldn't have objected to the bright and jewel-like, 105 dpi, 800 x 600 TFT monitor of the PowerBook 5300ce either, but there is something soothing and comfortable about passive matrix LCD screens that appeals to me.

"But the PowerBook 5300 is a slow as a lame dog," you might object. Okay, by today's standards the 5300 is slow, especially if you try to run any system later than OS 8.1 on it. However, back in 1996 it didn't really seem that bad, and the 5300 was actually quite tolerably lively running System 7.5.5 and using contemporary software like Word 5.1, Eudora Light, and Color It! 4.

I prefer the general feel of the 5300 to that of any other laptop I've ever tried. The light-touch, positive click of the trackpad button is much preferable to the simultaneously stiff and mushy feel of my later, G3 Series PowerBooks trackpad buttons, and the palm rest ergonomics are better, too, although I must concede that the 5300 keyboard is mediocre compared with the lovely keyboards on my WallStreet and Pismo. However, I do like the way that the tops of the key caps on the 5300 keyboard are recessed to the level of the palm rest surfaces.

The dual-USB, 12.1" screen iBook has about the same footprint as the PowerBook 5300, is not radically dissimilar in styling, and offers performance that blows the 5300 far into the weeds. However, the iBook still falls short of the true PowerBook mystique, while the 5300, despite some shortcomings, is a full-fledged PowerBook, complete with a removable module expansion day (we have a Zip drive, a second hard drive, and a floppy drive for ours), two PC Card slots, a full set of classic PowerBook connectivity ports, 16-bit sound in and out, video out including monitor spanning, and an infrared port.

For me, the 5300 is and always will be the real PowerBook benchmark.

Charles Moore has been a freelance journalist since 1987 and began writing for Mac websites in May 1998. His The Road Warrior column is a regular feature on MacOpinion, and he is a news editor and columnist at Applelinks.com. If you find his articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.

Recent Miscellaneous Ramblings

WiFi Paranoia, iMac-O-Lantern, Magic Mouse Does Click, Free Clipboard Managers, and More, 11.05. Also strange time stamps, problem with ColorIt on Intel Mac, and the story behind OS X 10.5.4 install discs.
Google Chrome Mac Preview Has Made a Convert, 11.02. Officially a developer preview, Google's Chrome has finally made it to Intel-based Macs. It's fast, elegant, and could be your next browser.
Fixing a Narcoleptic PowerBook G4, the Future of Tiger Support, Spam Filtering, and More, 10.28. Also installing Leopard, disappearing features, portable Thunderbird, and web page design issues.
2 Wireless Alternatives to Apple's Magic Mouse, 10.27. Whether you prefer buttons to buttonless, are still using Mac OS X 10.4, or don't like Bluetooth, Targus has mice to consider.
More in the Miscellaneous Ramblings index.

Links for the Day

Mac of the Day: 17" iMac G4/800 MHz, July 2002 - The iMac 'grows up' with a 17" 1440 x 900 display.
Group of the Day: LisaList supports Lisa users.
November 8 in LEM history: 99: OS 9: I think I like it - 01: The simplified Mac life - Soured on Windows - Flea market Mac - 02: Little room for improvement in new 'Books - Combo drive upgrade for iceBooks - 04: Re-Porter - 05: Fix the old iMac or buy a Mac mini? - Apple's Copland project - 06: MacBook Core 2 - MacBook value equation - Cheap is as cheap does - 07: Problems with Classic mode in Tiger - The G4 Power Mac that won't run Leopard
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Recent Deals

Best Mac Pro Deals, 11.03. Used 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,300; 3.0 8-core. $2,299; refurb 2.66 4-core Nehalem, $2,149; 2.93, $2,549; 2.26 8-core, $2,799; 2.93, $4,999.
Best iPhone Deals, 11.03. New 8 GB iPhone 3G, $$99; refurb 16 GB 3GS, $149; new, $199; 32 GB, $299.
Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals, 11.03. Used 867 MHz SperDrive, $348; 1 GHz, $499; 1.33 Combo, $298; SD, $559; 1.5 Combo, $448; SuperDrive, $589.
Best Power Mac G3 and PCI Video Card Deals, 11.02. Used beige 300 MHz, $25; G4/366, $49; blue & white 350, $80; 400, $90; 450, $105; PCI video cards from $15; shipping additional.
Best Power Mac G4 and AGP Video Card Deals, 11.02. Used 400 MHz, $50; 733 MHz, $69; 933 MHz, $209; 1.25 GHz dual, $299.
Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, 11.02. Used 2.0 GHz, $800; 2.2, $900; 2.4, $1,000; refurb 2.53, $1,449; 2.66, $1,699; 2.8, $1,949; 3.06, $2,169; new 2.53, $1,579; 2.66, $1,799; more.
Best Mac mini Deals, 10.30. Used 1.33 GHz G4 mini, $379; 1.42, $389; 1.5, $419; 1.83 GHz Core Duo, $350; Core 2, $439; new 2.26 GHz nVidia, $580; 2.53 GHz, $770; Server, $990.
Best G4 iBook Deals, 10.30. Used 12" 1.07 GHz Combo, $225; 1.33 GHz, $298; 14" 1 GHz, $349; 1.33 GHz, $398; 1.42 GHz SuperDrive, $498.
Best Classic Mac OS Deals, 10.30. System 6.0.8 floppies, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5, $20; 7.5 CD, $4; 7.6 $13; 8.1, $11; 8.5, $20; 8.6, $90; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $30.
More deals in our archive.

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