Insanely Great Mac - Wallstreet v. iBook: Old Pro or New Kid on the Block?

Wallstreet v. iBook: Old Pro or New Kid on the Block?
by Remy Davison

OK. This's a choice I have to make and it's my money I'm spending here. Time to replace my venerable PowerBook 5300 and choose a new 'Book. Now, if you're a lucky PB5300/190 owner, you can get a brand-spanking new Pismo 400 at the AppleStore. Apple will take your damaged, defunct or otherwise just plain slow 190/5300 - even if you're not the original owner - and swap it (and $1,799) for a Pismo. As long as you live in the USA, that is. If you're a native of the Great White North, forget it.

Console yourself if you're outside the US or are unlucky enough not to own a 190/5300. Arguably, since the 5300, Apple hasn't built a bad book. Sure, there's been the odd mediocre one like the cacheless PowerBook G3/233 Series I with the 12.1" DSTN display. And the bargain-basement 3400/180 without modem and ethernet (thankfully, they didn't sell that model here in Australia where I'm based; the 3400s were all kitted out). So I've got a lot to choose from: standard and G3-upgraded 1400s; 3400s of course, the original G3 'Kanga', two series of Wallstreets, Lombard and the currently-new Pismo. All good choices. Not a bad place to be.

I quickly rule out the 1400 and 3400. The 2400 is out too because it's not available in Australia (and can't be warrantied or serviced here, although there're two for auction as I write this). When Kanga came out, I lusted after one of those; yes a whole 32MB of RAM on board; huge screen; massively fast G3, 512K L2 cache and a gigantic 5.0GB hard drive. Not to mention compatibility with the 5300's VST Zip drive and expansion bay hard drive. I nearly dumped my life savings on one of those black beauties. However, Kangas are comparatively rare on the used market in Australia, as opposed to the Australian outback, where the Kanga's marsupial namesake roams (hops?) free in large numbers. By contrast, Wallstreets, Lombards and even iBooks are beginning to crop up in significant numbers on auction sites, classifieds and at various Apple dealerships. One thing you have to bear in mind about the Australian market, though, is that there isn't the range - and therefore the level of price competition - in Macs and PowerBooks that there is in the US. While Australia is a very large market for Macs - probably larger than the UK as they're cheaper and parts are easier to obtain - some people charge obscene prices for used PowerBooks because they can and do get away with it. The total number of G3 'Books on the used market is not that huge (yet), even though Apple own 14% of the notebook market (2nd, behind Toshiba) and have 50% of a huge state schools contract (again, with Toshiba). But prices can be off the planet. The reasoning is that the 'Book was so expensive in the first place (and the perception that Mac users will pay a great deal more than PC users - often true), that one may charge a premium for used Macs. This extends to the PowerBook market even more than the desktop market. And, let's face it, G3 PowerBooks are such powerful, stylish beasts, everybody wants one (be honest: admit it).

However, I do my research and I know what a 'Book's worth. I also know how much second-hand dealers pay for a trade-in or at auction and what mark-up they put on it. I want (and need) a G3, especially if I'm to have any chance of running OS X. Moreover, it's going to be my last 'Book purchase for a long time - so I better choose carefully.

Now I like the iBook. I even said so in my last colum. It looks great and I did indeed breathe 'Wow' when I saw it on the webcast of MacWorld '99. But I was more interested in what's inside. A 300MHz CPU, - as fast as the fastest Wallstreet - 512K cache, on board 10/100baseT ethernet, 56K modem, 4MB VRAM, crisp 12.1" active display, good keyboard feel and Airport upgradeability when I feel like it. Actually, it's a faster Kanga in a sexier, louder suit with a love handle. Some nifty sleep features and a 6-hour battery too. The more advanced power management software from OS 9.0 sneaked into the iBook a little early (a bit too early too, with the crash-after-sleep bug - now fixed in OS 9.04 and an update file which specifically addresses this problem on Pismo as well).

So I borrowed a Blueberry iBook and found I liked it even more. Outstanding screen quality. Good speed, yes, even with the standard 32MB RAM that the reviewers criticised. With 96MB it was even better. With iBook Rev. B, that criticism has vanished. And there's double the drive capacity at the same price. For $US200 more, there's the iBook SE, which ups the ante to 366MHz and the cachet of a Graphite cover. But not a lot else. So let's compare.

Prices/equipment

Pismo and the superseded Lombards are out of my price range. Essentially I'm looking at $US1,100-$1,600. So what I look at, apart from the iBook, is a refurbished Wallstreet. For about $US1,150 I can get a used G3/266 with 3 months' warranty. 64MB/4GB/14.1". For about $200 more, the ante can be upped to a G3/300 - it MacBenches slightly faster than the iBook/300, but the iBook Rev. A has the advantage of a faster (but smaller) hard drive. Bear in mind too that the iBook has a new warranty, AppleCare available and no previous owner. The Wallstreets are generally ex-demo, but their screens have probably been on all day. If the screen dies after 3 months, there's no real comeback. Time to pay for AppleCare.

Comparing the two 'Books' respective equipment levels, we find the iBook has the advantage of built-in 100baseT - handy for me as I connect to a 100bT network in my office. Its exterior is pretty bullet-proof and resists shock treatment. It also sports a single USB port. iBook Rev. A supports 160MB RAM while Rev B can support up to 320MB. Its 12.1" screen supports 800x600 and 640x480 resolutions on a 4MB ATI RAGE 128 card, 16-bit sound out (but not in - you'll need a USB sound input) is standard, but the speaker is lousy. A 24x CD ROM is standard. (A CDRW for the iBook was announced, but not shipping yet as far as I know, so treat it as vapourware until it does). Its USB port can also output to a TV or projector, but not to an external monitor. The sooner the iBook can do this, the better. iBook also includes an innovative built-in handle and a 6-hour battery. With a new iBook, you now get 64MB and 6GB as standard, which exceeds or matches the Wallstreet 266.

Standard on the Wallstreet is SCSI, ADB, LocalTalk/serial RS422/232, 10baseT ethernet, 56K modem, two SO-DIMM slots supporting 512MB RAM, 4 MB ATI 3D RAGE Mobility Pro graphics card (on the 13.3"/14.1' models; the 12.1" Wallstreet model gets a lousy 2MB VRAM), 14.1" XGA display (1024x768), VGA video out (24-bit colour), 4mbps IrDA, two good-quality stereo speakers, 16-bit sound I/O, 20x CD ROM (DVD-ROM optional), innovative function key, optional floppy and dual expansion bays, accommodating two 4-hour batteries if necessary (a second battery is an optional extra). But Wallstreet batteries ain't cheap on my side of the planet.

But whichever I choose, there's about a $300 trade-in on my venerable PowerBook 5300, so the transaction cost isn't going to be so bad.

Displays

With the Wallstreet's 14.1" display, there's no contest. Despite the iBook's bright display, essentially carried over from the 3400c and G3 Kanga, only the Wallstreet can do 1024x768, which gives you a hell of a lot more screen real estate. No prizes for guessing who wins this category. But that's not to say the iBook's display is inferior; on the contrary, it's extemely bright and sharp; the iBook's just a different class of portable.

Worth noting here is the 13.3" Wallstreet screen which had a problem with the routing of the display cable. Apple will usually fix this for free. But this has made the 13.3" a model to avoid at all costs; ever wondered why Apple dropped it from the Wallstreet Series II? Wonder no longer. As a consequence, 13.3" models - along with the cacheless G3/233s - have depreciated far more rapidly than 14.1s in the used market. On ebay and other auction sites, people bid a lot lower (or not at all) on these two models). Put it this way: if you're prepared to take the risk (and it's been through Apple's repair programme), the 13.3" might be worth it. And, after all, its screen is only 0.8" smaller than the 14.1. The DSTN 12.1" 233MHz model is really for the budget-conscious buyer; it's not a bad 'Book, just an underdeveloped one. It's not slow, but it's not much faster than the 3400/240 and only about 60% the speed of the Kanga G3/250. In short, neither of these is for me.

Hard drives and memory

The iBook's 6GB drive wins this one over the Wallstreet's 4GB. Most stock G3/266s came with a 4GB drive, while 233s had a paltry 2GB. Still, it can easily be replaced - at a price. Chalk one up for the iBook. 6GB is pretty comfortable in the medium term; unless you really want all your software and files on call, you can do without the hard drive upgrade for a while. Although for $400 more I could get the G3/300MHz model with an 8GB HDD, which would still be cheaper than the iBook and leave money left over for salubrious extras like an iRez Capsure video card or floppy drive, VST Zip or SuperDisk drive. In Japan, there are a plethora of magneto-optical (MO) drives to choose from. Not to mention VST's or MCE's internal CDRW. Notably, however, the iBook's hard drive does test out somewhat faster than Wallstreet's. According to some data, this is more likely to be as a result of the iBook's faster EIDE controller than the drive itself. And keep in mind, too, the fact that the iBook's drive is a pig to extract (30 screws! - and a lot more blood and sweat) and replace; the Wallstreet is a heck of a lot faster to rip apart. What's more, there's no expansion bay for removable hard drives on the iBook.

The Rev.B iBook accommodates 320MB of RAM - more than enough for virtually any purpose. The Rev.A supports only 160MB. By contrast, the Wallstreet Series I (233/250/292MHz) will take only 64MB in the lower slot and a 256MB low-profile SO-DIMM in the other slot. The Series II allows you to put two low-profile DIMMs in both slots, maxing out the PowerBook at a whopping 512MB. 256MB DIMMs are expensive though. To begin with, I'd like 160MB and then maybe upgrade from there.

Connectivity

Now I have a lot of legacy devices. SCSI scanner, SCSI hard drives, SCSI CDRW, LocalTalk, serial and ethernet printers. Oh, and an ADB keyboard and Apple 16" Trinitron monitor. Nearly all of these are unusable with the iBook. Yes, true: you can get peripherals like uSCSI and serial and LocalTalk adapters for the iBook, but I'm betting that there'll be incompatibilities. Plus the cost. In the land of Oz, these adapters aren't cheap. Sure, my LaserWriter IIg will connect via ethernet to the iBook, no problem. But not LocalTalk printers wherever I travel (without an adapter). Of course I could always gets PowerPrint to use with most printers. But I bet I couldn't burn at more than 4x using uSCSI via the USB port, which seems a waste of my Yamaha 6416S CDRW.

Wallstreet offers both legacy and contemporary peripheral support. I have no USB or FireWire equipment, but - for dollars naturally - I can upgrade with USB and FireWire PC cards when and if the need arises. Options include MacAlley's USB CardBus PC card which offers two USB ports. Or Ratoc's or VST's FireWire PC cards. 100baseT ethernet can be added later too, if a network upgrade's in order. But the USB card costs $US100 and the FireWire cards range from $US300-$400 in Australia. Not cheap. That 100bT PC card for the Wallstreet is going to cost me a month's rent as well. These are considerable investments and need to be borne in mind when considering a Wallstreet over a newer 'Book. Indeed, to some extent, they demonstrate the off-the-shelf value of the iBook and the dangers involved with over-capitalising an older PowerBook.

USB is almost mandatory these days, with digital cameras, microphones, web cams and virtually all printers demanding USB. Tried buying a LocalTalk or Mac-compatible serial printer lately? Good luck. Everything's USB and ethernet now (don't even mention parallel ports). Despite the lack of FireWire on the (current) iBook, I can live without it; I don't own any FireWire peripherals and SCSI in its various flavours will be here for a long time to come.

The lack of video out on the iBook is the biggest negative I have about the whole 'consumer portable' concept. My PowerBook is a portable desktop (yes, even the 5300 accomplishes demanding tasks and drives 20" monitors). It *must* have video out to a big screen. I like to have Word documents open next to an Excel spreadsheet to intimate to my boss that I'm actually working. And also to cover up the (legal) MP3s I'm downloading in the background (clears throat).

No wires

One huge advantage the iBook has over Wallstreet (and Lombard) is its built-in support for Airport wireless networking. At $99, Apple's card for the iBook, Pismo, G4 and iMac is nothing less than a steal. Less so for, say, Farallon's 11mbps PC card, which costs $US400 over here. Not at all cheap. Some tests also suggest that PC card wireless solutions are not as fast or reliable as Apple's native implementation. Somewhat odd as they're all essentially the same (Luscent) card.

Unplugged

The iBook comes standard with a 6-hour (well, 5-and-a-bit) battery that you never have to remove. With moderate power settings, you can make it really last, so long as you sleep it every now and again (be honest: do you really work on your 'Book for 6 hours without a break?). Then you just plug in. The battery charges fairly quickly too, considering how many work hours it gives you.

On the other hand, Wallstreet batteries last only 3 hours or so. A second battery slotted into the second expansion bay will give you most of a day's work time, but it costs extra, doesn't it? And they add to the overall weight.

One complaint (I'll think of more, if pressed): the iBook has no PRAM battery. Forget to plug in when the battery runs out and the iBook loses its PRAM settings. A nuisance if you ask me. You have to reset everything (date, time, mouse speed etc.). Conversely, the Wallstreet has a good old-fashioned PRAM battery. More annoying to pull out - but it only dies about once every 3 years or so.

To DVD or not to DVD? (What was the question?)

If you're like me, squinting at a DVD movie on a 12" or 14" screen is not your cup of tea. Relatively few people are using DVD as a means of distributing data (movies aside), although this will change fairly quickly. The most important removable storage media today is CD-ROM, with CD burners literally flying off the shelves.

There are both Apple and VST DVD-ROM units available for the Wallstreet. It comes as a kit with a hardware decoder on a PC card and can be retro-fitted to a Wallstreet. However, there's no such option for the iBook. In my book (pun intended), that's no great loss unless you really want to stare at movies on a 6-hour interstate flight. What's more important is that both the Wallstreet and the iBook make great MP3 jukeboxes (albeit expensive ones, if that's all you do with them). Plug in a decent set of headphones to the iBook and you're away. The Wallstreet's stereo speakers dump on the iBook's from a great height though, so whether you're playing games or listening to Barry White, there's no question which 'Book sounds better. I've had the odd PowerBook playing MP3s in the car (booting off a RAM disk so the hard drive doesn't get jerked about), and it's not a bad way to travel if you can't wait to get home to the stereo. But I wouldn't want to hear them on an iBook's miserable speaker.

Upgrades

A no-brainer here. For a few hundred bucks, I can upgrade a Wallstreet to a fire-breathing 400 to 500MHz G3 monster. Two companies, Newer Technology and PowerLogix offer upgrades (for the Lombards too, shortly). Newer's is a re-solder job; you need to send the daughtercard in. PowerLogix send you a whole new daughtercard. While these don't make the Wallstreets Pismo-killers, you'll come pretty close. Of course, you'll get fastest performance from the 250 and 292MHz Series I Wallstreets with the 83MHz system bus (the 233, 266 and 300MHz models top out at 66MHz).

No one's quite figured out how to upgrade the iBook yet. Certainly the market is out there for an enterprising manufacturer. It's been done with the iMacs, so there's no reason why iBookers can't expect an upgrade down the line. But for the moment, only the Wallstreets and Lombards offer such outstanding upgradeability options (okay, okay, the PowerBook 1400 and 2400 as well).

Quality Control

With the iBook, none significant that I'm aware of. Some early production models had key caps come off and the keyboard's got a bit more flex than some people would like. The crash-after-sleep fix we've mentioned. The screens haven't turned blueberry. The CD-ROM's noisy (fact of life). The G3 runs cool.
Not so the Wallstreet. These beasts can run hot. I mean damn hot. No laptopping in a bikini for you (if that's your thing). I haven't heard that one of these things melt (like those Pentium toasters with two noisy fans), but bear in mind that long-term exposure to high temperatures may affect the longevity of the internal componentry. If the internal fan stops working, it may be time to worry. Unlike the Lombards, however, I haven't discovered any issues regarding the keys pressing against the screen when the lid's closed, leaving an indentation (ThinkPads used to be notorious for this). The 13.3" display cable problems, we've talked about already.

Wallstreets do have a couple of other serious issues. The first is the sound card becoming dislodged, affecting the right-hand speaker. There's no answer to this other than advanced soldering skills. It's not endemic to the range; some Wallstreets experience it; some don't.

The second problem relates to the screen hinges; they can become loose. Again, this is a dealer job and it's not cheap. Another reason to get AppleCare, if it's available. On the other hand, these issues have not arisen with the iBooks.

Conclusions

If you install a G3 upgrade, FireWire and USB, there's pretty much nothing the Wallstreet can't do as well as a Pismo. That alone makes the Wallstreet a tempting alternative to the Pismo, if you can stand the additional weight (think different: build biceps).

If the rumor mills are right, the iBook gets an update around September. Or maybe not. But whenever iBook Rev. C happens, that should make the current 300/6GB/64MB models a lot cheaper and even better value. Used 32/3.2GB examples cost even less - and offer the same speed. Put it this way: the iBook offers a lot of 'Book for not much money, and you won't be hunting around for a USB card for that nice new color inkjet you just bought with the rent money. Plugging into 100bT and Airport-equipped networks will be a breeze. To cut to the chase, I'd have to spend a reasonable amount of folding bringing a Wallstreet up to iBook spec.

So the iBook and the Wallstreet I'm looking at cost virtually the same. One's brand new; the other's 18 months' old. Or I can mix and match and whack the iBook's transluscent white keyboard into the Wallstreet (no, it doesn't work properly, if that's what you're wondering; stick it in the Pismo, if you must). But très cool. Which one do you reckon I should get? Hmm...

More to the point, which one should you get?

Think about it. Next time we meet, I'll let you know.