iBook G3 Snow (Dual USB)

Make Apple
Model iBook G3 Snow (Dual USB)
Release Year 2001
CPU 500MHz PowerPC 750cxe (G3)
Memory 640MB
GPU ATI Rage Mobility 128
Storage 120GB mSATA SSD (w/ IDE adapter)
OS Mac OS 9.2.2 and Mac OS 10.4.11 "Tiger"

I got this iBook G3 around spring of 2020. It's the Dual USB model, the first one to use the redesigned case. It runs only OS 9 at the moment, but I have plans to run OS X on it as well sometime in the near future.

I love the design of this computer and it's a joy to use. I use it as a writing machine as well as an OS 9 YouTube viewing machine and basically as a backup OS 9 machine if my Power Mac is booted into OS X. It's also become one of my main video editing machines, having iMovie 2 and QuickTime Pro 6.

When I initially got this laptop, it had a 10GB spinner in it as well as 128MB of onboard RAM. It came with an AirPort card, which makes things a lot easier. The combo drive doesn't work, but that's a relatively easy fix (assuming I can find a working one, that is). I almost immediately ordered a 512MB RAM stick and a battery for it, as it didn't come with a battery. Both arrived and the RAM stick works great. The battery turned out to be a counterfeit, despite the eBay listing saying it was genuine, so I returned it and have a second one on the way. I have plans to install a 128GB SSD in this so I can boot both OS 9 and OS X, although even when I install OS X, OS 9 will likely be the main OS I use on here.

After installing the SSD, I can report that it works wonderfully and I am very happy with how the upgrade turned out. It's a 128GB mSATA drive in an IDE adapter. I don't want to open another laptop any time soon though...