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Power Macintosh G3 Q&A - Updated February 22, 2010
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What are the "pros and cons" of the Power Mac G3 models? Is one right for my needs?
Please note that Apple discontinued the Power Mac G3 on August 31, 1999.
Like any other purchase, only you can make the decision whether or not a Power Mac G3 is the right Mac for you, but you can evaluate the pros and cons of the models to see if your needs are met. This "run down" may be helpful in making a decision:
Pros:
- Excellent case designs make it easy to upgrade the processor, memory, optical drive, and hard drives.
- PCI slots make expansion and adding more modern capabilities such as wireless networking and Gigabit Ethernet easy.
- All models can boot MacOS 9, all models support MacOS 9/Classic applications.
- Having both USB ports and an ADB port on "Blue & White" models can be uniquely useful for some legacy applications.
- ADB, Mac serial ports, and SCSI ports can be useful on Platinum/Beige models for compatibility with legacy hardware.
Cons:
- Not supported by versions of MacOS X after MacOS X 10.4.11 "Tiger" (Platinum/Beige models only support MacOS X 10.2.8 "Jaguar" and lower).
- Inconvenient workarounds required for larger hard drives and MacOS X as well in some cases.
- Small, unpopular keyboard and "hockey puck" mouse provided standard with "Blue & White" models.
- Slower than the Power Macintosh G4 series.
If you need a cheap and expandable Mac -- particularly with support for booting MacOS 9 or for MacOS 9/"Classic" applications -- a Power Macintosh G3 is worth considering although a Power Macintosh G4 likely would be better for most users. Those with "legacy" hardware as well as software needs, however, may find a Power Macintosh G3 to be a good choice.
Where are the default configurations of the Power Mac G3?
For the default configurations of every Power Mac G3, as well as details on a variety of options available at the time of purchase, please refer to the specs page for the model of interest.
Where can I buy a Power Mac G3?
There are any number of places to purchase a used Mac, although the Power Mac G3 is so old that it really only is available on auction sites and of interest to vintage enthusiasts.
To purchase upgrades, please visit site sponsor Other World Computing, which sells hard drives, optical drives, memory, and more for the Power Mac G3 and every other Mac.
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