The PowerBook G3 WallStreet is a notebook I never owned in my entire lifetime, and now I finally have one! I’ve come across nearly every model PowerPC Mac since I started tinkering with Macs, but the PowerBook G3 series remains elusive – except for the time I helped an acquaintance work on a stack of Pismo’s years ago.
This one in particular came from an estate sale, and is in miraculously good physical shape minus some scuffs on the rubber. It comes loaded with many apps, Mac OS 9.0.4 with PowerPC enabler 9.0.4, and most importantly – Adobe Photoshop 5.5.
.
.
The Specs
- CPU: 266 MHz PowerPC G3, 1 MB Backside L2
. - Boot Drive: 4 GB IDE IBM DCTA-24090 HDD
. - OS: Mac OS 9.0.4 with PPC Enabler 9.0.4
. - GPU: ATI Rage LT Pro 4 MB
. - Display: 1024 x 768 TFT LCD, millions of colors
. - Graphics Card Memory: 192 MB SDRAM (128 MB + 64 MB)
. - Optical Drive: CD Drive (Combo drive)
.
(Above: A PowerBook G3 WallStreet pictured next to a Macintosh SE)
First Impressions
Mac OS 9 was never at all my favorite era of Mac OS, and I’m not too keen on using it as I’m more of a Mac OS X kinda guy – but this has Photoshop 5.5 which makes me want to keep this as-is and give it a try. Photoshop CS4 is what I’m most familiar with and learned from, 5.5 feels remarkably similar.
I was born in the 90s and grew up in the 2000s, seeing Windows 95/98/XP long before getting my hands on Mac OS in 2008. I had a very brief time with Mac OS 9 in 2008 when I was given a 600 MHz Graphite iMac G3, and I quickly installed OS X Tiger on there.
Not only to put it more capably on the internet, but also because Mac OS 9 always felt clunky to me. Older versions of Mac OS on older Macs feel “appropriate”, but I simply never liked OS 9 all that much. It’s nothing personal, I just don’t like Mac OS 9. I’d even rather daily Jaguar.
.
.
Giving Photoshop 5.5 and Mac OS 9 a try
What struck me the most was how much knowledge transference there was from skills learned on CS4. It wasn’t at all difficult to get started and trying things out in this older interface. This in and of itself may make me keep OS 9 on here.
.
.
The work needed to be done
What a wonderful thing – it works, it arrived in one piece and doesn’t need much. It’s easier to keep the original OS and hard drive, but the original drive is particularly slow. I’m thinking of tossing an SSD into here down the line and if I do, it’ll end up running Mac OS X.
I’m thinking it’s better off remaining totally unmodified unless the hard drive dies. It’ll be a nice bridge machine between old and new, although I can’t imagine intensively using Photoshop on here like I do on the Dual 2.0 G5. I’m a feen for a fast machine.. irrespective of CPU architecture.
I scuffed up and nearly destroyed a 3.5 mm audio adapter to connect a 65W PowerBook G4 15″ Power Brick to this WallStreet. You have to finagle it for the connection to work. I’m waiting for a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter to come in so I can do a MacRumors Trick with that 65W brick – instead of even buying a whole power brick.
.
PowerBook G3 WallStreet Ports
.
Specs Sticker and Serial
.
In Conclusion
This is a very interesting Mac from an era I’m familiar with but don’t have much hands-on time with. It’s a good bridge machine between old and new, and I could possibly internet-share to the Macintosh SE.
It’ll be interesting to see how the upgrades evolve, but it’s more important to restore it first. It has a bad battery and bad hinges, but it’s found a good home. Now to delete all the old user data!
