Has anyone "Pimped their Powerbook?"

Hi LAFCPUGers

Im interested in "Pimping my PowerBook"

I've got a 3 year old 1Ghz 15" titanium PowerBook. I love it and it's served me well! But it could really do with a few upgrades.

My apple care warranty runs out this year - and the new intel Mac Book pro won't run my pro apps (at least not for a while - and even then who knows how well...). I don't have the cash for a G5 set up (which would really be ideal for what I do). So I was thinking... Maybe I should look into Pimping my Powerbook... Ha Ha!

I was thinking about the following & not sure if it's possible / if it's worth while for what it would cost. Has anyone had experience with:

1.) New Hard Drive upgrade to 120 GB or more (prefferably 7200rpm but 5400 is OK)
2.) New Video Card - would like to run motion & other Studio Pro apps
3.) Upgrade my USB1 ports to USB2
4.) Upgrade my airport card to an airport extreme card
5.) Improve on the cooling. The fans seem to work very hard and I've already had them replaced under warranty - I'm concerned that a new video card & bigger HD are likely to cause more heat... how do I deal with that?
6.) Upgrade to 2GB (or more??) or RAM
7.) Upgrade the processor to the 1.67 Ghz (non Intel) version

All of this would obviously be subject to cost. I may decide to do some of but not all of the above.

With thanks,

Adrian Roup



Think solutions!

1.) - as long as you get a 7200 rpm, youll be fine. size here really doesnt matter
2.) - i dont know that this is even an option...
3.) - again, WHY? nothing of any vaule to an editor comes via USB
4.) - dont know that this is going to be of any real world value
5.) - ive never heard of anyone doing this before...
6.) - powerbook can only take 2gig max
7.) - not enough of a jump to make a world of difference...

if you ask me, NONE of the things youve listed is going to make any kind of night and day change in performance... it will just make you feel cool. - though thats never a bad thing. but if you add all this up - youve already bought yourself a new g5.

seems like throwing good money after bad IMO.

Only items 1) and 6) are even capable of being done to your Powerbook.

Everything else is on the motherboard. Just buy a 1.67 GHz Powerbook and get the latest stuff Apple provides.

PowerBooks are (generally) not upgradeable.

I have done a little to my 800 mHz PB.

Added 100 GB 5400 RPM Seagate Momentus HD
Added RAM to 1 GB
New SuperDrive (was CD Burner)

The only things I cannot run: Motion or Aperture.



Kevin Monahan
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i talked to a guy once who put a 7200rpm drive in his powerbook,
said it worked a lot better.

when i mentioned this to Apple shop guys, they said it would overheat.

i dont completely trust the apple guys at that shop, but thought i;d throw it in.

nick

The small plater 5400 drives do fine. I've done a lot of small DV projects and countless demos off it. The 7200 drive will suck juice out of the battery faster than is practical. The PBs are hot enough as it is without adding to it. You'll blister your thighs if you use it as a laptop.



All the best,

Tom