PowerBook 540c
2000.01.02
We're sorry, but these are very old, very dated
articles. Best buys in used Macs is such a moving target that we simply
can't keep up to date and have given up even trying. Please read these
in their historical context, as some of these articles were written in
the early years of Low End Mac.
The "Blackbird" series
was Apple's first departure from the fairly angular PowerBook 100
series. The PowerBook 520,
520c, 540, 540c,
and 550c all used the same case,
varying only in screen and CPU. The 520s were built around a 25 MHz
68LC040 processor, while the rest of the line ran at 33 MHz - and the
550c used a full 68040 processor.
The "c" models had 8-bit color screens (with a 16-bit option in 640
x 400 mode); the non-c machines had either a 4-bit (520) or 6-bit (540)
grayscale screen. All screens were 640 x 480, a step up from the 640 x
400 used on earlier PowerBooks.
Innovative
features of the PowerBook 500 series included function keys, the
trackpad, an ethernet connection, two battery bays (for up to four
hours of power), automatic sleep when the lid was closed, stereo
speakers, and an internal microphone.
Each machine had 4 MB of memory on the system board. Memory modules
as large as 32 MB could be added, bringing the total to 36 MB.
Finally, the entire Blackbird series was designed to accept a
PowerPC upgrade.
So why does the 540c get the nod as a best buy? First, because both
it and the 550c used the superior active-matrix color display. Second,
because the 550c was only available in limited markets, so it is
relatively rare. And third, because you can often find a refurbished
540c with 20 MB of memory for about US$600 - or a used 12 MB one for
around US$350.
Then why not the PowerBook 190,
which offered the same speed in a newer package? Because the PB 190
didn't include a modem or ethernet port - you had to buy a PC Card to
add either or both of these features that came standard on the
Blackbirds. Further, there were problems with the PowerBook 190. It's
not a bad machine, but the ability to install a clean system without
worrying about finding drivers for third-party modem and network cards
make the 500 series more desirable.
If you are in the market for a solid PowerBook, don't need a PowerPC
processor, and won't need more than 36 MB of memory, the 500 series
deserves a serious look, especially the 540c with its active matrix
screen.
With the 32 MB memory card selling for US$99-119 these days (see
ramseeker for current
pricing), it's a recommended upgrade unless you have the 20 MB
configuration. And even then you may want to consider it.
And if you want a bit more power at the cost of some battery life,
replacing the 33 MHz 68LC040 processor with a full-featured 68040 is
supposed to be quite easy.
If you need more speed, a bigger screen, or an internal CD-ROM,
consider the PowerBook 1400.
<go to Best Buys index,
Blackbird page, or 540c page>
