The PowerBook 5300 series was the first generation of PowerBook laptops manufactured by Apple Computer to use the PowerPC processor. Released
powerbook 5300 greyscale
in August 1995, these PowerBooks were notable for being the first to feature hot-swappable expansion modules for a variety of different units such as ZIP drives; PC card slots as standard; and an infrared communication port.[1] In common with most preceding Macintosh portables, SCSI, Serial, and ADB ports were available as standard. An internal expansion slot was also available for installing a variety of modules including Ethernet and video cards to drive a second monitor in mirroring or dual-screen modes.
The Apple Macintosh PowerBook 5300/100 features a 100 MHz PowerPC 603e processor, 8 MB of RAM, and a 500 MB hard drive in a black portable case with a 9.5″ grayscale passive-matrix display. Although the built-in display of the PowerBook 5300/100 only supports 4-bit grayscale, a video card can be added to support up-to 16-bit color on an external monitor. The PowerBook 5300 series was originally plagued by battery problems, but after “reworking” by Apple, the 5300 series generally performs well.
However, issues extended beypnd battery life to include a key issue with the power jack, which was found to work loose over time from the mainboard that it was soldered directly to. Users resolved this issue by re-working the solder and glueing the power jack directly to the PCB, extending the life-expectancy of this laptop.
| Introduction Date: |
1995 | Discontinued Date: |
1996 |
| Processor Type: | PowerPC 603e | Processor Speed: |
100 MHz |
| Processor Upgrade: |
N/A | FPU (Integrated): |
PowerPC 603e |
| System Bus Speed: |
33.3 MHz | Lookaside Bus Speed: |
N/A |
| ROM Size: | 4 MB | Data Path: | 64-bit |
| Level 1 Cache: | 32k | Level 2 Cache: | N/A |
| RAM Type: | 70 ns DRAM card | VRAM Type: | Built-in |
| Standard RAM: | 32 MB | Maximum RAM: | 64 MB |
| Motherboard RAM: |
16 MB | RAM Slots: | 1 (PB 5300 series) |
| Standard VRAM: | N/A | Maximum VRAM: | 1 MB 1. |
| Standard Hard Drive: |
1.2 GB | Int. Hard Drive Type: |
IDE |
| Standard CD-ROM: |
N/A | Standard Disk: | 1.44 MB (manual) |
| Standard Modem: | 28.8k (optional) |
Standard Ethernet: |
N/A |
| Case Type: | Portable (Black) |
Form Factor: | PowerBook 5300 |
| Exp. Slots: | 2 Type II PC Card 2. |
Exp. Bays (Free): |
None |
| Battery Type: | PB5300 NiMH | Battery Life: | 2.5-4.0 hours |
| Built-in Display: |
10.4″ Grayscale 3. |
Supported MacOS: |
7.5.2-7.6.1, 8.0-9.0 |
| Dimensions: | 2.0 x 11.5 x 8.5 4. |
Avg. Weight: | 6.2 lbs. |
| Original Price: | $6500 US | Est. Current Price: |
N/A |
| Notes: | 1. A 1 MB video card can be added to support an external color monitor.2. 2 Type II PC Card (1 Type III).3. 9.5″ Grayscale passive-matrix (4-bit, 16 grays) LCD display. 4. 5. |
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