2008.11.11
Two years after starting the Intel transition, Apple introduced an ultralight notebook that may satisfy a lot of 12" PowerBook owners. The 13.3" MacBook Air weighs just 3 lb. and is only 3/4" thick. On the down side, it has a larger footprint than the 12" PowerBook, no internal optical drive, uses a relatively slow 1.8" hard drive, and has a built-in battery, meaning you can't carry a spare.
The 12" PowerBook remains a popular choice as the smallest portable Mac with a built-in Combo drive or SuperDrive. See Low End Mac's Compleat Guide to the 12" PowerBook for a comprehensive overview of the most compact PowerBook ever.
The 12" PowerBook was discontinued with the introduction of the 13.3" widescreen MacBook in 2006, yet it remains popular. Some have asked, "Is the 12" G4 the New Modern-Day 'Pismo' PowerBook?"
You'll sometimes find a $100+ premium for SuperDrive models, so you may want to consider upgrading a Combo drive PowerBook with a third-party SuperDrive. The 12" PowerBooks support FireWire 400, 10/100 ethernet, and have no CardBus slot. If you need FireWire 800, gigabit ethernet, or CardBus support, look at the 15" and 17" PowerBooks.
Except for the 867 MHz model, which has 128 MB onboard RAM, the 12" PowerBooks have 256 MB on the motherboard. There is only a single memory expansion slot. We recommend no less than 384 MB total RAM for good OS X 10.2 and 10.3 performance, 512 MB for 10.4. Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" is supported on all 12" G4 PowerBooks with at least 512 MB of RAM, and we strongly recommend adding a 1 GB module if you plan to use Leopard.
Prices are for used PowerBooks. Listings note RAM/hard drive size. Be sure to factor in shipping costs and possible sales tax. Your best value depends on whether you need/want a color printer, extra RAM, etc. The best deals are marked in bold type in the full listings below. Used Macs usually have a 90 day warranty. Canadian and UK dealers are listed separately.
We try to factor in estimated shipping costs, which vary by location, in choosing the best prices. If you're going to maximum RAM, it's cheaper to upgrade the 1.33 GHz and 1.5 GHz models than the 867 MHz and 1 GHz ones.
Unless otherwise noted, there is no surcharge for credit card purchases, and shipping is not included. Vendors are listed in alphabetical order. Be sure to visit their sites for full details.
Prices may be limited to quantity on hand. Not responsible for typos. Please email any corrections or additional sources with competitive prices toDan Knight .
Buying through some of these links benefits Low End Mac. Buying at these prices benefits you.
Models are sorted by CPU speed, then price.
Ground shipping may add $20 or more. 60 day warranty.
Ground shipping may add $35 or more.
Ground shipping may add $30 or more. 60 day warranty.
Ground shipping may add $30 or more.
Shipping may add $20 or more. 30 day warranty
Ground shipping may add $20 or more. Power Max has the broadest selection of used 'Books among dealers we track.
Ground shipping may add $25 or more. 60 day warranty.
Can't afford a 12" PowerBook G4 but need portability? Check out our
PowerBook G3 Deals,
iBook G4 Deals, iBook G3 Deals, and Titanium PowerBook G4 Deals. Need
more power? See our 13" MacBook
Deals. 
Ground shipping can add $25 or more.
Ground shipping may add $40 or more. Mac of All Trades has the highest product turnover of any used Mac dealer we track.
