15" aluminum PowerBook G4

15" PowerBook G4/1 GHz, G4/1.25 GHz

Nickname: AlBook

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Overview

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A little bit bigger and heavier than its predecessor, the 15" PowerBook G4 is clad in aluminum, runs faster (at 1.0 and 1.25 GHz), adds USB 2.0 and FireWire 800 support, and includes the same 1280 x 854 15.2" display as earlier models. The hinge design now matches that of the 12" and 17" PowerBooks, and ports are now on the side instead of in the back.

Bluetooth support is built into the Aluminum PowerBooks, and both models support AirPort Extreme, which offers 5x the wireless bandwidth of the earlier AirPort protocol. The 1.25 GHz model includes AirPort Extreme as a standard feature and has the same illuminated keyboard first seen on the 17" PB G4. The SuperDrive on the faster PowerBook officially supports 2x DVD burning, twice as fast as on the earlier model.

Graphics performance is improved with the Mobility Radeon 9600 graphics processor and 64 MB of video memory. Memory is PC2700, and Apple officially supports configurations to 2 GB. Battery life is rated at 4.5 hours.

Details

introduced 2003.09.16 at US$1,999 (1 GHz/Combo) and US$2,599 (1.25 GHz/SuperDrive); replaced by 1.33 and 1.5 GHz models 2004.04.19
requires Mac OS X 10.2.7 or later
CPU: 1.0/1.25 GHz G4 (7457)
bus: 167 MHz
performance:

Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 556 (1.0 GHz), 688 (1.25 GHz)

ROM: 4 MB, NewWorld ROM in RAM architecture
RAM: 256/512 MB, expandable to 2 GB using two PC2700 DDR SDRAM modules
Level 2 cache: 512 KB at CPU speed
Level 3 cache: none
Video: ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 AGP4x
VRAM: 64 MB
Video out: S-video and DVI connectors (VGA supported with adapter)
display: 15.2" (38 cm) 24-bit 1280 x 854 color active matrix
supports 1152 x 768, 896x600, and 720x480 pixels at 3:2 aspect ratio; 1024 x 768, 800 x 600, and 640 x 480 pixels at 4:3 aspect ratio
allows mirroring to external display or extended desktop mode
hard drive: 60/80 GB 4200 RPM Ultra ATA/100
Optical drive: 8x24x24x CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo drive or 2x8x16x4x24x SuperDrive
floppy drive: external USB only
expansions bays: none
USB: 2 USB 2.0 ports
FireWire: 1 FW400 port, 1 FW800 port
IR port: none
ethernet: 10/100/gigabit
modem: v.92 56k
AirPort Extreme: included on 1.25 GHz model, optional on 1 GHz
Bluetooth: Built in
PC Card slots: 1
size: 9.5 x 13.7 x 1.1" (241 x 348 x 28 mm)
weight: 5.6 pounds (2.5 kg)

Online Resources

Best used 15" PowerBook G4 deals, updated biweekly.
Best classic Mac OS deals. Best online prices for System 6, 7.1, 7.5.x, Mac OS 7.6, 8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 9.0, 9.2.2, and other versions.
Best Mac OS X 10.0-10.3 deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3.
Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.4.
Best Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.5.
What's the best version of OS X for my Mac?, Ian R Campbell, The Sensible Mac, 2008.02.28. Which version of Mac OS X is best for your hardware depends on several factors.
Rise of the Microsoft monopoly, shafted by Gizmos2go, the end of PowerPC software, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.25. Also comparing a 2003 PowerBook with a 2005 iBook, Mac ethernet problems, ownership of WordPerfect, and the power of ClarisWorks.
Apple outsells Dell in education, 2008 MacBooks reviewed and benchmarked, migration tips, and more, The 'Book Review, 2008.03.07. Also an open firmware fix for PowerBook RAM slot issues, wireless FAQ for PowerBooks, 256 GB MacBook Air possible for 2009, new Samsung and Travelstar drives, bargain 'Books from $229 to $2,699, and more.
The Complete and Utter Guide to PC Cards and Expansion Bays on the PowerBook, Insanely Great. All about the PCMCIA, PC Card, or CardBus slots used in various PowerBooks.
$18 USB WiFi adapter, AirPort flaw in last gen iBook, SuperDrive failure in MacBook, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.02.26. Also DVD-RAM for MacBooks, the quietest MacBook, aluminum PowerBooks and Mac OS 9, and expansion slots in affordable Macs.
Power your recycled laptop with a rebuilt battery, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2008.02.20. Old notebook computers usually mean old batteries that may be dead or on their last legs. You can buy a replacement battery, or you can have your old battery rebuilt.
Restore stability to a troubled Mac with a clean system install, Keith Winston, Linux to Mac, 2008.01.15. If your Mac is misbehaving, the best fix just might be a fresh reinstallation of Mac OS X - don't forget to backup first.
Weak AirPort Extreme, Open Firmware hack, deleting old Systems, and spacing problems in Pages, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.07. Fixing a weak signal in AirPort Extreme, thoughts on the Open Firmware Leopard install hack, when it's safe to delete an old System, and line spacing issues in Pages.
iPods, notebooks, and other modern electronics more readily replaced than repaired, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 2007.12.07. Whether it's an intermittent failure or a broken display cable, more often than not it's cheaper to replace a broken electronics device than repair it.
Leopard DVD Player requires 1.6 GHz CPU, dual processor questions, and dual boot Macs, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.24. DVD Player currently runs on any G3 that supports Tiger, but the new version needs 1.6 GHz of power and other bloat in Leopard.
External $100 Sony DVD burner likes Macs, Brian Gray, Fruitful Editing, 2007.10.10. The box and manual say nothing about Mac compatibility, but this 18x USB 2.0 DVD burner is plug-and-play (at least with Tiger).
FastMac 8x SuperDrive and BurnAgain DVD: Fast and easy multisession disc burning, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.10.08. FastMac's 8x SuperDrive upgrade is remarkably fast compared with older PowerBook burners, and BurnAgain DVD makes it easy to append files to a previously burned CD or DVD.
Compact Flash faster than a hard drive, CF in a clamshell iBook, eSATA for PowerBooks, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.06.12. Faster boot times with a flash drive, replacing the hard drive in an iBook with Compact Flash, eBay feedback tips, eSATA CardBus options for PowerBooks, and the importance of G3 support in Mac OS X 10.5.
Operation FlashBook: Running Tiger from flash on a PowerBook G4, John Muir, Mac Daniel, 2007.05.29. With the hard drive failing and Compact Flash prices falling, it was time to consider running the PowerBook G4 from flash. Looking back at 6 months, was it worth it?
Silence is golden: Running your existing notebook using flash memory, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Reviews, 2007.05.23. With a new adapter from Addonics, you can replace your laptop's IDE hard drive inexpensively and boot silently from a Compact Flash card.
OS 10.4.8 making PowerBook run cooler?, Charles W. Moore, OS X Odyssey, Applelinks, 2006.10.24. "...I haven't restarted, and the 'Book is still running in the high 40°s - low 50°s most of the time. The fan has only activated sporadically while doing heavy multitasking."
Better laptop performance: What's the best upgrade?, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.10.09. Memory, CPU, bus speed, and hard drives all impact performance and battery life. Which upgrades will give you the most up time in the field?
Region free DVD viewing options for Intel and PowerPC Macs, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.09.12. Several hardware and software options that will let your view 'wrong region' DVDs on your PowerPC or Intel Mac.
Inside your notebook's battery: Ordinary AA Li-Ion cells, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.09.08. That expensive battery in your notebook computer probably holds less than $30 worth of off-the-shelf AA Li-Ion batteries.
7 tools for keeping your laptop (uh, notebook) cool, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.07.24. A quick look at the Podium CoolPad, ChillMat, ChillHubs, Laptop Desk, Xpad, iLap, and iBreeze - seven stands designed to keep you 'Books running cooler.
Pimping my 15" PowerBook G4, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.06.19. You can add a faster CPU, but the more cost-effective upgrades are more RAM, a bigger/faster hard drive, and a better SuperDrive.
Macs take away Microsoft pain, Macs revive James Bond, iMac king of all media, iWoofer, and more, Mac News Review, 2006.06.16. Also Windows users guide to switching to the Mac, Bluetooth firmware update for PPC Macs, universal USB 2.0 drive adapter, waterproof case for video iPod, and more.
Drive matters, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.06.14. There's more to picking the right hard drive than size, spindle speed, buffer size, and price. But how can a 5400 rpm drive ever outperform a 7200 rpm drive?
Power strategies for using your 'Book in the field: Batteries and AC adapters, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.06.05. One or two extra batteries and at least one spare AC adapter can be essential when you're traveling and need to get hours and hours of use from your 'Book.
End of G4 models points to unprecedented value for used G4 Macs, Leaman Crews, Plays Well with Others, 2006.06.02. The PowerPC G4 may no longer have a place in Apple's product line, but that's a far cry from saying G4-based Macs are obsolete. If anything, their value is going to increase.
Making the move from Jaguar (OS X 10.2) to Panther (10.3), Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.04.11. One advantage of Apple's "no upgrades" policy for OS X - someone can give you their old copy after upgrading without worrying about violating their license.
15" PowerBook RAM Slot Failure, The 'Book Review, 2006.01.06. Allegations that the lower RAM slot in 15" aluminum PowerBooks fails with recent versions of OS X.
Benchmarks: New eMac 1.25 GHz vs. iMac 1.25 GHz vs. PowerBook 1.25 GHz, Bare Feats, 2004.04.21. How does that new $799-999 eMac compare with same speed iMacs and PowerBooks? Not bad, but 3D gaming could be better.
Benchmarks: 15" PowerBook G4/1.25 compared to others, Bare Feats, 2003.09.17. "I know you're curious about the performance what with faster clock speed, faster graphics chip and missing L3 cache."
Titanium G4 email list, The Macintosh Guy. New list for PowerBook G4 users - count me in!
Memory pricing at ramseeker.
Apple specs: PowerBook G4 (15")

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