The 17" and high-end 15" aluminum PowerBooks, aside from their
modest (by today's standards) 512 MB of standard RAM, are pretty
lavishly equipped in standard trim. Even the "entry-level" 15-incher is
no slouch. However, that doesn't mean these 'Books aren't candidates
for a bit of upgrading - especially now that we're closing on three
years into the Macintel era, and their performance and specification
has fallen well back of the cutting edge.
I'm still using a 17"
PowerBook as my main workhorse. and I love it, but aside from the
RAM being upgraded to 1.5 GB, my 1.33 GHz model is box-stock in
specification. My 1.33 GHz "BigAl", a model that debuted in September
2003, came with a very respectable Radeon 9600 graphics processor and
64 MB of video RAM, an 80 GB hard drive, a SuperDrive, gigabit
ethernet, built-in Bluetooth, 802.11g wireless, FireWire 400 and 800,
USB 2.0, and an internal modem (which is something you don't get in any
Macintel 'Book).
The later 1.5 GHz and 1.67 GHz "AluBooks" have even more impressive
standard equipment, all of which which somewhat attenuates the
incentive to tinker and upgrade.
Also, prices of
used and refurbished "AluBooks" are coming down, with most models
now well below the $1,000 threshold. With some judicious hot rodding,
they can still serve as moderately powerful and capable production
tools or just nice personal-use laptops with what some of us still
consider the substantial advantage of being able to support Classic
Mode and the aforementioned internal modem.
However, here are some upgrade tweaks that can make them even more
capable and useful.
Memory Upgrade
The first phase of any "AlBook" hot rodding project should
definitely be a RAM upgrade, and I recommend maxing out at 2 GB
from the get-go, especially if you plan on installing Mac OS X
10.5 "Leopard", although that will involve removing and probably
discarding the OEM 512 MB stick from one of the two memory slots.
There are lots of memory vendors, and a good place to compare prices
is ramseeker.
I've personally had good luck with RAM upgrades from Other World Computing, which currently
offers, for example:
- 1 GB (1024 MB) PC2700 DDR SO-DIMM 200 Pin Memory Module 128x64
CL 2.5 for PowerBook G4 'Aluminum' 12", 15" & 17" - $42.99
- 1 GB Samsung Original PC2700 DDR SO-DIMM 333 MHz Cas 2.5
...
- 1 GB Samsung Original PC2700 DDR SO-DIMM 333 MHz Cas 2.5 200
Pin Memory Upgrade Module for all PowerBook G4 - $57.95
Faster, Higher Capacity Hard Drive
Most "AluBooks" came with 4,200 rpm ATA hard drives, although some
of the later models had 5,400 rpm drives. Capacities ranged from 60 GB
on the earlier models to 120 GB on the last ones, so a hard drive
upgrade to a 120 GB, 160 GB or even 250 GB unit rotating at 5,400 or
7,200 rpm can increase both your performance and data storage
capacity.
As with RAM upgrades, various vendors offer hard drive upgrades for
the 15" and 17" PowerBooks
Four examples are:
The downside is that getting at the "AluBooks"' hard drives (unlike
G3 PowerBooks, in which it's an easy 10-15 minute job) involves
substantial disassembly of the computer. If you think you have the
skill and patience to tackle the job yourself or want more information
to help determine whether you do or not, check out iFixIt.com's free illustrated teardown
guide for the appropriate model PowerBook here:
IFixIt also has a selection of parts and upgrade items for
the PowerBook.
SuperDrive Upgrade
The very early 15" "AluBooks" were sold with Combo optical drives on
the entry-level model and a variety of DVD-burning SuperDrives came
with most of these machines. My 1.33 GHz unit, for example, has a 2x
SuperDrive, which does the job but is a bit of a slug compared with the
FastMac 8x Dual-Layer SuperDrive upgrade in my old Pismo PowerBook. The 1.67 GHz
15" and 17" "AluBooks" got 8x SuperDrives in January 2005 and
dual-layer 8x drives in their final (November 2005) revision.
If you have one of the older models with a 2x or 4x SuperDrive (or a
Combo drive), several vendors supply SuperDrive upgrades for the
aluminum PowerBooks:
FastMac offers an 8x
dual-layer unit for $149.95. I have FastMac SuperDrive upgrades in
both of my Pismos, and they've been excellent performers.
MCE Technologies also offers 8x DVD±R/RW SuperDrive
upgrades with both double layer and dual layer support for the
PowerBook G4 that allows users to author professional-quality DVDs as
well as create, store, and share their collections of videos, music and
photography, priced at $149.
Other World Computing offers the 8x
Mercury PB G4 SuperDrive Dual-Layer upgrade for all PowerBook 15"
and 17" models for $97.99
Extended Life Battery
Another hot rodding tweak that should especially appeal if your
'Book's battery is getting more than a bit past its prime is a
high-capacity battery replacement.
FastMac offers TruePower
extended life batteries for the PowerBook G4 Aluminum 15 for $99,
and for the PowerBook G4 Aluminum 17 at $99.95.
Newer Technologies also offers extended life
batteries for the "AluBooks" - up to 16% more capacity on aluminum
15" models with the Newer Technology NuPower 55.5 Watt-Hour Battery at
$119.99, and up to 21% greater capacity for 17" Aluminum Models at at
$127.95 to $149.95
Newer Technology also offers an Intelligent Battery
Charger/Conditioner for the PowerBook G4 15" and 17" at $149.95.
Compact Flash Memory Reader
As we noted, the aluminum PowerBooks came pretty comprehensively
equipped, but one feature Apple has never offered on any of its
notebooks is a built-in Compact Flash reader - this is available on
many Windows PC laptops. Fortunately there are a variety of CF card
readers available that interface through the PowerBook's CardBus
slot.
Lexar Media's CF 32 Bit CardBus Adapter looks like a Type II
CompactFlash PC card adapter, but when inserted into a the PowerBook's
CardBus slot, it supports read/write speeds up to the maximum
CompactFlash protocol interface - just over 16 MB/s. Lexar's 32-bit
Card Bus reader offers support for Windows and Macintosh operating
systems, extending the solution to Macintosh users for the first time.
Amazon.com
currently has it in stock for $49.95
SanDisk 6 in 1 PC Card Adapter converts Secure Digital, MultiMedia,
Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, SmartMedia, and xD Picture card to
PCMCIA (type II), and Amazon.com
has it available for $17.99 (temporarily out of stock).
The SanDisk SDDR-64-768 Compact Flash to PC Card Adapter can turn
any CompactFlash Type I card into a PC Card. Amazon.com
has it in stock for $27.95
Delkin has a variety of PC Card based memory readers including the
eFilm 6-in-1 PC Card Adapter that allows you to use SmartMedia,
Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, and xD
into a standard Type II PC Card (PCMCIA) slot for $29.99 directly from
Delkin.
The ultimate hot rod tweak for the 15" and 17" PowerBook used to be
a processor upgrade, but Daystar Technology, which was the only
processor upgrade vendor for the G4 Aluminum PowerBooks has phased the
product out.
Summary
There you have it. Whether you decide to just upgrade the RAM in
your AluBook or go whole-hog, hot rodding can make an already very
capable PowerBook even more of a performer - and extend its useful
service life for possibly several years yet. 
