Apple PowerBook G4 review

Design of Apple 12.1-inch PowerBook G4

The Powerbook is Apple's desktop replacement notebook, but unlike most PC notebooks in this category, the Powerbook is not bulky, nor is it thick and heavy. In fact, the Powerbook is about as thin as mainstream notebooks get, and as light as I could imagine any laptop with this size screen.

The 12-inch PowerBook is the smallest and lightest notebook available from Apple, albeit by a slim margin. It measures 1.2 by 10.9 by 8.6 inches and weighs 4.6 pounds. The more affordable 12-inch iBook is a few tenths of an inch bigger in all dimensions and weighs just less than 5 pounds.

Like most Apple notebooks, the 12-inch PowerBook resists categorization. It is notably heavier than most Windows-based ultraportables, such as the Dell Latitude X300, the HP Compaq nc4000, and the IBM ThinkPad X31, which also carry 12.1-inch displays. The comparison is misleading, however, because the 12-inch PowerBook has an internal media drive, putting it in a similar league as thin-and-lights, which despite the name, are slightly bigger and heavier than ultraportables. No matter how you look at it, the 12-inch PowerBook strikes an excellent balance between portability and features.

The anodized-aluminum case feels very solid and seems to resist scratches better than the old titanium cladding. Some users have reported that the metal case gets toasty, but we didn't find it to be unusually hot. The 12.1-inch display, with a 1,024x768 resolution, opens and closes on a sturdy hinge. You can adjust the display brightness from the keyboard or in System Properties.

Aside from the size and weight, the best design attribute of the 12-inch PowerBook is its keyboard. It's superior to that of the earlier PowerBooks, the current iBooks, and possibly even Apple's desktops. A good touch typist can really fly on this full-size keyboard, which offers good response, has comfortably shaped keys, and does not flex at all. The trackpad is large and responsive, as well. Sadly, this model still doesn't have the cool keyboard backlighting found on its 15- and 17-inch counterparts (with SuperDrives).

The 12-inch PowerBook doesn't come with Wi-Fi either, but you can insert a $99 AirPort Extreme card by popping out the battery on the base of the notebook. To add more memory, you unscrew an adjacent panel.

Reasons for Buying:

I was very apprehensive about buying the Powerbook because I had used PC's for my whole life. In fact, I was comfortable enough with PC's that I had become the sort-of neighborhood mechanic. When it came time to choose a computer for college, I had in the back of my mind the aesthetic appeal of the Apple line of computers and hoped that I could find a windows laptop with a similar look and feel. After what seemed like endless searching, I came upon the Asus W3v, which hadn't even begun to ship to the US yet. So, I put most of my eggs into one basket and decided upon the Asus. But, when they started shipping, I heard nasty things about palm rest heat that scared me away enough to go to my local Apple store and test-drive a Powerbook in the flesh. In a matter of minutes, I was sold.

System configurations:

Apple PowerBook G4 867MHz

OS X 10.2.3; PowerPC G4 867MHz; 256MB RAM; Nvidia GeForce4 420 Go 32MB; 40GB 4,200rpm

Apple PowerBook G4 1GHz

OS X 10.2.7; PowerPC G4 1GHz; 256MB RAM; Nvidia GeForce FX Go 5200 32MB DDR SDRAM; 40GB 4,200rpm

Battery life of Apple 12.1-inch PowerBook G4 Battery

The 12-inch Apple PowerBook G4 battery provides 2.4 hours of uninterrupted DVD-playing power--slightly less than the previous 867MHz model, which lasted 2.6 hours. Each system has the same 47WHr battery, so the difference is most likely due to the newer PowerBook's faster, more power-consuming G4 processor. The 12-inch Apple PowerBook G4 battery won't get you through The Fellowship of the Ring, but it should have enough juice to handle most movies from opening credits to the final frame.

Service and support of Apple 12.1-inch PowerBook G4

Apple offers a somewhat stingy, one-year warranty on the 12-inch PowerBook's parts (such as Apple Powerbook G4 battery)and labor, and the free telephone support lasts only a disappointing 90 days