12" PowerBook G4

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PowerBook G4

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The first 12" PowerBook G4 was introduced in January 2003 at US$1,799 with a Combo drive (a SuperDrive was available at extra cost). It has an 867 MHz CPU, requires Mac OS X 10.2.4 or later, and includes 256 MB of RAM (128 MB on the logic board, and expandable to 640 MB according to Apple - or 1.125 GB based on field reports) and a 40 GB hard drive.

The 12" PowerBook was cousin to the 12" iBook, which it shared many features with. It was the first PowerBook in ages not to include a PC Card slot, and the 1024 x 768 display was identical to that in the iBook. And unlike the iBook, the PowerBook allows monitor spanning

The aluminum-clad 12" PowerBook was slightly smaller and lighter than the 12" iBook.

Featured introduced with the 12" iBook G4 include built-in Bluetooth, AirPort Extreme support, and nVidia GeForce4 4200 graphics. Unlike larger aluminum PowerBooks, the 12" model doesn't support gigabit ethernet or have a FireWire 800 port.

PowerBook G4/1 GHz

Eight months later Apple upped the ante with a 1 GHz version of the 12" PowerBook. It looked the same, but it now included 256 MB of RAM on the system board and officially supported a maximum of 1.25 GB of RAM.

This model also added DVI support (with a mini-DVI to DVI adapter), which the earlier version didn't include, and used the nVidia GeForce FX Go5200 graphics processor with 32 MB of RAM.

Also new is USB 2.0.

PowerBook G4/1.33 GHz

The 12" PowerBook took a big leap forward with the introduction of a 1.33 GHz model in April 2004. In addition to one-third more CPU power, video RAM was bumped from 32 MB to 64 MB, the system bus was boosted from 100 MHz to 133 MHz, and ATA/100 drive support was added.

PowerBook G4/1.5 GHz

The final revision of the 12" PowerBook was unveiled in January 2005. With a 1.5 GHz CPU, it was about 15% faster than its predecessor, and the SuperDrive model included an 8x SuperDrive.

Apple upgraded to Bluetooth 2.0 with this model. AirPort Extreme became a standard feature with this model, which also includes a scrolling trackpad and a sudden motion sensor.

The 12" PowerBook was replaced by the larger, more powerful 15" MacBook Pro in January 2006 and the 13" MacBook in May 2006.

Shared Specs

display: 12.1" 24-bit 1024 x 768 color active matrix. Supports resolution scaling for 800 x 600 and 640 x 480. Supports to 2048 x 1536 on external display.
Optical drive: Combo drive or SuperDrive
USB: 2 USB 2.0 ports
FireWire: 1 FW 400 port
ethernet: 10/100Base-T
modem: v.92 56k
WiFi: 802.11g AirPort Extreme optional
Bluetooth: built in
PC Card slots: none
size: 8.6" x 10.9" x 1.18" (219 x 277 x 30 mm)
weight: 4.6 pounds (2.1 kg)

Online Resources

Low End Mac's Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals, updated biweekly.
2.6 GHz MacBook Pro worth it?, iBook video fixed, Compact Flash vs. SSD, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.13. Also buying a used Power Mac G4, a Power Mac 7600 still in daily use, OCR software for modern Macs, and Leopard on a Blue and White G3.
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.
The MacBook Air misses the mark, Barry Shell, My Turn, 2008.01.17. As sexy as the MacBook Air is, the 12" PowerBook G4 beats it hands down in terms of practicality.
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).
Choosing and upgrading a 12" PowerBook, too much about Windows, the blue iMac blues, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.09.11. Also the pros and cons of running Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' on a blue and white G3 and one more tip for burning CDs that will work on old Macs.
12" PowerBook G4 reliability, iMac slowdown blues, PowerTools Mac clones, cooling a MacBook, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.09.05. Also Pismo as the king of PowerBooks, burning a CD for Macs with System 7, and thinking about a small Mac Beowulf cluster.
12" PowerBook G4 the new Pismo?, recovering MacBook Pro wakeup failure, MacBook Pro noise, and more, The 'Book Review, 2007.03.02. Also why you should buy a MacBook Pro, Apple Store's inefficient RAM upgrade, PB/iBook lower RAM slot failure, bargain 'Books from $209 to $2,299, and more.
Getting notebook design 'just right', Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.12.05. Some notebooks have just the right mix of design, quality, and features, while others fall short in one or more categories.
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.
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.
Improving the 12" PowerBook with a faster hard drive, more RAM, and a better SuperDrive, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.06.16. Although you can upgrade to a 1.67 GHz CPU, that's a small boost for more recent PowerBooks. Putting in a faster hard drive and more memory is another way to speed things up.
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.
Less is more: 12" PowerBook still a lawyer's best friend, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.05.31. Weighing all the pros and cons of the MacBook, the 12" PowerBook G4 remains the ideal field computer for this user.
Heavily used 12" PowerBook on last legs, but what next?, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 2006.04.13. After three years of heavy use, this PowerBook is worn and feels sluggish. But what would make the best replacement in 2006?
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.

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