Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2006) vs Apple PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet)
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleMacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2006) | ApplePowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | February 2006 | October 2001 |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 15.4″ | 15.2″ |
| Resolution | 1440 × 900 (better) | 1152 × 768 |
| Brightness | 300 nits | – |
| Touchscreen | No | No |
| Display type | Widescreen TFT display with millions of colours. Exact panel technology and refresh rate unpublished in the maker sources read. | 15.2-inch TFT widescreen. Native 1152 × 768 resolution from exact-model EveryMac specification; panel technology, brightness and refresh unpublished. |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | Intel Core Duo 1.83 GHz (MacBook Pro Early 2006), Intel Core Duo 2 GHz (MacBook Pro Early 2006) or Intel Core Duo 2.16 GHz (MacBook Pro Early 2006) | PowerPC G4 550 MHz (PowerBook Gigabit Ethernet) or PowerPC G4 667 MHz (PowerBook Gigabit Ethernet) |
| CPU cores | 2 | 1 |
| Graphics | ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 (128 MB GDDR3) or ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 (256 MB GDDR3) | ATI Mobility Radeon (16 MB DDR) |
| Memory | 512 MB, 1 GB or 2 GB (better) | 128 MB, 256 MB or 1 GB |
| Storage | 80 GB to 120 GB (better) | 20 GB to 48 GB |
| CPU | Dual-core Intel Core Duo at 1.83 GHz or 2.0 GHz, with a 2.16 GHz build-to-order option restricted to the 2.0 GHz base. Each has 2 MB shared L2 cache and a 667 MHz frontside bus. The January-announced 1.67 GHz configuration was replaced before shipping and is excluded. | 550 or 667 MHz PowerPC G4, 256 KB on-chip L2. Maker launch release specifies 100 MHz system bus at 550 MHz and 133 MHz at 667 MHz; retained support table gives a generic 100 MHz figure, so the configuration-specific launch figures take precedence. Exact silicon supplier omitted. |
| GPU | ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 (128 MB GDDR3); ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 (256 MB GDDR3). GPU memory varies with processor configuration. | ATI Mobility Radeon, 16 MB DDR video memory and AGP 4 ×. |
| Memory type | 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM in two SO-DIMM slots, up to 2 GB. Lower base has 512 MB; higher base has 1 GB. | Two PC133 SO-DIMM slots, maximum 1 GB. Launch base memory 128 MB at 550 MHz and 256 MB at 667 MHz; limited launch promotion doubled these to 256 and 512 MB. Configurations retain base and maximum memory; temporary promotion described here. |
| Storage type | Lower base has an 80 GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA drive, configurable to 100 GB or 120 GB. Higher base has 100 GB and supports 120 GB; 100 GB was available at 5400 or 7200 rpm. Slot-loading 4× SuperDrive writes DVDs but does not write double-layer DVDs. | 20 GB at 550 MHz or 30 GB at 667 MHz; 48 GB build-to-order option. Launch slot-loading DVD-ROM or optional CD-RW. Combo DVD/CD-RW became standard on 17 December 2001, corroborated by fully read Bare Feats and EveryMac; later drive and memory changes are described without inventing a new model. |
| Battery and size | ||
| Battery life (maker's claim) | Up to 4.5 hours | Up to 5 hours |
| Battery capacity | 60 Wh (better) | 50 Wh |
| Weight | 2.54 kg | – |
| Thickness | 25.9 mm | – |
| Width × depth | 357 × 243 mm | – |
| Battery life detail | Removable 60 Wh lithium-polymer battery; up to 4.5 hours in Apple’s test. Maker reference weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. | 50 Wh lithium-ion, up to five hours maker claim. Maker publishes 5.3 lb and closed dimensions 1 × 13.4 × 9.5 inches. Metric main fields omitted rather than calculated; exact-model EveryMac provides metric figures but has inconsistent inch/cm thickness entries. |
| Charger | 85 W MagSafe Power Adapter | – |
| Materials | Aluminium enclosure | Titanium enclosure |
| Colours | Silver | – |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | 2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack, MagSafe | 2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack |
| Wi-Fi | AirPort Extreme 802.11g | AirPort 802.11b; optional at 550 MHz, installed at 667 MHz |
| Bluetooth | 2.0 + EDR | – |
| Webcam | Built-in iSight camera | – |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Port detail | 2 USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, Gigabit Ethernet, MagSafe, dual-link DVI, ExpressCard/34, separate combined optical digital audio input/line input and combined optical digital audio output/headphone output, and Kensington lock slot. VGA adapter included; composite/S-video adapter optional. | Two USB ports, one FireWire 400, Gigabit Ethernet, modem, infrared, Type I/II PC Card slot, VGA and S-video output, stereo output. No audio input jack. |
| External displays | One external display up to 2560 × 1600 alongside the built-in screen through dual-link DVI; included VGA adapter, optional composite/S-video adapter. | – |
| Keyboard | Full-size backlit keyboard with ambient light sensors, 78 US or 79 ISO keys, 12 function keys and four arrow keys; embedded numeric keypad | – |
| Trackpad | Scrolling trackpad with a separate button; two-finger scrolling, tap, double-tap and drag. | – |
| Speakers | Built-in stereo speakers | – |
| Microphones | Built-in omnidirectional microphone under the left speaker grille | Internal microphone |
| In the box | MacBook Pro, removable battery, 85 W MagSafe Power Adapter with AC wall plug and power cord, install/restore DVDs and documentation. Apple Remote and DVI-to-VGA adapter included. Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and iLife ’06. Higher base began shipping during the week of 14 February 2006 and lower base the following week; exact first-sale day is unestablished. | Mac OS X 10.1 and Mac OS 9.2.1. Maker states immediate availability on 16 October 2001. |
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