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Apple Macintosh PowerBook 1400c/117 vs Apple PowerBook G4 (15-inch, Double-Layer SD)

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

AppleMacintosh PowerBook 1400c/117ApplePowerBook G4 (15-inch, Double-Layer SD)
Overview
ReleasedNovember 1996October 2005
Display
Screen size11.3″15.2″
Resolution800 × 6001440 × 960
TouchscreenNoNo
Display type11.3-inch CCFL-backlit active-matrix TFT colour LCD with 800 × 600 resolution. Apple lists 16-bit colour in its service sheet.15.2-inch TFT widescreen, 1440 × 960; panel technology and refresh unpublished.
Performance
ProcessorPowerPC 603e 117 MHz (PowerBook 1400)PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 15-inch Late 2005)
CPU cores11
Graphics–ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
Memory16 MB512 MB or 2 GB
Storage1 GB80 GB to 120 GB
CPU117 MHz PowerPC 603e on a 33.3 MHz bus; 32 KB L1 cache and no L2 cache in the original service configuration.1.67 GHz PowerPC G4 with 512 KB on-chip L2 and 167 MHz system bus. Exact silicon supplier omitted.
GPU–ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 128 MB DDR and dual-link DVI standard
Memory type16 MB RAM in Apple's original 1996 developer-note configuration, expandable to 64 MB. Apple's later service sheet lists a 32 MB minimum, conflicting with the original developer note.512 MB PC2-4200 DDR2 running at 333 MHz; two SO-DIMM slots support up to 2 GB.
Storage type1 GB internal 2.5-inch IDE hard drive in Apple's original developer note. The expansion bay took a 1.4 MB floppy module or a 6× CD-ROM module, both supplied with this configuration.80 GB 5400 rpm Ultra ATA/100 standard with Sudden Motion Sensor. Build-to-order: 100 GB 5400 or 7200 rpm, or 120 GB 5400 rpm. 8× SuperDrive with 2.4× double-layer DVD+R support; optional Combo drive. Speed/optical alternatives retained here rather than duplicate capacity rows.
Battery and size
Battery life (maker's claim)Up to 5 hoursUp to 5.5 hours
Battery capacity30 Wh–
Battery life detail30 Wh removable nickel-metal hydride battery; Apple claimed up to five hours. Its service sheet lists 6.6 lb weight with a note that installed modules affect it.Up to 5.5 hours, dependent on configuration and use. Retained maker family sheet publishes 15-inch reference weight 5.6 pounds, footprint 13.7 × 9.5 inches and thickness 1.1 inches; no calculated metric main values. Its detailed 58 Wh battery section is explicitly 17-inch and is not borrowed.
Charger–Power adapter included; wattage not established for this exact generation in the read family sheet.
Materials–Aluminium enclosure
Connections
Ports–2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack
Wi-Fi–AirPort Extreme 802.11g/b
Bluetooth–2.0 + EDR
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Port detailADB, HDI-30 SCSI, RS-422 serial/LocalTalk, audio input and output, infrared, and two Type II PC Card slots (or one Type III). Ethernet required an optional expansion or PC Card; external video required an optional mini-15 card.Two USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400 and 800, Gigabit Ethernet, 56K V.92 modem, DVI, S-video and Type I/II PC Card slot. Combined analogue/optical digital input and output.
External displays–Dual-link DVI supports 30-inch Cinema HD display; DVI-to-VGA and S-video-to-composite adapters included.
Keyboard–Full-size illuminated keyboard with ambient light sensor
TrackpadBuilt-in trackpad with tap, double-tap and drag support.Two-finger scrolling/panning, tap, double-tap and drag support
Speakers–Stereo speakers
Microphones–Internal omnidirectional microphone
In the boxSystem 7.5.3, battery, floppy module and 6× CD-ROM module. Apple lists an October 1996 introduction; contemporary launch coverage says machines were expected in mid-November.Apple UK confirms immediate availability on 19 October 2005. Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and iLife ’05 supplied. The retained sheet’s configuration table covers all sizes but its detailed specification section describes the 17-inch; only the 15-inch table and explicit build-to-order fields are used here.

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