Apple Macintosh PowerBook 550c vs Apple PowerBook G4 (15-inch, 1.67/1.5GHz)

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Macintosh PowerBook 550c compared with PowerBook G4 (15-inch, 1.67/1.5GHz)

	AppleMacintosh PowerBook 550c	ApplePowerBook G4 (15-inch, 1.67/1.5GHz)
Overview
Released
Released	1995	February 2005
Display
Screen size
Screen size	10.4″	15.2″
Resolution
Resolution	640 × 480	1280 × 854 (better)
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Display type
Display type	Backlit active-matrix colour LCD; 256 colours at 640 × 480 or 32768 colours at 640 × 400 according to Apple Japan	15.2-inch TFT widescreen; panel technology and refresh unpublished.
Performance
Processor
Processor	Motorola 68040 66 MHz (PowerBook 550c)	PowerPC G4 1.5 GHz (PowerBook 15-inch Early 2005) or PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 15-inch Early 2005)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Graphics
Graphics	–	ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (64 MB DDR) or ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
Memory
Memory	12 MB	512 MB or 2 GB (better)
Storage
Storage	750 MB	80 GB to 100 GB (better)
CPU
CPU	Motorola 68040 with MMU and floating-point unit; Apple specifies 66 MHz internal processor clock and 33 MHz bus interface. The English support table incorrectly says no FPU, conflicting with the exact Japanese sheet and original Apple technical article	1.5 or 1.67 GHz PowerPC G 4 with 512 KB on-chip L 2 and 167 MHz bus. Retained sheet processor paragraph omits 1.5 GHz, but factory configuration table and UK release confirm it. Exact silicon supplier omitted.
GPU
GPU	Service Source specifies 512 KB video memory; built-in video output supports 256 colours	ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 64 MB DDR standard; 128 MB plus dual-link DVI build-to-order restricted to 1.67 GHz. UK release higher-base bullet ambiguously mentions dual-link with 64 MB; its BTO paragraph and full sheet tie dual-link to 128 MB.
Memory type
Memory type	4 MB on the logic board plus an 8 MB expansion card in the standard 12 MB configuration; expandable to 36 MB using one 70 ns or faster low-power self-refreshing card	512 MB PC 2700 DDR 333 in a single SO-DIMM; two slots, maximum 2 GB.
Storage type
Storage type	Internal 750 MB SCSI hard drive and 1.4 MB Apple SuperDrive; full KanjiTalk CD-ROM installation needs an external CD-ROM drive	80 GB 5400 rpm Ultra ATA/100 standard on both processors; 100 GB build-to-order alternative, with Sudden Motion Sensor. Combo on 1.5 GHz base, 8× DVD±RW/CD-RW SuperDrive on 1.67 GHz; SuperDrive upgrade available.
Battery and size
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 3 hours	Up to 4.5 hours
Battery capacity
Battery capacity	–	50 Wh
Weight
Weight	3.1 kg	2.5 kg (better)
Thickness
Thickness	57 mm	–
Width × depth
Width × depth	292 × 245 mm	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Two removable nickel-metal hydride intelligent batteries; Apple Japan claims three hours per battery, while the original technical article and service manual say up to 3.5 hours. Recharge takes two hours asleep or off, four hours running. Headline runtime is per battery rather than an inferred combined claim. Published 3.1 kg includes two batteries; Service Source instead lists 3.3 kg	50 Wh lithium-ion, up to 4.5 hours. Maker reference 2.5 kg includes battery and optical drive; varies by configuration/manufacturing. Published dimensions: height 2.8 cm, width 34.8 cm, depth 24.1 cm.
Charger
Charger	40 W power adapter according to Apple Service Source	65 W power adapter
Materials
Materials	Dark-grey enclosure according to the original Apple technical article	Aluminium enclosure
Connections
Ports
Ports	–	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	–	AirPort Extreme 802.11g/b
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	–	2.0 + EDR
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Port detail
Port detail	ADB, RS-422 serial/LocalTalk, AAUI Ethernet, HDI-30 SCSI, stereo audio input/output and external video. A 90-pin processor-direct slot accepts the optional PCMCIA module for two Type II or one Type III card; Service Source places it in the second battery bay	Two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800, Gigabit Ethernet, 56K V.92 modem, Type I/II PC Card slot, DVI, S-video, audio input and headphone output.
External displays
External displays	Mirroring or extended desktop using an optional video adapter; Japanese specifications list Macintosh, VGA and SVGA support. Service Source identifies a micro DV-14 connector, while the English support table labels it mini-15	DVI with VGA adapter and S-video/composite output; up to 2048×1536 external. Optional 128 MB dual-link configuration on 1.67 GHz supports 30-inch Cinema HD display.
Keyboard
Keyboard	Japanese JIS keyboard with tilt adjustment and power-on key; original Apple technical article specifies 79 keys including twelve function keys, unlike Service Source's generic domestic/ISO counts	Full-size illuminated fibre-optic keyboard with ambient light sensor on both processor configurations; Apple states up to ten times brighter backlighting than previous generation.
Trackpad
Trackpad	Built-in solid-state trackpad with adjustable acceleration	Two-finger scrolling/panning, tap, double-tap and drag support
Speakers
Speakers	Two built-in stereo speakers and 16-bit audio with 11.035, 22.050 or 44.100 kHz sampling	Stereo speakers with midrange-enhancing third speaker
Microphones
Microphones	Built-in electret microphone; Japanese specifications call it directional while the original technical article and service manual say omnidirectional	Internal omnidirectional microphone
In the box
In the box	12 MB/750 MB PowerBook, two intelligent batteries, power adapter, KanjiTalk 7.5 CD-ROM and system disks, PowerBook Mobility Bundle, documentation and warranty. Apple records introduction on 30 May 1995, while contemporary TidBITS coverage expected late-June availability; the July maker technical article confirms a released Japan-only product without a first-sale day or month	Apple announced 31 January 2005 with availability planned later that week. Ken Mingis’s 10 February Computerworld account confirms 15-inch units had reached buyers by then; February precision retained without a verified first shipping day. Launch Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and iLife ’05.