Apple Macintosh PowerBook Duo 250 vs Apple PowerBook G4 (15-inch, 1.67/1.5GHz)

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Macintosh PowerBook Duo 250 compared with PowerBook G4 (15-inch, 1.67/1.5GHz)

	AppleMacintosh PowerBook Duo 250	ApplePowerBook G4 (15-inch, 1.67/1.5GHz)
Overview
Released
Released	1993	February 2005
Display
Screen size
Screen size	9″	15.2″
Resolution
Resolution	640 × 400	1280 × 854 (better)
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Display type
Display type	Backlit active-matrix LCD with 16 grey levels. Apple's product description and technical table specify a 9-inch diagonal; the developer note gives a 192 × 120 mm active pixel area	15.2-inch TFT widescreen; panel technology and refresh unpublished.
Performance
Processor
Processor	Motorola 68030 33 MHz (PowerBook 165)	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	4 MB or 12 MB	512 MB or 2 GB (better)
Storage
Storage	200 MB	80 GB to 100 GB (better)
CPU
CPU	Motorola 68030 at 33 MHz, with integrated memory-management unit; no built-in floating-point coprocessor. An optional dock provides a maths coprocessor	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	–	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 and one Duo expansion-card slot; maximum 24 MB. Apple kits expand to 8 or 12 MB; larger capacities require third-party cards	512 MB PC 2700 DDR 333 in a single SO-DIMM; two slots, maximum 2 GB.
Storage type
Storage type	Internal 200 MB SCSI drive in Apple's 4/200 and 12/200 ordering configurations. The developer note mentions a 120 MB option without an ordering configuration. External floppy drive requires a Duo Floppy Adapter or MiniDock	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 6 hours	Up to 4.5 hours
Battery capacity
Battery capacity	–	50 Wh
Weight
Weight	1.9 kg (better)	2.5 kg
Thickness
Thickness	36 mm	–
Width × depth
Width × depth	277 × 216 mm	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Removable Type II nickel-metal hydride battery; Apple's technical table claims 2.5–6 hours. Its later developer-note feature list and block diagram contain conflicting battery, colour-display and memory claims; the exact model's technical table controls these specifications	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	–	65 W power adapter
Materials
Materials	–	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	RS-422 serial/LocalTalk, 152-pin docking connector, power input and optional internal fax/data modem. External video, SCSI and floppy connections require docking accessories	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	Optional PowerBook Duo Dock or Duo MiniDock provides external video and desktop connections	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	Built-in keyboard with two-level tilt adjustment and Caps Lock indicator	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	19 mm trackball with two buttons	Two-finger scrolling/panning, tap, double-tap and drag support
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in speaker; 8-bit monophonic sound input/output at 11 or 22 kHz	Stereo speakers with midrange-enhancing third speaker
Microphones
Microphones	Built-in omnidirectional electret microphone, documented in the exact-model technical table despite the support summary's Mic Type none	Internal omnidirectional microphone
In the box
In the box	Computer, battery, AC adapter, System 7.1 software and documentation. The 12/200 configuration adds an internal Express Modem. Maker introduction was 21 October 1993; The Mac December 1993 current buying guide confirms retail presence that year without an exact first-sale 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.