Apple Macintosh PowerBook Duo 280 vs Apple PowerBook G4 (15-inch, Double-Layer SD)

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Macintosh PowerBook Duo 280 compared with PowerBook G4 (15-inch, Double-Layer SD)

	AppleMacintosh PowerBook Duo 280	ApplePowerBook G4 (15-inch, Double-Layer SD)
Overview
Released
Released	1994	October 2005
Display
Screen size
Screen size	9″	15.2″
Resolution
Resolution	640 × 400	1440 × 960 (better)
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Display type
Display type	Backlit active-matrix TFT LCD with 16 grey levels; 640 × 400 pixels. The developer note specifies a CCFL backlight and 512 KB video memory	15.2-inch TFT widescreen, 1440 × 960; panel technology and refresh unpublished.
Performance
Processor
Processor	Motorola 68LC040 66 MHz (PowerBook 540c)	PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 15-inch Late 2005)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Graphics
Graphics	–	ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
Memory
Memory	4 MB or 12 MB	512 MB or 2 GB (better)
Storage
Storage	240 MB	80 GB to 120 GB (better)
CPU
CPU	Motorola 68LC040 with integrated memory-management unit, 66 MHz internal clock and 33 MHz external bus. No FPU upgrade; the Duo Dock and Dock II floating-point coprocessors and Dock II external cache cannot be used by this processor	1.67 GHz PowerPC G4 with 512 KB on-chip L2 and 167 MHz system bus. Exact silicon supplier omitted.
GPU
GPU	–	ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 128 MB DDR and dual-link DVI standard
Memory type
Memory type	4 MB on the logic board and one Duo memory-card slot; maximum 40 MB. An 8 MB expansion card gives the 12 MB configuration; higher capacities require third-party cards	512 MB PC2-4200 DDR2 running at 333 MHz; two SO-DIMM slots support up to 2 GB.
Storage type
Storage type	Internal 240 MB SCSI hard drive. The developer note also lists 200 MB configurations, whereas Apple's support summary specifies a minimum of 240 MB and the October 1994 catalogue lists 240 MB. Optional external SuperDrive floppy needs docking accessories	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)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 4 hours	Up to 5.5 hours
Weight
Weight	1.9 kg	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	High-capacity Type II nickel-metal hydride battery with a maker typical-life claim of 2–4 hours in Apple Facts and Apple Directions. The later support summary lists Type III; the developer note identifies Type III as a separately available replacement	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
Charger	–	Power adapter included; wattage not established for this exact generation in the read family sheet.
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	Mini-DIN eight-pin serial/LocalTalk, 152-pin docking connector, power input and optional modem port. Most desktop expansion requires a Duo dock	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
External displays	External display support through Duo Dock or Duo MiniDock; no built-in video connector	Dual-link DVI supports 30-inch Cinema HD display; DVI-to-VGA and S-video-to-composite adapters included.
Keyboard
Keyboard	Integral keyboard with trackball and palm rests	Full-size illuminated keyboard with ambient light sensor
Trackpad
Trackpad	Built-in trackball	Two-finger scrolling/panning, tap, double-tap and drag support
Speakers
Speakers	8-bit monaural sound input and output with integral speaker, documented in the developer note	Stereo speakers
Microphones
Microphones	Built-in microphone in Apple Facts and the developer note, despite the support summary's Mic Type none	Internal omnidirectional microphone
In the box
In the box	System 7.1.1 with PowerBook Duo Enabler 2.0; PowerBook Mobility Bundle preinstalled; power adapter included. Developer note lists the Express Modem with the 12 MB configuration; Apple support records introduction on 16 May 1994. Apple Directions July 1994 says the Duo 280 and 280c had begun shipping last month and were available immediately worldwide; issue dating does not establish a first-sale day. Headline retains confirmed retail-year precision. Apple Facts October 1994 lists this model as current	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.