Apple PowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard) vs Apple PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.5GHz)

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

Only show differences

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Share comparison

PowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard) compared with PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.5GHz)

	ApplePowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard)	ApplePowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.5GHz)
Overview
Released
Released	May 1999	2004
Display
Screen size
Screen size	14.1″	17″
Resolution
Resolution	1024 × 768	1440 × 900 (better)
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Display type
Display type	14.1-inch TFT active-matrix colour LCD. The maker does not publish IPS/TN subtype, brightness or refresh rate.	17-inch TFT widescreen; panel technology and refresh unpublished.
Display features
Display features	1024 × 768 native resolution with millions of colours; 640 × 480 and 800 × 600 scaled modes. Simultaneous internal and external extended desktop.	–
Performance
Processor
Processor	PowerPC G3 333 MHz (PowerBook Bronze Keyboard) or PowerPC G3 400 MHz (PowerBook Bronze Keyboard)	PowerPC G4 1.5 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch 2004)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Graphics
Graphics	ATI RAGE LT Pro (8 MB video SDRAM)	ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (64 MB DDR) or ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
Memory
Memory	64 MB	512 MB or 2 GB (better)
Storage
Storage	4 GB to 6 GB	80 GB (better)
CPU
CPU	333 MHz PowerPC G3 with 512 KB backside L2 cache or 400 MHz with 1 MB; maker support table lists 66/83 MHz data-path clocks. Exact fitted silicon supplier and process not assigned.	1.5 GHz PowerPC G4, 512 KB on-chip L2 and 167 MHz bus. Exact silicon supplier omitted.
GPU
GPU	ATI RAGE LT Pro controller with 8 MB video SDRAM; accelerated 2D/3D graphics.	ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 64 MB DDR; 128 MB video-memory build-to-order option.
Memory type
Memory type	64 MB SDRAM factory fitted; two SO-DIMM slots, maker maximum 384 MB. EDO memory is incompatible according to Apple Service Source.	512 MB PC2700 DDR333 standard; two SO-DIMM slots, maximum 2 GB.
Storage type
Storage type	Original factory pairs: 333 MHz/64 MB/4 GB IDE/24× CD-ROM (M7304) and 400 MHz/64 MB/6 GB IDE/2× DVD-ROM with MPEG-2 decode (M7308). Apple lists 10 GB hard drive, more memory and DVD on the 333 MHz as build-to-order options without a complete factory pairing; they are not multiplied into speculative configurations.	80 GB 4200 rpm Ultra ATA/100 hard drive; 80 GB 5400 rpm build-to-order alternative. 4× DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive.
Battery and size
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 5 hours	Up to 4.5 hours
Battery capacity
Battery capacity	50 Wh	58 Wh (better)
Weight
Weight	2.6761963 kg (better)	3.1 kg
Thickness
Thickness	43.18 mm	–
Width × depth
Width × depth	322.58 × 264.16 mm	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	50 Wh lithium-ion battery; maker claims up to five hours on one battery and ten with two. A second battery can occupy the optical expansion bay. Macworld obtained around three hours at full processor speed on the 400 MHz model.	58 Wh lithium-ion, up to 4.5 hours. Maker reference 3.1 kg includes battery and optical drive and varies by configuration/manufacturing. Published dimensions: height 2.6 cm, width 39.2 cm, depth 25.9 cm.
Charger
Charger	45 W maximum AC power, 100–240 V, 50–60 Hz.	65 W power adapter
Materials
Materials	–	Aluminium enclosure
Connections
Ports
Ports	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	–	AirPort Extreme 802.11g/b
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	–	1.1
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Port detail
Port detail	Two 12 Mbps USB ports, HDI-30 SCSI, VGA, S-video, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, RJ-11 56K V.90 modem, 4 Mbps IrDA, stereo line input and headphone output. One Type II CardBus/PC Card slot with Zoomed Video support; no ADB or built-in FireWire. Apple current support table lists one USB, but its 1999 announcement and exact Service Source both document two.	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	Built-in 1024 × 768 screen and external VGA monitor can form an extended desktop or mirror each other; S-video drives PAL or NTSC television.	Dual display/mirroring; external resolution up to 2048 × 1536. DVI-to-VGA and S-video-to-composite adapters included; ADC adapter separate.
Keyboard
Keyboard	Full-size 76-key US or 77-key ISO bronze translucent keyboard, inverted-T arrow keys and embedded numeric keypad; keyboard lifts for memory and hard-drive access.	Full-size illuminated fibre-optic keyboard with ambient light sensor
Trackpad
Trackpad	Built-in trackpad supports tap, double-tap and drag.	Tap, double-tap and drag support
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers, 16-bit CD-quality audio.	Two stereo speakers
Microphones
Microphones	Built-in microphone and line input.	Internal omnidirectional microphone
In the box
In the box	Original Mac OS 8.6. Apple’s May 1999 announcement says both base configurations were available from authorised dealers; no first-delivery day is established. Current support page mislabels the axes of its 12.7 × 10.4 × 1.7-inch dimensions; the contemporary Apple technical information identifies width, depth and thickness respectively. Current support also lists only 6/10 GB, while maker launch and Service Source establish the original 4 GB 333 MHz configuration.	Apple announced 19 April 2004 and expected the 17-inch model in early May. Actual first on-sale month unestablished after a bounded search; year precision retained. Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and iLife ’04 supplied.