Apple PowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard) vs Apple PowerBook G4 (17-inch, Double-Layer SD)

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PowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard) compared with PowerBook G4 (17-inch, Double-Layer SD)

	ApplePowerBook G3 (Bronze Keyboard)	ApplePowerBook G4 (17-inch, Double-Layer SD)
Overview
Released
Released	May 1999	October 2005
Display
Screen size
Screen size	14.1″	17″
Resolution
Resolution	1024 × 768	1680 × 1050 (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subtype, brightness or refresh rate.	17-inch TFT widescreen; panel technology, absolute brightness and refresh rate unpublished on maker sheet
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.	Millions of colours at native resolution; maker UK launch claims up to 46% brighter than preceding 17-inch model
Performance
Processor
Processor	PowerPC G3 333 MHz (PowerBook Bronze Keyboard) or PowerPC G3 400 MHz (PowerBook Bronze Keyboard)	PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch Late 2005)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Graphics
Graphics	ATI RAGE LT Pro (8 MB video SDRAM)	ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
Memory
Memory	64 MB	512 MB, 1 GB or 2 GB (better)
Storage
Storage	4 GB to 6 GB	100 GB to 120 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.	1.67 GHz PowerPC G4 with Velocity Engine, 512 KB on-chip L2 SRAM and 167 MHz system bus; exact silicon supplier/process omitted
GPU
GPU	ATI RAGE LT Pro controller with 8 MB video SDRAM; accelerated 2D/3D graphics.	ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with AGP 4× support, 128 MB DDR video memory and dual-link DVI
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 PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM running at 333 MHz standard in one SO-DIMM; two slots, maximum 2 GB, with 512 MB and 1 GB module options
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.	120 GB 5400 rpm Ultra ATA/100 standard or 100 GB 7200 rpm build-to-order, with Sudden Motion Sensor. Slot-loading 8× DVD±R SuperDrive supports 2.4× double-layer DVD+R, 4× DVD±RW, 24× CD-R and 16× CD-RW; optional DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo drive
Battery and size
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 5 hours	Up to 5.5 hours
Battery capacity
Battery capacity	50 Wh	58 Wh (better)
Weight
Weight	2.6761963 kg (better)	3.1 kg
Thickness
Thickness	43.18 mm	26 mm (better)
Width × depth
Width × depth	322.58 × 264.16 mm	392 × 259 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 with charge indicator LEDs; maker up to 5.5 hours depends on configuration and use. Maker reference 3.1 kg includes battery and optical drive and varies by configuration/manufacturing. Metric dimensions are maker centimetres expressed in millimetres
Charger
Charger	45 W maximum AC power, 100–240 V, 50–60 Hz.	65 W power adapter with cable management system
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	–	2.0 + EDR
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 at up to 480 Mbps, FireWire 800 and 400, Gigabit Ethernet, 56K V.92 modem, DVI, S-video and Type I/II PC Card slot; combined optical-digital/analogue input and output minijacks; Kensington lock slot
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.	Simultaneous native 1680 × 1050 internal and up to 2560 × 1600 external display with millions of colours; dual-link DVI, including 30-inch Cinema HD display; mirroring, VGA with included DVI adapter, composite with included S-video adapter
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; 78 US or 79 ISO keys, 12 function keys, inverted-T arrows and embedded keypad
Trackpad
Trackpad	Built-in trackpad supports tap, double-tap and drag.	Solid-state trackpad with tap, double-tap, drag and scrolling support
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers, 16-bit CD-quality audio.	Two built-in 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.	Power adapter, AC wall plug, power cord, lithium-ion battery, modem cable, DVI-to-VGA and S-video-to-composite adapters; Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger and iLife ’05 supplied. Apple UK confirms immediate availability on 19 October 2005