Apple PowerBook (FireWire) vs Apple PowerBook G4 (12-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 (FireWire) compared with PowerBook G4 (12-inch, 1.5GHz)

	ApplePowerBook (FireWire)	ApplePowerBook G4 (12-inch, 1.5GHz)
Overview
Released
Released	February 2000	2005
Display
Screen size
Screen size	14.1″	12.1″
Resolution
Resolution	1024 × 768	1024 × 768
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Display type
Display type	14.1-inch active-matrix TFT colour LCD. The maker does not publish IPS/TN subtype, brightness or refresh rate.	12.1-inch TFT XGA active-matrix display; panel technology and refresh unpublished.
Display features
Display features	1024 × 768 native resolution. VGA and S-video output support an extended desktop or video mirroring.	–
Performance
Processor
Processor	PowerPC G3 400 MHz (PowerBook FireWire) or PowerPC G3 500 MHz (PowerBook FireWire)	PowerPC G4 1.5 GHz (PowerBook 12-inch 2005)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Graphics
Graphics	ATI RAGE Mobility 128 (8 MB SDRAM)	NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 (64 MB DDR)
Memory
Memory	64 MB or 128 MB	512 MB or 1.25 GB (better)
Storage
Storage	6 GB to 12 GB	60 GB to 100 GB (better)
CPU
CPU	400 or 500 MHz PowerPC G3, each with 1 MB backside L2 cache and 100 MHz system bus. Exact fitted silicon supplier and process not assigned.	1.5 GHz PowerPC G4, 512 KB on-chip L2 and 167 MHz system bus. Exact silicon supplier omitted.
GPU
GPU	ATI RAGE Mobility 128 graphics controller on AGP 2×, 8 MB video SDRAM. Service Source also names it ATI Rage Mobility M3.	NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 with 64 MB DDR video memory and AGP 4×.
Memory type
Memory type	64 MB PC100 SDRAM standard on 400 MHz, 128 MB on 500 MHz; two 144-pin SO-DIMM slots, maker maximum 512 MB using up to 256 MB per slot. EDO and some earlier PC66 modules are incompatible.	512 MB PC2700 DDR333 standard; one SO-DIMM slot, maximum 1.25 GB.
Storage type
Storage type	Original Apple factory pairs: 400 MHz/64 MB/6 GB Ultra ATA/66 and 500 MHz/128 MB/12 GB Ultra ATA/66, each with DVD-ROM. Apple offered an 18 GB build-to-order drive without an exact associated factory pairing. Later 10 GB/20 GB refresh is reported by Macworld, not folded into the original launch configurations. Apple launch calls the DVD drive 6× maximum; its Service Source describes a 4× drive and DVD-RAM read compatibility.	5400 rpm Ultra ATA/100 hard drive with Sudden Motion Sensor. Combo base60GB; SuperDrive base80GB; 100GB build-to-order on either. 8× DVD±RW/CD-RW SuperDrive; optical-drive differences retained in details.
Battery and size
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 5 hours	Up to 5 hours
Battery capacity
Battery capacity	50 Wh	50 Wh
Weight
Weight	2.7678248 kg	2.1 kg (better)
Thickness
Thickness	43.18 mm	–
Width × depth
Width × depth	322.58 × 264.16 mm	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	50 Wh removable lithium-ion battery. Maker claims up to five hours with one battery or ten hours using a second battery in the optical bay. Reference 6.1 lb weight includes DVD and one battery; weight-saving module gives 5.7 lb.	50 Wh lithium-ion, up to five hours. Published reference weight 2.1 kg with battery and optical drive; varies by configuration/manufacturing. Published dimensions: height 3.0 cm, width 27.7 cm, depth 21.9 cm.
Charger
Charger	45 W maximum AC power, 100–240 V, 50–60 Hz.	45 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 802.11b with optional internal card	AirPort Extreme 802.11g/b
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	–	2.0 + EDR
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Port detail
Port detail	Two 400 Mbps FireWire ports with FireWire Disk Mode, two USB ports, VGA, S-video, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, 56K V.90 modem, 4 Mbps IrDA, stereo line input and headphone output. One Type I/II PC Card/CardBus slot. No built-in SCSI or ADB.	Two USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, 10/100 Ethernet, 56K V.92 modem, mini-DVI, audio input and headphone output. Mini-DVI-to-DVI and mini-DVI-to-VGA adapters included; television adapter separate.
External displays
External displays	External VGA monitors and PAL/NTSC S-video televisions; internal/external extended desktop and video mirroring.	Dual display and mirroring; external resolution up to 2048 × 1536.
Keyboard
Keyboard	Full-size keyboard with inverted-T arrows and embedded numeric keypad; flip-up access to RAM, AirPort card and hard drive.	Full-size keyboard with embedded numeric keypad
Trackpad
Trackpad	Built-in trackpad with tap, double-tap and drag.	Two-finger scrolling/panning, tap, double-tap and drag support
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers.	Stereo speakers with midrange-enhancing third speaker
Microphones
Microphones	Built-in microphone and line input.	Internal omnidirectional microphone
In the box
In the box	Mac OS 9 and 6× maximum DVD-ROM drive in both Apple launch configurations; AirPort card optional. Apple’s 16 February 2000 release explicitly says available immediately at Apple Store and authorised resellers. Current support identifies a 15 February introduction; the first confirmed on-sale day is the 16th. The support table labels its 10.4 × 12.7 × 1.7-inch axes inconsistently; the case orientation gives 12.7-inch width, 10.4-inch depth and 1.7-inch thickness.	Apple announced 31 January 2005 with availability planned later that week. Actual first on-sale month unestablished after a bounded search; year precision retained. Launch Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and iLife ’05; later units shipped Tiger.