Apple PowerBook G4 17-inch (Early 2003) vs Apple PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.67GHz)

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

PowerBook G4 17-inch (Early 2003) compared with PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.67GHz)
ApplePowerBook G4 17-inch (Early 2003)ApplePowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.67GHz)
Overview
ReleasedMarch 2003February 2005
Display
Screen size17″17″
Resolution1440 × 9001440 × 900
TouchscreenNoNo
Display type17-inch TFT widescreen; exact panel technology, brightness and built-in refresh unpublished.17-inch TFT widescreen; panel technology and refresh unpublished.
Performance
ProcessorPowerPC G4 1 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch Early 2003)PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch Early 2005)
CPU cores11
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go (64 MB DDR)ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
Memory512 MB or 1 GB512 MB or 2 GB (better)
Storage60 GB80 GB to 100 GB (better)
CPU1 GHz PowerPC G4 with Velocity Engine, 1 MB DDR SRAM L3 cache and 167 MHz system bus. Exact silicon supplier/SKU omitted.1.67 GHz PowerPC G4, 512 KB on-chip L2 and 167 MHz bus. Exact silicon supplier omitted.
GPUNVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go, AGP 4 × with 64 MB DDR video memory.ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 128 MB DDR and dual-link DVI
Memory type512 MB PC2700 DDR333 standard; two SO-DIMM slots and maker-supported maximum 1 GB. Unofficial 2 GB in EveryMac is excluded from configurations.512 MB PC2700 DDR333 standard; two SO-DIMM slots, maximum 2 GB.
Storage type60 GB 4200 rpm Ultra ATA/100 and slot-loading SuperDrive. Maker UK launch sheet specifies DVD-R 1 × write/8 × read, CD-R 8 × write, CD-RW 4 × write and CD 24 × read; later EveryMac 2 × DVD-R and Macworld 16 × CD-R figures differ, so launch maker specification retained.100 GB 5400 rpm Ultra ATA/100 standard with Sudden Motion Sensor. Retained maker build-to-order list offers 80 GB or 100 GB on 15/17-inch models; 80 GB alternative represented without changing the 100 GB stock specification. 8× DVD±RW/CD-RW SuperDrive.
Battery and size
Battery life (maker's claim)Up to 4.5 hoursUp to 4.5 hours
Battery capacity55 Wh58 Wh (better)
Weight3.1 kg3.1 kg
Thickness26 mm–
Width × depth392 × 259 mm–
Battery life detail55 Wh lithium-ion, up to 4.5 hours maker claim. Published 3.1 kg includes battery and optical drive and varies by configuration/manufacturing process; closed metric dimensions 39.2 × 25.9 × 2.6 cm.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–65 W power adapter
MaterialsAnodised aluminium enclosureAluminium enclosure
Connections
Ports2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack
Wi-FiAirPort Extreme 802.11b/gAirPort Extreme 802.11g/b
Bluetooth1.12.0 + EDR
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Port detailTwo 12 Mbps USB 1.1 ports, one FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800, Gigabit Ethernet, 56K V.92 modem, Type I/II PC Card/CardBus, DVI, S-video, line input and headphone output. Support table mislabels FireWire MBps; UK sheet explicitly states Mbps.Two USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400 and 800, Gigabit Ethernet, 56K V.92 modem, DVI, S-video and PC Card/CardBus slot. Combined optical-digital/analogue input and output minijacks.
External displaysDual display or mirroring up to 2048 × 1536 externally; DVI and included VGA/composite adapters.DVI dual-link: external display up to 2560 × 1600, including 30-inch Cinema HD display; VGA, S-video and composite supported with listed adapters.
KeyboardFull-size keyboard with fibre-optic backlighting and ambient light control; 79 ISO keys and embedded numeric keypad.Full-size illuminated fibre-optic keyboard with ambient light sensor; Apple states backlighting up to ten times brighter than previous generation.
Trackpad–Two-finger scrolling/panning, tap, double-tap and drag support
SpeakersTwo built-in stereo speakersTwo stereo speakers
MicrophonesInternal omnidirectional microphone under left speaker grilleInternal omnidirectional microphone
In the box65 W power adapter, cord, modem cable, DVI-to-VGA and S-video-to-composite adapters. January announcement expected February; Macworld reported actual customer arrivals in March 2003. Month retained without inventing first delivery day.Apple announced 31 January 2005 with availability planned later that week. Ken Mingis’s 10 February Computerworld report says his unit shipped the previous week and arrived Monday; February precision retained without a verified first shipping day. Launch Mac OS X 10.3 Panther and iLife ’05.

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