Apple PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.67GHz)

Apple · PowerBook

PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.67GHz)

Released February 2005

A 17-inch aluminium PowerBook with dual-link DVI, two-finger scrolling and hard-drive motion protection.

Model history · 4 models, 2003–2005
  1. 2003PowerBook G4 17-inch (Early 2003)Compare
  2. 2003PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.33GHz)Compare
  3. 2004PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.5GHz)Compare
  4. 2005PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.67GHz)
Size
17″
Display
–
Processor
PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch Early 2005)
Memory
512 MB – 2 GB
Weight
3.1 kg
Battery
4.5 h

What reviewers say

Reviews find the brighter backlighting, scrolling trackpad and external-display support more useful than the small speed increase. Computerworld praises construction and quiet everyday operation. Bare Feats finds the 17-inch chassis cumbersome and its extra screen space less helpful than expected, preferring the smaller 15-inch for travel.

From computerworld.com and barefeats.com

Display

Screen size
17″
Resolution
1440 × 900
Touchscreen
No
Display type
17-inch TFT widescreen; panel technology and refresh unpublished.

Performance

Processor
PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch Early 2005)
CPU cores
1
Graphics
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
Memory
512 MB or 2 GB
Storage
80 GB to 100 GB
CPU
1.67 GHz PowerPC G4, 512 KB on-chip L2 and 167 MHz bus. Exact silicon supplier omitted.
GPU
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 with 128 MB DDR and dual-link DVI
Memory type
512 MB PC2700 DDR333 standard; two SO-DIMM slots, maximum 2 GB.
Storage type
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 hours
Battery capacity
58 Wh
Weight
3.1 kg
Battery life detail
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
Materials
Aluminium enclosure

Connections

Ports
2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack
Wi-Fi
AirPort Extreme 802.11g/b
Bluetooth
2.0 + EDR
Operating system
macOS
Port detail
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 displays
DVI dual-link: external display up to 2560 × 1600, including 30-inch Cinema HD display; VGA, S-video and composite supported with listed adapters.
Keyboard
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
Speakers
Two stereo speakers
Microphones
Internal omnidirectional microphone
In the box
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.

Configurations

ProcessorMemoryStorageGraphics
PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch Early 2005)512 MB80 GBATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch Early 2005)2 GB80 GBATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch Early 2005)512 MB100 GBATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)
PowerPC G4 1.67 GHz (PowerBook 17-inch Early 2005)2 GB100 GBATI Mobility Radeon 9700 (128 MB DDR)

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Dual-link DVI supports 30-inch Cinema HD display
  • 128 MB graphics and 100 GB drive standard
  • Brighter backlit keyboard and two-finger scrolling

Cons

  • Large 3.1 kg reference weight
  • USB limited to 480 Mbps
  • No built-in webcam

Closest rivals

Model
SizeDisplayProcessorMemoryWeightBatteryReleased
17″–Intel Core Duo 2.16 GHz (MacBook Pro Early 2006)1 GB – 2 GB3.1 kg5.5 hMay 2006
17″–Intel Core 22 GB – 4 GB––Feb 2008
17″–Intel Core 22 GB – 3 GB–5.5 hNov 2006

Previous model: PowerBook G4 (17-inch, 1.5GHz). Newer model: PowerBook G4 (17-inch, Double-Layer SD).

Sources

  1. support.apple.com/en-gb/112537
  2. apple.com/uk/newsroom/2005/01/31Apple-Unveils-Faster-More-Affordable-PowerBooks
  3. computerworld.com/article/1719818/the-new-1-67-ghz-powerbook-a-solid-17-in-valu…
  4. everymac.com/systems/apple/powerbook_g4/specs/powerbook_g4_1.67_17.html

Photo: EveryMac 17-inch aluminium-family image linked from the exact 1.67 GHz model page; low-resolution front pose with later desktop artwork.

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