PowerBook G4 (15-inch Aluminum)
In September 2003, Apple introduced the 15-inch Aluminum PowerBook G4 to replace the Titanium models. Apple would revise the design over the next two years before replacing it with the first-generation MacBook Pro in 2006.
Specifications
| Spec | 15-inch FW800 | 15-inch 1.5/1.33GHz | 15-inch 1.67/1.5GHz | 15-inch Double-Layer SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | September 2003 | April 2004 | January 2005 | October 2005 |
| Discontinuation Date | April 2004 | January 2005 | October 2005 | February 2006 |
| Processor | CPU Type: Soldered BGA PowerPC G4 @1.0 or 1.25GHz |
CPU Type: Soldered BGA PowerPC G4 @1.33 or 1.5GHz |
CPU Type: Soldered BGA PowerPC G4 @1.5 or 1.67GHz |
CPU Type: Soldered BGA PowerPC G4 @1.67GHz |
| RAM | PC2700 DDR, 2 slots Standard: 256MB Maximum: 2GB |
PC2700 DDR, 2 slots Standard: Unknown Maximum: 2GB |
PC2-4200 DDR2, 2 slots Standard: Unknown Maximum: 2GB |
|
| Hard Disk | 2.5" IDE Uses proprietary adapter: Unknown Standard: 60 or 80GB |
2.5" IDE Uses proprietary adapter: Unknown Standard: 80 or 100GB |
2.5" IDE Uses proprietary adapter: Unknown Standard: 80, 100, or 120GB |
|
| Display | 15.2" TFT LCD @1280x854 | 15.2" TFT LCD @1440x960 | ||
| GPU | ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 VRAM: 64MB |
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 VRAM: 64 or 128MB |
ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 VRAM: 128MB |
|
| Main Battery | Lithium Ion (46Wh) | Lithium Ion (50Wh) | ||
| PRAM Battery | Unknown | |||
| Power Supply | 24V Mini RCA-style Jack | |||
| Disk Drives | Slot-loading optical drive (DVD/CD-RW Drive or SuperDrive) | Slot-loading optical drive (DVD/CD-RW Drive or 8X SuperDrive) | Slot-loading optical drive (8X Double-Layer SuperDrive) | |
| PC Cards | 1x PCMCIA/CardBus Slot (Type II) | |||
| Networking | - 56k Modem - Gigabit Ethernet - AirPort Extreme WiFi (802.11b/g, Optional) - Bluetooth 1.1 |
- 56k Modem - Gigabit Ethernet - AirPort Extreme WiFi (802.11b/g) - Bluetooth 1.1 |
- 56k Modem - Gigabit Ethernet - AirPort Extreme WiFi (802.11b/g) Bluetooth 2.0 |
|
| Other I/O | - 2x USB 1.1 - 1x FireWire 400 - 1x VGA Out - 1x S-Video Out - 1x Line Out |
- 2x USB 1.1 - 1x FireWire 400 - 1x DVI Out - 1x S-Video Out - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out |
||
| Pointing Device | Trackpad | |||
| Minimum Mac OS | Mac OS X 10.2.7 | Mac OS X 10.3.3 | Mac OS X 10.3.7 | Mac OS X 10.4.2 |
| Maximum Mac OS | Mac OS X 10.5.8 | |||
Resources
 Service Manual (2003/2004) |
Service Manual (Early 2005) |
Service Manual (Late 2005) |
|---|
Upgrades
SSD Upgrade
See our page on IDE SSDs for more info.
From the options on that page, I'd recommend the IDE to mSATA adapter.
CPU Upgrades
The CPU on all PowerBook G4s is soldered in place, so you cannot upgrade it without replacing the entire logic board.
Gallery
Photos of my "Double-Layer SD" revision PowerBook G4.
Click on any image to view the full-size version of it.
