The PowerBook G4 is a series of notebook computers manufactured, marketed, and sold by Apple Computer between 2001

and 2006 as part of its PowerBook line of notebooks. The PowerBook G4 runs on the RISC-based PowerPC G4 processor, de-
signed by the AIM (Apple/IBM/Motorola) development alliance and initially produced by Motorola. It was built later by Freescale,
after Motorola spun off its semiconductor business under that name in 2004. The PowerBook G4 has had two different designs:
one with a titanium body with a translucent black keyboard and a 15-inch screen; and another in an aluminum body with an alu-
minum-colored keyboard, in 12-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch sizes.
Between 2001 and 2003, Apple produced the titanium PowerBook G4; between 2003 and 2006, the aluminum models were pro-
duced. Both models were hailed for their modern design, long battery life, and processing power. When the aluminum Power-
Book G4s were first released in January 2003, 12-inch and 17-inch models were introduced first, while the 15-inch model re-
tained the titanium body until September 2003, when a new aluminum 15-inch PowerBook was released. The aluminum 15-inch
model also includes a FireWire 800 port, which had been included with the 17-inch model since its debut nine months earlier.
The PowerBook G4 is the last generation of the PowerBook series, and was succeeded by the Intel-powered MacBook Pro line
in the first half of 2006. The last version of macOS that any PowerBook G4 can run is Mac OS X Leopard, which was released
in 2007.[1] When Apple switched to Intel x86 processors in 2006, some design features of the PowerBook G4's form and alu-
minum chassis were retained for the MacBook Pro.

1st generation: Titanium[edit]

PowerBook G4 (titanium)

The titanium PowerBook G4 (nicknamed TiBook)[2]

Developer Apple Computer

Type Laptop

Release date January 9, 2001

Discontinued September 16, 2003

CPU PowerPC G4, 400 MHz–1 GHz

The first generation of the PowerBook G4 was announced at Steve Jobs' MacWorld Expo keynote on January 9, 2001. The two
models featured a PowerPC G4 processor running at either 400 or 500 MHz, housed in a titanium-clad case that was
1 inch (25 mm) deep. This was 0.7 inches (18 mm) shallower than the G4's predecessor, the PowerBook G3. The G4 was one
of the first laptops to use a screen with a widescreen aspect ratio. It also featured a front-mounted slot-loading optical drive.
[3]
The notebook was given the unofficial nickname "TiBook", after the titanium case and the PowerBook brand name;[2] it was
sold alongside the cheaper iBook. The 1 GHz version of the titanium G4 is the last, and fastest, PowerBook that can natively
run Mac OS 9 (version 9.2.2).

Industrial design[edit]
The initial design of the PowerBook G4 was developed by Apple hardware designers Jory Bell, Nick Merz, and Danny Delulis.
[4]
Quanta, an original design manufacturer, also helped in the design.[citation needed] The new machine was a sharp departure from the
black plastic, curvilinear PowerBook G3 models that preceded it. The orientation of the Apple logo on the computer's lid was
switched so that it would "read" correctly to onlookers when the computer was in use.[5] PowerBook G3 and prior models pre-
sented it right-side-up from the perspective of the computer's owner when the lid was closed. Apple's industrial design team,
headed by British designer Jonathan Ive, converged around a minimalist aesthetic—the titanium G4's design language laid the
groundwork for the aluminum PowerBook G4, the MacBook Pro, the Power Mac G5, the flat-screen iMac, the Xserve, and
the Mac mini.

Reception[edit]
In a review, Macworld's Andrew Gore praised the PowerBook's weight, wider screen, and Velocity Engine, but criticized the diffi-
culty of replacing the hard drive. In a battery test, he found that Apple's stated 5 hours of battery life could only be achieved with
the screen dimmed and the processor clocked down to 300MHz, though he described battery life in normal use, of slightly over
three hours, as "very respectable".[6] ATPM's Trevor Boehm rated it "excellent", describing it as pricy but a good desktop replace-
ment, and praising its speed, screen, and ports, though he criticized the trackpad as oversensitive and inconvenient for drag and
drop.[7] PC World's Carla Thornton praised its design, screen and performance, but criticized its graphics, DVD speed, battery life
and price.[8]

Quality issues[edit]
The hinges on the titanium PowerBook display are notorious for breaking under typical use. Usually the hinge (which is shaped
like an L) will break just to the left of where it attaches to the lower case on the right hinge, and just to the right on the left hinge
(where the right hinge is on the right side of the computer when the optical drive is facing the user). When the 667 MHz and
800 MHz "DVI" PowerBooks were introduced, Apple changed the hinge design slightly to strengthen it. At least one aftermarket
manufacturer began producing sturdier replacement hinges[9] to address this problem, though actually performing the repair is
difficult as the display bezel is glued together. In addition some discolouration, bubbling or peeling of paint on the outer bezel oc-
curred, notably around the area where the palm would rest while using the trackpad, and around the rear of the hinges where
paint on the back of the machine was often worn off. This appeared on early models but not on later titanium PowerBooks.[10]

Display issues[edit]
The video cable is routed around the left-side hinge. This will cause the cable to weaken under heavy usage. Many owners have
reported display problems such as random lines or a jumbled screen, although a few owners have replaced just the video cable
to successfully resolve this problem. There is also a backlight cable that might fail; The best option is to replace either or both
cables before replacing LCD screen.

Technical specifications[edit]
According to Apple, all of these models are obsolete.[a][11]

"Onyx", hide"Antim
"Mercury", "Ivory", DVI
Model [12]
Gigabit ony",
Original TiBook [13]
TiBook
TiBook TiBook

October 16, April 29, November 6,

Released January 9, 2001
2001 2002 2002
Timetabl
e
Disconti November 6, September
October 16, 2001 April 29, 2002
nued 2002 16, 2003

Model M5884 (EMC M8407 (EMC A1001 (EMC A1025 (EMC

number 1854) 1895) 1913) N/A)

Model Model PowerBook3 PowerBook3

PowerBook3,2 PowerBook3,3
info. identifier ,4 ,5

Order M83 M85 M859 M885 M88

M7952 M7710 M8362
number 63 91 2 8 59
 Size 15.2" (widescreen)

Method TFT matte LCD display

Display

Resoluti
1152×768 1280×854
on

Processo PowerPC G4 PowerPC G4

PowerPC G4 (7455)
r (7410) (7450)

Processo 400 MH 500 MH 550 MH 800 M 867 M 1G

667 MHz
r speed z z z Hz Hz Hz

Performa 256 KB on-

256 KB on-
nce chip L2
chip L2
1 MB backside L2 256 KB on-chip cache
Cache cache
cache (2:1) L2 cache (1:1) 1 MB DDR
1 MB L3
L3 cache
cache (1:1)
(1:1)

Front
100 MHz 133 MHz
Side Bus

128 MB 256 MB 128 MB

(two (two (two
256
64 MB) 128 MB) 64 MB)
Range MB
Expand Expand Expand
Memory (two
able up able up able up
to 1 GB to 1 GB to 1 GB