The ATI chip already graces a number of Windows notebooks, including the Gateway 600XL and the Micron TransPort GX3.
Most Windows desktop-replacement systems have a higher default resolution that lets you display more text and graphics onscreen but at smaller sizes.īoth PowerBooks feature the ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics chip with 32 MB of RAM. This change will slightly expand the desktop area yet won't make the icons and the icon labels seem too small. At the top of that list is the PowerBook's stunning, wide-screen, 15.2-inch LCD, which now has a native screen resolution of 1,280x854 pixels, up from 1,152x768 in the previous model. Then again, the laptop already has just about everything you need. However, Apple offers nowhere near the level of customization available from competing Windows notebook manufacturers. For a custom configuration, use the build-to-order system on Apple's site to choose from a limited selection of processors, memory amounts, hard drives, and accessories. We tested both, though our 667-MHz model included an extra 256 MB of memory. The latter also includes Apple's AirPort Wi-Fi card, which is otherwise a $99 option on iBooks and the entry-level PowerBook. At the opposite extreme, the top-of-the-line $3,199 configuration includes an 800-MHz G4 chip, 512 MB of RAM, and a 40-GB hard drive. The $2,499 entry-level model includes a 667-MHz G4 processor, 256 MB of RAM, and a 30-GB hard drive. The PowerBook comes in two standard configurations. Most Windows desktop-replacement systems are thicker and considerably heavier, while most Windows thin-and-lights have smaller, 14.1-inch displays and can't match the PowerBook's features. It has all of the features of the former category but is only one inch thick and weighs just 5.4 pounds with an Apple AirPort wireless networking card the compact power adapter adds 12 ounces to the total travel weight. The PowerBook blurs the line between a desktop-replacement and a thin-and-light system. ( Click here to check the latest prices for this product.) Combined with a bright, crisp, 15.2-inch, wide-screen display, this package makes the PowerBook a compelling alternative to a desktop computer, not to mention a Windows desktop-replacement notebook. In the notebook's most recent revision, Apple has kept the eye-catching, elegant form factor but added a faster processor with 1-MB DDR of 元 cache, a bigger hard drive, a more powerful graphics card, and a higher price. Apple's slim, trim Titanium PowerBook G4 is now in its third generation.