Apple PowerBook G4 15.2" Laptop - M9969LL/A (October, 2005)

If you are a first time Mac user and want an affordable Mac laptop this might be the right Mac for you. The PowerBook G4 15" is the perfect combination of size and portability.
The PowerBook G4 uses the Apple IBM PowerPC G4 processor and can run Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard" which can get you through Web Browsing, iTunes, Word processing, Email and everyday normal tasks. Leopard is a very easy to use operating system. The PowerBook G4 was discontinued in Early 2006 when apple made the switch to Intel so as the years went by. PowerPC Macs began to lose compatibility and when Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard apple made it intel only so PowerPC macs cant run anything higher than Leopard. So if you are wanting to run modern apps like PhotoShop CS3 on a PowerBook G4 then your out of luck.
The battery on all PowerBook G4s is average and since they are a few years old the battery life has decayed. But thanks to its removable battery you can replace it with a new one.
I would recommend either a 1.5Ghz or a 1.67Ghz PowerBook G4 15" as they are the fastest and will get you through all those things everyday things I stated.
A few of the nice features on the PowerBook G4 15-inch and 17-inch is its Backlit keyboard which illuminates in low light automatically. I comes with Bluetooth and 802.11G wireless. Plus a special trackpad which supports two finger scroll and two finger right click. To get more features you will need the Magic Trackpad or Magic Mouse update to take advantage of them and more.

So if you need an affordable first time Mac and you need a notebook the PowerBook G4 15-inch is a great choice for most everyday things. But if you need something a little bit more compatible I would recommend the (Intel Core 2 Duo) Macbook or MacBook Pro.

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SuperMacTechGuy

Both my wife and I have a G4 Aluminum PowerBook - a 1.5ghz and 1.67ghz respectively. These computers are workhorses. Solid construction, tight manufacturing, reliable parts. Both of our units are 5-6 years old at this point, running quietly and smoothly. Being a Mac, the threat of viruses is minimal. I am a musician, and these run complex audio editing software without bogging down like my PC. Both of ours are running the max amount of RAM, 2GB. I strongly recommend doing the same. With full RAM and OS X 10.5, this system will keep up with just about anything out there - and not break the bank in the process like a newer MacBook PRO.

The Aluminum PowerBooks are well constructed and a solid foundation for fueling both fluid and functional OS X Leopard. It's all in the name "Power"Book. PowerBooks, for example, continually deliver robust processing power and rarely skip a beat. The fluid nature of OS X is highlighted by Apple's attention to detail in the manufacturing process. My PowerBook (2005) is rather quick and provides plenty of processor for most any task I through at it, even compared to today's standards.

Recently, I have begun feeling a bit segregated from the Intel-based hardware users. There is a growing disadvantage of being limited to the Power PC platform. New versions of great programs are simply not available for Power PC based machines. However, that's not to say that there isn't plenty of software already available for this powerhouse to stay busy.

Apple's PowerBooks are well designed, powerful, faithful, and consistently deliver performance year after year. Also, for what it's worth, the PowerBook is one of the best looking computers around!

Apple Powerbook G4 is a great computer for video production training, I teach a class devoted in teaching basic video production via Final Cut Pro. The Powerbook are work geat.... Highly recomend...

Excellent solution for email, web surfing and music. The aluminum case is lightweight but stronger than any laptop I've owned. The processor may be dated, but it still performs better than any budget laptop you can find at this price. Battery life isn't spectacular, but it will last a 3 hour movie or 5 hours of moderate web surfing. Older Mac's still have value because they're still a Mac.