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PowerBook G4 (12-inch)
The smallest aluminum PowerBook, built for travel.
Overview
The 12-inch PowerBook G4 launched at Macworld in January 2003 alongside the larger 17-inch model. It combined an 867 MHz G4 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce4 420 Go graphics chip, and a combination drive for DVDs and CD burning in a body that weighed just 4.6 pounds.
It offered FireWire, USB 2.0, Bluetooth and an AirPort Extreme option in a compact aluminum shell that was considerably tougher than the titanium models. Revisions through 2005 raised the processor to 1.5 GHz and added a SuperDrive.
Many owners kept it for years because it was small enough to carry everywhere, and it was the last 12-inch laptop Apple offered until the 12-inch MacBook arrived in 2015.
Why it mattered
Showed that a small, light Apple laptop could keep full performance and set the style for later ultraportables.
At a glance
- Announced
- January 7, 2003
- Released
- January 7, 2003
- Discontinued
- October 19, 2005
- Launch price
- $1,799
- Chip / processor
- PowerPC G4 (7451), 867 MHz
- Display
- 12.1"
- Storage
- 40 GB to 60 GB
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- Aluminum body, 4.6 lb
- 867 MHz G4 at launch
- Up to 1.5 GHz in later revisions
- FireWire and USB 2.0
- Bluetooth built in
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Size
- 12.1-inch
- Type
- Active-matrix color TFT
- Resolution
- 1024 x 768
Chip
- Chip
- PowerPC G4 (7451), 867 MHz
Memory
- RAM
- 256 MB, expandable to 640 MB
- Storage options
- 40 GB or 60 GB
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi
- Optional AirPort Extreme (802.11g)
Design
- Weight
- 2.1 kg (4.6 lb)
Software
- Launch OS
- Mac OS X 10.2.3
How it compares
More in the PowerBook G4 family
PowerBook G4 (Titanium)
A wide-screen laptop in a titanium shell, only an inch thick.
PowerBook G4 (17-inch)
A giant widescreen notebook with a keyboard that lights up.
PowerBook G4 (15-inch Aluminum)
The titanium PowerBook switched to a tougher aluminum shell.