If you keep your expectations low, this is a great little Mac. It's perfect for word processing as it has a very comfortable keyboard to type on. Internet on it is not super fast but for a quick google search it does the job well. If you want a cheap Mac to write essays on and listen to music without distractions you can't go wrong.
Verified purchase: Yes
Apple made a slick machine back in the day, but it needs some upgrades. Unfortunately upgrades means a big teardown process. Compared to other sub-compact notebooks (ibm/lenovo, fujitsu) this thing is a bit of a jigsaw to get apart. The alu build looks great but also wont hold up to scratches and bangs.
Verified purchase: Yes
The G4 powerbooks are a good bargain these days. I use a G4 desktop for my photography and basic computing tasks. Thanks to Ebay, I can still get good programs to run on it. The laptop came with 10.4 on it so I can still use classic to run some of my older programs, you can not do that on the new Macs. I like the way it looks, it is well made and still has enough power for my needs. I like the 12 inch size, it is just about right to carry anywhere that you need it. It has more functionality than a 10-12" netbook. It runs 4 hours on a new battery ( that I had to purchase for it). I don't like that Apple no longer includes it for it's recent software, but as I've said before Ebay has software for it at good prices.
This laptop has been a long time favorite since I got to use one for about a week back in 2005, but couldn't justify buying one having just gotten a 15" version. But after a close call that could have totaled a new 17" i7 MBPro that cost over $3K, I decided I needed something that I could take on the go without stressing over the possibility of damaging it. As it turns out, eBay has a surplus of shiny-like-new Powerbooks in all sizes at 80% off their original price! The first noteworthy feature is square shaped LCD vs. the typical rectangle which gives this 12"G4 more comparable to a 15" than an 11" or 13" Air or Pro of today, and only the severely arthritic should have a valid complaint for the added few ounces vs. the 13" Air or MB Pro. Unless you're running MT Apps, the i5 or i7 have nothing significant more to offer despite their much faster processors. The beauty of this model, as with all Macs, is their ability to be adapted & upgraded as time passes. I didn't buy it so much for what it came with but for its potential. Despite having max ram on board, I replaced it with new and dropped a 320gb HD + DVD-SD in place of the 60gb combo drive it came with. Total investment was under $500 and blows the new Airs away. No Apple Care available, but who cares. To match or surpass its new found performance at the Apple store, a well optioned 13" MB Pro costing 3X this amount would be in order and they're not nearly as rugged and require a digital photo-finish timer capable of measuring time to the 3rd power of 10 in order to prove the MB Pro has the faster processor for just about every app you can think of, despite the overwhelming specs the new ones possess. Add the fact that generic chargers and batteries cost $10 / $25, respectively - you just can't go wrong. The RAM and HD cost a bit more than for modern Pro's, but we're talking an extra $50 on a one time basis. The only better buy would be the version that burned DVD's and avoid about $80, but I do feel it's worth knowing it's all new. I did all the work myself in an afternoon w/ NO (I do mean ZERO/NONE - NEVER EVEN INSTALLED AN OS FROM A DISC!) experience - Youtube do-it-yourself vids from OWC - THANKS!Read full review
I bough this computer to be used with Photoshop and the results are excellent. The speed that it has is impressive, the colors are the best, I never Had a machine that works that well. To use it was a different story, I was used to the windows system wich is totally different but after a while is very easy to use.
While this is an older laptop with the 1.5ghz processer it performs very well considering it was upgraded to 10.5.8 MAC osx. The 12" form factor makes it very portable with the weight being about 4 lbs. Battery life is about 2 hours. Not bad for a used unit. Great display and keyboard.
Overall, the laptop is great! The battery is just weak, and will only last for an hour or so. The picture is awesome, and the keyboard is easy to type with!
I bought this computer for my daughter and she loves it! She really wanted an Apple notebook with a lot of memory and this one fit the bill. It is small (12") so she can carry it in her book bag without it adding bulk. There have been no problems at all with this computer, and squaretrade offers an extended warranty. The seller was great, and I am happy with this purchase.
The powerbook G4 12" is a nice build, rugged computer, but it does suck power like no other. The batteries sold by Apple lose their ability to hold a charge much faster than you would expect, even if you do calibrate the battery. Best bet is to buy and aftermarket battery. They are cheaper and seem to hold a charge for a much longer time.
Wonderful laptop, compact easy to navigate. Not as light as the new Mac books but you're looking a lot more money also. Fast, nice comfortable screen
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Apple Laptops
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Apple Laptops
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
