Customer Reviews

Apple PowerBook Laptop M8363LL/A (667-MHz PowerPC G4, 512 MB RAM, 30 GB hard drive)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have now had my PowerBook G4 667 MHz, 1024 RAM (yes - maxed out!) 48 GB HD, etc. etc. And the etc refers to the gigabit eithernet (included), built in AirPort Card (included), long life battery and the excellent quality 15.2" wide screen monitor we expect from Apple. The system is excellent - and well worth the price. The new graphics card is excellent for gaming with it's DDR RAM. This is an excellent choice for the professional in any profession. There is no PC notebook that compare to it. I have had to call Apple support a couple of times and the response was quick and they are able to answer any questions I had. I am very impressed! Good Work Apple - Keep it UP.

Being in the I.T /I.S business for 2 years now I've delt with many laptops but all of them Windows based, with the exception of the thinkpad series, everything else drove me nuts, windows locking up, having to disconnect the battery and the AC to restart, battery life only lasting about 2- 2.5 hours before dying.
And then I used this G4 laptop. 3.5-4 hours per battery, no show stopping operating system errors, Unix based OS so I can have a useful command line interface that gets things done. And the best screen on a laptop to date. There are some MINOR issues that I can nitpick, ethernet cables that have those boots over the release prong dont really work too well, the monitor hinge covers the area where you would stick your finger to depress it, I had to depress it with a pen, until I ripped the rubber boot off, since then its been fine. The machine AND the power adapter get pretty toasty, sit the machine literally on your lap for about 2-3 hours and it will get uncomfortable, on a table it doesn't matter. Also I'm rapidly getting myself into OSX 10.1.1 and my laptop DID NOT have a copy of the developer tools in it, apparently if you purchase OSX retail the box will include the tools, I find that to be silly, the download is gonna weight in at 130mb, not fun. Other then those little things, this laptop is amazing.

This Powerbook is awesome and it is a huge jump over the previous 400/500 series Powerbooks. First off, the new video card makes DVD's and games run very smooth, I've never once experienced a glitch. Second, I do believe this runs a bit cooler too b/c of the minor vent changes. Firewire runs at a better speed than the rev. 1 pb and not to mention the 33mhz bus boost and faster processor too. I haven't had a crash with OSX and run exclusively on it including photoshop6/Illustrator 9. AND the new poweradapter is awesome, you'll have to see it. Last, the ditch of the second option for the Apple/Command Key is great, no more offensive hand gestures. As with the previous build, it's got a titanium exterior, lightweight, long batterylife, yadda yadda yadda...

Like many windows users, I bought into the fallacy that you didn't want an apple computer because of the lack of software - until I saw this Powerbook at an Apple store, did some research, found all the software I wanted was available for apple computers, and realized that I need not support the dark dominion of Microsoft anymore. Bought the computer and I have never regretted it. OS X is great too, no more one program crashing the entire computer. Beautiful in looks and execution, fast, with a RW drive, light, beautiful screen. If Apple had been as unscrupulous as Microsoft in it's early days we might all be using these wonderful computers.

I've had my PowerBook G4 since January. I was shopping around for a new computer and came across this beauty. Up to that point I had been strictly a PC user. However, I was sold on this computer. Sure, it took a little getting used to a new OS, but that only took a few days.

When I bought this computer, I splurged. I brought the RAM to 512 MB, I bought an iPod (5GB) and an airport station, plus Office X. Yes, it cost me a small fortune, but it's still worth it. I love this computer.

This computer is FAST (even at 667 MHz)!! It never seems to slow down. I can play a DVD in a window and be working on email or in Excel or on a website and it keeps up. OS X is incredibly stable and has only crashed once in 7 months. Oh yeah, it's also great looking. I sit at Starbucks with it and constantly get people asking me about it.

Why only 4 stars? Battery life doesn't seem to be that great, even after turning the brightness down on the screen. However, Apple has recently tweaked the DVD player and I can play a three hour DVD with no problems. For cross-country trips, I bought an extra battery. Also, the keyboard presses up against the screen when it's closed and has made some marks on the LCD display.

If you can afford it, I HIGHLY recommend an iPod.

A one word review would suffice: "WOW!!!"

But, I will elaborate..... :-) This is the best laptop I've ever owned. It is my fourth Macintosh is just under three years. My first was a clamshell iBook. I then owned a PowerBook G3 and an eMac G4 but decided that I wanted portability in my G4. I bought this PowerBook G4 667 and never looked back. This was the most intelligent purchase I've ever made in the computer world.

Apple designed a truly wonderful products. It is speedy, beautiful, and functional. I could not ask for more in a notebook computer. Thanks, Apple! I'm now a dedicated and loyal user.

This is a beautiful computer. I have no complaints. I love it!

I just replaced a whole pile of older Apple gear (including a 500 MHz IceBook) with this model (the G4/667/DVD). It was well worth it. The iBook is a great Mac for the money, but the newest PowerBook G4 systems are just great Macs, period. The speed is fast for virtually any task, and OS X 10.1 is snappy in a way that the G3-based systems can't touch. The improved Radeon Mobility video (with double the VRAM of the older G4) improves display performance, and mirroring is snappy, without the lag that some mirrored displays have been known to show. It fully supports the resolution of the Apple Cinema display (with an adapter, though - the Powerbook only has VGA out). Performance on the latest builds of the OS X DVD player is excellent thus far, and it can use the full screen for a simulated 16:9 effect. Built-in networking options include 10/100/1000 (!) Ethernet, an included V.90 modem, and an integrated AirPort card supporting 128-bit WEP (broken though WEP is).

Apple also addressed most of the design flaws from the original G4 series - the port cover in the back now has slits machined into it for better ventilation, the body flexes a little less, and disc alignment doesn't seem to be the problem it was in some earlier models. AirPort range is improved, though still nowhere near as good as what you can get with the iBook series - the antennas are quite limited by the metal case (Faraday cage, anyone?). The new power adapter is a big improvement over the previous "flying saucer" design, as well. Chances are good that you'll never need to connect anything to the built-in Cardbus slot, but one is provided in case 1 6-pin Firewire port, 2 USB ports, VGA and S-Video out, and the integrated Ethernet, modem and wireless aren't enough for you. Go figure.

What can I quibble about? Well, I still hope they find a better way to integrate the AirPort antenna. A DVD/CD-RW combo drive like the one in the iBook would be nice - but apparently none currently are available to fit the super-slim slot-loading format the G4 uses. Heat distribution isn't bad, but the back right corner can occasionally get uncofortable under heavy use. And finally, the keyboard is held in place by magnets as well as the little clips Apple uses - those magnets attach with adhesive to the keyboard bottom (and grab the metal in the inner case), and have a habit of the adhesive getting loose. Easily fixed, but a little annoying. Really nothing I'd take points away for.

All in all, this is by far the best laptop I've used or owned (and I've had a lot of them). No, the G4 doesn't offer the sheer processing speed of the latest mobile Pentium and Athlon processors, but the combination of a spectacular screen, light weight, good battery life, and general engineering isn't matched by anything on the market I know of. As an added bonus, the PowerBook G4 even runs Virtual PC very well if you really need Windows in your life.

What's new?

1. 667 MHz G4 (up from 500 MHz)
2. 667 MHz 256 KB L2 cache (changed from 250 MHz 1 MB L2 cache)
3. 133 MHz system bus (up from 100 MHz)
4. 512 MB PC133 SDRAM until end of 2001 (up from 256 MB PC100)
5. Quieter 30 GB hard disk (up from 20 GB)
6. 6X DVD-ROM drive (up from 4X)
7. ATI Mobility RADEON AGP 4X graphics with 16 MB DDR RAM (changed from ATI Mobility Rage AGP 2X with 8 MB SDRAM) -- much greater performance, higher resolution when driving external display
8. Gigabit Ethernet
9. Improved I/O for faster FireWire throughput (as much as 2X greater bandwidth)
10. Built-in AirPort card (was optional)
11. Improved AirPort reception range
12. A/C power connector glows then connected to the outlet
13. Redesigned, smaller A/C adapter
14. Higher capacity battery (55.3-watt-hour vs. 50), but similar overall battery life
15. Improved fit and finish (e.g., battery holder, touchpad)
16. Cooler operating temperature
17. Keyboard layout change (2nd Command key, elimination of 2nd Option key)
18. Improved keyboard feedback (less spongy)
19. Includes OS X.1 and OS 9.2 (changed from OX X and OS 9.1)

This is an outstanding laptop to use. The extra inch of screen makes most programs easier to use (you can put the OS X dock on the left or right), and it is a comfortable size to type on or carry. This laptop is a significant jump in design from the previous, black, powerbook G3 laptops. Apparently, the latest model has a slightly textured case, to prevent the chance of dropping it.