Apple PowerBook Laptop 15.2" M8981LL/A (1.25-GHz PowerPC G4, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-R/CD-RW Drive)

by Apple

Product Details

Data Sheet [70kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 18.3 x 6.9 x 13.9 inches ; 10.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 10.3 pounds
• ASIN: B0000D8DKT
• Item model number: M8981LL/A
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 12, 2005

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Though Apple's new 17-inch PowerBook G4 rates as its finest notebook ever and one of the most sophisticated portable computers in history, this model, the considerably more affordable 15-inch PowerBook G4 M8981LL/A, is not far off the pace of its big brother. While it sports a smaller display, a slightly slower processor, and a more compact profile, this 15-inch PowerBook nevertheless incorporates all the other amenities that make its 17-inch sibling so desirable.

Driving the 15-inch PowerBook G4 M8981LL/A is a fast PowerPC G4 processor running at 1.33 GHz and featuring 512 KB Level 2 cache for rapid retrieval of recently accessed data. Apple has added 512 MB of ultra-fast PC2700 (333 MHz) DDR SDRAM memory (upgradeable to 2 full GB) and an ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 graphics processor with 64 MB dedicated video memory, thus ensuring smooth operation during high-demand tasks such as 3-D games, 3-D drawing and multitasking.

This high-speed architecture continues throughout the unit, where you’ll find connectivity options such a standard FireWire interface, an ultra-fast Apple-designed FireWire 800 port, two 480 Mbps USB 2.0 ports, integrated 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet, 54-Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless, and built-in Bluetooth for the new breed of cordless digital peripherals. Storage facilities include a spacious ATA/100 80 GB hard disk and a versatile DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive through which you can burn audio CDs, backup critical and write DVD-R discs at 2X speed.

Visually, the aluminum alloy-clad 15-inch PowerBook G4 M8981LL/A is as dramatic as it is functional. Sporting a 15.2-inch (diagonal) display capable of 1280 by 854 resolution, the unit is nevertheless surprisingly thin and lightweight at 13.7 by 9.5 by 1 inch and just 5.6 pounds. Other unique perks include a tap/double tap/drag trackpad, a convenient backlit keyboard for low-light situations, and a DVI output for efficient digital interfacing with LCD monitors. Battery life is estimated at an admirable 4.5 hours under ideal conditions.

Manufacturer's Notice

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of product: Rechargeable batteries used in 15-inch PowerBook G4 computers. Units: About 28,000. Computer Manufacturer: Apple Computer Inc., of Cupertino, Calif. Battery Manufacturer: LG Chem Ltd., of South Korea. Problem: An internal short can cause the battery cells to overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers. Incidents/Injuries: Apple has received four reports of batteries overheating, though no injuries have been reported. Description: The recalled batteries are used with the 15-inch PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) laptop computer. The batteries, which contain cells manufactured during the last week of December 2003 only, have the model number A1045 and serial numbers that begin with HQ404, HQ405, HQ406, HQ407, or HQ408. The model and serial numbers can be found on a label on the bottom of the battery. The battery is approximately 4 > inches long, 3 < inches wide, and > inches tall. No other PowerBook or iBook batteries are involved in this recall. Sold at: National and regional resellers, catalogers, and Apple's online and retail stores sold the computers with the batteries from January 2004 through August 2004 for between $2000 and $2600. The batteries also were sold separately for about $130. Assembled in: Taiwan

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best 15" PowerBook Ever, October 22, 2003

By 

NutMac "NutMac" (Mountain View, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Apple PowerBook Laptop 15.2" M8981LL/A (1.25-GHz PowerPC G4, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-R/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

It's been 3 years since I joined Apple's bandwagon, courtesy of 2nd generation top-of-the-line PowerBook G4. Back then, it represented state-of-the-art with 1" thick titanium-finished chassis and 15.2" widescreen LCD, filled with many desktop-like features: 667 MHz G4 processor (up from 500 MHz of 1st generation PowerBook G4), gigabit ethernet (up from fast ethernet), built-in AirPort (was optional), and DVD/CD-RW combo drive (was DVD-ROM or CD-RW only).

Two more generations of PowerBooks later (3rd added 1280 by 854 LCD, DVI output, faster graphics, and 800 MHz G4; 4th added 1 GHz G4, faster graphics, and SuperDrive), we get more substantial upgrade. No, this 5th generation PowerBook does not have a G5 processor. Mobile G5 probably isn't due for another year or so (Apple and IBM are busy at work cranking out PowerPC 980).

The most radical upgrade has to be aluminum alloy chassis. While not as hip as titanium, aluminum alloy is about as strong as titanium, while looking beautiful and providing one important benefit: nothing's painted over it. Pure aluminum alloy finish. Titanium PowerBooks were notorious for paint chipping off. Now the PowerBooks will stay beautiful year after year. As an added benefit, every keys on the keyboard are painted in aluminum alloy to give more complete metallic look and feel.

Other notable improvements include:
- 1.25 GHz G4 processor (10-25% faster than 1 GHz predecessor)
- AirPort Extreme (802.11g) and Bluetooth
- USB 2.0 and FireWire 800
- Faster 167 MHz FSB with DDR RAM support
- Up to 2 GB of DDR RAM
- ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 graphics card
- Backlit keyboard
- 3 speakers

Last generations of PowerMac G4s lacked many bleeding edge technologies (e.g., PCI Express, Serial ATA). And it being a generation or two before PowerBook G5 arrives, lacks some cutting edge technologies as well: high resolution 15.4" LCD, 7200 RPM hard disk, PCI Express card, faster FSB, digital audio I/O, and higher capacity battery with advanced power saving technologies.

Until then, you should proudly carry 5th generation PowerBook G4, knowing it is among the most powerful and certainly MOST beautiful notebook on the market.

Pros:
- Feels very fast (helped by 1.25 GHz G4 processor with large 512 KB L2 cache, DDR RAM, and ATI Mobility Radeon 9600)
- Very well equipped -- no additional hardware purchase required (although some will want more memory and/or extra battery)
- Simply beautiful... the most beautiful PowerBook yet
- Fantastic connectivity options
- Light and slim for a desktop replacement notebook

Cons:
- Among the most expensive notebooks in its class
- While it feels fast, it is slower than many Centrino notebooks
- 15.2" LCD is limited to 1280 by 854 resolution, which is among the lowest in its price range
- It is slightly larger and heavier than previous Titanium PowerBooks
- Shorter battery life than earlier PowerBook and many Centrino notebooks
- Earlier builds are plagued with white spots on the LCD and lid not closing evenly (both issues should be fixed by now)
- No docking station option

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Superb, February 9, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Apple PowerBook Laptop 15.2" M8981LL/A (1.25-GHz PowerPC G4, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-R/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

I've used macs and pcs for the past 10 years and owned both windows and macos machines. This powerbook is simply the best you can get for your money. For every one person who writes a bad review here, there are 1000 happy ones - just keep that in mind.

Pluses:
Aluminum case is extremely strong, scratch resistant and solid feeling
Keyboard is firm with excellent depth of th keys
Display hinge is sturdier than any other laptop I've seen
Ports on sides are easily accessible and thoughtfully layed out
Slot loading cd
Speakers are unusually good for a laptop - great separation
Display is gorgeous, crisp and bright - and enormous
Weighs only 5.6 pounds and is only an inch thick
SILENT: have never heard a fan go on in this baby. T O T A L L Y silent!

Minuses:
Display seems slightly warped - hardly detectable, but still.
Bottom of the casing gets very warm
can't think of anything else! Maybe price? It's always nice if things are cheaper, right?

Quite frankly, the fit and finish of this computer is second to none - beats the old titanium powerbooks hands down.

Macos X panther= fast, rock stable, beautiful, fun and intuitive

the combination of powerbook and macos x panther= unbeatable.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Longtime PC user... adopted into Mac family, October 15, 2003

By 

Kenneth Lee (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apple PowerBook Laptop 15.2" M8981LL/A (1.25-GHz PowerPC G4, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, DVD-R/CD-RW Drive) (Personal Computers)

First of all, I'll begin by saying I've been a long time PC user for years. I've always admired the Macs, but they never had the right OS. The 10.2 version of OS X definitely changed that for me.

You see, I use PCs because frankly, they were cheaper and had more software compatibility, but they have security issues and stability issues. I like the UNIX systems (Linux and Solaris) for their robustness, but frankly, I never could get into XWindows.

Now, w/ Mac OS X, I have a great UI and a UNIX shell for power use -- sounds like Nirvana!

So I finally caved in and picked up a Powerbook 15. The 12" is a little too small, and the 17" is too large to be portable. I took the wraps off the 15" Powerbook and set it next to my Dell Inspiron. Never has my Dell looked so ugly than when next to this aluminum beauty.

I powered up the Powerbook and quickly figured out my way around. My only gripe was that the Terminal application was buried two levels deep in the menu, but that was quickly fixed by pinning it to the dock. All my favorite UNIX tools were there: perl, awk, gcc, and vi. What do you know SSH is there out of the box.

Within minutes, I had downloaded eclipse, set up an SSH tunnel to my office and was working on the same Java application that I had been working on my Dell. The only difference is I didn't have to download 15 applications to get it all working. Beauty!

One downside -- the laptop is so beautiful that I'm being extraordinarily (picky) about how I put it away. I kept some of the packaging and continue to use it. I put the foam sheet between the keyboard and the screen when I close the powerbook and I cover it w/ the foam cover to prevent it from getting scratched when I stow it away into my bag. :)