Apple PowerBook Laptop 12.1" M9007LL/A (1.0-GHz PowerPC G4, 256 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive)

As the most affordable member of Apple’s new PowerBook lineup, the PowerBook G4 12.1-inch M9007LL/A is reasonably powerful, super-portable and extremely well connected. You may want to check one of Apple’s larger, faster PowerBooks if you need a big display or a notebook that efficiently handles demanding applications such as CAD-type drawing or advanced 3-D gaming, but the average user should find all they need inside this model’s sleek aluminum alloy enclosure.

Surprisingly, the PowerBook G4 M9007LL/A is driven by the same processor used in last year’s top-of-the-line 17-inch PowerBook, the 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor with 512 KB Level 2 cache for rapid retrieval of recently accessed data. Apple has added 256 MB of medium speed PC2100 (266 MHz) DDR SDRAM memory (upgradeable to 1.25 GB) and an nVidia GeForce FX Go5200 graphics chipset with 32 MB of dedicated video memory, thus ensuring smooth operation during standard tasks. Some performance degradation may be evident when running complex professional applications and high-end games or while multitasking.

At just 10.9 by 8.6 by 1.2 inches and a scant 4.6 pounds (with battery and optical drive attached), the PowerBook G4 M9007LL/A is extraordinarily compact. Yet it’s packed with amenities. Standard features include a 12.1-inch TFT display capable of detailed 1024x768 resolution, a 78-key keyboard with solid-state track pad, a digital DVI output for flat-screen displays, two high-speed USB 2.0 ports and one FireWire 400 port for connecting plug and play devices such as external drives and digital cameras, and integrated Bluetooth 1.1 technology for cordless peripherals. A reasonably sized 40 GB hard disk and DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive are standard, as are a high-speed 10/100BASE-T Ethernet connection and low-speed 56K V.92 modem.

DVD burning is not supported in this stock configuration, and wireless communications are available only with the purchase of an AirPort Extreme card. Battery life is estimated at five hours in ideal conditions.