Apple PowerBook Laptop 17" M8793LL/A (1.0-GHz PowerPC G4, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, DVD-R/CD-RW Drive)

Amazon Customer Reviews

(4 out of 5)

Great, but not good for portability

Ive had my powerbook for 1 1/2 years now and I there are two unignorable problems I have. Otherwise the powerbook is a great purchase.

My first problem is that the computer cools itself by conduction through the bottom. As a result, the bottom gets really hot, which is a total bummer when you're literally using the computer on your lap. Also, because of the design, this computer will overheat when placed on a carpet, or bed. If you want to keep the computer quiet and working efficiently, you got to put it on a flat table.

Second problem for me was the hinge which connects the screen to the rest of the computer is weak and snapped. It was hyperextended accidentally because my little brother was throwing pillows around. The old clamshell iBooks could have taken the beating.

Finally, the monopoly Apple has on replacement parts (such as power adapters) can be counted as a negative.

(4 out of 5)

Outstanding Product!

I have never had a laptop before so I dont have anything to compare it to. My coworkers & laptop owners say there is no comparison anyway. Nothing comes close to the screen-size of this laptop.
Pro's-
* Yes, everything I read about the high quality screen is true. The screen is great. I'll move on
* Wireless-G is great. Connected with my MacAirport in 3 seconds & on the internet with no configuration
* Safari Web Browser has an option to disable popups- I personally love that!!
* OSX is excellent. Looks great, highly customizable
* Identical app comparison with Windows such as Warcraft III performs as good or better than my AMD2400 desktop.
* Tech support Phone menu was 1 option for laptop support & a short wait. Nice.

Cons- Which are considerable in my opinion
* Aluminum Shell is not very tough. Dropped it 8 inches on right on the power connector when plugged in. Left sizable dent & totally destroyed the power adapter which was [expensive] to replace
* 4.5 advertised Battery Life? BULL!!! 2:15 tops. Do a couple things like watch a DVD & download some files & it drops to 1:40.
*...for full support 3 years. Maybe Im spoiled by Dell who allows me to call for support for the lifetime of the machine. Apple- standard 90 days to call before they wash thier hands of tech support for the machine. 1 year Hardware support standard. Pay the [money] & you get 3 years hardware & Software support
* Lets get 1 thing straight... If you watch an Apple Commercial those baffoons who are switching act like a program never crashes & you never have to reboot for problems. BULL! Without any additional programs loaded, standard OSX load out of box Safari crashes on a daily basis. The OS has crashed numerous times. Other apps crash from time to time also. Promising everything always works is complete rubbish.
It suits my DVD watching needs for trips & websurfing wirelessly great!

(5 out of 5)

Worth the wait

What a quality Powerbook, I have bought every generation of Powerbook and iBook range...since the Wallstreet, and this version is simply the best. My version was perfect and I did not have much of a wait. The machine is perfect with no dead pixels or faulty catches.
Like the advert for the two new models, I think you need to be in business or first class to put this beauty on your lap, without overhanging your neighbours coffee tray ! It will trun heads when the cabin lights are dimmed and the Powerbook keys light up. Don't hesitate, buy this version its a classic, and if history is anything to go by... most macs hold their residual value better than its competitors. Happy shopping.

(4 out of 5)

Great machine with it's limits

Very nice screan is the first thing you'll notice here. The side to side angle of view is pretty wide, while the top to bottom isn't. You'll need to have the screan angled directly at you for optemimal viewing. The promised battery life is a joke of course. Without using the optical drive at all you might get 2.5 hours from it. I suspect the promised 4.5 hours happens only if the hard drive never moves and backlighting is off. It does seem to sleep for a good long time on battery though. As others have mentioned, the cooling system is a bit awkward. You have to keep the machine on a hard flat surface or it will overheat. The track pad is really awkward and I really dislike it. You cannot tap the pad instead of clicking the button the way i can on my addesso keyboard. That means mouse chores are two handed. The last down-side i can think of are the built in speakers. Don't expect much here, they're only basic speakers not loud enough or full frequency. You'll need to hook up something external to get a decent sound.

On the up side; This a nice slim design and the machine seems very stable. I have not problem putting it to sleep and taking to and from my office. (Be prepared to pay extra dough for the 17 inch carry case. I payed $... for mine!!!) It comes loaded with OS 10.2 which is a solid dependable OS. Among other things i use it for Final Cut Pro and deffinately adding the extra 512 ram is a good idea. The 1ghz speed is nice, handles big jobs smoothly. The reason I got this one instead of the 15 inch was because i thought i'd like extra screan realestate. I do think it's worth the extra $... Finally I can goof off and watch a dvd on this thing in my office. That's pretty cool;)

Bottom line is this an expensive machine with lots of plusses and several minuses. I'm glad i got it and would get it again. Just, don't expect too too much.

(5 out of 5)

Beautiful and Elegant

The Apple PowerBook G4 17" is a beautiful machine. After nearly 20 years of working solely with DOS and Windows, I have entered the Mac world with this computer. So far, it's a pretty good world. I have had the PowerBook for only 10 days so this report is, of necessity, preliminary. I bought the PowerBook G4 17" because its state-of-the-art 17" display is unmatched by any other laptop in the industry, and because I wanted the challenge of learning a new operating system - something I had not done in many years. If my overall experience with this machine matches its beauty and its startlingly wonderful display, I am going to like it a lot.