Home > Consumer Reviews > Apple PowerBook Laptop 15" M9422LL/A (1.50-GHz PowerPC G4, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive)

I just bought the PowerBook 15" (1.5Ghz, 80GB harddrive). I switched from Windows (an HP machine running Windows XP). I've had the PowerBook for about two weeks now and all I can say is wow! I'm a photographer with about 40GB worth of digital photos. I use Photoshop CS extensively. The wide format screen is awesome for photo editing. The included iPhoto software is great. Way better than anything I've used on Windows (and I've used just about everything). The OS is rock solid. No freezes or crashes yet (unlike the blue screen of death in Windows I got on a daily basis). I would highly recommend a PowerBook with Mac OS X to anybody into digital photography. Also, when I'm at Starbucks or Borders with my PowerBook, there's definitely a wow effect. I always notice people checking it out.

As power users wait patiently for PowerBook G5, Apple gives us the most matured PowerBook G4 to date.

No major breakthrough here, but all are nice to have:
- Faster CPU: 7447A running 1.5 GHz vs. 7447 running 1.25 GHz
- Faster GPU: ATI Mobility RADEON 9700 vs. ATI Mobility RADEON 9600
- Faster SuperDrive: writes CD-RW, DVD-R, and DVD-RW at double the speed
- $100 cheaper
- Fixed various manufacturing defects that plagued previous generation (e.g., bad LCD)

All in all, these additions make up the fastest and most trouble-free PowerBook G4.

Still... there are things missing:
- Long battery life: although Apple specifies 4.5 hours of battery life, you will be lucky to get 3 (most will get 2 to 2.5 hours under typical use)
- Faster hard disk: although you can specify 5400 RPM hard disk as built-to-order option, it bundles 4200 RPM hard disk (not optimal for GarageBand and iMovie)
- High resolution LCD: year after year, the 15-inch PowerBook is still stuck at 15.2" running 1280x854 resolution; Apple should offer higher resolution 15.4" as an option for power users
- New Bluetooth 1.2: it includes older Bluetooth 1.1
- No digital audio output: most notebooks don't yet offer this, but Apple should
- Slower in most respect than high-end Centrino notebooks

If you need the best portable running Mac OS X today, this 15-inch PowerBook is it (unless you can comfortably carry 17-inch). But I wonder what Apple has it in store for the PowerBook G5 next year.

I have to say I am glad I waited for this generation of the G4 powerbook. It has been said in reviews that the most significant new feature of this laptop is it's lack of problem exhibited in many of the previous generations of the g4 powerbook. I must agree. The powerbook is very refined and the technology is perfectly combined with the operating system. It does everything with grace.

BTW, I reccomend the Appld bluetooth mouse and keyboard. They are an flawless pair.

I am very hard to please and don't write such positive things often.

Wow. I just can't say enough good things about this computer. I bought this laptop back in May 2004, and I have been doting on it ever since. I am a college student majoring in Graphic Design, so the purchase of this computer was a must. I am generally a PC user, so I thought that the switch to a MAC may be harder than I would hope. That didn't seem to be the case at all! I learned this computer and all it's commands in less than one week - with the help of a good MAC book.

When it is delievered to your door, it comes in a beautiful case - it's like opening a brand new mini-car! All of my friends were around and I felt like I was unwrapping the crown jewel of computers! All of my friends knew how much this baby cost, so they were just as excited to see if my money was worth it! Well, I decided right then and there that I would fall in love with this computer the second I hit the power button. We were in awe! Most of us being PC users, we found that MAC OS X was way beyond Windows XP - in quality, solidness, and pure asthetics.

The software that comes with the computer is great! I love iLife! It helps organize all your photos and you can post them to a website in under 2 minutes!

When you decide to purchase this little beauty - a few suggestions:
- Upgrade the Memory to 1 Gig - so many people say that, but it's not very affordable to upgrade RAM to 1 gig - but believe me, your computer will run so much more smoothly if you just invest a little more.
- Buy the Powerbook Plan!!! - Phone support only last 90 days after you buy this, and when you are buying something with this sort of price tag, you need to take all precautions in safeguarding it. The plan extends warranty and support for 3 years!
- Office for MAC!! Wow! I love this version of Microsoft Office. It's kinda strange, but I actually feel like this version of Microsoft Office is the ONLY version of Office! It's wonderful! Loads of features!!

When you decide to purchase this computer, you won't be dissappointed. The screen is absolutely stuning (I have not had the problems a few people claim to have about white sploches on the screen.) I love the back-lit keyboard! It's just plain cool! When you have this little beauty sitting on your desk or in your lap, you will be envied by all! Especially PC users!!

An excellent piece of engineering combined with a truly elegant operating system and applications. I have owned laptops from HP, IBM and Toshiba and this unit takes the cake. Very fast, silent and well built. The airport extreme 802.11g is very fast and the bluetooth works well with the Apple wireless mouse. The screen is beautiful and the backlit keyboard is nice when you are sitting on the couch typing in the evening. I expect to keep this system for at least five years. Well worth the investment.

Purchasing advice: Spring for the 128MB of video RAM and upgrade the main RAM to 1GB. This will cost an extra ~$180 or so but it is an inexpensive way to maximize performance.