Mac · The Digital Hub · 2003
PowerBook G4 (Aluminum)
The titanium PowerBook went aluminium, gaining a 17" giant, a 12" mini and a backlit keyboard — the direct ancestor of every MacBook Pro since.
PowerBook G4 (Aluminum): key facts
When was the PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) released?
The PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) was released in September 2003. Apple discontinued it in October 2005.
How much did the PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) cost?
The PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) launched at $1,799 in 2003 — about $3,130 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the PowerBook G4 (Aluminum)’s specs?
The PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) used a PowerPC G4 running at 1.33 GHz, with 256 MB of memory and 58.6 GB of storage. It ran Mac OS X 10.2.
Why does the PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) matter?
First aluminium Mac laptop and first with a backlit keyboard and ambient light sensor.
Full specifications
| CPU | PowerPC G4 · 1.33 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 256 MB (up to 2 GB) |
| Storage | 58.6 GB |
| Display | 12", 15" or 17" widescreen |
| GPU | ATI/NVIDIA mobile |
| Ports | USB 2.0, FireWire, Ethernet |
| Weight | 2.5 kg |
| Dimensions | Aluminium widescreen |
| Operating system | Mac OS X 10.2 |
| Released | September 2003 |
| Discontinued | October 2005 |
| Launch price | $1,799 |
How the PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 64× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 1.33 GHz, the clock is roughly 2.4× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 15,000 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $1,799 in 2003 — about $3,130 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
The 17" model was so wide reviewers joked it needed its own postcode.
Related Mac models
Open the PowerBook G4 (Aluminum) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-25