Looking to buy or sell or fix your Powerbook G4, confused about words like Titanium, Aluminum, VGA or DVI, screen size, hinge problems.

              

Titanium Series Powerbook G4                  Aluminum Series Powerbook G4

This guide will specifically only be about the Aluminum Powerbook G4, to find out more about the Titanium Series G4 click here.

Should the pictures above not be enough to identify your Powerbook G4, look underneath your machine and find the Apple Family Number and check the guides for which one it is. Or much easier if your powerbook has all the ports on the rear it's a Titanium, if the ports are on the side it's an Aluminum.


Titanium Series Model Numbers: M5884, M8407, A1001, A1025

Aluminum Series Model Numbers: A1010, A1104, A1046, A1095, A1106, A1138, A1013, A1052, A1085, A1107, A1139

MacBook Pro Family Series : A1150, A1151,  A1211, A1212 (MacBook Pro has Intel Chipset and not G4 PPC but because it look similar to the Aluminums I added it)


The Aluminum Series Model Number looks like this:  

To find out more remove the Battery from the machine and the tag inside it will reveal the rest of the specs:

Once you have the serial number of your Powerbook, you can also go to the Apple website and under the Support Tab enter the serial number in the lower right hand corner where it says "About Your Support Coverage", once you click enter it will give you. Model of your machine and if you are still covered under Apple Care Service. Short guide on this

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Aluminum Series G4 Powerbooks were made in 3 different screen sizes 12, 15 & 17 inches, and have been replaced by the MacBook Pro 15 & 17 inches in early 2006.

The 12 inch Aluminum Powerbook

•  with MHZ ratings of 867 Mhz, 1.0 Ghz, 1.33 Ghz (all 3 know as A1010) and 1.5 Ghz (A1104)
  
• the 867 Mhz model is VGA, all others are DVI (very important went trying to replace the screen assembly as connectors are different even on the logic board)
• all models have the same res 1024 x 768
• the 867 has 128mb onboard ram, all other models have 256 mb
• no backlit keyboards on the 12 inch models
• max ram is a 1gb dimm on top of the logic board memory
• inverter is soldered in and replacing it requires disassembling your entire Powerbook, Apple Part #922-6421 (DVI), 922-5719 (VGA)
• logic boards are interchangeable with the DVI models, not with the VGA 867 Mhz.
• Batteries MODEL A1022, A1060, A1079
• Screen Part #'s LG Philips LP121X04(c2), will be adding more as I come across them.
  
• Battery Recall on Model #A1079, Serial #s: ZZ411 through ZZ427, 3K428 through 3K611, 3K425 through 3K601 check Apple's Webpage under support.

The 15 inch Aluminum Powerbook(A1046)(1st Generation)

• with ratings of 1.0 & 1.25 Ghz
• all are DVI models with a resolution of 1280 x 854
• all have a max ram of 2gb (PC2700 DDR 333)
  
• backlit keyboard options
• bluetooth version 1.1

The 15 inch Aluminum Powerbook(A1095)(2nd Generation)

• with ratings of 1.33 & 1.5 Ghz
• all are DVI models with a resolution of 1280 x 854
• all have a max ram of 2gb (PC2700 DDR 333)
  
• backlit keyboard options
• bluetooth version 1.1
• the 1.5 Ghz had an optional video card on the logic board with 128mb video ram instead of the stock 64mb

The 15 inch Aluminum Powerbook(A1106)(3rd Generation)

• with ratings of 1.5 and 1.67 Ghz
• same specs as 1st Generation except Bluetooth version 2.0
• the 1.67 Ghz had an optional video card on the logic board with 128mb video ram instead of the stock 64mb
• the 1.5 Ghz A1106 can be easily identified vs the A1095, A1106 has a built in airport card extreme and thus no slip open slot for this card.
  

The 15 inch Aluminum Powerbook(A1138)(4th Generation)

• 1.67 Ghz
• higher screen res of 1440 x960
• max ram 2gb (DDR2 PC2-4200)
• bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
• Double Layer Superdrive (previous models only had single layer)

The 15 inch Aluminum Powerbook Screen assembly is interchangeable among the A1046 & A1095 models, the logic board can only be changed among the same model ranges as the lower case differs. The third generations screen A1106 does not swap into early models and vise versa.

LCD used in A1046, A1095, A1106 : B152EW01, LTN152W4-L01, LTN152W4-L02, LTN152W4-L03, LTN152W5-L01, inverter is the same on all of them Part #922-6015

Battery Recall Model #A1078 and A1148, Serial Numbers: 6N530 through 6N551, 6N601 check Apple's Webpage under support.



The 17 inch Aluminum Powerbook(1st Generation)(aka the Aircraft Carrier among my friends)

• ratings 1.0 Ghz (A1013), 1.33 Ghz (A1052),1.5 Ghz (A1085) and 1.67 GHZ (A1107)
  
• screen res of 1440 x 900
  
• max ram 2gb (PC2700 DDR 333)
• Bluetooth 1.1 except the 1.67 Ghz model it has Bluetooth 2.0
  
• the 1.5 Ghz had an optional video card on the logic board with 128mb video ram instead of the stock 64mb the model number for both is the same
  

The 17inch Aluminum Powerbook(2nd Generation)

• 1.67 Ghz (A1139)
  
• higher screen res of 1680 x 1050
  
• max ram 2gb (DDR2 PC2-4200)
• bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
• Double Layer Superdrive (previous models only had single layer)

The 17 inch Aluminum Powerbook Screen assembly is interchangeable among the A1013, A1052, A1085, A1107 models, the logic boards can only be changed among the same model numbers as the lower case differs. Top-case is only the same on the A1052 & A1085 and not interchangeable with the once from the model A1013 or A1107.

LCD panel used for the models A1013, A1052, A1085, A1107 is LP171W01, inverter is the same on all of them.

So far the Aluminum Powerbook has no major issues that I am aware off. Basiclly adopting the white ibook hinge design makes this a major step up from the Titanium Series Powerbooks.

The Aluminum Series Powerbooks were made in 2 different resolution models for the 15 and 17 inch, please be sure you know which model you have before looking for parts.

The G4 Aluminum Powerbooks have now been replaced by the Intel MacBook Pro's which look very similar to each other. Easiest way to identify the difference is the built in iSight camera in the display of any MacBook Pro vs the Aluminum G4's that required the purchase of an external camera. Also the MacBook Pro only ships in 15 and 17 inches.

Please Rate this Guide, your rating makes this guide mean something. If you believe I should correct or edit my guide in any way feedback is always welcome. I am also looking for certain part numbers of for example the 17" inverter for the Aluminum G4's and would like to add that info as soon as possible.