PowerBook 17-Inch 2003

The PowerBook G4/1.0 17" (Al) sported a 1.0 GHz PowerPC 7455 (G4) processor with the AltiVec "Velocity Engine," 256k on-chip level 2 cache, and 1.0 MB level 3 cache. It was configured with 512 MB of PC2700 DDR SDRAM, a 60 GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive (4200 RPM), and a slot-loading 2X "SuperDrive." Connectivity was robust, featuring a Firewire "800" port, built-in Bluetooth 1.1, and AirPort Extreme (802.11g). Its graphics were powered by an NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go (4X AGP) with 64 MB of DDR SDRAM, displayed on a vast 17" widescreen TFT screen (1440x900). This model was a pioneer, being the first notebook to offer a 17" display and a fiber optic ambient light sensor for automatic adjustment of keyboard and screen brightness. It also marked the debut of a Firewire "800" port on a Mac. Custom configurations were also available.

Upon its release, the 17-inch PowerBook was hailed as a revolutionary machine, primarily for its massive widescreen display which offered unprecedented screen real estate for a laptop. [7] This feature alone made it a favorite among creative professionals who needed to view large documents or timelines. [7] The ambient light sensor with the backlit keyboard was another groundbreaking feature that users found incredibly useful, enhancing usability in low-light conditions. [19] Its sleek aluminum design was praised for its aesthetics and solid feel. While its size made it less portable than its smaller siblings, it was positioned as a true desktop replacement, and for that purpose, its performance and feature set were considered top-tier. [7, 15]