Apple PowerBook G4 12.1 in. (APPM9690LLA) Mac Notebook

Before I start my review I would like you to know that I try not to focus on the features, capabilities, etc. of the object I am reviewing since it can be readily found in other reviews or in the details tab of the object. For example, if I review a printer, I assume that you know whether it has pictbridge capabilities or a card reader, since that is covered in the details tab as well as well as the website of the respective printer. I will tell you, however, if there is something wrong with the feature or if it I have not used it. If I don't mention it that means that it works without problems and does not need mentioning. This does not apply to a product with little or no reviews.

I bought this computer about 18 months ago, and it was/is my first mac. I bought this computer for about $1600 through student discount. At the time, the intel macs were not out yet, so a g4 processor was your only choice for a mac laptop. Since my other computer is a $2500 Alienware, that's what I'll be comparing it to.

Note: I've never had to call Customer service or anything, so I can't comment on that.

Transition:
As I've said, this was my first mac and I was very skeptical of them, being a long time windows user. I was looking for a laptop for school, and decided that I would try it, since all computers are the same if all you're doing is taking notes with them. When I first started using it, it was a bit confusing because I was used to windows. By confusing, I mean confusing in a good way, but more on that later. I was extremely happy with it and was able to use it perfectly within a week. I can't imagine anyone taking longer than this to get accustomed to it if using it daily.

Looks:
The computer looks amazing compared to other laptops, as just about everyone will agree, including die-hard windows users. It has an aluminum alloy shell which feels great and looks sleek, although it is able to dent if you drop it. I dropped mine from around five feet on to a hardwood floor and the only thing that resulted was that the case was bent outward by about a quarter of an inch near the cd drive. If you like simplistic or minimalistic designs, this is the way to go.

Portability:
The reason I bought the twelve inch model is because of it's size, since I would be carrying it everywhere. I couldn't be more happy with it. I haven't yet seen a messenger bag or backpack that is too small for this computer. It fits everywhere, which is absolutely amazing.

Ease of use:
As I've said before, getting used to the mac was confusing in a good way. Being used to windows means you won't understand how to delete programs or do other trivial things. For example, when I first wanted to delete a program on my mac, I searched every window in the computer looking for a program uninstall, which I didn't find. Macs, as my friend told me, don't have any uninstall programs, you just drag it into the trash and you're done, which someone will never find if they're used to windows because it's too simple. This applies to many other things, which I won't list here.

Interface:
The interface is absolutely gorgeous on the new mac operating systems. Every little thing has an animation and looks sleek. Every program works seamlessly and I've only had a crash on my mac once, while trying to use final cut pro. You have to see it for yourself to understand. It's absolutely astonishing.

Performance:
The performance of this computer is mixed, which is really odd. By performance, I mean the speed, loading programs, etc. The details are explained in the pros and cons.

Pros:
There are many programs with which it's blazing fast, such as iDVD, iMovie, and Adobe Photoshop. Everything loads perfectly and quickly, and the effects are rendered almost instantaneously (with exceptions of some serious effects, like liquify in Photoshop, which takes a while). By fast, I mean faster, a lot faster, than my alienware, which has twice the speed, ram, and graphics of my mac. My alienware actually crashes once in a while when using liquify in Photoshop. Typing, internet, music, and other relatively small programs are no problem at all for this computer.

Cons:
Although it's quite fast in the ways mentioned above, it's very bad in other ways. For example, my computer takes hours to render effects in Final cut Pro, which is really annoying, and other professional programs give it a tough time too. If you need a computer for 3d rendering and animation, you should look elsewhere.

Battery Life:
The battery life on this computer varies. If you're working in Photoshop or iMovie, you're probably going to get no more than 90 minutes, and that's if you're lucky. If you're running the computer on low screen brightness and energy saver mode however, four to five hours is very possible, so long as you're only typing or something of the sort. IMPORTANT: There has been a battery recall on some of these models. My battery is one of those that are recalled, but I never sent it in since I'm very happy with it, and so I can't say how well the new ones work. I haven't had a problem with the defective one yet.

Screen Scratches:
The biggest problem of this computer. I have a lot of scratches on my screen seemingly out of no where. When the screen brightness is up, it's not noticeable, but it's really annoying knowing that it's there and makes the computer look ugly (or less gorgeous, at least). I haven't heard of anyone complaining about this, so it might just be mine, although I doubt it. Another thing about the screen is that it's quite small, and a bit annoying if you're multitasking, since there's very little space for more than two programs.

Heat:
The computer gets hot occasionally, especially on the bottom left corner, where the hard drive is. I don't notice any decrease in performance when it happens. The more serious problem with heat is the charger. That thing gets extremely hot. At times you can't even touch it. It cools down in about 3 minutes, but it worries me sometimes. Don't let any kids or pets near it.

Powerbook G4 12"
Speed - 1.5 Ghz
Ram - ~760 Mb
Hardrive - 80 GB