At 6.9 pounds and 1 inch thick, this PowerBook is the lightest fully loaded desktop-replacement notebook ever--certainly worth its high cost.

The good: Light for its size; wide, bright display; backlit keyboard; Bluetooth, Wi-Fi networking; plenty of high-speed I/O and video ports.

The bad: Expensive; free phone support lasts only 90 days.

Since Apple introduced the world's first 17-inch notebook earlier this year, other wide-screen portables have appeared on the scene. But the revamped 17-inch PowerBook G4 holds its own against the competition, with its unique backlit keyboard, gorgeous display, and relatively light weight. For instance, at 6.9 pounds, it's 2.7 pounds lighter than the HP Pavilion zd7000, and it runs cooler. Plus, this top-of-the-line PowerBook sports the same sleek anodized aluminum found on the smaller PowerBooks and is packed with features. Sure, at $3,000, it costs $400 more than the HP and Apple's 15-inch PowerBook. Still, the 17-inch PowerBook is one of the best desktop replacements around.

design
features
specs

ZDNet