What are the capabilities of the optical drive provided by the PowerBook G4 models? Can one upgrade the optical drive?: EveryMac.com

PowerBook G4 Q&A - Updated February 21, 2007

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What are the capabilities of the optical drive provided by the PowerBook G4 models? Can one upgrade the optical drive?

The PowerBook G4 models shipped with a wide range of slot-loading optical drives of differing capabilities. This information is available on the specs page for each model, but for your convenience, it also is summarized in the handy chart below:

PowerBook G4	Optical Drive
400 (Original - Ti)	6X DVD-ROM
500 (Original - Ti)	6X DVD-ROM
550 (Gigabit - Ti)	6X DVD-ROM*
667 (Gigabit - Ti)	6X DVD-ROM*
667 (DVI - Ti)	8X "Combo"
800 (DVI - Ti)	8X "Combo"
867 (Ti)	8X "Combo"
1.0 (Ti)	1X "SuperDrive"
867 12" (Al)	8X "Combo"
1.0 17" (Al)	2X "SuperDrive"
1.0 12" (DVI - Al)	8X "Combo"*
1.0 15" (FW800 - Al)	8X "Combo"
1.25 15" (FW800 - Al)	2X "SuperDrive"
1.33 17" (Al)	2X "SuperDrive"
1.33 12" (Al)	8X "Combo"*
1.33 15" (Al)	8X "Combo"
1.5 15" (Al)	4X "SuperDrive"
1.5 17" (Al)	4X "SuperDrive"
1.5 12" (Al)	8X "Combo"*
1.5 15" (SMS/BT2 - Al)	8X "Combo"
1.67 15" (Al)	8X "SuperDrive"
1.67 17" (Al)	8X "SuperDrive"
1.67 15" (DLSD/HR - Al)	2.4X DL "SuperDrive"
1.67 17" (DLSD/HR - Al)	2.4X DL "SuperDrive"

*These models had more than one optical drive offered as a standard configuration.

For the exact speed of each optical drive reading and writing different media, please refer to the specs page for the particular model of interest. The optical drive in each PowerBook G4 model can be upgraded.

Site sponsor Other World Computing sells more capable optical drives -- including dual-layer SuperDrives -- for every PowerBook G4 model, as well as other PowerBook G4 upgrades.

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