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PowerBook 1400

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PowerBook 1400
PowerBook 1400c/166 (Akbkuku, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)
Specifications
ManufacturerQuanta Computer for Apple Computer, Inc.
TypeNotebook computer
Released1 October 1996
DiscontinuedMay 1998
Intro priceUS$2,499 (1400cs/117); US$3,499 (1400c/117)
CPUPowerPC 603e at 117, 133 or 166 MHz; L2 cache on the 133 and 166 MHz models
Memory12 or 16 MB soldered; one expansion slot for piggy-backed cards; 64 MB maximum
Storage2.5-inch IDE hard disk (750 MB to 2 GB); expansion bay for a floppy or CD-ROM drive
Display11.3-inch 800 × 600; active matrix (1400c) or dual-scan passive matrix (1400cs)
Sound16-bit stereo in and out; mono speaker; built-in microphone
ROM4 MB
PowerNiMH main battery; rechargeable backup battery; 45 W adapter
Dimensions2.0 × 11.5 × 9.0 in (54 × 292 × 229 mm)
Weight6.6 lb (3.0 kg) with floppy drive
OS / FirmwareSystem 7.5.3 with the PowerBook 1400 Enabler to Mac OS 9.1
PredecessorPowerBook 5300

The PowerBook 1400 is a series of PowerPC notebooks sold by Apple from October 1996, designed and manufactured for Apple by Quanta Computer.[1] It uses a PowerPC 603e at 117, 133 or 166 MHz, and each speed was offered as the 1400c, with an active-matrix colour display, and the 1400cs, with a dual-scan passive-matrix one. It was the first PowerBook with an expansion bay that takes a CD-ROM drive as well as the floppy drive, and Apple describes it as the first PowerBook to support fully modular features.[1][2] Its architecture comes from the PowerBook 5300.[3]

Models

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PowerBook 1400 configurations
Model Processor Display As shipped (Service Source) Introduced (Apple specification page)
1400cs/117 603e, 117 MHz, no L2 Dual-scan FSTN 12 MB / 750 MB or 16 MB / 750 MB / CD 1 October 1996[4]
1400c/117 603e, 117 MHz, no L2 Active matrix 16 MB / 1 GB / CD 1 October 1996[5]
1400c/133 603e, 133 MHz, L2 Active matrix 16 MB / 1 GB or 1.3 GB / CD 1 October 1996 (Service Source: February 1997)[6]
1400cs/133 603e, 133 MHz, L2 Dual-scan FSTN 12 MB / 1 GB or 16 MB / 1.3 GB / CD 19 May 1997[7]
1400c/166 603e, 166 MHz, L2 Active matrix 16 MB / 2 GB / CD 14 July 1997[8]
1400cs/166 603e, 166 MHz, L2 Dual-scan FSTN 16 MB / 2 GB / CD 15 October 1997[9]

The Service Source gives the 133 and 166 MHz models a 256 KB L2 cache; Apple's Enhanced PowerBook 1400 developer note, Wikipedia and Low End Mac give 128 KB.[2][10][1][11] The Service Source's configuration list calls the 1400cs/166 active matrix, which contradicts the model name.[2]

Specifications

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Apple's specifications[2]
Item Specification
Processor PowerPC 603e, 117, 133 or 166 MHz; L2 cache on the 133 and 166 MHz models
RAM 12 or 16 MB low-power DRAM; expandable to 64 MB with cards using 70 ns or faster TSOP chips
ROM and VRAM 4 MB ROM; 1 MB VRAM
Storage 2.5-inch hard disk of 750 MB, 1 GB, 1.3 GB or 2 GB; removable 1.44 MB floppy drive and 6x, 8x or 12x CD-ROM drive for the expansion bay
Ports HDI-30 SCSI with SCSI disk mode; two PC Card slots (two Type I or II, or one Type III); ADB (200 mA total, three devices); RS-422 serial; stereo sound in and out; infrared; power adapter; security slot
Expansion Slot for a video-out or Ethernet card; RAM card slot that accepts a second, piggy-backed card; expansion bay for floppy, CD-ROM or a second battery
Keyboard and trackpad 76 keys (77 ISO) with 12 function keys; solid-state trackpad
Display 11.3 in, 800 × 600, thousands of colours: dual-scan FSTN (1400cs) or active-matrix TFT (1400c)
Main battery NiMH, 2-4 hours; recharge slightly over 2 hours
Backup battery 50 mAh rechargeable; keeps the clock, and RAM for a few minutes during a battery change in sleep
Power adapter 100-240 V AC, 45 W
Size and weight 2.0 × 11.5 × 9.0 in (54 × 292 × 229 mm); 6.6 lb (3.0 kg) with the floppy drive, 0.3 lb more with the CD-ROM drive

Hardware

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Logic board and processor card

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The processor sits on a daughterboard plugged into the logic board, which also carries the factory-fitted RAM card and the customer RAM card.[2] Apple fitted two logic boards with different ROMs. Board 661-1188, with ROMs 341S0203 (U3) and 341S0204 (U4), works with the 117 and 133 MHz processors; board 661-1381, with ROMs 341S0364 and 341S0365, also works with the 166 MHz processor. Apple's identification method is to remove the factory RAM card, and on a 133 MHz machine the processor card as well, and read the ROMs.[2] A 166 MHz processor card therefore will not run on the older board.[11]

Batteries

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The NiMH main battery reads 14 V when fully charged, and the machine shuts down at 12 V.[2] LaPorta rebuilds packs with eight 4/3A flat-top NiMH cells.[12] A 50 mAh rechargeable backup battery in the top case keeps the clock, and the RAM for a few minutes while the main battery is changed in sleep.[2] See PowerBook 1400 General Maintenance#Batteries.

Known faults

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  • The display housing cracks around the hinges, and the cracks grow every time the lid is moved. 3lectr1cPPC notes that on the 1400 the housing itself fails, where other PowerBooks lose their standoffs.[13] See PowerBook 1400 General Maintenance#Display housing and hinges.
  • Surface-mount electrolytic capacitors on the logic board, display and inverter. MacDat recommends recapping; it found one leaking capacitor in its own 1400c.[14] See PowerBook 1400 Capacitor Replacement Guide.
  • Flat backup batteries, which leave the sleep light on and the machine unable to start until the reset button is held down.[2]
  • Broken bottom-case latches on the battery and media bays and broken CD-ROM drive doors, both listed by Apple as replaceable parts (latches 922-3304; doors 922-2531 for 6x and 8x drives, 922-3331 for 12x).[2]
  • Original 1 GB drives formatted to only about 750 MB at the factory on the 1400c/117 (M4856) and 1400c/133 (M5576).[2]

Fault-finding is on PowerBook 1400 Troubleshooting.

Maintenance and repair

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Documentation

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Apple's exploded view of the PowerBook 1400 bottom assembly (Service Source, PDF p. 234)
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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wikipedia, "PowerBook 1400" (retrieved 2026-10-02). Designed and manufactured by Quanta; sold from October 1996 to May 1998; based on the PowerBook 5300 architecture; expansion bay for a CD-ROM, floppy or Zip drive; BookCover panels; launch prices US$2,499 for the 1400cs and US$3,499 for the 1400c; 128 KB L2 cache on the 133 and 166 MHz models. History only.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Apple Computer, PowerBook 1400 Service Source (PowerBook 1400c/117, /133, /166, PowerBook 1400cs/117, /133, /166), hosted here as File:PowerBook 1400 Service Source.pdf (see PowerBook 1400 Service Source). PDF page numbers: Hot Issues pp. 3-14; Product Overview pp. 16-17; System Configurations pp. 18-21; Front, Side and Rear views pp. 22-24; Logic Board p. 25; Battery Information pp. 27-30; Specifications pp. 35-46; Troubleshooting pp. 48-81; Take Apart pp. 82-213; Upgrades pp. 214-220; Additional Procedures pp. 221-232; Exploded View pp. 234-235.
  3. ↑ Apple Computer, PowerBook 1400 Computer developer note (1995, 1996), hosted here as File:PowerBook 1400 Developer Note (1996).pdf (see PowerBook 1400 Documentation). Chapter 1: many features similar to the PowerBook 5300; new case design; 603e at 117 MHz; 12 or 16 MB of low-power self-refreshing DRAM; trackpad as on the PowerBook 190; 6.5 lb with battery and floppy drive; one NiMH battery of 30 Wh, up to five hours; 45 W adapter recharges the battery in about four hours running or two hours off.
  4. ↑ Apple, "Macintosh PowerBook 1400cs/117: Technical Specifications" (retrieved 2026-10-02). Introduced 10/1/1996, discontinued 7/14/1997; 12-64 MB; 750 MB minimum drive; 6x CD; Gestalt ID 310; 6.7 lb.
  5. ↑ Apple, "Macintosh PowerBook 1400c/117: Technical Specifications" (retrieved 2026-10-02). 603e at 117 MHz, 33.3 MHz bus, no L2; 2 Type II PC Card slots (1 Type III); 45 W; battery PB1400 NiMH; 16 MB on the logic board, 64 MB maximum, cards piggy-back; 800 × 600 at 16 bits; introduced 10/1/1996, discontinued 7/14/1997; Gestalt ID 310; ROM ID $077D, 4 MB; 6.6 lb; 2 × 11.5 × 9 in; Mac OS 7.5.3 to 9.
  6. ↑ Apple, "Macintosh PowerBook 1400c/133: Technical Specifications" (retrieved 2026-10-02). Introduced 10/1/1996; 16-64 MB.
  7. ↑ Apple, "Macintosh PowerBook 1400cs/133: Technical Specifications" (retrieved 2026-10-02). Introduced 5/19/1997; 8x CD.
  8. ↑ Apple, "Macintosh PowerBook 1400c/166: Technical Specifications" (retrieved 2026-10-02). Introduced 7/14/1997; 2 GB drive; original system 7.6.1.
  9. ↑ Apple, "Macintosh PowerBook 1400cs/166: Technical Specifications" (retrieved 2026-10-02). Introduced 10/15/1997; 12x CD; original system 8.0.
  10. ↑ Apple Computer, Enhanced Macintosh PowerBook 1400 Computer developer note (1997), hosted here as File:Enhanced PowerBook 1400 Developer Note (1997).pdf (see PowerBook 1400 Documentation). Chapter 1, Delta Guide, pp. 1-3: 166 MHz PowerPC 603ev with a 2.5 V core; built-in 128 KB L2 cache, also on other recent models; 2.0 GB disk; 8x CD-ROM; upgraded ROM for 166 MHz; Mac OS 7.6.1; the internal hard disk must be no more than 12.5 mm high, correcting the 19.25 mm given in the original developer note.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Low End Mac, "PowerBook 1400" (retrieved 2026-10-02). 128 KB L2 on the 133 and 166 only; RAM 12 or 16 MB soldered, to 64 MB with one or two piggy-backed modules; the 166 MHz processor card does not work in 117 and 133 MHz machines because of ROM differences; no CardBus; no SCSI termination power; will not boot from CD with the C key; M4895 or M4896 power supply; Gestalt ID 310. Secondary source.
  12. ↑ 68kMLA forum thread "PowerBook 1400 battery - what cell type?", April 2023. LaPorta: eight 4/3A NiMH cells without end nubs; a battery shop can tack-weld tabs to match the original; the pack holds the cells, its electronics and what he believes is a thermistor. Community repair report.
  13. ↑ 68kMLA forum thread "PowerBook 1400 Hinge Cracking - Has anyone found a fix?", July 2022. 3lectr1cPPC: the rear display housing cracks around the hinges and eventually breaks; LaPorta: battery rebuilds with 4/3A flat-top NiMH cells; AEChadwick: has glued his 3D-printed shim into three PowerBook 1400s, all holding up. Community experience.
  14. ↑ MacDat, "Capacitor Reference - PowerBook 1400c" and "Capacitor Reference - PowerBook 1400cs" (retrieved 2026-10-02). Recapping recommended; one leaking capacitor found in a 1400c; logic board 100 µF 35 V ×9 (10 × 10 mm) and 33 µF 25 V ×1. Secondary source.


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