Macs laptops did not have to wait for unibody construction, they have been strong all the way. My (unhandy) ex 17" G4 did hit concrete so bad it could hardly been opened. The screen was smashed in one corner but...it started and after a massage of the 1/3 black screen it came back to 100% life. Has been used in an office ever since without a glitch !!!
I have seen a powerbook G4 15 " inundated by an unforgiving cat then washed with soap and lavender oil by a Spanish made....still worked perfect !
there are 100s of these stories around .