What are the "pros and cons" of the iMac G5 models? Is one right for my needs?

Please note that the iMac G5 was discontinued on January 10, 2006.

Like any other purchase, only you can make the decision whether or not the iMac G5 is the right Mac for you, but you can evaluate the pros and cons of the model to see if your needs are met. This summary may be helpful in making a decision:

Pros:

• Attractive, compact, and innovative case design.
• Relatively fast compared to other models available at the same time.
• RAM is easy to upgrade in all models and the hard drive and other internal components are easy to upgrade in the original and "Ambient Light Sensor" models.
• Support for Serial ATA hard drives.
• Original and "Ambient Light Sensor" models are easy to mount on a wall or kiosk.
• "iSight" models have a built-in iSight camera for easy video conferencing.
• Unofficial dual display support.
• Two Firewire "400" ports standard.
• Support for MacOS 9/Classic applications.

Cons:

• No internal expansion beyond memory -- no extra hard drive bays and no PCI slots.
• Serial ATA is not backwards compatible with less expensive Ultra ATA drives.
• Officially limited to a single display.
• No internal modem in the "iSight" iMac G5 models.
• More expensive than the less powerful Mac mini models available at the same time.

If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive and reasonably powerful Mac, MacOS 9/"Classic" support is important, and expansion is not, then the iMac G5 would be a good choice.

If performance, expansion, and MacOS 9/"Classic" support is important, then a Power Macintosh G5 would be ideal. If MacOS 9/"Classic" support is not relevant, but the iMac G5 otherwise meets your needs, you might also consider an Intel-based iMac.

Who designed the iMac G5?

Apple's industrial design for the last several years has been performed entirely in-house by Apple's Industrial Design Group, led by Jonathan Ive.

Where can I buy an iMac G5?

There are any number of places to purchase a used Mac, but these days, they remain of interest mostly to vintage enthusiasts and are sold only on auction sites.

To purchase upgrades, please visit site sponsor Other World Computing, which sells hard drives, memory, and more for the iMac G5 and every other Mac.

What are the default configurations of the iMac G5?

For the default configurations of every iMac G5, as well as details on a variety of upgrade options available at the time of purchase, please refer to the specs page for the model of interest.