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Power Macintosh G5 Q&A - Updated December 17, 2006
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What are the primary differences between the original Power Mac G5 models?
Please note that the original Power Macintosh G5 series was introduced on June 23, 2003 and discontinued June 9, 2004.
The original Power Macintosh G5 models -- the Power Macintosh G5/1.6 (PCI), G5/1.8 (PCI-X) and G5/2.0 DP (PCI-X) -- are the first Macs to use the 64-bit PowerPC 970 (G5) processor, and consequently are arguably the first "desktop" computers to use 64-bit chips. In addition to higher clock speeds, the PowerPC 970 (G5) has a "new execution core that features massively parallel computation for an unprecedented 215 in-flight instructions", and the Power Macintosh G5 uses a new system architecture as well. Together this combination results in major speed gains compared to earlier Apple systems.
The major differences are summarized below in this handy chart:
Power Mac G5 | |||
Processor: | 1.6 GHz | 1.8 GHz | 2.0 GHz x2 |
System Bus: | 800 MHz | 900 MHz | 1.0 GHz |
Level 2 Cache: | 512k | 512k | 512k |
Memory Type: | PC2700 DDR | PC3200 DDR | PC3200 DDR |
Std. RAM: | 256 MB | 512 MB | 512 MB |
Max. RAM: | 4.0 GB | 8.0 GB | 8.0 GB |
Video Card: | 5200 Ultra† | 5200 Ultra† | Radeon 9600 Pro |
Video RAM: | 64 MB | 64 MB | 64 MB |
Hard Drive: | 80 GB†† | 160 GB†† | 160 GB†† |
SuperDrive: | 4X | 4X | 4X |
AP Extreme: | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Bluetooth 1.1: | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Expansion: | 3 PCI* | 3 PCI-X* | 3 PCI-X* |
Model No: | M9020LL/A | M9031LL/A | M9032LL/A |
Orig. Price: | US$1999 | US$2399 | US$2999 |
On November 18, 2003, Apple discontinued the Power Macintosh G5/1.8 (PCI-X) and replaced it with the Power Macintosh G5/1.8 DP (PCI-X), which was identical except that it was configured with dual 1.8 GHz PowerPC 970 (G5) processors, cost one hundred dollars more (US$2499) and was assigned model number M9393LL/A.
†These models have a NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra with 64 MB of DDR SDRAM.
††All hard drives are 7200 RPM.
*Each also has an expansion slot for AirPort Extreme (802.11g) and Bluetooth 1.1.
Please refer to the Ultimate Mac Comparison feature to dynamically compare any Power Macintosh G5 model to any other G3 or later Mac.
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