Apple iMac G3 (Revision B) vs Apple iMac Pro (2017)
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleiMac G3 (Revision B) | AppleiMac Pro (2017) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | October 1998 | December 2017 |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | PowerPC G3 233 MHz (iMac) | Intel Xeon W-2140B, Intel Xeon W-2150B, Intel Xeon W-2170B or Intel Xeon W-2191B |
| CPU cores | 1 | 8, 10, 14 or 18 |
| Graphics | ATI RAGE Pro (6 MB) | Radeon Pro Vega 56 (8 GB HBM2), Radeon Pro Vega 64 (16 GB HBM2) or Radeon Pro Vega 64X (16 GB HBM2) |
| Memory | 32 MB or 256 MB | 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB (better) |
| Storage | 4 GB | 1 TB to 4 TB (better) |
| CPU | 233 MHz PowerPC G3 with 66 MHz system bus and 512 KB backside L2 cache. The generic chip record names no supplier; MacGeneration identifies a Motorola PowerPC 750 in its reviewed Revision B unit. | Xeon W at 3.2 GHz with 8 cores (Turbo Boost 4.2 GHz), 3.0 GHz with 10 cores (4.5 GHz), 2.5 GHz with 14 cores (4.3 GHz) or 2.3 GHz with 18 cores (4.3 GHz). Exact W-B CPU identities follow Geekbench. The 8/10-core versions launched first; Macworld reports later January 2018 availability for 14/18-core options. Apple changed the standard configuration to 10 cores in August 2020. |
| GPU | ATI RAGE Pro graphics with 6 MB video memory; Apple’s developer history confirms the graphics change from the original RAGE IIc model. | Radeon Pro Vega 56 with 8 GB HBM2, optionally Vega 64 or Vega 64X with 16 GB HBM2. Vega 64X is a later option included in Apple’s current specification sheet, absent from the launch reviews. |
| Memory type | 32 MB SDRAM standard, two SO-DIMM slots. Current retained Apple Revision B sheet supports up to 256 MB; the older developer history gives 128 MB. Configurations use the current maximum, with the conflict recorded. | Quad-channel 2666 MHz DDR4 ECC; 32 GB standard, configurable to 64/128/256 GB. The current maker sheet includes the later 256 GB option; launch reviews cover up to 128 GB. No user-accessible memory door. |
| Storage type | 4 GB IDE hard drive and tray-loading 24x CD-ROM. | 1 TB SSD, configurable to 2 or 4 TB |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 15″ | 27″ |
| Resolution | 1024 × 768 | 5120 × 2880 (better) |
| Panel | – | IPS LCD |
| Brightness | – | 500 nits |
| Refresh rate | 75 Hz | – |
| Display type | Nominal 15-inch CRT, 13.8-inch viewable diagonal; no fixed LCD native resolution. | LED-backlit Retina 5K display; IPS panel confirmed by EveryMac. Native refresh rate omitted because Apple does not publish it in the specification sheet. |
| Display features | 1024 × 768 at 75 Hz, 800 × 600 at 95 Hz and 640 × 480 at 117 Hz (EveryMac exact A/B specification). | Wide colour (P3); supports one billion colours |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | 2 × USB-A, Ethernet, 2 × headphone jack | 4 × Thunderbolt 3, 4 × USB-A, SD card slot, Ethernet, headphone jack |
| Ethernet | 0.1 Gb/s | 10 Gb/s (better) |
| External displays | – | Up to 4 |
| Wi-Fi | – | 802.11ac |
| Bluetooth | – | 5.0 |
| Camera | – | 1080p FaceTime HD |
| Back ports | Two USB ports, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, 56K modem and audio line-in/out, plus two front headphone jacks. The retained combined maker sheet lists IrDA; Apple’s developer comparison lists it only for the original revision, while MacGeneration’s physical Revision B review shows the infrared window. No standard FireWire or VGA output. | Four USB-A ports; four Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports with DisplayPort 1.2, Thunderbolt up to 40 Gb/s and USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb/s; UHS-II SDXC, Nbase-T Ethernet supporting 1/2.5/5/10Gb and 3.5 mm headphone jack. Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, DVI and VGA require adapters. |
| External displays | – | Two 5120 × 2880 displays at 60 Hz with one billion colours, four 3840 × 2160 displays at 60 Hz with one billion colours, or four 4096 × 2304 displays at 60 Hz with millions of colours, alongside the built-in display |
| Speakers | Built-in stereo speakers and microphone. | Stereo speakers |
| Microphones | – | Four microphones; supports Hey Siri |
| Keyboard and mouse | Apple USB Keyboard and round Apple USB Mouse. | Space grey Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and Magic Mouse 2; optional space grey Magic Trackpad 2 |
| Design and power | ||
| Type | All-in-one | All-in-one |
| Weight | – | 9.7 kg |
| Width × depth × height | – | 650 × 203 × 516 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Size and weight detail | Maker retained sheet gives height 15.8, width 15.2 and depth 17.6 inches, weight 40 pounds. Metric figures from the original revision are not borrowed. | Dimensions include the stand; weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process. Optional VESA mount adapter kit. |
| Power supply | – | 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz, single phase |
| Materials | – | Recyclable aluminium enclosure; arsenic-free glass and mercury-free LED backlight |
| In the box | Mac OS 8.5. Conservative October 1998 sale month follows MacGeneration’s exact Revision B retrospective; published introduction days differ and are not treated as a verified worldwide first-sale day. | iMac Pro, space grey Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, space grey Magic Mouse 2, Lightning to USB cable and power lead |
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