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Apple iMac G3 (Summer 2000) vs Apple Power Mac G4 Cube

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

AppleiMac G3 (Summer 2000)ApplePower Mac G4 Cube
Overview
ReleasedJuly 2000August 2000
Performance
ProcessorPowerPC G3 350 MHz (iMac), PowerPC G3 400 MHz (iMac), PowerPC G3 450 MHz (iMac) or PowerPC G3 500 MHz (iMac)PowerPC G4 450 MHz (Power Mac G4 Cube)
CPU cores11
GraphicsATI RAGE 128 Pro (8 MB)ATI RAGE 128 Pro (16 MB)
Memory64 MB, 128 MB or 1 GB64 MB, 128 MB or 1.5 GB
Storage7 GB to 30 GB20 GB
CPU350, 400, 450 or 500 MHz PowerPC G3 with 512 KB backside L2 cache. All use a 100 MHz system bus. Generic clock-only chip records do not infer silicon suppliers; cache differences remain in model details.450 MHz PowerPC G4 with Velocity Engine, 100 MHz system bus and 1 MB backside L2 cache running at 225 MHz. Apple offered a 500 MHz processor option; its complete launch memory/storage configuration is not established by the pages used, so it is described here rather than assigned an assumed configuration.
GPUATI RAGE 128 Pro with 8 MB dedicated SDRAM and AGP support across the range.ATI RAGE 128 Pro with 16 MB SDRAM in a dedicated AGP 2x slot. The retained maker sheet also lists optional NVIDIA GeForce2 MX with 32 MB SDRAM and ATI Radeon with 32 MB DDR; these later options are not presented as launch stock.
Memory type64 MB PC100 SDRAM standard on 350/400/450 MHz configurations; 128 MB on 500 MHz Special Edition. Two DIMM slots support up to 1 GB in the current maker sheet. Configurations retain each base and maximum memory with its original processor and drive.Original launch base: 64 MB PC100 SDRAM. February 2001 CD-RW base: 128 MB. Three DIMM slots support up to 1.5 GB, using low-profile DIMMs up to 1.38 inches (35 mm). Retained maker options: 128, 256, 384, 512 and 768 MB, 1 GB and 1.5 GB.
Storage type350 MHz: 7 GB hard drive and CD-ROM, Indigo. 400 MHz DV: 10 GB and CD-ROM, Indigo or Ruby. 450 MHz DV+: 20 GB and 4x DVD-ROM, Indigo, Ruby or Sage. 500 MHz DV Special Edition: 30 GB and DVD-ROM, Graphite or Snow. Ultra ATA hard drives; original storage stays tied to each processor.Original 20 GB Ultra ATA/66 hard drive and top slot-loading DVD-ROM. The 22 February 2001 available-now base has 20 GB and CD-RW. Retained options include 20/40 GB at 5400 rpm or 60 GB at 7200 rpm, CD-RW or DVD-ROM; independent processor/drive/GPU options are not expanded into unsupported combinations. One internal hard drive; external USB and FireWire storage supported.
Expansion slots–Dedicated AGP 2x graphics slot; no PCI slots. Lift-out electronics core provides access to DIMMs and optional AirPort card.
Display
Screen size15″None built in
Resolution1024 × 768–
Refresh rate75 Hz–
Display typeNominal 15-inch CRT with 13.8-inch viewable diagonal (EveryMac exact DV+ specification); no fixed LCD native resolution.–
Display features1024 × 768 at 75 Hz; 800 × 600 at 95 Hz and 640 × 480 at 117 Hz. Scalar refresh describes the highest-resolution mode. Exact supported modes are from EveryMac’s DV+ specification.–
Connections
Ports2 × USB-A, Ethernet, 2 × headphone jack2 × USB-A, Ethernet
Ethernet0.1 Gb/s0.1 Gb/s
Back portsTwo FireWire 400 ports and VGA video mirroring on DV, DV+ and DV Special Edition only; the entry 350 MHz model lacks them. Two 12 Mbps USB ports on the computer, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, 56K V.90 modem, audio line-in/out and two front headphone jacks; keyboard USB ports are not counted as chassis ports. AirPort card is optional on DV configurations; no standard wireless specification is added.Underside: two 12 Mbps USB ports, two 400 Mbps FireWire ports (12 W total), 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, 56K V.90 modem, ADC and VGA. Optional 11 Mbps IEEE 802.11b AirPort card; no standard wireless networking. The headphone minijack is on the separate USB amplifier, not on the Cube chassis.
External displaysDV configurations provide VGA mirroring; entry model has no external video connector.ADC carries video, USB and power; 15-pin VGA output. Maker graphics support reaches 1920 × 1200 at millions of colours. A display is sold separately; the source does not establish simultaneous dual-display operation.
SpeakersIntegrated Odyssey stereo sound system designed with Harman Kardon, built-in microphone and fanless enclosure.Bundled digital USB amplifier and Harman Kardon speakers: total 20 W, stated 80 Hz–20 kHz response. One USB cable carries power and audio; amplifier includes headphone minijack.
Keyboard and mouseApple Pro Keyboard and optical Apple Pro Mouse.Apple Pro Keyboard with two additional USB ports, optical Apple Pro Mouse, USB digital amplifier and speakers.
Design and power
TypeAll-in-oneCompact
Weight–6.4 kg
Width × depth × height–195 × 195 × 248 mm
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Size and weight detailMaker gives height 15.0, width 15.0 and depth 17.1 inches, weight 34.7 pounds. No converted or sibling metric values are added to main fields.Maker reference weight approximately 6.4 kg varies by configuration and manufacturing process. Published height 24.8 cm, width/depth 19.5 cm. Separate external power adapter.
Power supply100–260 V AC, 47–63 Hz, single phase; maximum continuous power 150 W.External power supply; maker maximum continuous power 205 W. 115 V AC (90–132 V) or 230 V AC (180–264 V), 47–63 Hz.
Noise–Fanless vertical cooling channel; no fan added to this original factory specification.
In the boxMac OS 9.0.4, iMovie 2 and productivity software. Maker confirms DV, DV+ and DV Special Edition are available immediately on 19 July 2000; the 350 MHz entry configuration was scheduled to ship the next month, August 2000.Original launch includes iMovie 2. Maker July 2000 announcement promised early August availability; Macworld’s later history confirms shipping a month after the July launch, so first sale uses August 2000 with no claimed first day. February 2001 CD-RW configuration is labelled in the storage and memory details.

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