Apple iMac G3 (Summer 2001) vs Apple Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio)

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iMac G3 (Summer 2001) compared with Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio)

	AppleiMac G3 (Summer 2001)	ApplePower Mac G4 (Digital Audio)
Overview
Released
Released	July 2001	January 2001
Performance
Processor
Processor	PowerPC G3 500 MHz (iMac), PowerPC G3 600 MHz (iMac) or PowerPC G3 700 MHz (iMac)	PowerPC G4 466 MHz (Power Mac Digital Audio), PowerPC G4 533 MHz (Power Mac Digital Audio), 2 × PowerPC G4 533 MHz (Power Mac Digital Audio), PowerPC G4 667 MHz (Power Mac Digital Audio) or PowerPC G4 733 MHz (Power Mac Digital Audio)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1 or 2
Graphics
Graphics	ATI RAGE 128 Ultra (16 MB)	ATI RAGE 128 Pro (16 MB) or NVIDIA GeForce2 MX (32 MB)
Memory
Memory	128 MB, 256 MB or 1 GB	128 MB, 256 MB or 1.5 GB (better)
Storage
Storage	20 GB to 60 GB	30 GB to 60 GB
CPU
CPU	500, 600 or 700 MHz PowerPC G3 with 256 KB on-chip L2 cache at processor speed; 100 MHz system bus. Clock-only chip records do not infer a silicon supplier.	466/533 MHz single or dual 533 MHz G4: 1 MB backside L2 cache at half processor speed. 667/733 MHz: 256 KB on-chip L2 and 1 MB backside L3; retained 733 sheet specifies quarter-speed L3, whereas launch prose loosely says half-speed. 133 MHz system bus. Generic per-processor chip records do not infer silicon identity.
GPU
GPU	ATI RAGE 128 Ultra with 16 MB SDRAM in every configuration; AGP 2x.	Stock 466 MHz: ATI RAGE 128 Pro 16 MB; stock 533/667/733 MHz: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 32 MB. Retained options include ATI Radeon 32 MB and GeForce3 64 MB; these are not silently treated as launch stock.
Memory type
Memory type	500 MHz: 128 MB; 600/700 MHz: 256 MB PC100 SDRAM. Two DIMM slots support up to 1 GB. The configurations preserve the base processor/drive ties at base and maximum memory.	128 MB standard on 466/533 MHz; 256 MB on 667/733 MHz. Three PC133 SDRAM DIMM slots support up to 1.5 GB; base and maximum memory retain evidenced processor/drive/graphics ties.
Storage type
Storage type	500 MHz: 20 GB, Indigo or Snow. 600 MHz: 40 GB, Snow or Graphite. 700 MHz Special Edition: 60 GB, Snow or Graphite. All have an 8x/4x/24x CD-RW drive; no DVD reading. Apple says 500/600 MHz available immediately on 18 July; 700 MHz expected in August.	Stock 466 MHz: 30 GB 5400 rpm; 533 MHz: 40 GB 7200 rpm; 667/733 MHz: 60 GB 7200 rpm Ultra ATA/66. CD-RW 8x/4x/32x on lower configurations; 733 MHz SuperDrive writes DVD-R 2x and CD-R 8x. Current retained sheet additionally lists a 733 MHz CD-RW factory variant and omits launch 667 MHz; both distinctions retained here. Macs Only tested a maker-store dual 533 MHz with a named 30 GB downgrade from standard 40 GB; only these restricted dual configurations are included. Three drive bays; optional SCSI and independent CTO options remain in details.
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	–	Four full-length 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots plus dedicated AGP 4x graphics slot.
Display
Screen size
Screen size	15″	None built in
Resolution
Resolution	1024 × 768	–
Refresh rate
Refresh rate	75 Hz	–
Display type
Display type	15-inch nominal shadow-mask CRT, 13.8-inch viewable diagonal and 0.28 mm dot pitch.	–
Display features
Display features	1024 × 768 at 75 Hz, 800 × 600 at 95 Hz and 640 × 480 at 117 Hz. Main refresh describes the highest-resolution mode.	–
Connections
Ports
Ports	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, 2 × headphone jack	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack
Ethernet
Ethernet	0.1 Gb/s	1 Gb/s (better)
Front ports
Front ports	Two headphone jacks.	–
Back ports
Back ports	Two FireWire 400 ports, two USB ports at 12 Mbps each, VGA mirroring, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, 56K V.90 modem and audio line-in/out. Keyboard USB ports are excluded from chassis counts. Optional 11 Mbps AirPort card; not built-in wireless.	Two FireWire 400 and two 12 Mbps USB chassis ports; Gigabit Ethernet, 56K V.90 modem, ADC and VGA; optional 11 Mbps AirPort card. Headphone jack and Apple Pro Speakers minijack; no analog audio-input jack. Keyboard USB ports excluded.
External displays
External displays	VGA output mirrors the built-in screen.	ADC and VGA; maker graphics support up to 1920 × 1200. No assumption of simultaneous extended desktop for standard cards.
Speakers
Speakers	Odyssey stereo sound system designed with Harman Kardon; built-in microphone.	Built-in speaker; optional Apple Pro Speakers use a dedicated amplified connection.
Keyboard and mouse
Keyboard and mouse	Apple Pro Keyboard and optical Apple Pro Mouse.	Apple Pro Keyboard and optical Apple Pro Mouse.
Design and power
Type
Type	All-in-one	Tower
Weight
Weight	15.8 kg	13.6 kg (better)
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	381 × 435 × 381 mm	226 × 467 × 432 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	Maker publishes height 38.1, width 38.1 and depth 43.5 cm; weight 15.8 kg.	Maker reference weight 13.6 kg; height 43.2, width 22.6, depth 46.7 cm. Weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process.
Power supply
Power supply	Maximum continuous power 150 W.	Maximum continuous power 338 W.
In the box
In the box	Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X supplied with iTunes, iMovie 2 and Disc Burner. Later software revisions described in reviews are not launch firmware.	Mac OS 9.1 in reviewed shipment; iMovie 2 and downloadable iTunes/Disc Burner. Maker confirms 466/533 MHz immediately available on 9 January, 667/733 MHz expected February, and actual 733 MHz SuperDrive shipments on 19 February 2001. Later options are not a new generation.