Apple iMac G4 (15-inch, Flat Panel) vs Apple Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver 2001)

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

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iMac G4 (15-inch, Flat Panel) compared with Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver 2001)
AppleiMac G4 (15-inch, Flat Panel)ApplePower Mac G4 (QuickSilver 2001)
Overview
ReleasedJanuary 2002July 2001
Performance
ProcessorMotorola PowerPC G4 700 MHz (iMac Flat Panel) or Motorola PowerPC G4 800 MHz (iMac Flat Panel)PowerPC G4 733 MHz (Power Mac QuickSilver 2001), PowerPC G4 867 MHz (Power Mac QuickSilver 2001) or 2 × PowerPC G4 800 MHz (Power Mac QuickSilver 2001)
CPU cores11 or 2
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce2 MX (32 MB)NVIDIA GeForce2 MX (32 MB) or NVIDIA GeForce2 MX TwinView (64 MB)
Memory128 MB, 256 MB or 1 GB128 MB, 256 MB or 1.5 GB (better)
Storage40 GB to 60 GB40 GB to 80 GB (better)
CPU700 or 800 MHz PowerPC G4 with 256 KB on-chip L2 cache and 100 MHz system bus. Generic maker-clock chip records retain the single-core identity cross-checked with exact EveryMac sources; an uncertain silicon revision is not inferred.Single 733/867 MHz or dual 800 MHz PowerPC G4. Each processor has 256 KB on-chip L2 cache; 733 MHz has no L3, while 867 MHz and dual 800 MHz have 2 MB L3 per processor running at one-quarter clock speed. 133 MHz system bus. Generic chip records omit unverified supplier.
GPUNVIDIA GeForce2 MX with 32 MB dedicated DDR video memory and AGP 2x support.Single-processor models: NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 32 MB. Dual 800 MHz: GeForce2 MX TwinView 64 MB with simultaneous ADC and VGA displays. Optional GeForce3 64 MB DDR listed separately, not expanded into unproven stock combinations.
Memory typeSDRAM, expandable to 1 GB, with one 168-pin DIMM and one user-accessible SO-DIMM slot. Launch CD-RW base: 128 MB; Combo and SuperDrive bases: 256 MB. Configurations conservatively show those published bases and the maker's maximum.128 MB PC133 SDRAM on 733/867 MHz, 256 MB on dual 800 MHz. Three DIMM slots support up to 1.5 GB; base and maximum rows retain each stock drive and graphics card.
Storage typeLaunch combinations: 700 MHz with CD-RW and 40 GB hard drive; 700 MHz with Combo drive and 40 GB; 800 MHz with SuperDrive and 60 GB. Optical options on the 700 MHz model account for its different base memory. Drives use Ultra ATA. Combo reads DVDs and writes CDs; SuperDrive writes DVDs and CDs.733 MHz: 40 GB 5400 rpm Ultra ATA/66 and 12x/10x/32x CD-RW. 867 MHz: 60 GB 7200 rpm; dual 800 MHz: 80 GB 7200 rpm, both with SuperDrive (DVD-R 2x, CD-R 8x). Optional Combo drive, Zip 250 and SCSI 36/72 GB choices remain in details. Three hard-drive bays support two ATA or three SCSI drives.
Expansion slots–Four full-length 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots plus dedicated AGP 4x graphics slot.
Display
Screen size15″None built in
Resolution1024 × 768–
Brightness200 nits–
Display typeTFT active-matrix LCD with millions of colours and typical 300:1 contrast. Panel technology and refresh rate are not established by the exact maker sheet.–
Display featuresTypical viewing angles: 120° horizontal and 90° vertical. Articulated arm adjusts the display's height and angle.–
Connections
Ports3 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack
Ethernet0.1 Gb/s1 Gb/s (better)
Back portsThree USB 1.1 ports on the computer, plus two on the keyboard; two FireWire 400 ports with 8 W shared power, Mini-VGA, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, 56K V.90 modem, headphone jack and Apple speaker minijack. Original AirPort 802.11b card is optional; wireless networking is not standard.Two USB chassis ports at 12 Mbps each, two FireWire 400, Gigabit Ethernet, 56K V.90 modem, ADC and VGA. Optional 11 Mbps AirPort card. Headphone and Apple Pro Speakers minijacks; no analog audio input. Keyboard USB ports excluded.
External displaysMini-VGA provides video mirroring through an optional VGA adapter: 640 × 480 at 60 Hz, 800 × 600 at 75 Hz or 1024 × 768 at 75 Hz. The original model does not list S-video or composite output.TwinView supports one ADC and one VGA display simultaneously on dual 800 MHz; no simultaneous-display assumption for the standard single-processor card.
SpeakersBuilt-in speaker and microphone; selected configurations include Apple Pro Speakers rated at 9 W each with an internal 18 W amplifier.Built-in speaker; optional Apple Pro Speakers connect to a dedicated speaker minijack.
Keyboard and mouseApple Pro Keyboard and Apple Pro Mouse; Apple Pro Speakers are included with the Combo and SuperDrive launch configurations.Apple Pro Keyboard and optical Apple Pro Mouse.
Design and power
TypeAll-in-oneTower
Weight9.7 kg (better)14.1 kg
Width × depth × height–226 × 467 × 432 mm
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Size and weight detailAdjustable maker ranges: height 329–509 mm, width 384–415 mm and depth 270–415 mm; base diameter 270 mm. The reference weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process, so no single fixed-position dimension is selected.Maker reference weight 14.1 kg, configuration-dependent; height 43.2, width 22.6, depth 46.7 cm.
Power supply90–264 V AC, 47–63 Hz, single phase; maximum continuous power 130 W.Maximum continuous power 360 W.
In the boxLaunch software: Mac OS X 10.1.2 and Mac OS 9.2.2, with iTunes, iMovie and iPhoto; iDVD requires SuperDrive. The 800 MHz SuperDrive configuration was stated to ship in late January 2002, the 700 MHz Combo in February and CD-RW in March. The release month records the first configuration, not the 7 January announcement.Mac OS X and Mac OS 9.2 at launch; iTunes, iMovie 2 and iDVD for SuperDrive. Macworld’s reviewed shipment uses Mac OS X 10.0.4 and initially lacks CD/DVD burning; support arrives with 10.1. Maker confirms immediate 733/867 MHz availability on 18 July and actual dual-800 shipments on 20 August 2001.

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