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Apple Mac Studio (M5 Max or M5 Ultra) vs Apple Power Mac G4 (AGP Graphics)

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

AppleMac Studio (M5 Max or M5 Ultra)ApplePower Mac G4 (AGP Graphics)
Overview
ReleasedSeptember 20261999
Performance
ProcessorApple M5 Max or Apple M5 UltraPowerPC G4 350 MHz (Power Mac AGP Graphics), PowerPC G4 400 MHz (Power Mac AGP Graphics), PowerPC G4 450 MHz (Power Mac AGP Graphics) or PowerPC G4 500 MHz (Power Mac AGP Graphics)
CPU cores18, 30 or 361
Graphics32-core GPU, 40-core GPU, 64-core GPU or 80-core GPUATI RAGE 128 Pro (16 MB) or ATI RAGE 128 (16 MB)
Memory36 GB, 48 GB, 64 GB, 96 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB or 1.5 GB
Storage512 GB to 16 TB10 GB to 27 GB
CPUM5 Max: 18-core CPU with 6 super cores and 12 performance cores; M5 Ultra: 30-core CPU with 10 super cores and 20 performance cores, or 36-core CPU with 12 super cores and 24 performance coresSingle 350, 400, 450 or 500 MHz PowerPC G4 with 1 MB backside L2 cache at half processor speed and 100 MHz system bus. Unknown silicon supplier omitted. Original 500 MHz announcement never shipped; only the actual February 2000 option is represented.
GPUNeural Accelerators; hardware-accelerated ray tracing16 MB ATI RAGE 128 AGP 2x originally, changed to RAGE 128 Pro in December 1999 (EveryMac). Pro adds DVI and supports up to 1920 × 1200, versus original VGA up to 1600 × 1200.
AI engine16-core Neural Engine (M5 Max); 32-core Neural Engine (M5 Ultra)–
Memory typeApple’s current specification table lists 256GB and 512GB with the 36-core CPU / 80-core GPU M5 Ultra; its configure-to-order section only explicitly restricts 512GB. Current UK store configurator lists memory options up to 256GB, so the maker-confirmed 512GB option is not claimed as currently selectable there.Four PC100 DIMM slots, maker-supported maximum 1.5 GB. Base memory varies with dated factory configuration; higher unofficial capacities are excluded.
Memory bandwidthM5 Max: 460GB/s with the 32-core GPU, 614GB/s with the 40-core GPU; M5 Ultra: 1.2TB/s–
Storage typeSSDDated stock changes (EveryMac): original 450 MHz 128 MB/20 GB/DVD-ROM; October 400 MHz 128 MB/20 GB/DVD-ROM and 450 MHz 256 MB/27 GB/DVD-RAM. December adds 350 MHz 64 MB/10 GB/DVD-ROM and replaces graphics with Pro. February 2000 maker confirms 400 MHz 64 MB/10 GB/DVD-ROM, 450 MHz 128 MB/20 GB/DVD-ROM and 500 MHz 256 MB/27 GB/DVD-RAM. Zip included on original 450, October 400/450, and February 450/500; identical optical-only variants are kept in details. No unproven SCSI/drive cross-combinations.
Expansion slots–Three open full-length 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots and one AGP 2x slot used by graphics.
Media engineHardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW; AV1 decode; M5 Max: video decode engine, two video encode engines and two ProRes encode and decode engines; M5 Ultra: two video decode engines, four video encode engines and four ProRes encode and decode engines–
Display
ScreenNone built inNone built in
Connections
Ports4 × Thunderbolt 5, 2 × USB-C, 2 × USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, SD card slot, headphone jack2 × USB-A, Ethernet
Ethernet10 Gb/s0.1 Gb/s
External displaysUp to 5–
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7–
Bluetooth6–
Front portsM5 Max: 2 × USB-C (up to 10Gb/s); M5 Ultra: 2 × Thunderbolt 5 (up to 120Gb/s); SDXC card slot (UHS-II)–
Back ports4 × Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) with Thunderbolt 5 and USB 4 (up to 120Gb/s), USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s) and DisplayPort 2.1; 2 × USB-A (USB 3, up to 5Gb/s); HDMI 2.1 with multichannel audio output; 10Gb Ethernet (RJ-45); 3.5 mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphonesTwo independent 12 Mbps USB ports; two external FireWire 400 ports and one internal connector; VGA, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, analog audio input/output and optional 11 Mbps AirPort card. 56K modem is standard except the top February 500 MHz configuration where it is optional. Keyboard USB excluded.
External displaysM5 Max: up to five (four at up to 6K 60Hz or 4K 165Hz, plus a fifth at up to 5K 60Hz over HDMI), or three (two at up to 8K 60Hz, 5K 120Hz or 4K 240Hz, plus a third at up to 5K 60Hz over HDMI); M5 Ultra: up to eight at up to 6K 60Hz or 4K 165Hz, or four at up to 8K 60Hz, 5K 120Hz or 4K 240Hz; up to four over a single Thunderbolt port; VRR and HDR supported–
SpeakersBuilt-in speakerBuilt-in speaker; analog audio input and output.
Keyboard and mouse–Apple USB Keyboard and Apple USB Mouse.
MicrophonesNone built in; Apple says an external microphone or headset is needed for calls–
Design and power
TypeCompactTower
Weight2.7 kg13.6 kg
Width × depth × height197 × 197 × 95 mm226 × 467 × 432 mm
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Size and weight detail–Exact Japanese maker sheet publishes 43.2 cm height, 22.6 cm width, 46.7 cm depth and 13.6 kg weight; configuration-dependent.
Power supplyBuilt-in; 100–240V AC; 480W maximum continuous powerMaximum continuous power 200 W.
Power useM5 Max with 32-core GPU, 36GB and 512GB: 7W idle, 200W maximum; M5 Ultra with 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU, 512GB memory and 16TB: 9W idle, 385W maximum (Apple wall-power test)–
NoiseDeclared to ECMA-109 as 1.5 B sound power and 7 dB sound pressure at the operator position, at idle and wireless web (M5 Ultra, 30-core CPU, 64-core GPU)–
Materials100% recycled aluminium enclosure; 35% recycled content overall–
ColoursSilver–
In the boxMac Studio, power leadMac OS 8.6 originally. September 1999 introduction and a few original 450 MHz channel shipments are documented by Apple-History, but the first shipping month is not established; release stays at year precision. February 2000 maker release confirms immediate availability of the revised range.

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