Apple Power Macintosh G3 All-In-One vs Apple Power Macintosh 5500/250

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Power Macintosh G3 All-In-One compared with Power Macintosh 5500/250

	ApplePower Macintosh G3 All-In-One	ApplePower Macintosh 5500/250
Overview
Released
Released	–	1997
Performance
Processor
Processor	PowerPC G3 233 MHz (Power Macintosh G3 Desktop) or PowerPC G3 266 MHz (Power Macintosh G3 Desktop)	PowerPC 603e 250 MHz (Power Macintosh 5500)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Graphics
Graphics	Built-in graphics accelerator (2 MB SGRAM; revision unpublished)	–
Memory
Memory	32 MB	32 MB
Storage
Storage	4 GB	2 GB to 4 GB
CPU
CPU	233 or 266 MHz PowerPC G3 with 512 KB backside L2 cache at 117 or 133 MHz, a 66 MHz system bus and 64 KB L1 cache split equally between data and instructions. Supplier is not assigned without exact maker evidence.	250 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB L1 cache, 256 KB L2 cache and 64-bit 50 MHz system bus. This is a distinct clock configuration from the 5500/225.
GPU
GPU	Built-in 2D/3D graphics accelerator with 2 MB SGRAM, expandable to 6 MB using the maker-supported 4 MB SGRAM module. Exact graphics-chip revision is unpublished in the read maker datasheet, so later RAGE Pro revisions are not assumed for every unit.	2 MB built-in SGRAM with hardware 2D and 3D acceleration. Exact support table gives 24-bit colour through 832 × 624, 16-bit through 1152 × 870 and 8-bit at 1280 × 1024. The Australian brochure explicitly specifies the built-in display up to 1024 × 768 with 16-bit colour, but its separate Display support subsection incorrectly repeats a 1 MB/8-bit at 832 × 624 table resembling the earlier 5400; that inconsistent subsection is not used. The exact service table confirms 2 MB SGRAM and accelerated graphics.
Memory type
Memory type	32 MB SDRAM standard, up to 384 MB across three 168-pin DIMM slots. Apple Service Source specifies 3.3 V, 64-bit, 10 ns unbuffered SDRAM. Its prose about 64 MB DIMMs conflicts with its 384 MB/three 128 MB DIMM maximum; the explicit published maximum is retained. Factory BTO memory options included 64 or 96 MB.	32 MB RAM in the exact Australian brochure and support specification, with no soldered system memory; two 168-pin DIMM sockets permit up to 128 MB. Shared Service Source specifies 60 ns or faster, 5 V buffered EDO DIMMs and supports fast-page modules too; mixing types can operate at fast-page timings.
Storage type
Storage type	Both published 233 and 266 MHz base configurations have a 4 GB IDE disk, 24× maximum CD-ROM and 1.44 MB floppy drive. A 6 GB disk and 100 MB SCSI Zip drive were optional. Service Source also mentions a 2 GB disk in one table, unlike the exact base configuration datasheet; that unsupported base pairing is not assumed.	April 1997 Australian brochure specifies a graphite 32 MB/4 GB IDE/12× CD-ROM configuration. Exact support database instead lists 2 GB minimum and 24× CD-ROM. Shared Service Source documents later graphite Japanese/Australian 32 MB/4 GB/24× configurations with video input, 33.6 Kbit/s modem and Mac OS 8.0, and a US education 32 MB/24× configuration with video input, NTSC output and Ethernet. The later January 1998 family catalogue lists 2 GB and 12× or 24× drives. All retain a 1.44 MB SuperDrive floppy; optical-drive and bundle conditions are kept explicit.
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	Three 7-inch PCI 2.1 slots with Macintosh drivers required; three memory slots and a PERCH I/O-card slot. Optional modem fits the I/O card. The chassis has a slide-out logic-board tray. PCI card power restrictions are three 15 W cards, two 25 W cards, or one 15 W and one 25 W card.	One PCI slot for a 6.88-inch, 15 W card with a Macintosh driver, Communications Slot II for modem or Ethernet, video-input slot and optional TV/FM tuner bay. Australian brochure includes video input and lists TV tuner with infrared remote and Avid Cinema card/software as optional. The later US education configuration also supplies NTSC output.
Display
Screen size
Screen size	15″	12.8″
Resolution
Resolution	1024 × 768	1024 × 768
Panel
Panel	CRT	CRT
Display type
Display type	15-inch multiple-scan colour CRT with 13.8-inch viewable diagonal and 0.28 mm dot pitch; tilt and swivel. The supported 1024 × 768 mode is analogue, not a fixed pixel matrix. Maker advertises refresh up to 85 Hz without assigning that maximum to the highest resolution, so headline refresh is omitted. Service Source specifies 16-bit colour at 1024 × 768; the datasheet uses inconsistent colour-depth labels.	Built-in noninterlaced flat-square multiple-scan CRT, 15-inch nominal tube with 325 mm diagonal viewable image (12.8 inches in the January 1998 family catalogue), 0.28 mm dot pitch and software-selectable modes from 640 × 480 to 1024 × 768. Brochure states up to 75 Hz without assigning that maximum to the highest resolution, so headline refresh remains omitted. Base tilts −5° to +15° and swivels 360°.
Connections
Ports
Ports	Ethernet, 3 × headphone jack	Headphone jack
Front ports
Front ports	–	Headphone output, sound-volume and display controls; infrared receiver for the optional TV/FM remote.
Ethernet
Ethernet	0.01 Gb/s	–
Back ports
Back ports	10BASE-T Ethernet, one ADB, one external DB-25 SCSI, two GeoPort-compatible serial ports, rear stereo audio input/output and DB-15 monitor connector. Three headphone-compatible audio outputs total: two at the front and one at the rear. No built-in USB, FireWire or AirPort support. The optional Fast Ethernet PCI card does not change the standard network figure.	ADB, external DB-25 SCSI, two RS-232/RS-422/LocalTalk/GeoPort-compatible serial ports, PlainTalk-compatible sound input and stereo output. Australian brochure includes a high-speed GeoPort modem without a published rate; later graphite service configurations specify a 33.6 Kbit/s modem. Exact support and US education service configuration list 10BASE-T, while the January 1998 maker catalogue qualifies Ethernet as configuration-dependent. Modem and Ethernet use the same communications slot; no universal Ethernet headline is assigned. Brochure supports six external SCSI devices.
External displays
External displays	DB-15 external monitor connector documented by the exact datasheet and rear service diagram; the current support summary instead labels video as none. Display mirroring is described by the contemporary Washington Apple Pi test, not an assumed extended desktop.	January 1998 family catalogue lists NTSC TV output on some configurations; the service manual confirms NTSC output in the US education 250 MHz bundle. Australian brochure establishes built-in video input but does not establish included TV output. Computer-monitor video mirroring needs the appropriate external connector; do not treat an optional connector as included.
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers; 16-bit stereo audio input/output at 22.05 or 44.1 kHz	Built-in stereo speakers, 16-bit stereo sound input/output and SRS 3D surround processing, with rear stereo speaker output.
Microphones
Microphones	Built-in microphone	Built-in microphone; PlainTalk-compatible external sound input.
Keyboard and mouse
Keyboard and mouse	AppleDesign Keyboard and ADB Mouse II	April 1997 Australian graphite presentation includes matching keyboard, mouse and necessary cables, built-in video-in card, high-speed modem, Apple System 7.5 software and a regional productivity, reference, education and game bundle. Internet service fees are additional. TV tuner/remote and Avid Cinema are optional. Later US education and international Mac OS 8.0 bundles vary; gallery shows the beige family education configuration, unlike the graphite primary.
Design and power
Type
Type	All-in-one	All-in-one
Weight
Weight	26.8 kg	21 kg (better)
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	409 × 457 × 505 mm	383 × 406 × 445 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	Headline dimensions and 26.8 kg weight follow the exact May 1998 maker datasheet. Apple Service Source gives 498 × 402 × 450 mm and 27 kg with inconsistent inch conversions; the current support summary gives 19.92 × 16.08 × 18 inches and 59.5 lb. Weight varies with installed devices.	Australian exact brochure gives 44.5 × 38.3 × 40.6 cm (height × width × depth) and 21 kg / 47 lb. Exact support dimensions and January 1998 family catalogue agree. Weight varies with installed internal devices. Shared service physical table swaps width/depth and prints inconsistent pound/kilogram weights; the exact brochure measurements are used.
Power supply
Power supply	Automatically configured 90–264 V AC, 50–60 Hz, single phase	Exact support and Australian brochure specify 220 W maximum continuous, 110–240 V AC at 50–60 Hz; includes low-power sleep mode. Shared Service Source lists a separate 125 W entry and 220 W maximum for all line/load conditions. No value is treated as measured operating consumption.
Noise
Noise	–	Variable-speed fan automatically runs at the lowest speed needed to minimise noise; the processor also has a small cooling fan. No acoustic measurement is published in these sources.
Power use
Power use	Maximum continuous electrical input 300 W; Service Source separately lists 200 W peak output, which is not acoustic output	–
In the box
In the box	Mac OS 8.1 in the contemporary datasheet and Service Source; the current archived support summary instead gives original system software 8.0. The model was offered for the education market. Apple support labels introduction as 3 April 1998; the dated May 1998 datasheet describes currently available configurations and BTO ordering from 6 May. An exact first retail delivery date is not established, so released is omitted rather than substituting introduction or BTO dates. The 266 MHz base variant adds audio/video I/O plus Avid Cinema and QuickTime 3 Pro; the 233 MHz base is audio I/O only. Optional AV hardware supports composite and S-video inputs/outputs with mode restrictions in Service Source.	April 1997 Australian maker brochure presents the 250 MHz graphite computer as a ready-to-use product and directs buyers to authorised resellers. Exact support later records introduction on 1 September 1997, while the Australian brochure predates that regional/configuration entry. Retail year 1997 is supported by the contemporary Australian sales brochure; exact first-sale month is unresolved. Exact support lists System 7.5.5 with Enabler 411; later shared service configurations use Mac OS 8.0.