Apple Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) vs Apple Power Mac G4 (PCI Graphics)

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

Only show differences

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Share comparison

Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) compared with Power Mac G4 (PCI Graphics)

	ApplePower Mac G4 (Digital Audio)	ApplePower Mac G4 (PCI Graphics)
Overview
Released
Released	January 2001	August 1999
Performance
Processor
Processor	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)	PowerPC G4 350 MHz (Power Mac PCI Graphics) or PowerPC G4 400 MHz (Power Mac PCI Graphics)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1 or 2	1
Graphics
Graphics	ATI RAGE 128 Pro (16 MB) or NVIDIA GeForce2 MX (32 MB)	ATI RAGE 128 (16 MB)
Memory
Memory	128 MB, 256 MB or 1.5 GB (better)	64 MB or 1 GB
Storage
Storage	30 GB to 60 GB (better)	10 GB
CPU
CPU	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.	Single 350 or 400 MHz PowerPC G4 with Velocity Engine; 100 MHz system bus. Exact EveryMac PCI sheets specify 1 MB backside L2 cache; the retained maker page lists 512 KB or 1 MB without exact ties. No silicon supplier is inferred from Apple/Motorola/IBM co-development.
GPU
GPU	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.	ATI RAGE 128 PCI graphics with 16 MB SDRAM. This is the PCI/Yikes board, distinct from the contemporary AGP model.
Memory type
Memory type	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.	64 MB PC100 SDRAM standard. Four DIMM slots support up to 1 GB. Configurations preserve 10 GB factory storage at base and maximum RAM.
Storage type
Storage type	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.	400 MHz launch configuration: 10 GB Ultra ATA/33 and 32x CD-ROM; October 1999 speed-reduced 350 MHz retains those factory specifications (EveryMac). Retained Apple sheet also lists 24x CD-ROM without precise configuration ties. Optional drives are not expanded into unsupported cross-combinations.
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	Four full-length 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots plus dedicated AGP 4x graphics slot.	Three open 33 MHz PCI slots plus the 66 MHz PCI slot used by graphics.
Display
Screen
Screen	None built in	None built in
Connections
Ports
Ports	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack	2 × USB-A, Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet	1 Gb/s (better)	0.1 Gb/s
Back ports
Back ports	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.	Two chassis USB ports at 12 Mbps, two external FireWire 400 ports, VGA, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, 56K modem and analog audio input/output. The retained maker FireWire count of three is not supported by the exact PCI port specification (EveryMac). No AirPort slot; keyboard ports are not included.
External displays
External displays	ADC and VGA; maker graphics support up to 1920 × 1200. No assumption of simultaneous extended desktop for standard cards.	VGA output from the PCI graphics card.
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in speaker; optional Apple Pro Speakers use a dedicated amplified connection.	Built-in speaker. Audio line-out is not counted as a dedicated headphone jack.
Keyboard and mouse
Keyboard and mouse	Apple Pro Keyboard and optical Apple Pro Mouse.	Apple USB Keyboard and Apple USB Mouse.
Design and power
Type
Type	Tower	Tower
Weight
Weight	13.6 kg	–
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	226 × 467 × 432 mm	–
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	Maker reference weight 13.6 kg; height 43.2, width 22.6, depth 46.7 cm. Weight varies by configuration and manufacturing process.	Maker publishes 17-inch height, 8.9-inch width, 18.4-inch depth and 30-pound weight. Metric main fields omitted; no unit conversion or sibling measurements.
Power supply
Power supply	Maximum continuous power 338 W.	Maximum continuous power 200 W.
In the box
In the box	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.	Mac OS 8.6. Full contemporary AppleInsider report says Jobs confirmed the 400 MHz configuration shipping immediately on 31 August 1999; the Canadian maker release instead promises September. First-sale month uses the named US report without implying universal regional availability.