Apple Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio) vs Apple Power Mac G4 (QuickSilver 2001)

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 (QuickSilver 2001)

	ApplePower Mac G4 (Digital Audio)	ApplePower Mac G4 (QuickSilver 2001)
Overview
Released
Released	January 2001	July 2001
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 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 cores
CPU cores	1 or 2	1 or 2
Graphics
Graphics	ATI RAGE 128 Pro (16 MB) or NVIDIA GeForce2 MX (32 MB)	NVIDIA GeForce2 MX (32 MB) or NVIDIA GeForce2 MX TwinView (64 MB)
Memory
Memory	128 MB, 256 MB or 1.5 GB	128 MB, 256 MB or 1.5 GB
Storage
Storage	30 GB to 60 GB	40 GB to 80 GB (better)
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 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.
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.	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 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.	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 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.	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
Expansion slots	Four full-length 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots plus dedicated AGP 4x graphics slot.	Four full-length 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots plus dedicated AGP 4x graphics slot.
Display
Screen
Screen	None built in	None built in
Connections
Ports
Ports	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack
Ethernet
Ethernet	1 Gb/s	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 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 displays
External displays	ADC and VGA; maker graphics support up to 1920 × 1200. No assumption of simultaneous extended desktop for standard cards.	TwinView supports one ADC and one VGA display simultaneously on dual 800 MHz; no simultaneous-display assumption for the standard single-processor card.
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in speaker; optional Apple Pro Speakers use a dedicated amplified connection.	Built-in speaker; optional Apple Pro Speakers connect to a dedicated speaker minijack.
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	Tower	Tower
Weight
Weight	13.6 kg (better)	14.1 kg
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	226 × 467 × 432 mm	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 reference weight 14.1 kg, configuration-dependent; height 43.2, width 22.6, depth 46.7 cm.
Power supply
Power supply	Maximum continuous power 338 W.	Maximum continuous power 360 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 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.