Apple Power Mac G4 (FW800) vs Apple Power Macintosh 5260/100

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Power Mac G4 (FW800) compared with Power Macintosh 5260/100

	ApplePower Mac G4 (FW800)	ApplePower Macintosh 5260/100
Overview
Released
Released	January 2003	1996
Performance
Processor
Processor	PowerPC G4 1000 MHz (Power Mac FW800), 2 × PowerPC G4 1250 MHz (Power Mac FW800) or 2 × PowerPC G4 1420 MHz (Power Mac FW800)	PowerPC 603e 100 MHz (Power Macintosh 5260/100)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1 or 2	1
Graphics
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce4 MX (64 MB) or ATI Radeon 9000 Pro (64 MB)	–
Memory
Memory	256 MB, 512 MB or 2 GB (better)	16 MB
Storage
Storage	60 GB to 120 GB (better)	800 MB
CPU
CPU	Single 1 GHz, dual 1.25 GHz or dual 1.42 GHz PowerPC G4; each physical processor has 256 KB on-chip L2 cache. L3 cache is 1 MB on the single 1 GHz, 1 MB per processor on dual 1.25 GHz and 2 MB per processor on dual 1.42 GHz. Bus is 133 MHz on the single model, 167 MHz on dual models.	100 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit. Exact Apple support lists 32 KB L1 cache and a 64-bit processor data path at 40 MHz; Original exact Apple TIL 19602 and May 1996 Apple Facts instead say 16 KB L1, an unresolved maker conflict. Apple's separate comparison table gives the narrower memory bus as 32-bit at 37.5 MHz, not the same path. Optional 256 KB L2 High Performance Module M4849LL/A is a 160-pin SIMM, not interchangeable with the later 5400/6400 DIMM. Original ordering description and cache note establish it as optional despite the support/service tables listing 256 KB without that qualification.
GPU
GPU	Single 1 GHz: NVIDIA GeForce4 MX with 64 MB DDR. Dual 1.25/1.42 GHz: ATI Radeon 9000 Pro with 64 MB DDR. Optional NVIDIA GeForce4 Titanium and ATI Radeon 9700 Pro, each 128 MB DDR; independent CTO options stay in details.	1 MB built-in DRAM framebuffer; exact support and shared service video-mode list support 640 × 480 with 16-bit colour. Other higher-resolution timing pages in the shared service do not establish those as supported modes for the built-in 14-inch display.
Memory type
Memory type	Single 1 GHz: 256 MB PC2100 DDR at 266 MHz; dual 1.25 GHz: 256 MB PC2700 DDR at 333 MHz; dual 1.42 GHz: 512 MB PC2700. Four DIMM slots support up to 2 GB. Configurations retain stock drives and GPUs at base and maximum supported memory.	16 MB standard in one 72-pin SIMM, with a second socket for expansion to 64 MB. No memory soldered on board; SIMMs can be installed individually. Exact original TIL 19602 specifies 70 ns, while exact current support and shared service specify 80 ns or faster. The timing difference remains qualified. Shared comparison lists an 8 MB minimum, without an exact factory bundle.
Storage type
Storage type	Stock 60/80/120 GB 7200 rpm Ultra ATA/100 drives on 1/1.25/1.42 GHz respectively. Lower models have Combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW; top model has SuperDrive (DVD-R 4x, CD-R 16x). Four bays support two ATA/100 and two ATA/66 drives; two optical bays, one occupied. Optional 180 GB drive, SuperDrive on lower models and second Combo drive are not assumed in every configuration.	800 MB IDE hard drive, 1.44 MB Apple SuperDrive floppy and quadruple-speed AppleCD 600i in original M4982LL/A ordering information. May 1996 Apple Facts says CD-ROM is present in most configurations; no undocumented drive-free factory combination is added. Shared service lists larger family drives without coupling them to an exact 5260/100 bundle.
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	Four open full-length 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots and AGP 4x graphics slot.	LC-compatible PDS, 68040-bus communications slot for optional modem or Ethernet, optional video-input card and TV tuner bay. PDS is not a direct connection to the PowerPC processor; processor-dependent cache/FPU cards are not compatible. Optional MPEG Media System requires the video-input card. Video capture accepts NTSC, PAL and SECAM; tuner standard varies by region.
Display
Screen
Screen	None built in	12.3″
Resolution
Resolution	–	640 × 480
Panel
Panel	–	CRT
Refresh rate
Refresh rate	–	66.67 Hz
Display type
Display type	–	Built-in 14-inch nominal shadow-mask colour CRT with 12.3-inch viewable diagonal in the exact original ordering description and technical sheet. Shared Service Source instead says 12.8-inch viewable; exact model wording is retained. Dot pitch 0.28 mm; tilt-and-swivel base. A CRT has selectable raster modes rather than a fixed LCD pixel grid.
Display features
Display features	–	640 × 480 at 16-bit colour and 66.67 Hz in the exact original TIL 19602 technical sheet. Shared service agrees on 66.7 Hz; a separate service timing table headed 60 Hz instead gives 15 ms, so no second 60 Hz mode is inferred.
Connections
Ports
Ports	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack	Headphone jack
Ethernet
Ethernet	1 Gb/s	–
External displays
External displays	Up to 2	–
Front ports
Front ports	Headphone minijack and built-in speaker.	Headphone output, push-button volume and display brightness controls, infrared remote receiver.
Back ports
Back ports	One FireWire 800 and two FireWire 400 (15 W total), two chassis USB 1.1, Gigabit Ethernet, V.92 modem, ADC/DVI, audio line-in/out and Apple Pro Speakers minijack. Maker four-port USB total includes two ports on the keyboard. Optional AirPort Extreme 54 Mbps 802.11g card and Bluetooth 1.1 module.	ADB, external DB-25 SCSI, two RS-232/422 modem/printer serial ports with LocalTalk, PlainTalk-compatible sound input and stereo sound output. Ethernet requires an optional communications-slot card; no GeoPort inferred from a similar-looking serial connector. Exact original TIL gives six external SCSI devices in its ports section but five in expansion; maker catalogue says five and shared service seven. Limits remain source-qualified.
External displays
External displays	Two displays in extended desktop or mirroring modes. ADC and DVI connectors with included DVI-to-VGA adapter; digital up to 1920 × 1200, analogue up to 1600 × 1200. A second ADC display needs a separately sold adapter.	Optional Apple External Video Connector provides DB-15 mirroring, with a compatible display. Optional Apple Presentation System converts the mirrored output for television/projector or VCR use; it is not an independent extended desktop.
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in speaker; optional Apple Pro Speakers.	Two built-in speakers and 16-bit stereo output. Shared service specifies 22 kHz playback and 11/22 kHz recording, with ordinary audio-CD playback. Stereo input connectors are combined to mono for recording/play-through; do not treat the connector as stereo capture.
Microphones
Microphones	–	Built-in microphone for mono recording; rear microphone/line input supports PlainTalk-compatible microphones.
Keyboard and mouse
Keyboard and mouse	Apple Pro Keyboard, Apple Pro Mouse, USB keyboard extension, DVI-to-VGA adapter and modem cable.	Original M4982LL/A ordering description includes matching keyboard, mouse and necessary cables. External speakers, optional cache, Ethernet, video input/output, TV tuner and MPEG expansion are separate. Maker photograph shows the exact 5260/100 with keyboard and mouse.
Design and power
Type
Type	Tower	All-in-one
Weight
Weight	19.1 kg (better)	20.5 kg
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	227 × 468 × 432 mm	383 × 406 × 445 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	Maker reference 19.1 kg varies with configuration and manufacturing. Height 43.2 cm, width 22.7 cm, depth 46.8 cm.	Exact original TIL 19602 technical sheet gives 44.5 × 38.3 × 40.6 cm (height × width × depth), 20.5 kg/45 lb; exact current support agrees on 16-inch depth and 45 lb. May 1996 Apple Facts instead gives 41.4 cm depth, 20.2 kg/44.9 lb, varying with installed devices. Shared service swaps width/depth and has inconsistent weight units. Exact original technical-sheet dimensions and complete-unit kg figure are used; disagreement remains explicit.
Power supply
Power supply	100–125 V or 200–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; maximum current 6.5 A at low voltage or 7.5 A at high voltage. No wattage is supplied by this sheet.	Exact current support lists 125 W maximum , 110–240 V AC at 50–60 Hz. Exact original TIL 19602 instead gives 240 W maximum at 110–240 V AC 50–60 Hz; shared service gives 100–240 V 47–63 Hz, 240 W maximum and a separate 220 W all-line/load maximum. Conflicting ratings remain qualified; no universal headline operating consumption is assigned.
In the box
In the box	Mac OS X with Classic environment rather than native Mac OS 9 boot; iLife and productivity software. Single 1 GHz and dual 1.25 GHz were available on 28 January 2003; dual 1.42 GHz was announced for the following month and subsequently reviewed. Its later availability does not change the generation’s first on-sale date.	System 7.5.3 and 4 MB ROM in exact Apple support; original ordering description calls it System 7.5. Apple records introduction on 15 April 1996; current May 1996 maker education catalogue establishes sale in 1996, not a first-sale month. Release remains year precision. North American education 5260/100 is separate from later 5260/120 and international Performa bundles.