Apple Power Mac G4 (FW800) vs Apple Power Macintosh 6500/300

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Power Mac G4 (FW800) compared with Power Macintosh 6500/300

	ApplePower Mac G4 (FW800)	ApplePower Macintosh 6500/300
Overview
Released
Released	January 2003	1997
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 300 MHz (Power Macintosh 6500)
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)	64 MB
Storage
Storage	60 GB to 120 GB (better)	4 GB to 6 GB
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.	300 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB L1 cache, 512 KB L2 cache and a 64-bit 50 MHz bus. The shared service specifications use the name 603ev; the exact support page and original brochure use 603e.
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.	ATI 3D RAGE II with 2 MB built-in SGRAM, supporting QuickDraw 2D/3D and QuickTime/MPEG-1 acceleration; Apple's exact support table gives 24-bit colour through 832 × 624, 16-bit through 1152 × 870 and 8-bit at 1280 × 1024. The brochure's 24-bit headline ends at 800 × 600.
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.	64 MB supplied in two 168-pin DIMM sockets, no soldered system RAM; up to 128 MB using 5 V buffered EDO DIMMs. The original brochure and service source specify 60 ns or faster EDO memory, while the exact support database lists 70 ns.
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.	Original US Home Edition M6079LL/A and Canadian launch configuration have a 4 GB IDE drive, 12× tray-loading CD-ROM, 1.44 MB floppy and 100 MB Iomega Zip drive. Later Americas configurations documented by Apple have 6 GB, 24× CD-ROM, Zip and a 56.6 Kbit/s Apple/GV modem with Mac OS 8.0; Latin America uses a 33.6 Kbit/s modem. European 6 GB/24× configurations include video input, TV/FM tuner and Avid Cinema. These are regional configurations of the same 300 MHz model.
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	Four open full-length 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots and AGP 4x graphics slot.	Two PCI 2.0 slots for approximately 7-inch cards with Mac drivers, plus Communications Slot II, video-input slot and TV/FM tuner position. The original Home Edition's modem occupies the communications slot; its Zip drive occupies the pre-cabled 5.25-inch internal SCSI bay. Apple specifies five external SCSI devices with Zip fitted.
Display
Screen
Screen	None built in	None built in
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.	3.5 mm headphone output and volume buttons; infrared receiver for an optional remote supplied with the TV/FM tuner.
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.	DB-15 monitor output, ADB, DB-25 external SCSI, two GeoPort-compatible serial connectors, PlainTalk-compatible sound input and line-level speaker output. Installing the internal modem leaves one serial port available. The original US Home Edition has a 33.6 Kbit/s data/voice modem with 14.4 Kbit/s fax; the communications slot can instead take Ethernet. Apple's exact support database lists 10BASE-T, while the maker brochure and Canadian Home configuration supply a modem, so Ethernet is not treated as standard for that configuration.
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.	–
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in speaker; optional Apple Pro Speakers.	Built-in full-range monophonic speaker acts as a subwoofer when external speakers are connected; balance adjustment operates only with external speakers. 16-bit stereo input/output and SRS 3D surround processing.
Keyboard and mouse
Keyboard and mouse	Apple Pro Keyboard, Apple Pro Mouse, USB keyboard extension, DVI-to-VGA adapter and modem cable.	Original US Home Edition includes keyboard, mouse, cables and bundled home software. Monitor, Apple Video System, Avid Cinema and TV/FM tuner are separate options; later European configurations include the multimedia additions described in storage details.
Design and power
Type
Type	Tower	Tower
Weight
Weight	19.1 kg	–
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	227 × 468 × 432 mm	198 × 428 × 406 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.	Maker brochure gives 40.6 × 19.8 × 42.8 cm (height × width × depth) and 20.2 kg, varying with installed devices. The shared service manual gives 20.18 kg without the CD-ROM; standard complete-unit weight remains unresolved and the headline mass is omitted. Gallery monitor is optional.
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 support database and original brochure give 220 W maximum continuous, 100–125 or 200–240 V AC at 47–63 Hz. The shared Service Source instead gives 140 W for the 6500 and 90–130 or 180–264 V; the conflicting ratings are retained, and neither is treated as measured operating consumption.
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.	Exact support page lists original software 7.6.1; later regional configurations use Mac OS 8.0. Apple lists 4 April 1997 as introduction, while its Canadian announcement promises limited supply later that spring. The maker's 1997 ordering brochure and contemporary shipping-system list establish retail sale in 1997, but the actual first-sale month remains unresolved.