Apple Power Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors 2003) vs Apple Power Macintosh 5260/120

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Power Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors 2003) compared with Power Macintosh 5260/120
ApplePower Mac G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors 2003)ApplePower Macintosh 5260/120
Overview
ReleasedJune 20031996
Performance
ProcessorPowerPC G4 1250 MHz (Power Mac MDD 2003) or 2 × PowerPC G4 1250 MHz (Power Mac MDD 2003)PowerPC 603e 120 MHz (Power Macintosh 5260/120)
CPU cores1 or 21
GraphicsATI Radeon 9000 Pro (64 MB)–
Memory256 MB or 2 GB (better)16 MB
Storage80 GB (better)1.2 GB
CPUStock single 1.25 GHz PowerPC G4 with 256 KB L2 cache and 1 MB L3 cache. Contemporary Macworld reporting of Apple Store configurations also documents dual 1.25 GHz processors, each with 2 MB L3; this custom build is labelled in configuration details rather than presented as a second stock base.120 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit and 32 KB L1 cache. Exact original brochure and Apple support specify a 64-bit processor data path at 40 MHz. Optional 256 KB L2 High Power Macintosh Module M4849LL/A; it is not included as standard.
GPUStock ATI Radeon 9000 Pro with 64 MB DDR in an AGP 4x slot. Macworld also documents a custom dual-processor build with NVIDIA GeForce4 Titanium; that build has other upgrades and is not treated as a freely interchangeable stock configuration.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 typeStock 256 MB PC2700 DDR333; four DIMM slots, maximum 2 GB. The single-processor configurations retain the stock drive and graphics at base and maximum memory. The documented dual-processor custom base has 256 MB.16 MB standard, expandable to 64 MB using two 72-pin SIMM sockets; exact support and shared Service Source state no soldered RAM. Original exact brochure specifies 70 ns or faster noncomposite SIMMs, while current support and service specify 80 ns. The 5260-series user manual technical table and exact 5260/120 user-guide update instead state a 12 MB minimum in removable 70 ns fast-page SIMMs without an exact factory-order bundle. November 1996 Apple Facts claims 8 MB on board plus an 8 MB SIMM, contradicting exact support and service. No additional factory configuration is inferred from these disagreements.
Storage typeStock 80 GB 7200 rpm Ultra ATA/100 hard drive; up to four internal drives. Tray-loading Combo drive reads DVD at 8x and CD at 32x, writes CD-R at 16x and CD-RW at 10x. Macworld documents a dual 1.25 GHz custom base with 80 GB, Combo drive and Radeon 9000 Pro, and a separate upgraded build with 2 GB RAM, two 160 GB drives, SuperDrive and GeForce4 Titanium. The two-drive build is described here without flattening its drives into a single capacity.1.2 GB IDE hard drive and 1.44 MB Apple SuperDrive floppy. Exact current support, TIL 20413 description and original education bundle list an 8× CD-ROM drive; shared Service Source identifies AppleCD 1200i. The September 1996 exact brochure and November 1996 Apple Facts instead say 4× CD-ROM. The optical-drive difference remains source-qualified rather than adding an undocumented factory configuration.
Expansion slotsFour PCI slots and an occupied 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
ScreenNone built in12.3″
Resolution–640 × 480
Panel–CRT
Refresh rate–66.67 Hz
Display type–Built-in 14-inch nominal shadow-mask colour CRT with 12.3-inch viewable diagonal in the exact original brochure and product description. Shared Service Source instead says 12.8-inch viewable; exact model wording is retained. Dot pitch 0.28 mm; tilt-and-swivel base.
Display features–640 × 480 at 16-bit colour and 66.67 Hz in the exact original brochure. The shared service agrees on 66.7 Hz. This is a CRT raster mode, not an LCD fixed pixel grid.
Connections
Ports2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jackHeadphone jack
Ethernet1 Gb/s–
Front portsHeadphone connection and built-in mono speaker.Headphone output, push-button volume and display brightness controls, infrared remote receiver.
Back portsTwo USB 1.1, two FireWire 400, Gigabit Ethernet with Auto-MDIX, ADC and DVI display connectors, audio line-in/out and Apple Pro Speakers connection. The maker lists a V.92 modem. Optional original AirPort; the contemporary Apple-spokesman report confirms no AirPort Extreme, internal Bluetooth or FireWire 800.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. Original exact brochure and maker catalogue specify five external SCSI devices; the shared user manual gives six and shared service gives seven, so limits remain source-qualified.
External displaysADC and DVI connectors with included DVI-to-VGA adapter. Digital resolution up to 1920 × 1200; analogue up to 1600 × 1200. The exact sheet does not publish a simultaneous display count.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.
SpeakersBuilt-in mono speaker and connection for Apple Pro Speakers; no built-in microphone.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–Built-in microphone for mono recording; rear microphone/line input supports PlainTalk-compatible microphones.
Keyboard and mouseBlack Apple Pro input devices and DVI-to-VGA adapter.Original exact brochure and product description include a matching keyboard, mouse and necessary cables. External speakers, optional cache, Ethernet, video input/output, TV tuner and MPEG expansion are separate. Photos show the exact 5260/120 with keyboard and mouse.
Design and power
TypeTowerAll-in-one
Weight19.1 kg (better)20.5 kg
Width × depth × height226 × 467 × 432 mm383 × 406 × 445 mm
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Size and weight detailMaker dimensions: height 43.2 cm, width 22.6 cm, depth 46.7 cm; weight 19.1 kg. These published metric values differ slightly from the FW800 sheet.Exact original brochure gives 44.5 × 38.3 × 40.6 cm (height × width × depth), 20.5 kg/45 lb; current Apple support agrees on 16-inch depth and 45 lb. November 1996 Apple Facts instead gives 41.4 cm depth, with the same 20.5 kg and variation for installed devices. Shared service swaps width/depth and has inconsistent weight units. Exact original brochure measurements are retained. The shared 5260-series user manual instead lists 21.15 kg/47 lb; it agrees with the retained dimensions but not the exact brochure weight.
Power supply–Exact current support gives 125 W maximum, 110–240 V AC at 50–60 Hz. Exact original brochure instead gives 240 W maximum at the same voltage and frequency; shared service gives 100–240 V 47–63 Hz, 240 W maximum and a separate 220 W all-line/load maximum. Ratings remain source-qualified; no universal operating consumption is assigned. Shared user manual agrees on 125 W maximum, with 100–240 V at 50–60 Hz.
In the boxMac OS X 10.2.4 and bootable Mac OS 9.2.2, install/restore DVD and Apple Hardware Test. First sale uses the 23 June 2003 Macworld report that these models were for sale at Apple’s online store; a 29 June report quotes an Apple spokesman confirming manufacture and sale. The first day is contemporary Apple Store reporting rather than a retained maker launch notice.System 7.5.3 and 4 MB ROM in exact Apple support; original brochure calls the supplied software System 7.5. Apple records introduction on 1 October 1996. Contemporary original education ordering bundle and current November 1996 maker catalogue establish sale during 1996 but not a first-sale month; release remains year precision. Shared service explicitly identifies this model as the 120 MHz, 16 MB and AppleCD 1200i update to the 5260/100. North American Power Macintosh is kept distinct from international Performa 5260/120 and 5280 bundles.

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