Apple Power Mac G5 (2003) vs Apple Power Macintosh 5400/180
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| ApplePower Mac G5 (2003) | ApplePower Macintosh 5400/180 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | August 2003 | 1996 |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | PowerPC G5 1600 MHz (Power Mac 2003), PowerPC G5 1800 MHz (Power Mac 2003), 2 × PowerPC G5 2000 MHz (Power Mac 2003) or 2 × PowerPC G5 1800 MHz (Power Mac 2003) | PowerPC 603e 180 MHz (Power Macintosh 5400) |
| CPU cores | 1 or 2 | 1 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra (64 MB) or ATI Radeon 9600 Pro (64 MB) | – |
| Memory | 256 MB, 512 MB, 4 GB or 8 GB (better) | 16 MB |
| Storage | 80 GB to 160 GB (better) | 1.2 GB to 1.6 GB |
| CPU | Single 1.6 or 1.8 GHz, or dual 2 GHz PowerPC G5 processors; Apple identifies IBM fabrication. Each physical processor has 512 KB L2 cache. Front-side bus per processor is 800 MHz, 900 MHz or 1 GHz respectively. A dual 1.8 GHz configuration was added on 18 November 2003, available immediately; it remains part of this generation. | 180 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB L1 cache and 64-bit 40 MHz bus; optional 256 KB L2 cache. The shared service narrative also uses the 603ev name. An optional PC Compatibility Card is separate hardware, not part of the standard CPU. |
| GPU | Stock 1.6 and 1.8 GHz: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra with 64 MB DDR. Stock dual 2 GHz: ATI Radeon 9600 Pro with 64 MB DDR. November dual 1.8 GHz: GeForce FX 5200 Ultra 64 MB. Optional ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB. | 1 MB built-in DRAM framebuffer independent of system RAM. Apple's Service Source supports 640 × 480 at 60 or 67 Hz with 16-bit colour, 800 × 600 at 60 or 72 Hz with 16-bit colour, and 832 × 624 at 75 Hz with 8-bit colour; video input is unavailable at 832 × 624. The exact support database also lists 1024 × 768, but the brochure and shared service manual restrict the built-in display to 832 × 624; 1024 × 768 is not used as its headline resolution. |
| Memory type | Single 1.6 GHz: 256 MB DDR333, four DIMM slots, maximum 4 GB. Single 1.8 GHz and dual 2 GHz: 512 MB DDR400, eight slots, maximum 8 GB. November dual 1.8 GHz also has 512 MB DDR400 and an 8 GB maximum. DIMMs are installed in matched pairs. Each configuration retains its stock drive and graphics at base and maximum memory. | Original 16 MB configuration has 8 MB soldered on the logic board and an 8 MB DIMM; two 168-pin DIMM sockets permit up to 136 MB using 70 ns or faster memory. The shared service table also documents 180 MHz boards with 16 MB soldered RAM; that is not the original 8 MB board configuration. |
| Storage type | Stock 80 GB on the single 1.6 GHz; 160 GB on the single 1.8 GHz, dual 2 GHz and November dual 1.8 GHz. 7200 rpm Serial ATA drives; two internal bays with 150 MB/s interfaces. One optical bay with 4x DVD-R SuperDrive; optional Combo drive and 80, 160 or 250 GB drives. | November 1996 Apple Facts and the exact support database list a 1.6 GB IDE hard drive, 8× CD-ROM and 1.44 MB SuperDrive floppy. Apple's June 1997 US education ordering brochure lists 5400/180 M5686LL/B with 16 MB, a 1.2 GB drive and 8× CD-ROM. The shared service manual documents some US education configurations with 12× CD-ROM and Mac OS 7.6.1. These are distinct bundles, not storage figures transferred from the 5400/200. |
| Expansion slots | AGP 8x Pro graphics slot. Single 1.6 GHz has three 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots; faster original models and the November dual 1.8 GHz have PCI-X slots, two at 100 MHz and one at 133 MHz. | One PCI slot for a card up to 6.88 inches long and 15 W, Communications Slot II, video-input slot and TV/FM tuner position. Optional Apple Video System supports NTSC, PAL and SECAM input; optional Apple TV/FM Radio System supplies television and FM reception. Original K–12 channel configurations described by Apple include the Video System and External Video Connector; neither is assumed standard in every bundle. |
| Display | ||
| Screen | None built in | 12.8″ |
| Resolution | – | 832 × 624 |
| Panel | – | CRT |
| Refresh rate | – | 75 Hz |
| Display type | – | Multiple-scan flat-square shadow-mask CRT, 15-inch nominal tube with a 12.8-inch diagonal viewable image and 0.28 mm dot pitch. Tilt-and-swivel base tilts from −5° to +15° and swivels 360°. |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | 3 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack | Headphone jack |
| Ethernet | 1 Gb/s | – |
| External displays | Up to 2 | – |
| Front ports | USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and headphone minijack. | Headphone output, sound-volume and display controls; infrared receiver for the optional TV/FM remote. |
| Back ports | Two USB 2.0, FireWire 800, FireWire 400, Gigabit Ethernet, V.92 modem, optical Toslink audio input/output and analogue line-in/out. Optional 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 1.1 with external antennas. Three chassis USB ports in total; keyboard ports are separate. | ADB, external DB-25 SCSI, two LocalTalk/GeoPort-compatible serial ports, PlainTalk-compatible sound input and stereo speaker output. November 1996 education configuration includes Ethernet in the communications slot, replaceable by a 28.8 Kbit/s modem. The June 1997 brochure makes Ethernet optional on the 180 MHz version, while the exact support database lists none; no universal Ethernet headline is assigned. Apple Facts specifies six external SCSI devices, whereas the shared service table says up to seven devices without the same external qualification. |
| External displays | ADC and DVI connectors with DVI-to-VGA adapter; two displays in extended desktop or mirrored modes. A second ADC display needs an optional adapter. | Optional Apple External Video Connector enables video mirroring to a compatible display; the shared service lists 640 × 480, 800 × 600 and 832 × 624 external modes. Optional Apple Presentation System converts output to NTSC or PAL. A connector and compatible display are required. |
| Speakers | Built-in speaker; external audio can use analogue or optical connections. | Built-in stereo speakers, 16-bit stereo sound input/output and SRS 3D surround processing, with rear stereo speaker output. |
| Microphones | – | Built-in microphone; PlainTalk-compatible external sound input. |
| Keyboard and mouse | Apple Keyboard, Apple Mouse, USB extension cable, DVI-to-VGA adapter and modem cable. | Keyboard, mouse, cables and preinstalled software in the education ordering brochure; video input, TV/FM hardware, Ethernet and PC Compatibility Card vary by bundle or are optional. Shared-family gallery photograph shows the beige 5400 with supplied keyboard and mouse; it is not the international graphite Performa 5420. |
| Design and power | ||
| Type | Tower | All-in-one |
| Weight | 17.8 kg (better) | 21 kg |
| Width × depth × height | 206 × 475 × 511 mm | 383 × 406 × 445 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Size and weight detail | Published height 51.1 cm, width 20.6 cm, depth 47.5 cm; 17.8 kg reference weight varies with configuration. | Apple Facts and the ordering brochure give 44.5 × 38.3 × 40.6 cm (height × width × depth), and 21 kg / 47 lb, varying with installed devices. The shared service physical table swaps width/depth and prints internally inconsistent pound/kilogram weights; the exact maker brochure dimensions and complete-unit mass are used. |
| Power supply | – | Brochure and exact support database specify 220 W maximum continuous, 110–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz. The shared service gives 100–240 V at 47–63 Hz, a separate 125 W entry and 220 W maximum for all line/load conditions; these are power ratings, not measured operating consumption. |
| Materials | Aluminium enclosure with separate thermal zones. | – |
| In the box | Original models shipped with Mac OS X Jaguar; the November dual 1.8 GHz announcement includes Panther. Apple’s 18 August 2003 shipping release confirms immediate availability of the single-processor models; the original dual 2 GHz was due later that month. | Exact support database lists System 7.5.3 with Enabler 410; later education brochure and some service configurations use Mac OS 7.6.1. Apple records introduction on 1 October 1996, and its November 1996 current education catalogue establishes sale in 1996. The actual first-sale month is unresolved, so the date remains year precision. |
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