Apple Power Mac G5 (2003) vs Apple Power Macintosh 6500/225
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| ApplePower Mac G5 (2003) | ApplePower Macintosh 6500/225 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | August 2003 | 1997 |
| 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 225 MHz (Power Macintosh 6500) |
| 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) | 32 MB |
| Storage | 80 GB to 160 GB (better) | 2 GB to 3 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. | 225 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB L1 cache, 256 KB L2 cache and 64-bit 50 MHz bus. Shared service specifications use the name 603ev; exact support and original brochure use 603e. |
| 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. | 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 | 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. | 32 MB RAM, no soldered system memory; two 168-pin DIMM sockets permit up to 128 MB using 5 V buffered EDO DIMMs. Original brochure and service specify 60 ns or faster memory, while exact support database lists 70 ns; these published conditions are retained. |
| 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. | April 1997 US Home Edition M5611LL/A has 32 MB, a 3 GB IDE hard drive, 12× tray-loading CD-ROM, 1.44 MB SuperDrive floppy and no factory Zip drive in its exact ordering table. Exact support lists 2 or 3 GB and original 12× optical; shared service specifies a 2 GB 225 MHz configuration. Generic later family optical and storage choices are not assigned to this clock without exact configuration evidence. Shared family photographs show an optional Zip-equipped cabinet, unlike the original Home Edition blank bay. |
| 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. | Two PCI 2.0 slots for approximately 7-inch cards with Macintosh drivers; Communications Slot II used by modem or Ethernet, video-input slot and TV/FM tuner position. Home Edition has a pre-cabled 5.25-inch SCSI bay for another internal SCSI device, used by Zip on some family configurations. Apple specifies six external SCSI devices, five when optional Zip is installed. |
| Display | ||
| Screen | None built in | None built in |
| 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. | 3.5 mm headphone output and volume buttons; infrared receiver for the remote supplied with the optional TV/FM Radio System. |
| 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, DB-15 monitor output, external DB-25 SCSI, two GeoPort-compatible serial connectors, PlainTalk-compatible sound input and stereo line-level output. Original Home Edition has a 33.6 Kbit/s data/voice modem and 14.4 Kbit/s fax in Communications Slot II; it uses one serial port. Exact support lists 10BASE-T but notes some models have a modem in that slot, and later maker catalogue explicitly says Ethernet or modem varies by configuration. Ethernet is not assigned universally. Optional Apple Video System provides NTSC/PAL/SECAM input; Avid Cinema supplies video editing and NTSC/PAL output when installed. |
| 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. | – |
| Speakers | Built-in speaker; external audio can use analogue or optical connections. | 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 | Apple Keyboard, Apple Mouse, USB extension cable, DVI-to-VGA adapter and modem cable. | US Home Edition M5611LL/A includes keyboard, mouse, cables, 33.6 Kbit/s modem and home software bundle. Monitor, Apple Video System, TV/FM Radio System and Avid Cinema are optional. Original 225 MHz ordering configuration has no Zip; photographs are explicitly shared 6500 family views showing the optional Zip-equipped cabinet and optional display, not proof of factory Home Edition equipment. |
| Design and power | ||
| Type | Tower | Tower |
| Weight | 17.8 kg | – |
| Width × depth × height | 206 × 475 × 511 mm | 198 × 428 × 406 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. | 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 | – | 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. |
| 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 lists original System 7.5.5 and Enabler 411, with introduction on 17 February 1997. April 1997 current Home Edition ordering brochure establishes sale in 1997; exact first-sale month remains unresolved. Later shared family software varies, and is not treated as the original 225 MHz bundle. |
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