Apple Power Mac G5 (Early 2005) vs Apple Power Macintosh 5500/250

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Power Mac G5 (Early 2005) compared with Power Macintosh 5500/250

	ApplePower Mac G5 (Early 2005)	ApplePower Macintosh 5500/250
Overview
Released
Released	April 2005	1997
Performance
Processor
Processor	2 × PowerPC G5 2000 MHz (Power Mac Early 2005), 2 × PowerPC G5 2300 MHz (Power Mac Early 2005) or 2 × PowerPC G5 2700 MHz (Power Mac Early 2005)	PowerPC 603e 250 MHz (Power Macintosh 5500)
CPU cores
CPU cores	2	1
Graphics
Graphics	ATI Radeon 9600 (128 MB) or ATI Radeon 9650 (256 MB)	–
Memory
Memory	512 MB, 4 GB or 8 GB (better)	32 MB
Storage
Storage	160 GB to 250 GB (better)	2 GB to 4 GB
CPU
CPU	Two physical PowerPC G5 processors at 2, 2.3 or 2.7 GHz, each with 512 KB L2 cache and no L3 cache. Front-side bus per processor is 1, 1.15 or 1.35 GHz. The dual 2.7 GHz model uses liquid cooling.	250 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB L1 cache, 256 KB L2 cache and 64-bit 50 MHz system bus. This is a distinct clock configuration from the 5500/225.
GPU
GPU	Dual 2 and 2.3 GHz: ATI Radeon 9600 with 128 MB DDR and two single-link DVI outputs. Dual 2.7 GHz: ATI Radeon 9650 with 256 MB GDDR3, one single-link and one dual-link DVI output. Optional NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL with 256 MB has two dual-link DVI outputs and occupies the adjacent PCI slot.	2 MB built-in SGRAM with hardware 2D and 3D acceleration. Exact support table gives 24-bit colour through 832 × 624, 16-bit through 1152 × 870 and 8-bit at 1280 × 1024. The Australian brochure explicitly specifies the built-in display up to 1024 × 768 with 16-bit colour, but its separate Display support subsection incorrectly repeats a 1 MB/8-bit at 832 × 624 table resembling the earlier 5400; that inconsistent subsection is not used. The exact service table confirms 2 MB SGRAM and accelerated graphics.
Memory type
Memory type	Stock 512 MB PC3200 DDR400, installed in matched pairs. Dual 2 GHz has four DIMM slots and a 4 GB maximum. Dual 2.3 and 2.7 GHz have eight slots and an 8 GB maximum. Configuration rows keep the stock drives and graphics at base and maximum memory.	32 MB RAM in the exact Australian brochure and support specification, with no soldered system memory; two 168-pin DIMM sockets permit up to 128 MB. Shared Service Source specifies 60 ns or faster, 5 V buffered EDO DIMMs and supports fast-page modules too; mixing types can operate at fast-page timings.
Storage type
Storage type	Stock 160 GB on dual 2 GHz and 250 GB on dual 2.3/2.7 GHz, all 7200 rpm Serial ATA. Two internal drive bays; optional 250 or 400 GB drives, including two 400 GB drives. One optical bay with 16x SuperDrive supporting DVD±R and up to 4x dual-layer DVD+R recording.	April 1997 Australian brochure specifies a graphite 32 MB/4 GB IDE/12× CD-ROM configuration. Exact support database instead lists 2 GB minimum and 24× CD-ROM. Shared Service Source documents later graphite Japanese/Australian 32 MB/4 GB/24× configurations with video input, 33.6 Kbit/s modem and Mac OS 8.0, and a US education 32 MB/24× configuration with video input, NTSC output and Ethernet. The later January 1998 family catalogue lists 2 GB and 12× or 24× drives. All retain a 1.44 MB SuperDrive floppy; optical-drive and bundle conditions are kept explicit.
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	AGP 8x Pro graphics slot. Dual 2 GHz has three 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots. Dual 2.3 and 2.7 GHz have PCI-X: two 100 MHz slots and one 133 MHz slot.	One PCI slot for a 6.88-inch, 15 W card with a Macintosh driver, Communications Slot II for modem or Ethernet, video-input slot and optional TV/FM tuner bay. Australian brochure includes video input and lists TV tuner with infrared remote and Avid Cinema card/software as optional. The later US education configuration also supplies NTSC output.
Display
Screen
Screen	None built in	12.8″
Resolution
Resolution	–	1024 × 768
Panel
Panel	–	CRT
Display type
Display type	–	Built-in noninterlaced flat-square multiple-scan CRT, 15-inch nominal tube with 325 mm diagonal viewable image (12.8 inches in the January 1998 family catalogue), 0.28 mm dot pitch and software-selectable modes from 640 × 480 to 1024 × 768. Brochure states up to 75 Hz without assigning that maximum to the highest resolution, so headline refresh remains omitted. Base tilts −5° to +15° and swivels 360°.
Connections
Ports
Ports	3 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack	Headphone jack
Ethernet
Ethernet	1 Gb/s	–
External displays
External displays	Up to 2	–
Front ports
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
Back ports	Two USB 2.0, FireWire 800, FireWire 400, Gigabit Ethernet, optical S/PDIF input/output and analogue audio line-in/out. Three chassis USB ports in total, plus keyboard USB 1.1 ports. AirPort Extreme, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR and a V.92 modem are optional.	ADB, external DB-25 SCSI, two RS-232/RS-422/LocalTalk/GeoPort-compatible serial ports, PlainTalk-compatible sound input and stereo output. Australian brochure includes a high-speed GeoPort modem without a published rate; later graphite service configurations specify a 33.6 Kbit/s modem. Exact support and US education service configuration list 10BASE-T, while the January 1998 maker catalogue qualifies Ethernet as configuration-dependent. Modem and Ethernet use the same communications slot; no universal Ethernet headline is assigned. Brochure supports six external SCSI devices.
External displays
External displays	Two displays in extended desktop or mirrored modes. Radeon 9600 supports two displays up to 1920 × 1200; Radeon 9650 supports one 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display via dual-link DVI. Optional 6800 Ultra DDL supports two 30-inch displays. DVI-to-VGA adapter included.	January 1998 family catalogue lists NTSC TV output on some configurations; the service manual confirms NTSC output in the US education 250 MHz bundle. Australian brochure establishes built-in video input but does not establish included TV output. Computer-monitor video mirroring needs the appropriate external connector; do not treat an optional connector as included.
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in speaker; analogue and optical audio connections.	Built-in stereo speakers, 16-bit stereo sound input/output and SRS 3D surround processing, with rear stereo speaker output.
Microphones
Microphones	–	Built-in microphone; PlainTalk-compatible external sound input.
Keyboard and mouse
Keyboard and mouse	Apple Keyboard, Apple Mouse, USB extension cable and DVI-to-VGA adapter.	April 1997 Australian graphite presentation includes matching keyboard, mouse and necessary cables, built-in video-in card, high-speed modem, Apple System 7.5 software and a regional productivity, reference, education and game bundle. Internet service fees are additional. TV tuner/remote and Avid Cinema are optional. Later US education and international Mac OS 8.0 bundles vary; gallery shows the beige family education configuration, unlike the graphite primary.
Design and power
Type
Type	Tower	All-in-one
Weight
Weight	20.2 kg (better)	21 kg
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	–	383 × 406 × 445 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	The exact maker sheet labels height as 47.5 cm, width 20.6 cm and depth 51.1 cm. Earlier G5 sheets label height/depth in the opposite order; main dimensions are omitted because those published axes conflict. Maker reference weight is 20.2 kg and varies with configuration.	Australian exact brochure gives 44.5 × 38.3 × 40.6 cm (height × width × depth) and 21 kg / 47 lb. Exact support dimensions and January 1998 family catalogue agree. Weight varies with installed internal devices. Shared service physical table swaps width/depth and prints inconsistent pound/kilogram weights; the exact brochure measurements are used.
Power supply
Power supply	450 W on dual 2/2.3 GHz; 600 W on dual 2.7 GHz, as stated by the maker.	Exact support and Australian brochure specify 220 W maximum continuous, 110–240 V AC at 50–60 Hz; includes low-power sleep mode. Shared Service Source lists a separate 125 W entry and 220 W maximum for all line/load conditions. No value is treated as measured operating consumption.
Noise
Noise	–	Variable-speed fan automatically runs at the lowest speed needed to minimise noise; the processor also has a small cooling fan. No acoustic measurement is published in these sources.
Materials
Materials	Aluminium enclosure.	–
In the box
In the box	Mac OS X Tiger and iLife ’05. Apple’s 27 April 2005 launch says these models are available “this week”; first sale is kept at April precision rather than treating the announcement as a confirmed delivery day. The older single 1.8 GHz model retained in the launch range is represented separately as Late 2004.	April 1997 Australian maker brochure presents the 250 MHz graphite computer as a ready-to-use product and directs buyers to authorised resellers. Exact support later records introduction on 1 September 1997, while the Australian brochure predates that regional/configuration entry. Retail year 1997 is supported by the contemporary Australian sales brochure; exact first-sale month is unresolved. Exact support lists System 7.5.5 with Enabler 411; later shared service configurations use Mac OS 8.0.