Apple Power Mac G5 (June 2004) vs Apple Power Macintosh 5500/250

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Power Mac G5 (June 2004) compared with Power Macintosh 5500/250

	ApplePower Mac G5 (June 2004)	ApplePower Macintosh 5500/250
Overview
Released
Released	June 2004	1997
Performance
Processor
Processor	2 × PowerPC G5 1800 MHz (Power Mac June 2004), 2 × PowerPC G5 2000 MHz (Power Mac June 2004) or 2 × PowerPC G5 2500 MHz (Power Mac June 2004)	PowerPC 603e 250 MHz (Power Macintosh 5500)
CPU cores
CPU cores	2	1
Graphics
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra (64 MB) or ATI Radeon 9600 XT (128 MB)	–
Memory
Memory	256 MB, 512 MB, 4 GB or 8 GB (better)	32 MB
Storage
Storage	80 GB to 160 GB (better)	2 GB to 4 GB
CPU
CPU	Two physical PowerPC G5 processors at 1.8, 2 or 2.5 GHz, each with 512 KB L2 cache. Per-processor front-side bus is 900 MHz, 1 GHz or 1.25 GHz respectively. Only the dual 2.5 GHz uses the maker’s liquid-cooling system.	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 1.8 and 2 GHz: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra with 64 MB DDR. Dual 2.5 GHz: ATI Radeon 9600 XT with 128 MB DDR. Optional ATI Radeon 9800 XT with 256 MB occupies the adjacent PCI slot as well as AGP.	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	DDR400 PC3200 in matched pairs. Dual 1.8 GHz starts with 256 MB and has four DIMM slots with a 4 GB maximum. Dual 2 and 2.5 GHz start with 512 MB and have eight slots with an 8 GB maximum. Base and maximum memory rows retain each model’s stock storage and graphics.	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 80 GB on dual 1.8 GHz and 160 GB on dual 2/2.5 GHz; 7200 rpm Serial ATA. Two bays with 150 MB/s interfaces; optional 80, 160 or 250 GB drives, up to two 250 GB drives. One optical bay with 8x DVD-R SuperDrive; Combo drive is optional.	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 1.8 GHz has three 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots. Dual 2 and 2.5 GHz have PCI-X: two 100 MHz and one 133 MHz slots.	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, V.92 modem, optical Toslink input/output and analogue audio line-in/out. Three chassis USB ports in total, plus keyboard USB 1.1 ports. Optional 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 1.1.	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	ADC and DVI with included DVI-to-VGA adapter; two displays in extended or mirrored modes. A second ADC display requires a separate adapter.	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 connections for external audio.	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, DVI-to-VGA adapter, modem cable and AirPort antenna.	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	206 × 475 × 511 mm	383 × 406 × 445 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	Maker height 51.1 cm, width 20.6 cm, depth 47.5 cm; reference weight 20.2 kg 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	–	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 with separate cooling zones.	–
In the box
In the box	Mac OS X Panther and iLife. The 1.8 and 2 GHz models were available on 9 June 2004. Apple initially stated July availability for the 2.5 GHz model, later than the generation’s first sale.	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.