Apple Power Mac G5 (Late 2004) vs Apple Power Macintosh 5500/250
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| ApplePower Mac G5 (Late 2004) | ApplePower Macintosh 5500/250 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | October 2004 | 1997 |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | PowerPC G5 1800 MHz (Power Mac Late 2004) | PowerPC 603e 250 MHz (Power Macintosh 5500) |
| CPU cores | 1 | 1 |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra (64 MB) | – |
| Memory | 256 MB or 4 GB (better) | 32 MB |
| Storage | 80 GB (better) | 2 GB to 4 GB |
| CPU | One 1.8 GHz PowerPC G5 with 512 KB L2 cache and a 600 MHz front-side bus. This is the new single-processor model; the dual-processor models also listed on the retained sheet are June 2004 carryovers. | 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 | Stock NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra with 64 MB DDR in AGP 8x Pro. Optional ATI Radeon 9600 XT 128 MB, Radeon 9800 XT 256 MB, NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT DDL 256 MB or 6800 Ultra DDL 256 MB. The 9800 XT and 6800 cards also occupy 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 | Stock 256 MB PC3200 DDR400 in matched pairs; four DIMM slots support up to 4 GB. Configuration rows keep the stock graphics and drive at base and maximum supported 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 | Stock 80 GB 7200 rpm Serial ATA drive. Two 3.5-inch bays, each with a 150 MB/s interface. Optional 160 or 250 GB drives, including 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 | Three open full-length 64-bit 33 MHz PCI slots and occupied AGP 8x Pro graphics slot; no PCI-X on this single-processor model. | 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 | None built in | 12.8″ |
| Resolution | – | 1024 × 768 |
| Panel | – | CRT |
| 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 | 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 input/output and analogue audio line-in/out. Three chassis USB ports in total, plus two keyboard USB 1.1 ports. AirPort Extreme 54 Mbps and Bluetooth 1.1 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 | Stock ADC and DVI with included DVI-to-VGA adapter, supporting two displays. Optional 6800 GT/Ultra DDL cards have two dual-link DVI connectors and support two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays; a second ADC display on the stock card needs an 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 | Built-in speaker; optical and analogue 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 | – | Built-in microphone; PlainTalk-compatible external sound input. |
| 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 | Tower | All-in-one |
| Weight | 16.4 kg (better) | 21 kg |
| Width × depth × height | 206 × 475 × 511 mm | 383 × 406 × 445 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Size and weight detail | Maker height 51.1 cm, width 20.6 cm, depth 47.5 cm. Published reference weight for the single 1.8 GHz model is 16.4 kg, distinct from the carryover dual-processor models; weight 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 | – | 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 | – | 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 | Aluminium enclosure. | – |
| In the box | The October 2004 release includes Mac OS X Panther and iLife ’04. Apple’s retained specification sheet later lists iLife ’05; that later software listing does not change the hardware’s October 2004 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. |
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