Request a product

Apple Power Mac G5 (Late 2005) vs Apple Power Macintosh 8100/80

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

ApplePower Mac G5 (Late 2005)ApplePower Macintosh 8100/80
Overview
ReleasedOctober 20051994
Performance
ProcessorPowerPC G5 dual-core 2000 MHz (Power Mac Late 2005), PowerPC G5 dual-core 2300 MHz (Power Mac Late 2005) or 2 × PowerPC G5 dual-core 2500 MHz (Power Mac Late 2005)PowerPC 601 80 MHz (Power Macintosh 8100/80)
CPU cores2 or 41
GraphicsNVIDIA GeForce 6600 LE (128 MB) or NVIDIA GeForce 6600 (256 MB)–
Memory512 MB or 16 GB8 MB or 16 MB
Storage160 GB to 250 GB250 MB to 1 GB
CPUDual models have one physical dual-core PowerPC G5 at 2 or 2.3 GHz. Quad has two physical dual-core processors at 2.5 GHz, four cores in total. Each core has 1 MB L2 cache. Front-side bus per physical processor is 1, 1.15 or 1.25 GHz respectively. Macworld’s exact Quad review describes its liquid cooling.80 MHz PowerPC 601 with integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB L1 cache, 256 KB L2 cache and 64-bit data path at 40 MHz; 4 MB ROM
GPUStock dual-core 2 GHz: NVIDIA GeForce 6600 LE with 128 MB GDDR SDRAM. Dual-core 2.3 GHz and Quad: NVIDIA GeForce 6600 with 256 MB GDDR SDRAM. Optional NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT 256 MB and Quadro FX 4500 512 MB; the Quadro occupies the graphics slot and adjacent x4 slot.Power Macintosh video card with 2 MB VRAM, expandable to 4 MB using four 512 KB SIMMs; separate HDI-45 video shares system DRAM. The non-AV model has no S-video input or output.
Memory typeStock 512 MB PC2-4200 DDR2 at 533 MHz, installed in matched pairs. Up to 16 GB supported; ECC configurations available from 1 GB. Rows retain the stock drive and graphics at base and maximum supported memory.8 MB soldered to the logic board and eight 72-pin noncomposite SIMM sockets, using matched pairs rated 80 ns or faster; maximum 264 MB total
Storage typeStock 160 GB on dual-core 2 GHz and 250 GB on dual-core 2.3 GHz and Quad. 7200 rpm Serial ATA drives; two internal bays. Optional one or two 500 GB drives. One optical bay with 16x SuperDrive supporting dual-layer DVD+R recording.Internal SCSI hard drive and 1.44 MB Apple SuperDrive floppy; 2× AppleCD 300i Plus CD-ROM is configuration-dependent. Apple's US brochure lists 8 MB/250 MB with or without CD-ROM, 16 MB/500 MB with or without CD-ROM, and 16 MB/1 GB with CD-ROM; an additional 16 MB/500 MB bundle includes SoftWindows.
Expansion slotsPCI Express: occupied x16 graphics slot, two open x4 slots and one open x8 slot. Older PCI and PCI-X expansion cards cannot be reused in these slots.Three NuBus slots for long or short cards; processor-direct slot occupied by the video card. Internal space accommodates a half-height 5.25-inch device, one full-height 3.5-inch hard drive and one removable 3.5-inch device.
Display
ScreenNone built inNone built in
Connections
Ports4 × USB-A, 2 × Ethernet, headphone jackEthernet
Ethernet1 Gb/s–
External displaysUp to 2Up to 2
Front portsUSB 2.0, FireWire 400 and headphone minijack.–
Back portsThree USB 2.0, FireWire 800, FireWire 400, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, optical Toslink input/output and analogue audio line-in/out. Four chassis USB 2.0 ports in total, plus two keyboard USB 1.1 ports. AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR are optional, with integrated antennas; built-in support does not mean modules are included.ADB, AAUI-15 Ethernet, HDI-45 and DB-15 video, external DB-25 SCSI, two LocalTalk/GeoPort serial ports, and 16-bit stereo audio input and output; the brochure includes an HDI-45 display adapter with the non-AV model
External displaysStock GeForce 6600 LE/6600 and optional 7800 GT have one single-link and one dual-link DVI port, supporting one 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display alongside a second display. Optional Quadro FX 4500 has two dual-link DVI outputs for two 30-inch displays and a stereo 3D connector. DVI-to-VGA adapter included.Maker brochure supports two simultaneous displays. The VRAM output supports 24-bit colour at 640 × 480 and 832 × 624; 2 MB VRAM gives 16-bit colour at 1024 × 768 and 1152 × 870, while 4 MB gives 24-bit colour at those resolutions.
SpeakersBuilt-in speaker and optical/analogue external audio connections.–
Keyboard and mouseApple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse, USB keyboard extension and DVI-to-VGA adapter.Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II and display adapter included in the US non-AV bundles; keyboard and monitor separate
Design and power
TypeTowerTower
Weight–11.5 kg
Width × depth × height–196 × 396 × 360 mm
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Size and weight detail–Original Apple Service Source lists 360 × 196 × 396 mm and 11.5 kg, varying by installed devices. The US brochure's 30.6 cm height conflicts with its own 14.25-inch figure; the UK brochure and Service Source give 36 cm. Apple's support sheet lists 14 × 7.7 × 15.75 inches and 25.3 lb; metric headline dimensions use the original service document.
Power supply–Automatically configured 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; Service Source distinguishes 298 W maximum continuous and 453 W peak AC input, excluding the monitor, from 200 W continuous DC output. Brochures and support list 200 W maximum without that distinction.
MaterialsAluminium enclosure.–
In the boxMac OS X Tiger and iLife ’05. Apple confirmed the dual-core 2 and 2.3 GHz models available on 19 October 2005, with Quad expected in early November. Macs Only reports its Quad shipped on 10 November and arrived on 11 November; these later Quad dates do not change the generation’s first sale. The exact specification sheet does not publish weight or dimensions.Original System Software 7.1.2 with PowerPC Enabler 1.0, setup and reference documentation and limited warranty. Apple records introduction on 14 March 1994; April 1994 Apple Directions states the exact model is available in large quantities worldwide, establishing sale in 1994 without resolving the first-sale month.

More comparisons