Power Macintosh 5500/275

Released 1997

A 275 MHz PowerPC all-in-one offered in a graphite European family configuration with a 4 GB drive, TV/FM tuner and video input.

Type: All-in-one
Processor: PowerPC 603e (275 MHz, Power Macintosh 5500)
Memory: 16 MB – 32 MB
Storage: 2 GB – 4 GB
Screen: 12.8″
Weight: –

All-in-one

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Specifications

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Performance

Processor: PowerPC 603e (275 MHz, Power Macintosh 5500)
CPU cores: 1
Memory: 16 MB or 32 MB
Storage: 2 GB to 4 GB
CPU: 275 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB internal cache and 64-bit PowerPC bus. UK and Dutch exact graphite specifications give 512 KB L2 cache. Shared service describes another 275 MHz configuration with the same features as the basic 5500/225 apart from clock speed; optional 256 KB family cache does not replace the documented graphite 512 KB value.
GPU: 2 MB SGRAM and built-in hardware acceleration for 2D QuickDraw and 3D QuickDraw 3D/RAVE. Exact archived Dutch family specifications identify ATI 3D Rage II and support 24-bit colour through 800 × 600 on the built-in CRT. Headline resolution is this explicitly documented built-in colour mode, not a fixed pixel matrix or established maximum for every colour depth. Shared service lists 640 × 480, 800 × 600 and 832 × 624 at 32 bits per pixel, 1024 × 768 and 1152 × 870 at 16 bits, and 1280 × 1024 at 8 bits; it does not establish all of these as exact regional built-in display limits.
Memory type: Graphite UK and Dutch family configurations have 32 MB EDO RAM, expandable to 128 MB in two 168-pin DIMM sockets. No system RAM is soldered on the logic board. Archived exact Dutch page specifies noncomposite 5 V, 60 ns or faster EDO DIMMs with 1K or 2K refresh. Shared service also permits 5 V fast-page DIMMs and warns that mixing types can use fast-page timings. Basic service configuration has 16 MB. 4 MB ROM.
Storage type: Exact graphite family configuration has a 4 GB IDE hard drive, internal 24× CD-ROM and Apple SuperDrive floppy. Shared service also documents a basic 275 MHz configuration inheriting 16 MB RAM, a 2 GB or larger drive and 12× CD-ROM from the basic 225 MHz model; the 2 GB configuration is the documented minimum, not a claimed universal shipped capacity. Optical drives and software differ between these configurations. Shared service describes the floppy as 1.4 MB; the archived Dutch page uses the same maker wording.
Expansion slots: One 32-bit PCI 2.0 slot for a 7-inch card with Macintosh drivers; communications slot occupied by the supplied graphite modem or optional Ethernet; video-input slot and TV/FM tuner bay. Graphite family specification includes TV/FM tuner and video-input card. Avid Cinema video-editing hardware is optional and requires Apple Video System. NuBus cards are not compatible with the PCI slot.

Display

Screen size: 12.8″
Resolution: 800 × 600
Panel: CRT
Display type: Built-in 15-inch nominal colour CRT with 12.8-inch visible diagonal. Shared service specifies 0.28 mm dot pitch and shadow-mask tube. Archived exact family page states up to 85 Hz without tying this figure to a resolution; headline refresh remains omitted. Display brightness controls are on the front, and the housing uses a swivel base.

Connections

Ports: 2 × headphone jack
Front ports: Headphone output, sound-volume and display-brightness controls, and infrared receiver for the TV/FM remote. Front jack plus rear stereo output give the headline two output jacks; sound input is counted separately in details.
Back ports: ADB; external DB-25 SCSI with support for six external devices in the original Dutch family page; two RS-232/RS-422 serial ports with LocalTalk and GeoPort support in shared service; PlainTalk-compatible stereo sound input and rear stereo output. Graphite family modem supports data up to 33.6 Kbit/s, fax up to 14.4 Kbit/s, voice, answering-machine and hands-free functions; data rate depends on connection and provider. Archived page lists MNP4, V.42, MNP5 and V.42bis. Ethernet is a communications-slot option, not universally fitted. No USB or FireWire.
External displays: Computer-monitor video mirroring requires the optional external-video connector kit. Shared service supports mirroring at 640 × 480, 800 × 600 or 832 × 624; this does not establish an independent extended desktop. Avid Cinema provides optional PAL/NTSC video editing and output and requires the video-input system. Included TV/FM reception is not proof of included TV output.
Speakers: Two built-in stereo speakers and 16-bit stereo sound input/output, with SRS surround-sound enhancement. Shared service supports recording at 11, 22 or 44 kHz. Front headphone and rear speaker outputs are separate.
Microphones: Built-in microphone plus external sound-input port supporting PlainTalk microphones. Shared service explicitly excludes the earlier Omni microphone and attenuated RCA adapter.
Keyboard and mouse: Exact archived Dutch ordering page identifies graphite Family Macintosh M6183 with keyboard, mouse, cables and model-specific software. Original UK Christmas 1997 brochure shows the graphite computer with matching keyboard and mouse, with TV/FM tuner and video-in listed in its 275 MHz specification. The screen artwork is original maker photography; it is not a clean unlit-screen alternative.

Design and power

Type: All-in-one
Operating system: macOS
Size and weight detail: Exact archived Dutch family page gives 40.6 × 19.8 × 42.8 cm and 20.2 kg, values resembling the companion tower rather than the pictured all-in-one. Shared service gives 445 mm height but swaps the family width/depth compared with other original all-in-one brochures, and prints internally inconsistent 17/19 lb versus 21.15 kg weights. These unresolved exact-model measurement conflicts are not promoted into headline weight or dimensions, and sibling-model measurements are not substituted.
Power supply: Archived exact Dutch family specifications give 220 W maximum continuous input, with regional 200–240 or 100–125 V AC at 47–63 Hz and energy-saving sleep. Shared service gives 100–240 V AC at 47–63 Hz, a separate 125 W entry and 220 W maximum for all line/load conditions. These qualified ratings are not measured operating consumption.
Noise: Shared service describes a variable-speed enclosure fan and separate processor cooling fan, without a measured acoustic figure.
In the box: Shared service graphite configuration includes Mac OS 8.0. Original UK Christmas brochure describes purchase between 1 November and 31 December 1997 for a software offer; exact Dutch product ordering page is dated September 1997 and lists 275 MHz M6183. These establish sale in 1997; actual first-sale month or day remains unresolved. UK software includes Apple Magic Collection, Actua Soccer, Kai's Power Goo and multimedia reference titles; promotional software is not another hardware generation. Product resource is the original Dutch Apple family page covering exact 225/275 configurations; the support resource is the current official Earlier Power Mac family document index in English (Macau region), which has no exact 275 MHz entry. No exact surviving English maker support specification record or user guide was recovered.

Configurations

Processor	Memory	Storage	Storage type
PowerPC 603e (275 MHz, Power Macintosh 5500)	32 MB	4 GB	Hard drive
PowerPC 603e (275 MHz, Power Macintosh 5500)	16 MB	2 GB	Hard drive

Pros and cons

Pros

Built-in colour CRT, stereo speakers and microphone
Graphite family configuration includes TV/FM and video input
PCI expansion and memory expandable to 128 MB

Cons

No USB or FireWire
Only one PCI expansion slot
Modem and optional Ethernet occupy the same communications slot

Closest rivals

Model	Type	Processor	Memory	Storage	Screen	Weight	Released
ApplePower Macintosh G3 All-In-One	All-in-one	PowerPC G3 233 MHz (Power Macintosh G3 Desktop) or PowerPC G3 266 MHz (Power Macintosh G3 Desktop)	32 MB	4 GB	15″	26.8 kg	–
ApplePower Macintosh 5400/200	All-in-one	PowerPC 603e 200 MHz (Power Macintosh 5400)	24 MB – 32 MB	1.6 GB	12.8″	21 kg	1997
ApplePower Macintosh 5500/225	All-in-one	PowerPC 603e 225 MHz (Power Macintosh 5500)	16 MB – 32 MB	2 GB – 4 GB	12.8″	21 kg	1997

Sources

Photo: Apple UK Christmas 1997 brochure; graphite Family Macintosh 5500/275 with keyboard and mouse.

Original Apple UK exact 5500/275 specification-table photograph: cropped angled detail of the graphite CRT and front controls showing Safari in Kenya, with part of the matching keyboard. The original brochure crops the housing.: blog.aventure-apple.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1997-apple-ad-powerup-4.jpg
Original Apple UK graphite 5500/275 angled detail photograph with matching keyboard and Hercules screen artwork. The original brochure intentionally crops the top, right and keyboard; missing housing is not reconstructed.: blog.aventure-apple.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1997-apple-ad-powerup-4.jpg

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