Apple Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.0) Specs. Identifiers: Late 2005 - M9590LL/A - PowerMac11,2 - A1117/A1177. 2023 All Power Macintosh G5 Models All 2005 Models Dynamically Compare This Mac to Others. Distribute This Page: Bookmark & Share Download: PDF Manual The Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.0), along with the Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.3) and Power Macintosh G5 'Quad. Mac Optical Drive; Mac Power Cord & Cable; Mac Power Supply; Mac Processor Card; Mac SCSI Card; Mac Stands; Mac Video Card; mac wireless airport; Apple isight web camera; iBook parts; PowerBook parts; MacBook 13' Parts; MacBook pro parts; Macbook Pro Retina Parts; iMac parts; PowerMac G3,G4,G5 parts; eMac parts; iPod parts; Mac Pro Parts.
| Developer | Apple Computer, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Type | Desktop |
| Release date | June 23, 2003 |
| Introductory price | US$1,999 (equivalent to $2,723 in 2018) |
| Discontinued | August 7, 2006 |
| CPU | 1.6 – 2.7 GHz PowerPC G5 Single-processor Dual-processors, single-core Dual-core Dual-processors, dual-core |
| Predecessor | Power Mac G4 |
| Successor | Mac Pro |
The Power Mac G5 is a series of personal computers designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple Computer, Inc. from 2003 to 2006 as part of the Power Mac series. When introduced, it was the most powerful computer in Apple's Macintosh lineup, and was marketed by the company as the world's first 64-bit desktop computer.[1] It was also the first desktop computer from Apple to use an anodized aluminum alloy enclosure, and one of only three computers in Apple’s lineup to utilize the PowerPC 970 CPU, the others being the iMac G5 and the Xserve G5.
Three generations of Power Mac G5 were released before it was discontinued as part of Apple's transition to Intel processors, making way for its replacement, the Mac Pro. The Mac Pro retained the G5's enclosure design for seven more years, making it among the longest-lived designs in Apple's history.[2]
Introduction[edit]
Officially launched as part of Steve Jobs' keynote presentation at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June 2003, the Power Mac G5 was introduced with three models, sharing the same physical case, but differing in features and performance. The physical case of the Power Mac G5 was very different and unusual compared to any other computer at that time. Although somewhat larger than the G4 tower it replaced, the G5 tower had room inside for only one optical, and two hard drives.
Steve Jobs stated during his keynote presentation that the Power Mac G5 would reach 3 GHz 'within 12 months.' This would never come to pass; after three years, the G5 only reached 2.7 GHz and was able to support 16 GB of RAM before it was replaced by the Intel Xeon-based Mac Pro, which debuted with processors running at speeds of up to 3 GHz.
During the presentation, Apple also showed Virginia Tech's Mac OS Xcomputer clustersupercomputer (a.k.a. supercluster) known as System X, consisting of 1100 Power Mac G5s operating as processing nodes. The supercomputer managed to become one of the top 5 supercomputers that year. The computer was soon dismantled and replaced with a new cluster made of an equal number of Xserve G5 rack-mounted servers, which also use the G5 chip running at 2.3 GHz.
PowerPC G5 and the IBM partnership[edit]
The PowerPC G5 (called the PowerPC 970 by its manufacturer, IBM) is based upon IBM's dual-core POWER4 microprocessor. At the Power Mac G5's introduction, Apple announced a partnership with IBM in which IBM would continue to produce PowerPC variants of their POWER processors. According to IBM's Dr. John E. Kelly, 'The goal of this partnership is for Apple and IBM to come together so that Apple customers get the best of both worlds, the tremendous creativity from Apple Computers and the tremendous technology from the IBM corporation. IBM invested over $3 billion US dollars in a new lab to produce these large, 300 mm wafers.' This lab was a completely automated facility located in East Fishkill, New York, and figured heavily in IBM's larger microelectronics strategy.
The original PowerPC 970 had 50 million transistors and was manufactured using IBM CMOS 9S at 130 nm fabrication process. CMOS 9S is the combination of SOI, low-k dielectric insulation, and copper interconnect technology, which were invented at IBM research in the mid-1990s. Subsequent revisions of the 'G5' processor have included IBM's PowerPC 970FX (same basic design on a 90 nm process), and the PowerPC 970MP (essentially two 970FX cores on one die). Apple refers to the dual-core PowerPC 970MP processors as either the 'G5 Dual' (for single-socket, dual-core configurations), or Power Mac G5 Quad (for dual-socket, four-core configurations).
Architecture[edit]
The Power Mac G5 line in 2006 consisted of three, dual-core PowerPC G5 configurations, which can communicate through its FSB at half its internal clock speed. Each processor in the Power Mac G5 has two unidirectional 32-bit pathways: one leading to the processor and the other from the processor. These result in a total bandwidth of up to 20 GB/s. The processor at the heart of the Power Mac G5 has a 'superscalar, superpipelined' execution core that can handle up to 216 in-flight instructions, and uses a 128-bit, 162-instruction SIMD unit (AltiVec).
All modern 32-bit x86 processors since the Pentium Pro have the Physical Address Extension (PAE) feature, which permits them to use a 36-bit physical memory address to address a maximum of 236 bytes (64 gigabytes) of physical memory, while the PowerPC 970 processor is capable of addressing 242 bytes (4 terabytes) of physical memory and 264 bytes (16 exabytes) of virtual memory. Due to its 64-bit processor (and 42-bit MMU), the final revision of the Power Mac G5 can hold 16 GB of Dual-Channel DDR2 PC4200 RAM using eight memory slots, with support for ECC memory.
Product revision history[edit]
DP designates a dual-processor machine, SP designates a single-processor machine, and DC designates a dual-core-processor machine.
| Component | Power Mac G5 | Power Mac G5 (Mid 2004) | Power Mac G5 (Late 2004) | Power Mac G5 (Early 2005) | Power Mac G5 (Late 2005) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Codename | 'Omega, Q37' | 'Niagara, Q77, Q78' | 'Q77, Q78' | N/A | 'Cypher' |
| Model identifier | PowerMac7,2 | PowerMac7,3 | PowerMac9,1 | PowerMac7,3 | PowerMac11,2 |
| Processor | SP 1.6, 1.8, DP 1.8, or DP 2.0 GHz PowerPC 970 (G5) | DP 1.8, DP 2.0, or DP 2.5 GHz PowerPC 970FX (G5) | SP 1.8 GHz PowerPC 970FX (G5) | DP 2.0, DP 2.3, or DP 2.7 GHz PowerPC 970FX (G5) | DC 2.0, DC 2.3, or DP DC 'Quadcore' 2.5 GHz PowerPC 970MP (G5) |
| Cache | 64 KB (instruction), 32 KB (data) L1, 512 KB L2 | 64K (instruction), 32K (data) L1, 1 MB L2 per core | |||
| Front side bus | 800, 900, Dual 900 MHz, or Dual 1.0 GHz (2:1) | Dual 900 MHz, Dual 1.0, or Dual 1.25 GHz (2:1) | 600 MHz (3:1) | Dual 1.0, Dual 1.15, or Dual 1.35 GHz (2:1) | 1.0, 1.15, or Dual 1.25 GHz (2:1) |
| Memory | 256 MB of PC-2700 DDR RAM (1.6 GHz SP) Expandable to 4 GB | 256 MB of PC-2700 DDR RAM (1.8 GHz DP) Expandable to 4 GB | 256 MB of PC-2700 DDR RAM Expandable to 4 GB | 512 MB of PC-3200 DDR SDRAM Expandable to 4 GB (2.0 GHz DP) or 8 GB (2.3 GHz DP+) | 512 MB of PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM Expandable to 16 GB |
| 512 MB of PC-3200 DDR SDRAM (1.8 GHz SP+) Expandable to 8 GB | 512 MB of PC-3200 DDR SDRAM (2.0 GHz DP+) Expandable to 8 GB | ||||
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForceFX 5200 Ultra, GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL, ATI Radeon 9600 Pro, or Radeon 9800 Pro with 64, 128, or 256 MB of DDR RAM | NVIDIA GeForceFX 5200 Ultra, GeForce 6800 GT DDL, GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL, ATI Radeon 9600 XT, or Radeon 9800 XT with 64, 128, or 256 MB of DDR RAM | NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL, ATI Radeon 9600, Radeon 9650, or Radeon X850 XT with 128 or 256 MB of DDR RAM | NVIDIA GeForce 6600 LE, GeForce 6600, GeForce 7800 GT, or Quadro FX 4500 with 128, 256, or 512 MB of DDR RAM | |
| Hard drive | 80, 160, or 250 GB | 160, 250, or 400 GB | 160, 250, or 500 GB | ||
| Serial ATA 7200-rpm | |||||
| Optical drive | 4x SuperDrive 4x/8x/16x/8x/32x DVD-R/CD-RW | 8x SuperDrive 8x/10x/24x/10x/32x DVD-R/CD-RW | 16x SuperDrive DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW | ||
| Connectivity | Optional AirPort Extreme 802.11b/g (external antenna) 1x GigabitEthernet 56k V.92 modem (Optional on Late 2004 model) Optional Bluetooth 1.1 | Optional AirPort Extreme 802.11b/g (external antenna) 1x Gigabit Ethernet Optional 56k V.92 modem Optional Bluetooth 2.0+EDR | Optional AirPort Extreme 802.11b/g (internal antenna) with Bluetooth 2.0+EDR card 2x Gigabit Ethernet Optional 56k V.92 USB modem | ||
| Expansion slots | 3x 33 MHz 64-bit PCI 1x 8x AGP Pro (1.6 GHz SP) | 3x 33 MHz 64-bit PCI 1x 8x AGP Pro (1.8 GHz DP) | 3x 33 MHz 64-bit PCI 1x 8x AGP Pro | 3x 33 MHz 64-bit PCI 1x 8x AGP Pro (2.0 GHz DP) | 2x PCI Express x4 1x PCI Express x8 1x PCI Express x16 |
| 2x 100 MHz 64-bit PCI-X 1x 133 MHz 64-bit PCI-X 1x 8x AGP Pro (1.8 GHz SP+) | 2x 100 MHz 64-bit PCI-X 1x 133 MHz 64-bit PCI-X 1x 8x AGP Pro (2.0 GHz DP+) | 2x 100 MHz 64-bit PCI-X 1x 133 MHz 64-bit PCI-X 1x 8x AGP Pro (2.3 GHz DP+) | |||
| Peripherals | 3x USB 2.0 2x Firewire 400 1x Firewire 800 Built-in mono speaker 1x Audio-in mini-jack 2x Audio-out mini-jack 1x Optical S/PDIF (Toslink) input 1x Optical S/PDIF (Toslink) output | 4x USB 2.0 2x Firewire 400 1x Firewire 800 Built-in mono speaker 1x Audio-in mini-jack 2x Audio-out mini-jack 1x Optical S/PDIF (Toslink) input 1x Optical S/PDIF (Toslink) output | |||
| Maximum Operating System | Mac OS X 10.5.8 'Leopard' | ||||
| Weight | 39.2 lb (17.8 kg) | 44.4 lb (20.1 kg) | 36 lb (16 kg) | 44.4 lb (20.1 kg) | 44.5–48.8 lb (20.2–22.1 kg) |
- 2003 June: Initial release at speeds of SP 1.6, SP 1.8, DP 2.0 GHz.
- 2003 November: DP 1.8 replaces SP 1.8 GHz; price reduction on SP 1.6 GHz.
- 2004 June: 90 nm DP 1.8, DP 2.0 and DP 2.5 GHz replace all previous models. The 2.5 GHz model is notable as the first major PC with liquid cooling included as stock.
- 2004 October: A new SP 1.8 reintroduced, with a slower, 600 MHz FSB (front-side bus), PCI bus, based upon the iMac G5's architecture (U3lite and Shasta chips). Apple's official name for this machine is 'Power Mac G5 (Late 2004)'.
- 2005 April: CPU speed increased: DP 2.5 GHz → DP 2.7 GHz (PCI-X, LC), DP 2.0 GHz → DP 2.3 GHz (PCI-X), DP 1.8 GHz → DP 2 GHz (PCI). Newly introduced features were the 16x dual-layer SuperDrives across the line and increased storage, up to 800 GB for the higher-end models. The 1.8 GHz SP was not modified.
- 2005 June–July: The SP 1.8 model was discontinued in the United States and Europe.
- 2005 October: Shift to dual-core processors: DP 2.0 GHz → DC 2.0 GHz, DP 2.3 GHz → DC 2.3 GHz, DP 2.7 GHz → DP DC 2.5 GHz (termed a Quad Power Mac G5, with four CPU execution cores and more reliable liquid cooling), all with DDR2 memory, and PCI Express expansion in place of PCI-X.[3][4][5] The older PCI-X, DP 2.7 GHz model remained available for a while, but the slower speed single-core models were discontinued immediately.
- 2006 August: The Power Mac is replaced by its Intel successor, the Mac Pro.
Defects[edit]
Early versions of dual processor G5 computers have noise problems. The first one is ground loop-based interference,[6] which sometimes causes noise leaks into the analog audio outputs. This bug was fixed in Rev. B G5.
The second noise problem came from the 'chirping' sound, which can be triggered by fluctuations in power draw. For example, using Exposé causes a brief chirp.[7] A widely-circulated work-around is to disable the CPUs' 'nap' feature using Apple's CHUD Tools, but this was not recommended by Apple. This noise problem was not fixed until the dual core generation of G5s was produced, however it did not affect the 'Late 2004' model (at least there have never been any reports). The power draw fluctuation was later attributed to the lack of power management features in the single-core processors.[8] Apple eventually posted the chirping bug information on its support site.[9]
Although the noise problems did not prevent the affected computers from working, they were problematic for audio professionals and enthusiasts, especially for the liquid-cooled models, which had been expressly designed as mechanically quiet for discerning listeners.
A common problem amongst single processor G5s was that the plate of metal soldered to the Logic Board connecting all eight of the RAM slots would, over time, expand and contract in such a way that the computer could not boot properly, as it would not detect any RAM. The only way known to fix this problem is for someone to re-solder the plate themselves or expose the other side of the Logic Board to heat from a heat gun. The latter of these two options is far easier, as to access the plate of metal one would have to completely remove the Logic Board from the computer, whereas all one has to do to expose the other side is remove a fan.
All 2.5 GHz dual processor and all 2.7 GHz dual-processor and the 2.5 GHz quad-processor variant had a liquid cooling system that consisted of a radiator, coolant pump, and heat exchangers bolted to the processors. The cooling system was made by Delphi Automotive, a former Harrison Radiator Division of General Motors. This was a bold step for Apple, and should have allowed the use of very fast processors, giving Apple an advantage in both the performance and reliability race, but the system turned out to be subject to coolant leakage.[10] If not caught in time, the leakage could destroy the processors, logic board, and even corrode the aluminium casing itself. While leakage was sometimes detectable by drops of green coolant in or beneath the machine, in many[vague] machines the seepage is so slight that it was almost impossible to detect without dismantling the entire computer. Later models (only the 2.7GHz) were equipped with a Panasonic liquid cooling system which was much more reliable.[11]
The liquid cooling system fits into the case where the heat sinks would normally go, so there is no easy way to distinguish the liquid-cooled versions from the air-cooled, although most, but not all,[vague] of the liquid-cooled machines have a sticker inside warning about the possibility of leakage.
P.A. Semi's G5 derivative[edit]
When P.A. Semi announced the preliminary pre-production plan of PWRficient processor,[12] there had been persistent rumors that Apple would prepare for its use in its professional line of personal computers.[13]
In 2006, The Register reported that P.A. Semi had formed a tight relationship with Apple, which would result in P.A. Semi promptly delivering processor chips for Apple's personal computer notebook line and possibly desktops.[14] Even in 2006, Apple did not have a laptop version of the G5 processor. The processor that would run the personal computers was P.A. Semi's preliminarily proposed processor, PWRficient 1682M (PA6T-1682M). The version that would be sampled for pre-production at third quarter of 2006 was a 2 GHz, dual-core CPU with two DDR2 memory controllers, 2 MB of L2 cache, and support for 8 PCI Express lanes. The sampled chip also has lower heat intensity than Intel's Core Duo, which gives off 9–31 W under normal load.
According to The Register article, P.A. Semi executives believed that they were all but assured of winning Apple's contract, and CEO Dan Dobberpuhl thought that Apple's hints of moving to Intel were just a persuading tactic. At the time, the companies were working for PWRficient software.
Despite the advantages of more compatible architecture, Apple moved to the Intel architecture officially for 'performance-per-watt' reasons. However, P.A. Semi would not be able to ship its low-power multicore product in volume until 2007, which, combined with P.A. Semi's status as a start-up company, seems to have been the final blow to the development of Power Mac computers. However, it was also speculated that Apple switched to Intel processor because Apple could no longer abide the constant delays in performance ramp up,[15] desired native Windows compatibility, or it was Apple's strategy to shift its business focus away from desktop computing to iPod (and subsequently iOS) development.
Apple acquired P.A. Semi in 2008,[16] using P.A. Semi's engineering resources to develop ARM CPUs for their iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Apple TV product lines.[17]
The PA6T-1682M processor would later be used by the AmigaOne X1000 personal computer.
Timeline of Power Macintosh models
Notes[edit]
- ^'Apple Unleashes the World's Fastest Personal Computer—the Power Mac G5'. Apple.
- ^'Ten years in the shadow of the Power Mac G5'. MacWorld.
- ^'Apple Introduces Power Mac G5 Quad & Power Mac G5 Dual'. Apple Inc. October 19, 2005. Retrieved June 27, 2009.
- ^Kossovsky, Yuval (November 16, 2005). 'The Power Mac G5 Quad: Seat belt not included'. Computerworld. International Data Group. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
- ^Norr, Henry (November 22, 2005). 'Power Mac G5 Quad: Fast performance at its core'. Macworld. International Data Group. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
- ^'Macintosh: Solutions for noise in the audio signal'. Apple Inc. December 16, 2004. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
- ^'Apple versus the analog monster'. Ars Technica. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
- ^'G5 owner Feedback on Noises, CHUD Tools Nap mode Fix'. Accelerate Your Mac. September 30, 2003. Retrieved October 23, 2008.
- ^'Power Mac G5: I hear buzzes, beeps, or humming'. Apple Inc. September 1, 2005. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
- ^'PowerMac G5 Coolant Leaks/Repairs'. XLR8yourmac. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
- ^'PowerMac G5 Coolant Leaks/Repairs'. XLR8yourmac. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
- ^Merritt, Rick (October 24, 2005). 'PowerPC play: He shoots ...'EE Times. United Business Media. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
- ^Gwennap, Linley; Bob Wheeler; Jag Bolaria; Joseph Byrne (November 10, 2005). 'The Linley Group'. The Linley Wire. The Linley Group. Archived from the original on August 19, 2008. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
- ^Vance, Ashlee (May 19, 2006). 'Apple shunned superstar chip start-up for Intel'. The Register. The Register. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
- ^Stokes, Jon (October 26, 2005). 'P.A. Semi's major PowerPC announcement, and looking back at The Switch'. Ars Technica. Ars Technica. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
- ^'Apple Buys Chip Designer'. Forbes. Archived from the original on April 24, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^Vance, Ashlee; Stone, Brad (February 2, 2010). 'A Little Chip Designed by Apple Itself'. The New York Times. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
External links[edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Power Mac G5. |
Apple Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.0) Specs
Identifiers: Late 2005 - M9590LL/A - PowerMac11,2 - A1117/A1177* - 2023
All Power Macintosh G5 Models | All 2005 Models | Dynamically Compare This Mac to Others
Distribute This Page: Bookmark & Share| Download: PDF Manual
The Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.0), along with the Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.3) and Power Macintosh G5 'Quad Core' (2.5), are the first and last Power Macintosh G5 models to use dual core PowerPC 970MP (G5) processors, which have two independent processor 'cores' on a single silicon chip.
The Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.0) is powered by a single 'dual core' 2.0 GHz PowerPC 970MP (G5) processor with dual optimized AltiVec 'Velocity Engine' vector processing units (one per core), four double-precision FPUs (two per core), 1 MB of on-chip level 2 cache on each core, and a 1.0 GHz frontside system bus. It shipped configured with 512 MB or 1 GB of 533 MHz PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM, a 160 GB (7200 RPM) Serial ATA hard drive, a reported '16X' dual-layer 'SuperDrive', and a NVIDIA GeForce 6600 LE video card with 128 MB of GDDR SDRAM.
Connectivity includes USB 2.0, FireWire '400' and '800', a single-link DVI and a dual-link DVI port, optical digital audio in/out, two independent Gigabit Ethernet ports, and support for AirPort Extreme (802.11g) and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.
All of the 'multiple core' equipped Power Macintosh G5 models have three open PCI-Express (PCIe) expansion slots. The Power Macintosh G5 Dual Core (2.0) uses the same easy-to-upgrade 'anodized aluminum alloy' case as all other Power Macintosh G5 models with the same removable side panel for easy access to internal components. Likewise, it is divided into four different thermal zones with nine computer-controlled fans for optimum cooling.
Also see: What are the primary differences between the 'Late 2005' or 'Dual Core' Power Mac G5 models?
To purchase or upgrade a PowerPC Mac -- as well as newer Macs -- see site sponsor Operator Headgap Systems. OHS has low prices, a warranty, and personal support.
Despite the age of this system, site sponsor Other World Computing has RAM, hard drives, SSDs, and other upgrades available for this specific Mac while supplies last.
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| Introduction Date: | October 19, 2005 | Discontinued Date: | August 7, 2006 |
| Details: | The 'Introduction Date' refers to the date a model was introduced via press release. The 'Discontinued Date' refers to the date a model either was replaced by a subsequent system or production otherwise ended. Also see: All Macs introduced in 2005. |
Power Mac G5
| Details: | Geekbench 2 benchmarks are in 32-bit and 64-bit modes, respectively. These numbers reflect an average of user provided 32-bit and 64-bit results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit Geekbench 2 user submissions for Macs with the PowerMac11,2 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models. To dynamically compare Geekbench results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Processor Speed: | 2.0 GHz | Processor Type: | PowerPC 970MP (G5) |
| Details: | The PowerPC 970MP 'G5' has two independent 2.0 GHz processor 'cores' on a single silicon chip. It also includes dual optimized AltiVec 'Velocity Engine' vector processing units (one per core), four double-precision FPUs (two per core), and on chip level 2 cache on each core. Like all PowerPC 'G5' processors, the PowerPC 970MP 'G5' has 64-bit data paths and registers with native support for 32-bit application code. Apple also reports that each core of the 970MP has a 'parallel data structure supporting up to 215 simultaneous in-flight instructions, [and] simultaneous issue of up to 10 out-of-order operations.' Each core likewise has a 'dual-pipeline Velocity Engine for 128-bit single-instruction, multiple-data (SIMD) processing [and] advanced three-stage branch-prediction logic.' Also see: How fast are the 'Dual' and 'Quad' Core Power Mac G5 models compared to earlier ones? |
| Details: | The Power Macintosh G5 models have the processor(s) mounted on a custom 300-pin daughtercard, but it is not feasible to upgrade the processor. Also see: Is the CPU on the Power Mac G5 upgradable? How is it mounted? |
| System Bus Speed: | 1.0 GHz (2:1) | Cache Bus Speed: | 2.0 GHz (Built-in) |
| Details: | Apple notes that the system has a 'single 1 GHz 64-bit DDR bidirectional frontside bus'. |
| ROM/Firmware Type: | Open Firmware | ROM/Firmware Size: | 1 MB |
| Details: | Boot ROM and around 1 MB, other instructions are loaded into RAM (NewWorld). |
| Details: | 32k level 1 data cache, 64k level 1 instructional cache. The 1 MB on-chip level 2 cache runs at processor speed. |
| Details: | Supports 533 MHz PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM. Also see: How do you upgrade the RAM in the Power Mac G5 models? |
| Details: | Installed as two or four 256 MB modules. Memory must be installed in pairs. In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells memory -- as well as other upgrades -- for this Power Macintosh G5. In Canada, site sponsor CanadaRAM sells RAM and other upgrades for this Power Macintosh G5. In Australia, site sponsor RamCity sells memory and other upgrades for this Power Macintosh G5. Also see: Actual Max RAM of All G3 & Later Macs. |
| Details: | Apple notes that the system features a '128-bit memory controller and data path'. Also see: How much RAM of what type does the Power Mac G5 support? Which models have four RAM slots and which models have eight RAM slots? |
| Details: | The NVIDIA GeForce 6600 LE with 128 MB of GDDR SDRAM occupies a 16-lane PCI Express slot. Also see: What graphics cards are provided by the Power Mac G5? Which have ADC ports and which have DVI ports? |
| Details: | NVIDIA GeForce 6600 with 256 MB of GDDR SDRAM, NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT with 256 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM, and NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 with 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM were available at the time of purchase via build-to-order. Other graphics cards could be pre-installed at the time of purchase or installed later. |
| Display Support: | Dual Displays* | Resolution Support: | 2560x1600 |
| Details: | Apple advertised that this system can support 'two Apple flat-panel displays for each graphics card installed'. The default graphics card can support 'up to 2560 by 1600 pixels' with the dual-link DVI port and 'up to 1920 by 1200 pixels' with the single-link DVI port. It also can support analog resolutions 'up to 2048 by 1536 pixels'. |
| 2nd Display Support: | Dual/Mirroring | 2nd Max. Resolution: | 1920x1200 |
| Details: | The default graphics card can support a second display with a maximum resolution of 1920x1200 using the single-link DVI port (assuming the dual-link DVI port is being used for the primary display). The build-to-order NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 graphics card with 512 MB of GDDR3 SDRAM has two dual-link DVI ports and is capable of powering two 2560x1600 displays, like the 30-inch Apple Cinema Display models. |
| Standard Storage: | 160 GB HDD | Std. Storage Speed: | 7200 RPM |
| Details: | One hard drive installed by default. Also see: How many hard drives of what type are supported in the Power Mac G5? How do you replace the drive or add another one? Are there third-party products to use more drives than are 'officially' supported? In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells storage upgrades for this Power Mac G5. In Canada, site sponsor CanadaRAM sells hard drives and other upgrades for this Power Macintosh G5. In Southeast Asia, site sponsor SimplyMac.sg sells storage upgrades for this Power Mac G5. Also see: SSD Compatibility Guide for All G3 & Later Macs. |
| Storage Dimensions: | 3.5' (26.10 mm) | Storage Interface: | Serial ATA (1.5 Gb/s) |
| Details: | Officially holds two 3.5' hard drives -- drives larger than 128 GB are supported. Not compatible with Ultra ATA drives without an adapter. |
| Standard Optical: | 6X DL 'SuperDrive' | Standard Disk: | None |
| Details: | Apple reports that this '16X' DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW SuperDrive 'writes DVD-R discs at 16x speed, writes DVD+R DL discs at up to 6x speed, reads DVDs at up to 16x speed, writes CD-R and CD-RW discs at up to 24x speed, [and] reads CDs at up to 32x speed.' It uses an Ultra ATA/100 bus. Also see: What are the capabilities of the 'SuperDrive' provided by the Power Mac G5? How do you upgrade or replace the optical drive? |
| Details: | External USB modem optional. The system has 'two independent 10/100/1000BASE-T [Gigabit] Ethernet (RJ-45) interfaces with support for jumbo frames.' |
| Standard AirPort: | 802.11b/g (Optional) | Standard Bluetooth: | 2.0+EDR (Optional) |
| Details: | Expansion slots for AirPort Extreme (802.11g) card and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR module. Both optional at the time of purchase. |
| Details: | The 'Multiple Core' Power Mac G5 models have four USB 2.0 ports on the system (one on the front panel and three on the back), two Firewire '400' ports (one on the front and one on the back), and one Firewire '800' port on the back. Apple also advertised 'two USB 1.1 ports on included keyboard'. |
| Expansion Slots: | 3 PCIe, AP/BL | Expansion Bays: | 2 3.5', 1 5.25' |
| Details: | This model has 'two open full-length four-lane PCI Express slots', 'one open full-length eight-lane PCI Express slot', a 16-lane PCI Express slot that is occupied by the graphics card, as well as expansion slots for AirPort Extreme (802.11g) -- antenna internal -- and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. In the default configuration, one internal 3.5' bay is occupied by a hard drive and one is free, and the single external 5.25' bay is occupied by a 'SuperDrive' optical drive. Also see: Which Power Mac G5 models have PCI, PCI-X, and PCI Express slots? How many PCI slots of what speed does each Power Mac G5 have? How do you install a PCI card? |
| Incl. Keyboard: | Apple Keyboard | Incl. Input: | Apple Mighty Mouse |
| Details: | Also included a USB keyboard extension cable. |
| Details: |
| Details: | The Apple order number should be unique to this system. Also see: What are the primary differences between the 'Late 2005' or 'Dual Core' Power Mac G5 models? |
| Apple Model No: | A1117/A1177* (EMC 2023) | Model ID: | PowerMac11,2 |
| Details: | *Earlier systems are labeled model number A1117 whereas some, but not all, later systems are labeled model number A1177. Apart from minor configuration changes, systems with either model number seem to be identical, so the change may be a factory error. Please also note that these identifiers are shared by multiple systems. Also see: All Macs with the A1117/A1177* Model Number, the 2023 EMC Number, and the PowerMac11,2 Model Identifier. For more about these identifiers and how to locate them on each Mac, please refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Identification section. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Pre-Installed MacOS: | X 10.4.2 (8E90) | Maximum MacOS: | X 10.5.8 |
| Details: | This system cannot run versions of MacOS X more recent than 10.5.8. |
| MacOS 9 Support: | Classic Mode Only* | Windows Support: | Emulation Only |
| Details: | *This model is capable of using Mac OS 9 applications within the Mac OS X 'Classic' environment provided with Mac OS X 10.4.11 'Tiger' and lower ('Classic' is not supported starting with Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard'). It cannot boot into Mac OS 9. Site sponsor OHS specializes in heavily upgraded Macs capable of running both Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 applications. |
| Dimensions: | 20.1 x 8.1 x 18.7 | Avg. Weight: | 44.5-48.8 lbs. |
| Details: | In inches - height by width by depth, (51.1 cm, 20.6 cm, 47.5 cm). Weight in kilograms is 20.2-22.1 kg. |
| Original Price (US): | US$1999 | Est. Current Retail: | US$250-US$400 |
| Details: | Please note that on average the estimated current retail pricing of used systems is updated twice a year (please refer to the date on the bottom of the page for the date last updated). Photo Credit: Apple Computer. |
Click on a category for additional details. The most commonly needed info is 'open' by default, but all info is important. The icons correspond with the icons for each port on the computer.
| Details: | One single-link and one dual-link DVI (Digital Video Interface) port provided by default graphics card. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | The 'Multiple Core' Power Mac G5 models have four USB 2.0 ports on the system (one on the front panel and three on the back), two Firewire '400' ports (one on the front and one on the back), and one Firewire '800' port on the back. Apple also advertised 'two USB 1.1 ports on included keyboard'. |
| Details: | External USB modem optional. 'Two independent 10/100/1000BASE-T [Gigabit] Ethernet (RJ-45) interfaces with support for jumbo frames' standard. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | Includes a rear mounted 'optical digital audio input Toslink connector' and a 'stereo analog line level input' minijack. |
| Details: | Includes a rear mounted 'optical digital audio output Toslink connector' and a 'stereo analog line level output' minijack. Also includes a front-mounted headphone jack. |
| Details: | N/A |
| Details: | 100V-125V AC or 200V-240V AC. System lacks a 'soft power' port for an analog monitor. |
Ten of the most popular Q&As about the Power Macintosh G5 models follow.
Power Mac G5 Price
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