The G5 In every way, the Power Mac G5 was more than the G4 it replaced. It was bigger, more expandable and faster. Jobs spoke about the chip, the system, then the product, building a story of power and capability unrivaled in the PC world.

At the heart of this new Mac was the PowerPC G5 processor. Created in partnership with IBM, it was the first 64-bit processor to be put in a personal computer. Clocked up at 2 GHz, it was the fastest 64-bit processor ever shipped, and with a 1 GHz front-side bus and support for up to 8 GB of memory out of the box, it blew away the system built around the G4.

The G5 processor was designed was to be put into multi-processor machines, which Apple sold at the upper end of its product range. In practice, these numbers meant that the Power Mac G5 ran circles around the G4, but Apple took the opportunity to improve more than just CPU performance. The original G5 used 400 MHz RAM, which sported twice the bandwidth of the memory in the outgoing G4. On the board, Apple supported PCI-X for its slots, and used SATA for connecting spinning hard drives and the SuperDrive. This gave users faster access to their files and media, making all of OS X feel smoother. The Enclosure The new case would be dubbed the 'Cheese Grater' due to the large number of holes in the front and back.

With the capacity for dual processors, 8 GB of RAM and multiple PCI cards, the system could generate massive amounts of heat. Those openings were key to keeping air moving through the case. The cooling system was far more complex than a bunch of little holes, though. The Power Mac G5 was home to nine fans.

'You might think, 'Oh my God! Nine fans means its going to be nine times louder!' It turns out, the opposite is true.

By putting the fans right precisely where they're needed and independently controlling them all, we can make it a lot quieter. The enclosure was divided into four separate thermal zones, and those fans did their job. The G5 was twice as quiet as the 'Wind Tunnel' Mirror Drive Doors G4 it replaced. The G5 split its I/O between the front and back panel, with a USB and FireWire port joining a headphone jack on the front of the tower and everything else out the back. Like the Power Macs from the previous several years, the side of the G5 opened to reveal its internal components. The side didn't swing down like before, but simply lifted off the case when unlocked.

It was paired with a clear plastic air router that also lifted out of place with minimal effort, granting a user access to their machine's internals. Evolution of a Workhorse Over the next two years, Apple kept the Power Mac G5 updated on a regular basis. In June 2004, Apple gave the G5 a speed bump, with a dual 2.5 GHz at the top of the line. As clever as Apple's computer-controlled fan system was, it was no match for this machine, and Apple rolled out its first liquid-cooled Mac. Even now, 14 years later, this still blows my mind.

Worth Trading In G5 Dual 2.7 For Mac Mac

Apple did all it could to hide the intricacies of the radiator and hose system behind nicely-designed metal panels. Note that not all G5s were liquid cooled after it was introduced. Apple only used this technology when it was needed, and only three SKUs came with a radiator:. Power Macintosh G5/2.5 DP (PCI-X) (June 2004). Power Macintosh G5/2.7 DP (PCI-X) (Early 2005).

Power Macintosh G5 'Quad Core' (2.5) (Late 2005) Unfortunately, the first two liquid-cooled models were prone to leaks, which could lead to power supply, CPU and motherboard damage. Apple never issued a specific repair bulletin about these issues, but by the time I was a Mac Genius in 2007 or so, leaky G5s were taken very seriously. Bringing them into the repair system included a lengthy safety interview with the owner, and repairs were more or less always just 'taken care of,' regardless of warranty status. That antifreeze-colored hiccup aside, the PowerMac G5 saw modest improvements during its lifetime, but the last one is worth mentioning. Announced in October 2005, the last generation of Power Mac G5s included PCI Express and, at the top end, a 'quad-core' configuration, made up of two dual-core G5 CPUs. This was a beast of a machine, and was noticeably faster at multi-threaded tasks than its siblings.

It's easy to spot a 'G5 Quad' by looking at the power cable it used. These machines sported massive power supplies and the oddball IEC320 C19 power connector instead of the standard one still found on things like the iMac today. The Last of Its Kind The PowerPC G5 chip was, in hindsight, doomed to failure. Signs of trouble started in 2004, when Apple was unable to keep a promise made at the G5's original introduction: that within 12 months, there would be a 3 GHz Power Mac G5 for sale. On stage at WWDC 2004, saying that moving to anything smaller than 90 nanometer fabs had proved difficult for IBM. However, he was quick to point out that their partner had faired better in this regard than Intel.

Apple would never ship a 3 GHz G5, topping out with a dual 2.7 GHz system in early 2005. As time went on, another problem became apparent: the lack of a PowerBook G5. At the heart of the problem was the power required by the G5 chip and the heat it generated.

This was widely poked fun of by Apple fans. Forum posts were often accompanied by this image.

Worth Trading In G5 Dual 2.7 For Macbook

The Power Mac G5 line included the most powerful PowerPC-based computer Apple ever sold, also making it a powerful line for Classic Mode – especially the last generation dual- and quad-core models, as Classic then has unfettered access to one of the Power Mac’s cores. There were the first Power Macs with built-in USB 2.0 and the first to use SATA. Prior to the last generation, Apple used the same PCI slots found in previous Power Macs in the entry-level model and the newer, faster PCI-X slot in the two faster versions of each generation; both PCI and PCI-X lines used 8x AGP for video cards. With the final generation, Apple moved to dual-core CPUs and PCIe, the same expansion bus found in Mac Pros prior to. Although all G5 Power Macs use 150 Mbps SATA for their hard drives, they use the older Ultra ATA/100 for their optical drives. When running with Personal File Sharing enabled, you can on your network.

Bear in mind that can only support drives with up to 2 TB capacity – about half as much as today’s biggest hard drives. Still, SATA drives are inexpensive, so a Power Mac G5 can make an inexpensive Time Machine backup server. Leopard (the first version of OS X with no support for Classic Mode) is supported on all G5 Macs. Unfortunately, reliability has been all over the board, with up to one-third of some versions requiring service in the first few years of use.

Reliability ratings are based on, at which time the dual-core Power Mac G5 models had only been on the market for 8 months. Letter grades are based on failure rate: A = 0-7%, B = 8-14%, C = 15-22%, D = 23-29%, and F = 30% or higher. We also note the components that failed most often. G5/1.6 single (June 2003), D+ (24%, logic board, hard drive). G5/1.8 single (June 2003), C (19%, logic board, video card). G5/2.0 dual (June 2003), F (32%, video card, logic board). G5/1.8 dual (Nov.

2003), D (27%, logic board, optical drive). G5/1.8 dual (June 2004), C (19%, logic board, optical drive). G5/2.0 dual (June 2004), C+ (17%, logic board, hard or optical drive). G5/2.5 dual (June 2004), D (26%, logic board, hard drive). G5/1.8 single (Oct.

2004), C (19%, hard drive, logic board). G5/2.3 dual (April 2005), B (11%, logic board, power supply). G5/2.7 dual (April 2005), C- (22%, logic board, power supply). G5/2.0 dual-core (Oct. 2005), C (18%, power supply, logic board).

G5/2.3 dual-core (Oct. 2005), C (18%, power supply, logic board or optical drive).

G5/2.5 quad-core (Oct. 2005), C+ (17%, logic board, power supply) In each generation, except for the final dual-core one, the fastest model is the least reliable, while the second-fastest is the most reliable, with the 2.3 GHz dual G5 from April 2005 being the most reliable of the bunch (the Late 2005 models were also just 8 months old when MacInTouch did its survey).

Logic boards are the most expensive component to repair, followed by the power supply. Hard drives, optical drives, video cards, and RAM can be replaced inexpensively using third-party components. All that said, by this time these problems have probably been resolved, so if the Power Mac G5 you’re buying works, it’s likely to work well for years. The Power Mac line was displaced by the Intel-based, which has evolved from using two or four dual-core CPUs in 2006 to using one or two 4-core or 6-core CPUs today. Even the “consumer” from 2006 outperform G5 Power Macs in terms of overall processing power, and today’s Macs are far more powerful.

You lose expandability and Classic mode when you go Intel (try to replace Classic Mode) while gaining an all-in-one solution and Intel power. Used G5 Power Macs range from 1.6 GHz single processor to 2.5 GHz quad processor models. For our take on the value of last generation G5 Power Macs, see.

Also see Used Macs typically include a 90 day warranty. Memory and drive size reported as RAM/hard drive size.

All Power Mac G5 models normally ship with a SuperDrive, although 1.6 GHz G5s configured with Combo drives are not uncommon (listed models have SuperDrive unless otherwise noted). Note that RAM for the dual-core models is about 40% cheaper than for earlier G5 Power Macs. Models are sorted by CPU speed, with the exception of the 2.5 GHz Quad. Prices may be limited to quantity on hand. Not responsible for typos. We try to factor in shipping costs and configuration when selecting the best values.

Your best value depends on whether you need or want extra RAM, a larger hard drive, a better video card, etc. AGP video cards are listed in our. Best Used Power Mac G5 Deals PCI. 1.8 GHz dual, $99, Mac of All Trades. 2.0 GHz dual, $129, Mac of All Trades PCI-X. 2.3 GHz dual, $149, Mac of All Trades PCIe/dual-core. 2.3 GHz Dual, $388, DV Warehouse.

2.5 GHz Quad, $499, DV Warehouse Recent Memory Prices (per pair of modules) Modules should be installed in matched pairs.: 1 GB kit, $21.79; 2 GB, $39.99 – $80 for 4 GB max.: 1 GB kit, $21.79; 2 GB, $39.99 – $160 for 8 GB max.: 1 GB kit, $27.99; 2 GB, $29.99; 4 GB, $59 – $236 for 16 GB max Mac OS X and OS X Server Prices. There should be no surcharge for credit card purchases, and shipping is often (but not always) included. Vendors are listed in alphabetical order.

Be sure to visit their sites for full details. Buying through some of these links benefits Low End Mac. Buying at these prices benefits you. Profiles For a quick overview of the 14 different Power Mac G5 models, see our.: GeForce FX5200 or Radeon 9600 Pro graphics, Combo or 4x SD. 1.6 GHz model has PCI slots, 4 GB max memory (vs. PCI-X, 8 GB in faster models), OS X 10.2 through 10.5.: GeForce FX5200 Ultra or Radeon 9600 XT graphics, 8x SD. 1.8 GHz model has PCI slots, 4 GB max memory (vs.

PCI-X, 8 GB in faster models), OS X 10.3 through 10.5.: GeForce FX5200 Ultra graphics. PCI expansions slots. 4 GB maximum RAM. 600 MHz system bus – one-third of CPU speed vs.

Memory running at half CPU speed in all other G5 Power Macs, OS X 10.4 through 10.5.: Radeon 9600 or 9650 graphics, dual-layer 16x SD. Radeon 9600 standard on 2.0 and 2.3 GHz models, 9650 on 2.7 GHz. 2.0 GHz model has PCI slots, 4 GB memory ceiling (vs. PCI-X, 8 GB in faster models), OS X 10.4 through 10.5.: Dual-core processors, PCI Express (PCIe) expansion slots, dual-layer 16x SD, Nvidia GeForce 6600 graphics, up to 16 GB of DDR2 memory. The Quad has a pair of dual-core CPUs and is the most powerful PowerPC Mac ever built, OS X 10.4 through 10.5. Used Power Mac G5 Prices All models include a SuperDrive unless otherwise indicated. OS X 10.5 Leopard installed.

Shipping may add $65 or more. 1.8 GHz dual (PCI), 1 /80, $149.95. 2.0 GHz dual (PCI-X), 1 /80, Radeon 9600, $199. 2.0 GHz dual (PCI-X), 2/160, Radeon 9600, Apple 20″ Display, $399. 2.3 GHz dual (PCI-X), 1/160, Radeon 9600, $295. 2.3 GHz Dual-Core (PCIe), 1/80, GeForce 6600, $388. 2.5 GHz dual (PCI-X), 1/80, Radeon 9600, $389.

2.5 GHz Quad-Core (PCIe), 2 /160, GeForce 6600, $499 No additional details such as slot type (PCI vs. Shipping may add $35 or more. Mac in the Box uses PayPal exclusively for payments. 2.3 GHz dual, 2/250, $219 OS X 10.5 Leopard installed. Keyboard and mouse not included, $15 additional.

Ground shipping averages $50. Mac of All Trades has the highest product turnover of any used Mac dealer we track. 1.8 GHz dual (PCI), 2/160, Radeon 9600, $99.

2.0 GHz dual (PCI), 2/160, Radeon 9600, $129. 2.3 GHz dual (PCI-X), 2/160, Radeon 9600, $149 MegaMacs 30 day warranty.

Keyboard and mouse not included. Ground shipping may add $43 or more. 1.8 GHz dual, 1/160, $179.99.

2.0 GHz dual, 1/160, $199.99 Shipping included. Operator Headgap thoroughly refurbishes and tests every Mac they sell. When buying, please let them know you heard about them on Low End Mac when entering your shipping information.

1.6 GHz single (PCI), 1/400, $249.77 shipped. 2.0 GHz dual (PCI-X), 1/1 TB, new 22x SD, keyboard, mouse, $449.77 shipped.

2.3 GHz Dual-Core (PCIe), 1/1 TB, new 22x SD, keyboard, mouse, $599.77 shipped. Shipping may add $39.50 or more.

Keyboard and mouse extra. 2.0 GHz dual (PCI-X), 512 MB/160, $149.99 PCI Express (PCIe) Video Cards The last generation of G5 Power Macs, the dual-core ones, were the only PowerPC Macs to use PCI Express (PCIe). Because of this, compatible video cards are relatively rare. Shipping adds $12.50. Applemacanix also sells flashed PCI Express video cards. Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT, 512 MB, $029.95 Shipping included.

Operator Headgap thoroughly refurbishes and tests every Mac they sell. When buying, please let them know you heard about them on Low End Mac when entering your shipping information. Nvidia 6600LE PCIe, $179.77 shipped Don’t need G5 power? Check out our. Don’t need all the expansion or can’t afford a G5 plus a display? Keywords: #lemdeals #powermacdeals #ppcdeals Short link: searchword: powermacg5deals.