| Power Mac G4 | |
|---|---|
 The "Graphite" Power Mac G4 |
|
| Type: | Desktop |
| Developer: | Apple Inc. |
| Released: | August 31, 1999 |
| Discontinued: | 9 June 2004 |
| Processor(s): | single or dual PowerPC G4, 350 - 1420 MHz |
The Power Mac G4 is a series of personal computers that was designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple between 1999 and 2004. A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer Apple Inc, ( formerly Apple Computer Inc, is an American Multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing Consumer electronics Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " PowerPC G4 is a designation used by Apple Computer to describe a fourth generation of 32-bit PowerPC Microprocessors Apple has applied this A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated Apple Inc, ( formerly Apple Computer Inc, is an American Multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing Consumer electronics Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " It uses the PowerPC G4 (PPC74xx) series of microprocessors. PowerPC G4 is a designation used by Apple Computer to describe a fourth generation of 32-bit PowerPC Microprocessors Apple has applied this A microprocessor incorporates most or all of the functions of a Central processing unit (CPU on a single Integrated
Contents |
Original models
The original Apple Power Mac G4 was introduced at the Seybold conference in San Francisco on 31 August 1999, with 400 MHz, 450 MHz and 500 MHz configurations available. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) In October 1999, Apple was forced to postpone the 500 MHz due to poor yield of the 500 MHz chips. In response, Apple “speed dumped” the processor speed in each configuration by 50 MHz but caused some controversy by not decreasing the price of the machines.
The early 400 MHz (later 350 MHz) PCI-based version used a motherboard identical to the one used in Power Macintosh G3 (Blue & White) computers (minus the ADB port), in a "graphite" colored case and with the new PowerPC 7400 (G4) CPU. The Power Macintosh G3 series (commonly known as the " Blue and White G3 " or sometimes just the " B&W G3 " to distinguish it from the original Apple Desktop Bus (or ADB) is an obsolete bit-serial Computer bus connecting low-speed devices to computers The higher-speed (Sawtooth) models used a greatly modified motherboard design with AGP 2x graphics (replacing the 66 MHz PCI slot). In December 1999, the entire Power Mac G4 line was updated to the AGP motherboard. Announced in July 2000 the Power Macintosh G4 (Gigabit Ethernet) that added dual processors came to the lineup. It came with a 400 MHz, or dual 450 MHz, or 500 MHz Processors. The Gigabit Ethernet also included onboard 1000Base-T Ethernet as standard.
The machines featured DVD-ROM drives as standard. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is The 400 MHz and 450 MHz versions had 100 MB Zip drives as standard equipment, and as an option on the 350 MHz Sawtooth. The Zip drive is a medium-capacity removable Disk storage system introduced by Iomega in late 1994 This series had a 100 MHz System bus and four PC100 SDRAM slots for up to 2 GiB of RAM (1. In Personal computers the Front Side Bus ( FSB) is the bus that carries data between the CPU and the northbridge. PC100 is a standard for internal removable computer Random access memory, defined by the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC SDRAM refers to synchronous Dynamic random access memory, a term that is used to describe dynamic random access memory that has a synchronous interface A gibibyte (a contraction of gi ga bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, abbreviated GiB. 5 GiB under Mac OS 9). Mac OS 9 is the final major release of Apple's "Classic" Mac OS. The AGP Power Macs were the first to include an AirPort slot and DVI video port. An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land
The 500 MHz version was reintroduced on 16 February 2000, accompanied by 400 MHz and 450 MHz models. Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. DVD-RAM and Zip drives featured on these later 450 MHz and 500 MHz versions. DVD-RAM ( DVD – Random Access Memory) is a disc specification presented in 1996 by the DVD Forum, which specifies rewritable DVD-RAM media and the appropriate
Apple's name for all these early AGP models is Power Mac AGP Graphics. The code name Sawtooth was used.
The design was updated at the Macworld Expo New York on 19 July 2000; the new revision included dual-processor 450 MHz and 500 MHz versions, and a low-end single CPU 400 MHz model. Produced by Boston -based IDG World Expo, Macworld Conference & Expo is a trade show dedicated to the Apple Macintosh platform with conference tracks held New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Events 711 - Muslim forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad defeat the Visigoths led by their king Roderic. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. It was also the first personal computer to include Gigabit ethernet as standard. A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated Gigabit Ethernet (GbE or 1 GigE is a term describing various technologies for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of a gigabit per second, as defined by the Most people saw this revision as a stopgap release, because higher clocked G4s were not available; the G4’s Motorola XPC107 “Grackle” PCI/Memory controller prevented the G4 from hitting speeds higher than 500 MHz. The dual 500 MHz models featured DVD-RAM and Zip drives were optional on all models. These models also introduced Apple's proprietary Apple Display Connector video port. The Apple Display Connector ( ADC) is a proprietary modification of the DVI connector that combines analog and digital video signals USB, and power
Apple's name for this series is the Power Mac Gigabit Ethernet. The code name was Mystic.
Four-slot models
A new line with a revamped motherboard but the familiar "Graphite" case debuted on 9 January 2001. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. New features included a fourth PCI slot, a 133 MHz system bus, an improved 4X AGP slot, and a new "digital audio" sound system, giving the series its name "Power Mac Digital Audio". The models were offered in 466 MHz, 533 MHz, dual 533 MHz, 667 MHz and 733 MHz configurations, the latter two using a newer PowerPC 7450 processor. The number of RAM slots were reduced to three, accommodating up to 1. 5 GiB of PC133 SDRAM. A gibibyte (a contraction of gi ga bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, abbreviated GiB. PC133 is a computer memory standard defined by the JEDEC. PC133 refers to Synchronous DRAM operating at a clock frequency of 133 MHz on a 64-bit-wide bus at a voltage SDRAM refers to synchronous Dynamic random access memory, a term that is used to describe dynamic random access memory that has a synchronous interface
The 733 MHz model was the first personal computer to include a built-in DVD-R drive and the rest of the line became the first Macs to ship with CD-RW drives. A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated DVD-R is a DVD recordable format A DVD-R typically has a storage capacity of 4 Compact Disc ReWritable (CD-RW is a rewritable Optical disc format This was also the first series of Macs to include an nVidia graphics card, the venerable GeForce 2MX. The multinational NVIDIA Corporation ( (ɪnˈvɪdiə specializes in the manufacture of graphics-processor technologies for Workstations GeForce is a Brand of PC graphics processor units (GPUs designed by Nvidia.
At Macworld Expo New York on 18 July 2001, a new line debuted featuring a cosmetically redesigned case known as "Quicksilver", but only minor technical changes. Produced by Boston -based IDG World Expo, Macworld Conference & Expo is a trade show dedicated to the Apple Macintosh platform with conference tracks held New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. It was available in 733 MHz, 867 MHz and dual 800 MHz configurations. The 733 MHz model was notable for not having a level three cache. In Computer science, a cache (kæʃ like "cash") is a collection of data duplicating original
The design was updated on 28 January 2002 with 800 MHz, 933 MHz and dual 1 GHz configurations, becoming the first Mac to reach 1 GHz. Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Again, the low end 800 MHz model did not include any level three cache. In Computer science, a cache (kæʃ like "cash") is a collection of data duplicating original The graphics in this series were provided by an nVidia GeForce 4MX card. GeForce is a Brand of PC graphics processor units (GPUs designed by Nvidia. Some of these models have ATA controllers with 48 bit LBA for hard drives larger than 128 GB. AT Attachment with Packet Interface ( ATA/ATAPI) is a standard interface used to connect storage devices such as Hard disks Solid-state Logical block addressing (LBA is a common scheme used for specifying the location of blocks of data stored on Computer storage devices generally Secondary storage This later series is commonly known as Quicksilver 2002.
DDR models
Another generation of Apple Power Mac G4s were introduced on 13 August 2002, featuring both a new Xserve-derived DDR motherboard architecture and a new case design, known as "Mirrored Drive Doors" (MDD). Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Xserve is the name of Apple Inc 's 1U rackmount line of server computers All models were sold in dual processor configurations running at 867 MHz, 1 GHz or 1. 25 GHz. As with the Xserves, the PowerPC 7455 CPU used does not have a DDR frontside bus, meaning the CPU could only use at most 50% of the new system's theoretical memory bandwidth, providing no improvement over previous models. PowerPC is a RISC Instruction set architecture created by the 1991 Apple – IBM – Motorola alliance known as AIM In Personal computers the Front Side Bus ( FSB) is the bus that carries data between the CPU and the northbridge. The rest was available to the graphics card and I/O systems. A video card, also known as a graphics accelerator card, display adapter, or graphics card, is a hardware component whose function is to In Computing, input/output, or I/O, refers to the communication between an Information processing system (such as a Computer) and the outside A single processor 1. 25 GHz model would be the last Power Mac G4 the company offered to the public after the announcement of the new Power Mac G5, introduced in June 2003.
The models were noted for their noisiness, earning them the unofficial designation "Windtunnel G4" in some circles. A wind tunnel is a research tool developed to assist with studying the effects of air moving over or around solid objects Noise complaints became such a problem that Apple later replaced the machine's power supply (PSU) and primary cooling fan with quieter versions, and initiated a voluntary do-it-yourself (DIY) replacement scheme for all previously sold machines. Power supply is a reference to a source of Electrical power. A device or system that supplies Electrical or other types of Energy to an output load A hand-held fan is an implement used to induce an airflow for the purpose of cooling or refreshing oneself At least some MDD models also have a design flaw resulting in noise in the audio-out, picking up interference from the mouse, graphics card, hard drive and other hardware. According to Apple, this is a ground loop issue, and only occurs when used with professional balanced signal audio equipment [1], however some audio experts have contended it is due to shielding defects on the motherboard and affects all equipment [2]. Balanced audio is a method of interconnecting audio equipment using impedance-balanced lines.
The last real update to the Power Mac G4 line was on 28 January 2003 offering dual 1. Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. 42 GHz PowerPC 7455 processors, with features not seen in previous DDR models: built-in FireWire 800 connector, optional integrated Bluetooth, and optional integrated AirPort Extreme. The IEEE 1394 interface is a serial bus Interface standard for high-speed communications and Isochronous real-time data transfer frequently Bluetooth is a wireless protocol utilizing short-range communications technology facilitating data transmission over short distances from fixed and/or mobile devices creating wireless An airport is a location where Aircraft such as airplanes, Helicopters and blimps take off and land These were also the first Power Macs that could not boot into Mac OS 9. Mac OS 9 is the final major release of Apple's "Classic" Mac OS.
With the launch of the Power Mac G5 on 23 June 2003, Apple quietly re-introduced the August 2002 Power Mac G4 because of perceived demand for Mac OS 9 machines. The Power Mac G5 is Apple 's marketing name for models of the Power Macintosh which contain the PowerPC G5 CPU. Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Between that, its low price-tag, and the delayed availability of Power Mac G5s, it proved a strong seller for a relatively short time. Production stopped on 9 June 2004 and the remaining inventory was liquidated. Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
See also
The Power Mac G4 Cube (or as Steve Jobs put it "more affectionately the G4 Cube " was a compact Macintosh Personal computer fromDapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic