REFERENCE MAC G3+ GENERATIONS (Part 3 of 3) PowerMac G3, G4 and G5

G4, Cube

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PowerMac G4, CUBE
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+ G4 Cube 450, 500 mhz {UF}; 1 AGP slot; Sept 1999

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POWERMAC G3s & G4s
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BEIGE GENERATIONS
+ G3 Mini Tower 266, 300 mhz {SCA}; 3 PCI, 1 Comm slot, beige; Nov 1997

+ G3 Desktop 266, 300 mhz {SCA}; 3 PCI slots, 1 comm, beige; Nov 1997

+ G3 Server 233, 266, 300 mhz {UA}; 3 PCI slots, beige; March 1998

+ G3 All-In-One 233, 266 mhz {SCA}; 3 PCI slots, beige; April 1998

G3 BLUE & WHITE GENERATION
+ G3 Blue-and-white 350, 400, 350 mhz {SUFA C*}; 4 PCI slots, codename “Yosemite”; Jan 1999

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POWERMAC G4 
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The G4 Generations are broken down into five categories (1999-2002), the first three machines all with grey & light grey casing and clear plastic handles, the fourth with silver casing and a prominent speaker on the center of the unit appears like a belly button, and the fifth mirrors appear over the drive doors. In order to identify a G4 Minitower (which all of these are, but some of them shipped under than exact name and some didn’t), first classify its category based on the outside casing.

You can identify a machine if it falls into the PCI/AGP Generation, really two different logic boards sold at the same time, by noting the design on the rear panel of the machine where the ports plug in. Gigabit Ethernet (“GigE”) represents a split in the line halfway through the GREY-LIGHT GREY machines, and you find a clear white plastic rear panel. Both the AGP and PCI generations have a BLUEISH HOLOGRAPHIC CRISS-CROSS.

You can distingust the PCI Graphics machine from the AGP Graphics machine by one of two ways. (1) Opening the machine, you will see an AGP connector or a PCI connector. If you cannot open the machine, (2) notice the sound in and sound out ports on the rear panel of the machine. If they sit on a vertical line, it is an AGP Graphics G4. If the sound out and sound in ports are horizontal, it is a PCI Grapics G4. (Additionally, on the AGP machine the modem port is adjacent to the sound in & sound out ports; on the PCI machine the modem port is adjacent to the ethernet port further up on the rear port panel.)

The GigE and Server machines sold in Late 2000 fall into this category during which time several “BTO” or “built to order” machines were configured using these parts. The entire server line was based on the GigE design.

The fourth form factor, QuickSilver, can be identified very easily by the 1-inch speaker on the face of the machine resembling a belley-button.

Finally, the fifth G4 form factor is known as Mirrored Dirve, appropiately for its mirror-like facing which appears over the drive doors on the front of the unit.

THE PCI & AGP GENERATION (*see note)
+ G4 PCI Graphics 350, 400 mhz {UF C*};
3 regular PCI slots + 1 PCI video slot, VGA & DVI, grey/light grey casing, criss-cross rear panel, sound-in-out ports are horizontal, codename “Yikes”; Sept 1999

+ G4 AGP Graphics 350, 400, 450, 500 mhz {UFR C*};
3 regular PCI slots + 1 AGP video slot, DVI & VGA, grey/light grey casing, criss-cross rear panel, sound-in-out ports are vertical, codename “Sawtooth”; Sept 1999

GIGE & BTO CONFIGURATIONS (*see note)
+ G4 Gigabit Ethernet 400, 450, 500, Dual 500 mhz {UFR C*};
3 regular PCI slots + 1 AGP video slot, VGA & ADC, grey/light grey casing, clear white rear panel, codename “Mystic”; July 2000

+ G4 Server 450, 500 mhz {UFR C*};
3 regular PCI slots + 1 PCI video slot, grey/light grey casing, clear white rear panel; July 2000

DIGITAL AUDIO
+ G4 Digial Audio 466, 533, 667, 733 mhz {UFR C*};
4 regular PCI slots + 1 AGP video slot, VGA & ADC, digital audio port, grey/light grey casing, clear white rear panel, codenames “Clockwork” and “Tangent”; Jan 2001

BELLY BUTTONS
+ G4 Quick Silver 733, 867, Dual 800 {UFR C*};
4 regular PCI slots + 1 AGP video slot, SILVER casing, belly-button, codenames “Titan” and “Nichrome”; July 2001

+ G4 Quick SIlver (2002) 800, 933, Dial 1Gig {UFR}; belly-button; Feb 2002

MIRRORED DRIVE DOORS
+ G4 Mirrored Drive Doors; Dual 867, Dual 1Gig, Dual 1.25 GIg {UFR}; mirrored facing over the drive doors; Aug 2002

+ G4 Mirrored Drive Doors; 1.25 Gig {UFR}; mirrored facing over the drive doors; Jun 2003

+ G4 Mirrored Drive Doors 1 Gig, Dual 1.25 Gig, Dual 1.42 Gig {UFR}; mirrored facing over the drive doors; Feb 2003

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THE G5 POWERMAC
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Physically huge, a powerhouse of a machine, the form-factor for the G5 Powermac is markedly different from its predecessors: for one, the entire casing is made out of metal. The front and and rear panel, also metal, are punctured with tiny holes making a grill-like facing for the machine (the holes allow for optimal cooling of the G5 processor, something that was rumored to be a challenging part of the design process).

The PowerMac G5 has on its front panel a power button, a headphones jack, one USB and one Firewire port each, and a retracting disk drive (combo drive or superdrive)

notes:

POWERMAC G5

notes:
some models shipped with DVI, some not
“AGP” means “Advanced Graphics Processing,” and is a special type of video slot. DVI (“digital video interface”) connectors was a proprietary technology Apple used for connecting to some of the early flat panel displays. Begining with Gigabit Ethernet, this was replaced with ADC (“Apple Display Connection”) technology, which is now in use.

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