iMac and eMac Index

15″ iMac G4/800 MHz (February 2003)

Selling an Early 2003 iMac G4 on eBay or Craisglist? Use our Specs in Brief for free.
Got an iMac? Join LEM's iMac groupon Google Groups.
Our Mac OS 8 and 9 Forum is for thoseusing Mac OS 8 or 9.
Our Mac OS 9 Group is for thoseusing Mac OS 9, either natively or in Classic Mode.
Our Early OS X Forum is for thoseusing Mac OS X 10.0 through 10.3.
Our Jaguar Group is for those using MacOS X 10.2.
Our Panther Group is for those usingMac OS X 10.3.
Our Tiger Group and Tiger Forum are for those using MacOS X 10.4.
Our Leopard Forum is for those using MacOS X 10.5.
Our Leopard Group is for those usingMac OS X 10.5 and 10.6.

Appledecided to simplify the iMac lineup by offering just one 15" model andone 17" model. The new 17" model, profiledelsewhere, has a 1 GHz G4 processor, a SuperDrive, and 64 MBof video memory.

15-inch iMac G4

The new 15" iMac runs at 800 MHz, includes a Combo drive, and sellsfor a very competitive US$1,299. Except for CPU speed, it is configuredsimilarly to the 700 MHz Combo drive G4 iMacit replaces.

There is no build-to-order option for a SuperDrive. Unlike the new17" iMac, this model does not support AirPort Extreme or have aninternal connector for Bluetooth.

Beware Apple's specs, which claims the G4 iMac has 5 USB ports. Theyget this number by adding the three ports on the iMac to the two on thekeyboard, nicely ignoring the fact that the computer itself has onlythree ports - and the keyboard ties up a port when it's connected.

Some Leopard users have reported problems with G4 iMacs that haveGeForce2 or GeForce4 graphics. When the system wakes from sleep, the screenwill be completely white, making the computer unusable. This is fixed by Leopard Graphics Update 1.0, which requiresOS X 10.5.2 or later.

Details

introduced 2003.02.04 at US$1,299; replaced by 1.0 GHz model 2003.09.08
requires Mac OS X 10.2 through 10.5.x; 10.5 not officially supported
CPU: 800 MHz G4
bus: 100 MHz
performance: unknown
RAM: 256 MB, expandable to 1 GB using one user accessible 144-pinPC133 SODIMM (up to 512 MB) and one 168-pin PC133 DIMM (also up to 512MB)
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce2 MX with AGP 2x support
VRAM: 32 MB
screen: 15" 1024 x 768 flat panel display
video out: Mini VGA port for video mirroring, requires VGAadapter
L2 cache: 256 KB on-chip cache running at full CPU speed
hard drive: 60 GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo drive: 8x DVD read, 32x CD-R write, 10x CD-RW write, 32x CDread
USB: 3 USB 1.1 ports
FireWire 400: 2 ports
modem: built-in 56 kbps modem supports v.92 standard
ethernet: 10/100Base-T
WiFi: 802.11b AirPort optional
Microphone: internal
power: 130W
PRAM battery: 3.6V half-AA
height: 12.95-20.0 in/32.9-50.9 cm
width: 15.1 in/38.3 cm
depth: 10.6-16.3 in/27.0-41.5 cm
weight: 21.2 lb/9.7 kg
Part no.: M9105
machine ID: PowerMac4,2

Upgrades

8x SuperDriveDVD±RW upgrade, MCE Technologies, $149. 8x4x12x DVD,24x24x40x CD. 2 MB buffer. Must be installed by MCE or an MCEauthorized upgrade center.

Online Resources

Best iMac G4 deals.
Best classic MacOS deals. Best online prices for System 6, 7.1, 7.5.x, Mac OS 7.6,8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 9.0, 9.2.2, and other versions.
Best Mac OS X 10.0-10.3deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and10.3.
Best Mac OS X 10.4Tiger deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.4.
Best Mac OS X 10.5Leopard deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.5.
What'sthe best version of OS X for my Mac?, Ian R Campbell, The SensibleMac, 2008.02.28. Which version of Mac OS X is best for your hardwaredepends on several factors.
Unsupported Leopardinstallation, Dan Knight, 2007.10.31. How to install Mac OS X 10.5on unsupported hardware - plus field reports.
Faking out the Leopardinstaller with Open Firmware, Dylan McDermond, Unsupported Leopard,2007.12.06. You don't have to hack the installer to make the Mac OS X10.5 installer run on sub-867 MHz G4 Macs by using this simple OpenFirmware trick.
The iMac Legacy:After the G3, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2008.08.15. The G3 iMacinfluenced the whole industry, but Apple continued to move forward withinnovative designs using G4, G5, and Intel processors.
iMac(Flat Panel) and iMac (17-inch Flat Panel): Installing or ReplacingMemory, Apple. How to access and upgrade RAM in the iMac's "useraccessible" memory socket.
iMacG4 - Exchanging Optical Drive, Hard Disk, and RAM, Accelerate YourMac, 2002.07.13 (updated). Looks like this covers every version of G4iMac.
Know your Mac'supgrade options, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 2008.08.26.Any Mac can be upgraded, but it's a question of what can be upgraded -RAM, hard drive, video, CPU - and how far it can be upgraded.
WiFi hardwarecompatible with desktop Macs running OS X, MetaPhyzx, Mac Daniel,2009.03.11. USB, ethernet, PCI, and other wireless hardware compatiblewith Mac OS X.
WiFi adapters for desktopMacs running Mac OS 9, MetaPhyzx, Mac Daniel, 2009.02.10. USB,ethernet, PCI, and other wireless hardware compatible with the ClassicMac OS.
The future of up-to-datebrowsers for PowerPC Macs, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings,2009.08.31. With Intel-only "Snow Leopard" shipping, software supportfor PPC Macs will continue its decline. Also, a look at SeaMonkey 2 andCamino 1.6.9.
Optimized software buildsbring out the best in your Mac, Dan Knight, Low End Mac's OnlineTech Journal, 2009.06.30. Applications compiled for your Mac's CPU canload more quickly and run faster than ones compiled for universaluse.
Tips forinstalling or reinstalling Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger', Adam Rosen,Adam's Apple, 2009.06.10. Mac OS X 10.4 uses less memory than Leopard,supports Classic Mode on PowerPC Macs, and, unlike Leopard, issupported on G3 Macs.
Odd MacBook sleep behavior, Pismoresurrection and upgrades, end nigh for Classic Eudora? and more,Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2009.05.27. Also the end of theroad for Lombard and G4 iMac CPU upgrades.
Hacking a WiFi PC Cardto work in Apple's AirPort Card slot, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum,2009.04.21. Apple's AirPort Card has become expensive since it wasdiscontinued. Here's how you may be able to adapt an 802.11b PC Card toreplace it.
Is Leopard slowerthan Tiger on G4 Macs?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2009.04.17.Truth be told, when you have 1 GB of RAM, Leopard benchmarks aninsigificant 4% slower than Tiger.
Is it worth maxingthe RAM in old G3 and G4 Macs?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum,2009.04.15. Increasing memory can make your old Mac faster and make youmore productive, but it probably won't improve resale value by theamount you spend.
Is Camino now thebest browser for older Macs?, Charles Moore, MiscellaneousRamblings, 2009.01.13. Camino 1.6.6 works very will with Mac OS X 10.3through 10.5 and seems especially well suited for slower PowerPCMacs.
The 'better safe thansorry' guide to installing Mac OS X updates, Charles Moore,Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.12.16. Most users encounter no problemsusing Software Update, but some preflight work and using the Comboupdater means far less chance of trouble.
Leopard on an867 MHz G4 trounces Vista on a 2 GHz Core Duo notebook, SimonRoyal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.12.16. Apple makes sure that each version ofOS X runs well on the minimum supported hardware, while PCs well aboveminimum spec struggle under Microsoft's latest version of Windows.
Why youshould partition your Mac's hard drive, Dan Knight, Mac Musings,2008.12.11. "At the very least, it makes sense to have a secondpartition with a bootable version of the Mac OS, so if you haveproblems with your work partition, you can boot from the 'emergency'partition to run Disk Utility and other diagnostics."
Leopard runs verynicely on PowerPC Macs, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.11.19. Someclaim that Mac OS X 10.5 is so optimized for Intel Macs that it runspoorly on PowerPC hardware. That's simply not the case.
Every workingcomputer is useful to someone, Allison Payne, The Budget Mac,2008.11.19. Whether it's a PowerBook 1400, G3 iMac, or Power Mac G4, itcould be all the computer someone needs.
How to clone Mac OS Xto a new hard drive, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.10.07. Whetheryou want to put a bigger, faster drive in your Mac or clone OS X foruse in another Mac, here's the simple process.
9 browsersfor G3 and older G4 Macs compared, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum,2008.09.26. The latest versions of Opera, Safari, Shiira, iCab, Radon,Firefox, Demeter, Sunrise, and Camino that run on Mac OS X 10.4"Tiger".
Tiger vs. Leopard:Which is best for you?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 2008.09.22. Twogreat versions of Mac OS X, but unless your Mac is well above theminimum spec for Leopard and has lots of RAM, stick with Tiger.
Does running OS Xsystem maintenance routines really do any good?, Charles Moore,Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.08.26. Mac OS X is designed to runcertain maintenance routines daily, weekly, and monthly - but can't ifyour Mac is off or asleep.
PCs not like Macs, Claris HomePage fan, iMac G4 upgrade tips, iBook prices, and more, Dan Knight,Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.08.18. Also using PC3200 RAM in a MirrorDrive Door G4, cloning the classic Mac OS to a new hard drive, andthoughts on a Windows App Store.
The compressed airkeyboard repair, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings,2008.07.24. If your keyboard isn't working as well as it once did,blasting under the keys with compressed air may be the cure.
How toupgrade your eMac without cracking the case, Jason Packer, Macs inthe Enterprise, 2008.07.14. Some people like to replace the componentsinside their computers, but with FireWire and USB 2.0, Apple has madeit easy to upgrade using external drives.
Turn your oldMac into a web server with Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, JasonPacker, Macs in the Enterprise, 2008.07.09. Step-by-step instructionsfor installing and configuring Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP on anolder Mac.
SheepShaverbrings Classic Mac OS to Intel Macs and Leopard, Alan Zisman,Mac2Windows, 2008.05.20. Mac OS X 10.5 doesn't support Classic Mode.Neither does Leopard. But SheepShaver lets you emulate a PowerPC Macand run the Classic Mac OS.
Leopard is the way togo, even on most old G4 Macs, Carl Nygren, My Turn, 2008.05.14. Theuseful and just cool features in Mac OS X 10.5 make this the biggeststep forward in the history of the Mac OS.
10 cult Macs adored bycollectors, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 2008.05.13. Macs are notonly noted for their longevity, but also by the passion whichcollectors have for some of the most interesting models ever made.
Safari 3.1 will be 'crazy fast',OS X 10.5.2 update, 20x SuperDrive from $35, and more, Mac NewsReview, 2008.02.15. Also Security Update for Tiger, Graphics Update forLeopard, Mac mini "as powerful as a larger desktop", TechTool Deluxeupdate, and more.
Restorestability to a troubled Mac with a clean system install, KeithWinston, Linux to Mac, 2008.01.15. If your Mac is misbehaving, the bestfix just might be a fresh reinstallation of Mac OS X - don't forget tobackup first.
Leopard problems with GeForcegraphics, on eMacs and Power Macs, and more, Dan Knight, Low EndMac Mailbag, 2007.11.14. More success running Mac OS X 10.5 on iMacs,eMacs, Power Macs, and PowerBooks. Also failures with a Cube and a Blueand White G3 with a G4 upgrade.
Leopard with 384 MB RAM, on aPowerBook G4/550, benchmarked, and more, Dan Knight, Low End MacMailbag, 2007.11.06. Leopard on Digital Audio, Quicksilver, andSawtooth Power Macs. Questions on CPU load in OS X 10.5 and whetherbeige G3s and PCI Power Macs might run it.
Happy with my G3s, plus Leopard oneMacs, G4 iMacs, G4 PowerBooks, and the G4 iBook, Dan Knight, LowEnd Mac Mailbag, 2007.11.02. A reminder of the happiness found stickingwith older versions of the Mac OS on G3 Macs, plus field reports ofLeopard running on even more unsupported G4 Macs.
eMac virtual screen solution,PowerBook 3400 problem, IBM Model M and the Mac, and more, DanKnight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.26. Also G4 iMacs inspire lust,TrueType fonts and vintage Macs, deinterlacing DVDs, and Allegro USBsleep issues.
Unsupported Leopard installation andthe truth about Leopard DVD Player system requirements, Dan Knight,Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.25. How to create a hacked Leopardinstaller, and exactly what benefit you gain from a 1.6 GHz CPU withDVD Player under Leopard.
Leopard DVD Player requires 1.6 GHzCPU, dual processor questions, and dual boot Macs, Dan Knight, LowEnd Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.24. DVD Player currently runs on any G3 thatsupports Tiger, but the new version needs 1.6 GHz of power and otherbloat in Leopard.
G4 iMac 'not half anything', LEMdesign comments, and more on Macs not supported by Leopard, DanKnight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.22. The dual 800 MHz Power Mac maybe supported, Apple is (or isn't) right to draw the line at 867 MHz,and an LC III that won't work with a PC display.
The future of G4 iMacs in the Ageof Leopard, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.10.18. Some G4 iMacs areofficially supported under Mac OS X 10.5, but some aren't. CouldLeopard run well on 700-800 MHz G4 iMacs?
Software to darken iMac display,columnist returns iPhone, Logitech introduces air mouse, and more,Mac News Review, 2007.07.20. Also a USB turntable for turning yourrecord albums into MP3s, a retractable flash drive, iPhone: The MissingManual, Parallels Desktop 3 a major update, and more.
11 ways to optimize your Mac'sperformance, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 2007.03.12. Ifyour Mac is getting sluggish, here are 11 tips that can help restoreits original performance.
End of G4 models points tounprecedented value for used G4 Macs, Leaman Crews, Plays Well withOthers, 2006.06.02. The PowerPC G4 may no longer have a place inApple's product line, but that's a far cry from saying G4-based Macsare obsolete. If anything, their value is going to increase.
Making the move from Jaguar (OS X10.2) to Panther (10.3), Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living,2006.04.11. One advantage of Apple's "no upgrades" policy for OS X -someone can give you their old copy after upgrading without worryingabout violating their license.
iMac PC133 memory pricing,ramseeker
The iMac channel
The iMac List, an email list iMacusers
The iMacNewsPage
Apple Specs for iMac (Flat Panel),iMac (17-inch Flat Panel)

Go to the iMac and eMacindex.

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