20" iMac G4 (USB 2.0)

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Overview

The biggest iMac to date, the 20" model has a 1680 x 1050 display - and due to the weight of the screen, the base has to be heavier to counterbalance it. At 40.1 pounds, this is the heaviest iMac G4 yet.

Except for the screen size and weight, the 20" iMac G4 is identical to the 17" model.

Details

• introduced 2003.11.18 at US$2,199
• requires Mac OS X 10.3 or later
• CPU: 1.25 GHz G4
• bus: 167 MHz
• performance:
• Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 651
• RAM: 256 MB, expandable to 2 GB using PC2700 (333 MHz) DDR SDRAM (officially supported to 1 GB by Apple)
• Graphics: nVidia GeForce 5200 Ultra with AGP 4x support
• VRAM: 64 MB DDR SDRAM
• monitor: 17" 1680 x 1050 flat panel display
• video out: Mini VGA port for video mirroring, requires VGA adapter
• L2 cache: 256 KB on-chip cache running at full CPU speed
• hard drive: 80 GB 7200 rpm ATA/100 drive
• SuperDrive: writes DVD-R discs at up to 4x speed, reads DVDs at up to 8x speed, writes CD-R discs at up to 16x speed, writes CD-RW discs at up to 8x speed, reads CDs at up to 32x speed
• USB: 3 USB 2.0 ports
• FireWire: 2 FW400 ports
• integrated 56 kbps modem supports v.92 standard
• ethernet: 10/100Base-T
• WiFi: optional 802.11g AirPort Extreme
• Bluetooth: optional
• Microphone: internal
• power: 130W
• PRAM battery: 3.6V half-AA
• height: 13.93-20.9 in/35.4-53.0 cm
• width: 17.3 in/51.4 cm
• depth: 10.6-17.3 in/27.0-44.0 cm
• weight: 40.1 lb/18.2 kg
• Part no.: M9290
• upgrade path: none

Upgrades

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

Online Resources

• Best used iMac G4 deals, updated biweekly.
• Best classic Mac OS 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 10.0-10.3 deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3.
• Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.4.
• Best Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.5.
• What's the best version of OS X for my Mac?, Ian R Campbell, The Sensible Mac, 2008.02.28. Which version of Mac OS X is best for your hardware depends on several factors.
• Safari 3.1 will be 'crazy fast', OS X 10.5.2 update, 20x SuperDrive from $35, and more, Mac News Review, 2008.02.15. Also Security Update for Tiger, Graphics Update for Leopard, Mac mini "as powerful as a larger desktop", TechTool Deluxe update, and more.
• Restore stability to a troubled Mac with a clean system install, Keith Winston, Linux to Mac, 2008.01.15. If your Mac is misbehaving, the best fix just might be a fresh reinstallation of Mac OS X - don't forget to backup first.
• eMac virtual screen solution, PowerBook 3400 problem, IBM Model M and the Mac, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.26. Also G4 iMacs inspire lust, TrueType fonts and vintage Macs, deinterlacing DVDs, and Allegro USB sleep issues.
• Leopard DVD Player requires 1.6 GHz CPU, dual processor questions, and dual boot Macs, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.24. DVD Player currently runs on any G3 that supports Tiger, but the new version needs 1.6 GHz of power and other bloat in Leopard.
• G4 iMac 'not half anything', LEM design comments, and more on Macs not supported by Leopard, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.22. The dual 800 MHz Power Mac may be 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 Age of Leopard, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.10.18. Some G4 iMacs are officially supported under Mac OS X 10.5, but some aren't. Could Leopard run well on 700-800 MHz G4 iMacs?
• External $100 Sony DVD burner likes Macs, Brian Gray, Fruitful Editing, 2007.10.10. The box and manual say nothing about Mac compatibility, but this 18x USB 2.0 DVD burner is plug-and-play (at least with Tiger).
• 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 your record albums into MP3s, a retractable thumb drive, iPhone: The Missing Manual, Parallels Desktop 3 a major update, and more.
• 11 ways to optimize your Mac's performance, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 2007.03.12. If your Mac is getting sluggish, here are 11 tips that can help restore its original performance.
• Building a low cost recording studio around an iMac G4, Ben Barsh, Macs with Music, 2006.07.24. "After learning about GarageBand, I had to have it. I scrounged up a used iMac on my local craigslist for $50."
• End of G4 models points to unprecedented value for used G4 Macs, Leaman Crews, Plays Well with Others, 2006.06.02. The PowerPC G4 may no longer have a place in Apple's product line, but that's a far cry from saying G4-based Macs are obsolete. If anything, their value is going to increase.
• Making the move from Jaguar (OS X 10.2) 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 worrying about violating their license.
• iMac PC2700 memory pricing, ramseeker
• The iMac channel
• The iMac List, an email list iMac users
• The iMac NewsPage
• Apple Specs for iMac G4 (USB 2.0)

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