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iMac G5 (iSight)

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Innovation has come back to the iMac. Just as the original iMac introduced USB to the Macintosh and eliminated the floppy, the Oct. 2005 iMac G5 introduces the PCI-Express bus for video, DDR2 memory, and an integrated iSight webcam while eliminating the internal modem.

Apple took the popular iMac G5, built in iSight, made it thinner and lighter, boosted speed by 100 MHz, put a SuperDrive in the entry level model, and gave it a remote control. Throw in ATI Radeon X600 graphics on a PCI-Express bus and Apple's Mighty Mouse, and you've got the October 2005 iMac G5.

iMac G5 As with the May 2005 revision, Bluetooth and AirPort Extreme remain standard features. There is no internal modem; it has been replaced by an optional external USB modem.

Who would have expected so many changes in the five months since the last revision?

Is there anything to be disappointed about? The only thing that seems to be missing is FireWire 800, which Apple still reserves for their "pro" models.

Details

introduced 2005.10.12 at US$1,299 (17" 1.9 GHz) and US$1,699 (20" 2.1 GHz); 20" reduced to US$1,499 2006.01.31; replaced by first Intel-based iMac 2006.01.10
requires Mac OS X 10.4.2 or later
CPU: 1.9/2.1 GHz G5
bus: 633/700 MHz
performance:

Geekbench 2 (Leopard): 1112 (2.1 GHz), 1009 (1.9 GHz)
Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 1233 (2.1 GHz), 1137 (1.9 GHz)

RAM: 512 MB, expandable to 2.5 GB using a single PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM
Graphics: ATI Radeon X600 Pro (17") or XT (20") with PCI-Express support
VRAM: 128 MB DDR SDRAM
monitor:
- 17" 1440 x 900 flat panel display
- 20" 1680 x 1050 flat panel display
video out: VGA, S-video (requires adapter)
L2 cache: 512 KB on CPU
hard drive: 160/250 GB 7200 rpm Serial ATA drive
SuperDrive: writes DVD±R discs at up to 8x speed, dual layer at up to 2.4x; DVD±RW at up to 4x; reads DVDs at up to 8x, writes CD-R discs at up to 24x, writes CD-RW discs at up to 8x, reads CDs at up to 24x
USB: 3 USB 2.0 ports
FireWire: 2 FW400 ports
Optional 56 kbps USB modem supports v.92 standard
ethernet: 10/100/gigabit
WiFi: 802.11g AirPort Extreme included
Bluetooth: included
Microphone: internal
power: 180W
H x W x D (17"): 16.9 x 16.8 x 6.8 in/43 x 42.6 x 17.3 cm
H x W x D (20"): 18.6 x 19.4 x 7.4 in/47.2 x 49.3 x 18.9 cm
weight (17"): 15.5 lb/7 kg
weight (20"): 22 lb/10 kg
upgrade path: none
Part no.: MA063 (17"), MA064 (20")

Upgrades

none at present

Online Resources

Best used iMac G5 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 10.4 '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.
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).
FastMac 8x SuperDrive and BurnAgain DVD: Fast and easy multisession disc burning, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.10.08. FastMac's 8x SuperDrive upgrade is remarkably fast compared with older PowerBook burners, and BurnAgain DVD makes it easy to append files to a previously burned CD or DVD.
New Macs expected August 7, Apple keyboard repair tutorial, Linux vs. Mac vs. Widows, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.08.03. Also new Apple keyboard inspired by MacBook?, Logitech's new Wave keyboard, iNeck lets G5 and Intel iMacs pivot, TechTool Pro updated for latest Macs, and more.
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.
The annoying white iMac, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 2007.02.15. From a design standpoint, the iMac is brilliant, but the massive amounts of white plastic can distract you from what's on the display.
Region free DVD viewing options for Intel and PowerPC Macs, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.09.12. Several hardware and software options that will let your view 'wrong region' DVDs on your PowerPC or Intel Mac.
Macs take away Microsoft pain, Macs revive James Bond, iMac king of all media, iWoofer, and more, Mac News Review, 2006.06.16. Also Windows users guide to switching to the Mac, Bluetooth firmware update for PPC Macs, universal USB 2.0 drive adapter, waterproof case for video iPod, and more.
Drive matters, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.06.14. There's more to picking the right hard drive than size, spindle speed, buffer size, and price. But how can a 5400 rpm drive ever outperform a 7200 rpm drive?
The October 2005 iMac G5 value equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2005.10.13. More iMac value than ever, but how do close-out and refurbished prices compare?
Do matching pairs of memory make the iMac G5 go faster?, Bare Feats, 2004.10.27. Although matching pairs benchmark up to 29% faster, real world tests show no significant difference in performance.
iMac PC4200 memory pricing, ramseeker
The iMac channel
The iMac List, an email list iMac users
The iMac NewsPage
Apple Specs for iMac G5 (iSight)

Go to the iMac and eMac index.

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