Blue & White Power Macintosh G3/300-450
code name: Yosemite
nickname: Smurf
A Low End Mac Best Buy
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Overview
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Bold best summarized the blue & white G3. With an entirely new minitower case design and huge graphics on the side, this Mac would stand out even without the bright color.
In a big step forward, these models have 4 PCI slots, one more than previous models.
The B&W G3 was the first computer to ship with copper CPU technology.
With a tip of the hat to the iMac, the B&W G3 doesn't have a built-in floppy drive.
The keyboard and mouse also come from the iMac. Users have had a mixed reaction to the round mouse; fortunately, good alternatives are available. Likewise, although the keyboard has a nice feel, it is missing some keys that Apple has provided on full sized keyboard for years (see iMac's Keyboard: The Missing Keys for a full list). The availability of standard layout keyboards from Apple and others means you don't have to live with the stock keyboard.
As on the iMac, USB has practically replaced ADB, but Apple left one ADB port on the B&W G3. The addition of FireWire provides a fast alternative to the missing SCSI. (SCSI PCI cards are readily available, allowing access to older hardware.) Although this model has FireWire and USB ports, it cannot boot from either. Also, it does not support FireWire Target Disk Mode.
The Blue & White Power Mac G3 cannot boot from USB drives (see Apple Knowledge Base Article #58430, USB Info and Benefits of Dual-Channel USB).
Unfortunately, this Power Macintosh G3 shares the same product name as the earlier, very different beige Power Macintosh G3. You'd think Apple might have learned a thing or two about product name confusion with the PowerBook G3/PowerBook G3 Series situation, but that isn't the case.
The Rev. 2 B&W G3 uses a different motherboard, has an additional drive bracket, incorporates a new IDE controller chip (marked 402), and includes a faster version of the ATI Rage 128 video card. 350 MHz and 400 MHz models may have either motherboard; 450 MHz versions always have the Rev. 2 board from the factory. The new IDE controller improves slave drive support and solves a drive corruption problem. I've heard that the Rev. 1 board isn't stable with modern hard drives on the built-in IDE bus, and this especially rears its head under Mac OS X. Yet another reason to go Rev. 2.
When buying a blue & white G3, insist on getting a Revision 2 system. The best way to make sure you're getting a Rev. 2 motherboard is the "402" marking on the CMD646 IDE controller chip. See Accelerate Your Mac! for more details on differences between these motherboard revisions.
Although this model doesn't support drives larger than 128 GB on its main 33 MHz drive bus, the 66 MHz bus used for the optical drive supports multi-word DMA 2 and can support larger hard drive.
Details
- G3/300 introduced 1999.01.05 at US$1,599; discontinued
1999.06.
G3/350 introduced 1999.01.05 at US$1,999; discontinued 1999.08.31.
G3/400 introduced 1999.01.05 at US$2,999; discontinued 1999.08.31.
G3/450 introduced 1999.06 at $2,519; discontinued 1999.08.31. - requires Mac OS 8.5 through OS X 10.4.x; units that shipped with Mac OS 8.6 require 8.6 or later.
- CPU: 300/350/400/450 MHz PPC 750
- bus: 100 MHz
- performance:
- Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 186 (350 MHz), 223 (450 MHz)
- BYTEmark: 9.85 (300 MHz), 11.51 (350 MHz), 13.31 (400 MHz)
- MacBench 5: 926 (300 MHz), 1144 (350 MHz), 1323 (400 MHz), 1484 (450 MHz)
- RAM: 64 MB or 128 MB standard, expandable to 1 GB using PC100 SDRAM (3.3V,unbuffered, 64-bit, 168-pin, 100 MHz) in 4 DIMM slots
- L2 cache: 1 MB 2:1 backside cache (512 KB on 300 MHz model)
- VRAM: 16 MB
- Video: ATI Rage 128 on 66 MHz bus, supports resolutions to 1600x1200 with 32-bit support, VGA output (replaces older DB-15 port Apple has used since 1987). Rev. 1 runs as 75 MHz, while Rev. 2 uses faster 90-100 MHz clock.
- Video: Some educational units came with a Rage Pro video card that supported video capture.
- hard drive: 6 GB or 12 GB Ultra ATA or 9 GB Ultra2 SCSI hard drive. Maximum IDE drive size is 128 GB without third-party support. See How big a hard drive can I put in my iMac, eMac, or Power Mac? for three options.
- CD-ROM: 24x maximum throughput, DVD and DVD-RAM optional
- internal Zip drive optional
- 4 PCI slots (3 are 64-bit, one is 66 MHz; 66 MHz slot used for video card)
- optional internal 56k modem
- microphone: standard 3.5mm minijack, compatible with line-level input including Apple's PlainTalk microphone
- two 400 Mbps FireWire ports
- two 12 Mbps USB ports for keyboard, mouse, and peripherals
- one ADB port
- 10/100Base-T ethernet connector on back of computer
- size (HxWxD): 17.0" x 8.9" x 18.4"
- weight: 30.0 lb.
- Gestalt ID: n/a
- PRAM battery: 3.6V half-AA
- upgrade path: ZIF CPU upgrades
Accelerators & Upgrades
- 8x SuperDrive DVD±RW upgrade, MCE Technologies, $149. 8x4x12x DVD, 24x24x40x CD. 2 MB buffer. Requires OS 9 or OS X.
- Guide to G4 ZIF Upgrades, Low End Mac
- Guide to G3 ZIF Upgrades, Low End Mac
- upgrade path: G3 and G4 ZIF CPU upgrades (note that some early CPU upgrades did not support the 100 MHz bus)
Online Resources
- Best used Power Mac G3 deals, updated monthly.
- 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.
- 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.
- Bringing G3 iMacs and other G3 Macs into the Tiger Age, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2007.12.07. Tips on hard drives, memory, WiFi, and getting Mac OS X 10.4 installed on G3 iMacs and other older G3 Macs.
- Power Mac G3/350, Low End Mac Benchmarks, 2008.03.18. The legendary Blue and White Power Mac tested under Mac OS 9, 10.2.8, 10.3.9, and 10.4.11.
- Low End Mac's Compleat Guide to Mac OS 9, 2008 edition, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.05.12. Declared dead by Steve Jobs 6 years ago, Mac OS 9 remains fast and stable, but Classic software hasn't kept up with Web changes. What Macs support OS 9, where to buy it, and how to update to version 9.2.2.
- More G4 upgrade advice, secure disk wipes, 500 MHz iMacs with Tiger in action, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.05.09. The importance of securely clearing your hard drive before you pass on your Mac, Pismo and closed lid mode, G3 iMacs in the classroom, and more thoughts on upgrading G4 Power Macs.
- Boomerang: The Blue and White Power Mac G3 that kept coming back, Charles Webb, The Webb Chronicles, 2008.05.08. Over its nine-year lifespan, this Power Mac had at least five owners before it finally gave up the ghost.
- Macintosh peace of mind, PA Semi and the iPhone, $40 802.11g PCI card, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.05.01. Also Power Mac vs. Mac mini, more on DVD User Op Patch, 12" vs. 14" iBook, and VGA for a Power Mac 6100.
- OS X on other hardware, missing midrange Macs, and no Leopard yet on Yikes, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.23. The pros and cons of Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware, the need for more intermediate models, and the question of OS X 10.5 on the PCI Power Mac G4.
- OS X for PCs, Mac mini with HDTV, 802.11n options, upgrading from Mac OS 9, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.22. Also reviving a dead PowerBook 5300, Lucida Grande, external FireWire SuperDrive advice, OS X and the DeskWriter, and royalties.
- 2.6 GHz MacBook Pro worth it?, iBook video fixed, Compact Flash vs. SSD, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.13. Also buying a used Power Mac G4, a Power Mac 7600 still in daily use, OCR software for modern Macs, and Leopard on a Blue and White G3.
- 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.
- 3 ways to better YouTube viewing on older Macs, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.02.06. Watching YouTube videos in your browser on G3 Macs can be painfully slow, but there are several ways to improve your YouTube viewing experience.
- Better YouTube viewing on older Macs, too many dead pixels, Safari problems in Panther, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.02.05. Also picking the right used G4 iBook, Quartz Extreme support for PCI video, problems with Mac OS 9.x on G4 Power Macs, open firmware problems with 667 MHz PowerBook, and more.
- WWDC Leopard on upgraded Beige G3, PowerBook vs. iBook, Leopard on an 800 MHz iBook G4, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.01.30. Also MacBook Air points to future notebooks, iPod and iPhone coverage on Low End Mac, changes in Xbench scores, and help with a Mac Classic.
- Restoring a Blue & White G3 and a 'Mystic' Power Mac G4, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2008.01.30. Both of these Power Macs had been unreliable since they were purchased (used). Patience plus trial and error got them both working reliably with Mac OS 9 and X.
- G3 and G4 Power Macs and Clamshell iBooks still useful, Ben Zalutsky, No Windows for Me, 2008.01.29. Intel CPUs may be blazingly fast, but the old G3 and G4 Macs have plenty of usable life left in them.
- From the familiarity of Windows to the power of Mac, why 867 MHz for Leopard, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.05. Also the DAV connector on the Power Mac 8600, really old Mac System software, Aperture and vampire video, using an ImageWriter printer with USB, and more.
- Reasons for sticking with the Classic Mac OS, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 2007.10.30. Whether it's the simplicity, elegance, speed, or desire not to replace lots of expensive hardware, there are lots of good reasons for sticking with Mac OS 9.
- Why the Blue and White G3 is the workhorse of the Mac world, Leo Titus LeBron V, Collection Spotlight, 2007.10.26. Introduced in January 1999, the blue and white Power Mac G3 was powerful, expandable, and supported all the way through Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger'.
- AirPort Extreme interference robustness explained, 1 GHz G3 upgrade, new OS X image editor, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.09.14. Also picking the right Mac, Microsoft's wireless mouse with 1 GB of flash memory, Revolabs wireless microphone with iListen, Opera 9.5 for Mac reaches alpha 3, and more.
- The future of G3 Power Macs in the Age of Leopard, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.09.12. There's no G3 support in Leopard. What does that mean for those with a Beige G3 or a Blue and White G3?
- Choosing and upgrading a 12" PowerBook, too much about Windows, the blue iMac blues, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.09.11. Also the pros and cons of running Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' on a blue and white G3 and one more tip for burning CDs that will work on old Macs.
- Upgrading a Power Mac G4, used Mac dealers, Tiger on a blue and white G3, and AAUI, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.09.06. Questions about upgrading a Mirror Drive Door G4, dependability of used Mac dealers, and the wisdom of installing Mac OS X 10.4 on a blue and white G3. Also comments on AAUI.
- PC war losers, Mac 'just works', $68 802.11n for older Macs, a free font manager, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.08.31. Also DVD region locking, the iMac's glossy screen, Mac mini powerful enough, Chromac iMac housings, SanDisk's 8 GB flash drive, and more.
- OS X on a G3, FireWire Disk Mode missing in action, Panther on a Power Mac, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.07.16. Also glossy displays are sharper, where to get Netscape 7, two OS X replacements for MacDraw, and an iBook power problem solved.
- Even if Leopard leaves G3 behind, Tiger users will still be able to run up-to-date apps, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.06.18. While Apple may drop G3 support in OS X 10.5, there will continue to be plenty of options for 10.4 users who want to run up-to-date browsers, email clients, and instant messaging programs.
- Fixing negative feedback on eBay and problems booting a Blue & White G3 in OS X, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.06.08. Several tips on dealing with negative feedback and scammers on eBay, a FireWire install tip, and troubles getting a B&W Power Mac G3 to boot into OS X 10.3.
- Best video card for a G3 Power Mac, upgrading vs. buying a newer Mac, many OS 9 fans, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.06.04. Also iCab is outdated and sluggish, where not to obtain OS 9, installing OS X using FireWire Disk Mode, and troubleshooting a Mac from Linux.
- Most durable 'Book, prepping a blue & white G3 for OS X, 7200 rpm drive too hot for Pismo?, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.05.21. Also how the need to run "Tiger" is a problem, an iBook G4 with serious shutdown issues, and burning CDs at a lower speed may make them easier to read in older Macs.
- World's fastest G3, Core Image unsupported in most G4 Macs, and other thoughts on OS X 10.5, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.05.17. Where a 1.1 GHz G3 really rocks, too many G3 Macs in use to drop them with Leopard, and whether Core Image might be the technology that determines which Macs can't run OS X 10.5.
- Why Apple must continue G3 support in Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard', Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.05.08. "We're worried about what happens if Apple unchecks that box in Xcode to include the instructions necessary to run OS X on G3 processors at all."
- Importance of G3 support in 10.5, clever USB/FireWire solution, upgrade options, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.05.01. Also the loss of the PowerBook brand, upgrading to an Intel iMac, Korg and the Mac, Quadra boot problems, and the value of a Mac Classic.
- Format any drive for older Macs with patched Apple tools, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2007.04.25. Apple HD SC Setup and Drive Setup only work with Apple branded hard drives - until you apply the patches linked to this article.
- Allegro USB 2.0 a great way to add several USB 2.0 ports to your Power Mac, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Reviews, 2007.03.28. You can never have too many USB ports. Whether your Power Mac has no USB 2.0 ports or too few, this $30 card is a great way to add the ports you need.
- Drag and drop problems with flash drive, troubleshooting a Mac with Linux, G3 video problems, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.03.27. Also FireWire boot drives, bootable partitions, bootable external DVD drives, and maximum hard drive size on older Macs.
- Maximum drive size in older Macs, 12" PowerBook 'the new Pismo', best browser for archiving, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.03.21. Also WiFi cards for PowerBooks, video problem with a blue & white G3, installing OS X using NetBoot, and more.
- Why OS X 10.2 is best for Classic, switching to Opera, installing Tiger on a B&W G3, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.03.05. Also thoughts on Firefox, modem problems on a Pismo with OS X 10.4, and connecting an Apple Studio Display to a MacBook.
- $25 802.11g card for PCI Macs, drive support for 802.11n AirPort Extreme, Adtron ups flash disks, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.03.02. Also firmware update info for Intel Macs, washable medical mouse and keyboard, TechTool Protogo, and more.
- OS X 10.2 best for Classic?, Tiger on a Blue & White G3, salvaging an iBook hard drive, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.02.12. Why Jaguar may be the best OS X for Classic mode, getting Tiger on a DVD-free Power Mac G3, transplanting a dead iBook's hard drive, and Mac service sources in Bogota, Columbia.
- How much Mac do you really need to run OS X?, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.11.16. You don't need dual-core Intel processors to read email or use the Web. Here are some 1999-2001 Macs that could be all you need.
- Is Ubuntu Linux a sensible alternative for Mac users?, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.09.18. If your Mac can run OS X decently, is there any reason to try Ubuntu Linux? If it can't run OS X well, is Ubuntu a reasonable choice?
- Using FireWire Target Disk Mode to install OS X on Macs without DVD drives, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.09.14. Two methods for using FireWire Target Disk mode to install OS X on a Mac that can't read DVDs.
- Is the G3 still a practical choice?, Matthew Jay, Macs to the Max, 2006.08.10. Although the G3 is several generations old, it has enough horsepower for most of the things we do on our computers.
- Customizing Mac OS 9, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.08.01. Fiddling with themes, picking a browser, and making the Classic Mac OS work just the way you want it to.
- Installing OS X 10.4 'Tiger' on DVD-challenged Macs using FireWire Target Disk Mode, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.07.10. Mac OS X ships on a single install DVD, which Apple will exchange for CDs at $10. But if you have access to a DVD-equipped Mac and a FireWire cable, you're good to go.
- 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.
- Many G3 Macs now considered vintage, Mac News Review, 2006.03.31.
- Blue and White Power Mac G3 helps salvage Mac jukebox project, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.03.30. "Onboard FireWire, USB, and 10/100 ethernet, a 100 MHz bus speed, and a boldly attractive case design combine to make for a solid upgrade from a Beige G3 or earlier G3-upgraded Power Mac."
- What to buy when the old Beige G3 is just too sluggish, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.03.27. When your old Power Mac G3 just can't keep up with your needs under OS X, it's time to look at the used Power Mac G4 market. The difference in speed can be astounding.
- Is that old Power Mac G3 still useful in the workplace?, Charles Webb, PowerBook Beat, 2006.01.10. The number of ways you can use an old Power Mac on the office network is nearly unlimited.
- Web browser tips for the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.01.03. Tips on getting the most out of WaMCom, Mozilla, Internet Explorer, iCab, Opera, and WannaBe using the classic Mac OS.
- The best browsers for PowerPC Macs and the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2005.12.16. Two browsers stand out from the pack: iCab 3 is modern and remains under development, and WaMCom brings Mozilla to older Macs.
- How big a hard drive can I put in my iMac, eMac, or Power Mac?, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2005.10.24. A lot of older Macs don't know how to deal with drives over 128 GB in size. We look at three options.
- Mac OS X and the Blue and White G3 firmware update problem, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report, 2005.03.01. "Catch-22. The firmware update requires that you be running the Classic Mac OS, and the Classic OS won't run until the firmware update is installed."
- Upgrading a Power Mac G3 from Mac OS 9 to Panther, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 2004.12.03. Is this 1999 Power Mac really up to the task of running OS X or it it too slow to be useful?
- Sonata SD, Sonnet Tech, 2004.06.01. First new PCI video card for the Mac in ages sells for just US$99, supports OS 7.5.3 and later plus OS X 10.1.5 and later, works with VGA or old Mac monitors, 16 MB VRAM.
- Migration issues in moving from a Beige G3 to a Blue and White, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 2004.02.20. Using an older printer and a SCSI scanner, ejecting a CD, and dealing with a system freeze.
- Stepping up from a Beige G3 to Blue and White, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 2004.02.16. Why it was time to upgrade, benefits of the newer computer, and troubles caused by the Rev. 1 motherboard.
- Why Apple's blue & white G3 is a best buy, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2003.03.04. Apple's blue & white Power Mac G3 has become very affordable in recent months. The mix of features and value make it a best buy.
- Upgrading a Blue and White G3, Evan Kleiman, Mac Daniel, 2002.07.10. Looking at the memory, hard drive, overclocking, CPU, and other upgrade options.
- Ode on a Blue G3 (dead link), Niko Coucouvanis, MacAddict, 2000.12.26. "That's right - I use a machine that's nearly two years old, and I love it, Moore's law be damned. "
- Review: Sonnet Tempo Ultra ATA66 Macintosh PCI Host Adapter, Dan Knight, 2000.07.28. The most economical way to put IDE support in a PCI Power Mac.
- QuickDraw 3D acceleration in B&W Power Mac G3, Apple TIL 25020, 2000.10.13. summary: No 8-bit support at any resolution, no Portrait support, supports 16- and 24-bit video to 1280 x 1024 and some higher settings.
- Review: Power Macintosh G3/450, Macworld, 1999.09, p. 47
- New G3 features, Accelerate Your Mac! Information on Rev. 2 motherboard.
- Blue and White G3 Tips/Information, Accelerate Your Mac!
- Opinion: A new G3 generation, Ric Ford, eMediaweekly, 1999.02.01
- Yosemite CPU Speed Settings, Accelerate Your Mac, 1999.01.14. Complete guide to overclocking the blue and white G3.
- Apple has 3 different PCI SCSI cards for G3 Pro, Apple TIL
- IDE slave drive in a G3 Pro, Accelerate Your Mac
- G3 Pro compatibility issues, MacFixIt
- PC100 memory prices, ramseeker
- G3 Pro: good enough?, Mac Musings
- iMac Envy, Macworld
- Apple Spec: Power Macintosh G3 (Blue and White)
Cautions
- G3 Macs may not be supported in Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard", which is scheduled to ship in October. Apple has not spoken on the record, but the beta cannot be installed on any G3 Mac.
- Power Macs earlier than the 2002
Quicksilver models do not have built-in support for IDE hard drives
with capacities over 128 GB. Without a third-party solution, larger
drives can only be formatted to 128 GB in these models. There are three
options (as noted on
Accelerate Your Mac):
- Intech's ATA Hi-Cap Support Driver (supported on B&W G3's CD/DVD bus but not on Ultra33 bus)
- A PCI IDE card that supports big drives
- A FireWire enclosure that supports big drives
- Units that shipped with OS 8.6 cannot use OS 8.5, only 8.6 and later versions of the Mac OS.
- To distinguish the Rev. 1 and Rev. 2 logic boards, check the number printed on the CMD chip at location U1. On Rev. 1 boards, the number is PCI646U2. On Rev. 2, it will read 646US-402.
- The G3 Pro can use all three types of PC100 DIMMs: 3-2-3 (the slowest), 3-2-2, and 2-2-2 (the fastest). It will recognize which you have and set timing to match the slowest installed memory. For best performance, use only 2-2-2 DIMMs. And be sure to specify unbuffered memory.
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