Power Mac G4

Power Mac G4/1.25 GHz (June 2003)

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Overview

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Leave it to Apple to completely confuse the market by releasing a brand new Power Mac G4/1.25 GHz model at the same time they announced the Power Mac G5. Like the 2002 Power Mac G4, this model can boot into OS 9 as well as OS X.

It must be time to unload the last of the old hardware.

The June 2003 model is essentially the same as the G4/1.25 GHz dual processor (2002) with a 25% faster system bus, except that it comes with only a single CPU. Unlike other 2003 Power Macs, it have the ability to boot into OS 9, uses plain old AirPort instead of AirPort Extreme, and doesn't include FireWire 800.

This model has a 167 MHz system bus, two media drives bays (so you can have a SuperDrive and a fast CD burner), four RAM sockets, and three independent drive buses that each support two devices. An ATA/33 bus is used for the media drives, an ATA/100 bus that connects to the stock hard drive, and an unused ATA/66 bus. There are four hard drive bays inside this G4.

Although the MDD Power Macs support up to 2 GB of RAM, Mac OS 9 is only able to recognize up to 1.5 GB of RAM.

Watch out for Apple's claim of "four USB ports" - there are two on the computer and two on the keyboard, just like the old G4s.

You should have the most recent firmware installed in your Power Mac G4. The newest version for Mirror Drive Door models is Power Mac G4 Firmware Update 4.4.8, which is only for Mirror Drive Door Power Mac. To install this firmware update, you must boot into Mac OS 9.2.2 from a writable partition (not a CD).

Details

1.25 GHz 256/80/Combo introduced 2003.06.23 at $1,299, 1.25 GHz dual 256/80/Combo introduced 2003.06.23 at $1,599
requires Mac OS 9.2 or 10.2 or later
CPU: 1.25 GHz PowerPC 7455
bus: 167 MHz
performance:

Geekbench 2 (Leopard): 1047 (dual), 703 (single)
Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 1048 (dual), 702 (single)

RAM: 256 MB standard, expandable to 2 GB (although Mac OS 9 will only recognize 1.5 GB) using DDR333 SDRAM in 4 DIMM slots
Video: ATI Radeon 9000 Pro (nVidia GeForce 4 an option); DVI and AGP ports, includes DVI-to-VGA adapter
VRAM: 64 MB
L2 cache: 256 KB on-chip L2 cache
L3 cache: 1 MB on single, 2 MB per CPU on dual
hard drive: 80 GB 7200 rpm ATA/100
Combo (CD-RW/DVD) drive standard; SuperDrive available
internal Zip 250 drive (optional)
4 64-bit PCI slots
modem: internal 56k v.92
microphone: standard 3.5mm minijack, compatible with line-level input, not compatible with Apple's PlainTalk microphone
FireWire 400 ports: 2
USB 1.1 ports: 2
USB 2.0 ports: none
ethernet: 10/100/gigabit
antenna and connector for AirPort card
size (HxWxD): 17.0" x 8.9" x 18.4"
weight: 42.0 lb.
Gestalt ID: n/a
PRAM battery: 3.6V half-AA
upgrade path: none yet, although CPU upgrades are likely
part no.: M9145

Accelerators & Upgrades

8x SuperDrive DVD±RW upgrade, MCE Technologies, $99. 8x4x12x DVD, 24x24x40x CD. 2 MB buffer.
3 CPU upgrades for Mirror Drive Door G4 Power Macs, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.05.22. If your Mirror Drive Door Power Mac isn't fast enough, here are three CPU upgrade option to get you to 1.33, 1.6, and 1.8 GHz.
for CPU upgrades, see our Guide to Power Mac G4 Upgrades

Online Resources

Best used Power Mac 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.
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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.
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.
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Used Intel Mac mini vs. 867 MHz Power Mac G4 dual, Mark Garbowski, My Turn, 2008.04.07. Can a dual processor Power Mac hold its own against a Core Duo Mac mini?
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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.
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.
Upgrading a Power Mac G4 on the cheap, Mark Garbowski, My Turn, 2008.01.04. For under $200, the author upgraded memory, dropped in a SuperDrive, added a better video card, and moved up to USB 2.0.
Flash drive reliability, going back to Tiger, Classic emulation, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.19. Also looking for good video card options for use with Leopard on older Macs, and one more unsupported Leopard report.
Cooler laptops, a G4 recording studio, a fast Unicode text editor, and phantom email, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.12.03. Quieter, cooler running notebooks, a Power Mac G4-based recording studio using Mac OS 9, a fast text editor with great Unicode support, and phantom email in Mail in OS X 10.3.9.
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.
Road Apple nominations, OS X 10.5 on MDD Power Macs, UMPCs and Apple, and a broken power button, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.12. Whether some additional Macs merit the 'Road Apple' label, Leopard on Mirror Drive Door Power Macs, the usefulness of ultrasmall computers, and dealing with an iMac with a broken power button.
The future of 'Mirror Drive Door' Power Macs in the Age of Leopard, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.10.09. Every indication is that the MDD Power Macs will be full supported by Leopard. Here's what makes them a good bet for OS X 10.5.
Shootout: Three high-end graphics cards for G4 Power Macs, Bare Feats, 2007.10.10. Radeon 9800 Pro vs. GeForce4 Titanium vs. "experimental" GeForce 7800 GS in a Quicksilver 2002.
Shootout: MaxPower G4/7448 upgrade versus similarly clocked Macs, Bare Feats, 2007.09.21. Single 2.0 and dual 1.8 GHz 7448 upgrade compared with other G4 upgrades and dual processor G5.
APG Card Compatibility, The Mac Elite, 2007.08.09. Guide to which ATI and nVidia AGP video cards are compatible with which AGP Power Macs.
Make AGP 8x video cards work in G4 Power Macs, The Mac Elite, 2007.08.19. Instructions for disabling pins 3 and 11 so Mac compatible AGP 8x video cards will work in most G4 Power 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.
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Unmatched Classic Mac OS apps, TiBook reliability, Matias Tactile Pro 2.0 disappoints, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.06.18. Also Netscape 7 and 9, MacBook causing problems with iMac's display, and graphics cards for a Power Mac G4 and an ADC display.
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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.
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.
$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.
Adding an Intel Mac mini can be cheaper than upgrading a Power Mac G4!, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2007.02.14. Looking at the cost of upgrading memory, adding a fast hard drive, and a GHz-plus CPU upgrade, buying a new Core Duo Mac mini makes a lot of sense.
Upgrade the Power Mac or buy a Mac mini?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.11.30. With 1.8 GHz dual G4 upgrades selling for US$600, it might make more sense to add a Core Duo Mac mini than upgrade the processor.
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Why a 7-year-old Power Mac G4 replaced a Mac mini, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.10.31. There's a lot more to productive computing power than CPU speed. The old Power Mac lets you add a second video card, a fast hard drive, and lots more that the Mac mini can't.
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.
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.
Suggestions for converting AIFF to MP3 in iTunes, taken on eBay?, G4 upgrades, and low end Mac sadness, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2006.07.19. Reader suggestions for getting iTunes to convert AIFF to MP3, checking for dual processors, the upgradability of the Power Mac G4, and disappointment over discarded Macs.
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.
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.
Picking a Power Mac G4: How much Mac do you need?, Charles Webb, PowerBook Beat, 2006.03.22. Today's laptop computers can be great primary computers, but sometimes you need things only a desktop model can offer. A used Power Mac G4 can be a good choice.
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.
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.
Blowout G4s or forthcoming G5s, which wins the value comparison?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2003.06.25. When we look at the end-of-life pricing on the Power Mac G4s and the value of the Power Mac G5s, two models stand apart from the pack as undisputed best buys.
1000 MHz Power Mac bonanza, Bare Feats, 2003.04.12. Comparison shows how much a second CPU can help. "...it's never a liability to have two processors."
Are two brains better than one?, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2003.03.24. It sounds reasonable that two processors are better than one, but how much better is a dual processor Power Mac G4 than a single processor model?
Apple Spec: Power Macintosh G4 (June 2003)

Cautions

Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) boot times for Power Mac with the GeForce 6200 fall into the 4-5 minute range, and was initially suggested that you install Leopard with the Mac's original video card to avoid slowing down the process. "gotoh" has posted the fix in The Mac Elite Forum. The delay is due to Leopard not supporting temperature sensors in G4 Macs. Simply remove AppleHWSensor.kext from /System/Library/Extensions, and the delay goes away.

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