Power Macintosh G5

Power Macintosh G5 Dual

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The first Macs to use IBM's new dual-core G5 CPUs, the Power Mac G5 Duals provide the processing power of two CPUs on a single chip.

Each core has 1 MB of level 2 cache, twice as much as earlier G5s, which further boosts computing power.

Other improvements include the adoption of PCI Express architecture and a 16-lane nVidia video card, 533 MHz DDR2 memory, and a 16x dual-layer SuperDrive.

The motherboard architecture uses HyperTransport technology. System memory is so fast (533 MHz on a 1.0-1.15 GHz bus) and the level 2 cache so large that Apple doesn't bother with a level 3 cache.

And if all of that isn't enough, there's always the 2.5 GHz Power Mac G5 Quad, which has two dual-core CPUs!

A headphone jack, USB 2.0 port, and FireWire port are located on the front of the G5 for easy access.

Power Mac G5 Reliability

Reliability ratings are based on statistics compiled by MacInTouch in June 2006, at which time the dual-core Power Mac G5 models had only been on the market for 8 months. Letter grades are based on failure rate: A = 0-6%, B = 7-12%, C = 13-18%, D = 19-24%, and F = 25% or higher. We also note the two components that failed most often.

G5/2.0 dual-core (Oct. 2005), C- (18%, power supply, logicboard)
G5/2.3 dual-core (Oct. 2005), C- (18%, power supply, logicboard or optical drive)
G5/2.5 quad-core (Oct. 2005), C- (17%, logicboard, power supply)

In each generation, except for the final dual-core one, the fastest model is the least reliable, while the second-fastest is the most reliable. Logicboards are the most expensive component to repair, followed by the power supply. Hard drives, optical drives, video cards, and RAM can be replaced inexpensively using third-party components.

Details

2.0 GHz Dual introduced 2005.10.19 at $1,999
2.3 GHz Dual introduced 2005.10.19 at $2,499; replaced by Mac Pro 2006.08.07
requires Mac OS X 10.4 or later
CPU: 2.0/2.3 GHz dual-core G5
bus: 1.0 GHz/1.15 GHz (half CPU speed)
performance:

Geekbench 2 (Leoapard): 2007 (2.3 GHz), 1781 (2.0 GHz)
Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 2066 (2.3 GHz), 1828 (2.0 GHz)

RAM: 512 MB, expandable to 16 GB using 533 MHz PC2-4200 DDR2 RAM
L2 cache: 1 MB on-chip L2 cache per core
L3 cache: none
Video,: nVidia GeForce 6600 LE
nVidia 7800 GT with 256 MB and nVidia Quadro FX 4500 with 512 MB optional
VRAM: 128 MB (2.0 GHz) or 256 MB (2.3 GHz)
hard drive: 160/250 Serial ATA 7200 rpm
16x dual-layer SuperDrive standard
3 open PCI Express slots: two 4-lane slots, one 8-lane slot
optional external 56k v.92 modem
microphone: standard 3.5mm minijack, compatible with line-level input, not compatible with Apple's PlainTalk microphone
FireWire: 2 FW400 ports (1 on front), 1 FW800 port
USB: 4 USB 2.0 ports (1 on front)
ethernet: 2 independent 10/100/gigabit ports
WiFi: antenna and connector for 802.11g AirPort Extreme card
Bluetooth: built in, optional antenna
size (HxWxD): 20.1" x 8.1" x 18.7" (51.1 x 20.6 x 47.5 cm)
weight: 44.5-48.8 lb. (20.2-22.1 kg)
Gestalt ID: n/a
PRAM battery: 3V CR2032 lithium
upgrade path: none
Part no.: M9590 (2.0 GHz), M9591 (2.3 GHz)

Accelerators & Upgrades

none likely

Online Resources

Low End Mac's best Power Mac G5 deals
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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.
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Leopard pales before Mac OS 8.5 for Macs left behind, dual processor benefits, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.23. Mac users may not remember that Mac OS 8.5 left behind some Macs just over two years old. Compared to that, Leopard users have it made.
Leopard on G4 Power Macs, Quicksilver and big drives, and pros and cons of schools leasing computers, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.10. Thoughts on the Mac OS X 10.5 installer, big drive support in the 2001 Quicksilver, differences between 2 GHz G5 Power Macs, and whether schools should lease computers or not.
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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.
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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?
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The Aperture 1.1 update fiasco: Stock Power Mac G5 Dual and Quad video no longer recommended, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.05.18. "The normal configuration of Apple's three current Power Mac models includes nVidia GeForce 6600 graphics, the original version of Aperture supported it, but with the update it's no longer recommended."
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What's the better value at the same price, a 2.7 GHz dual CPU or 2.3 GHz dual core?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.03.15. The Apple Store has refurbished 2.7 GHz dual processor Power Macs and 2.3 GHz dual-core Power Macs at the same price. Which is the better choice?
The October 2005 Power Mac G5 value equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2005.10.21. The newest Power Macs have dual-core CPUs, but how does value compare with the discontinued models?
Apple Specs: Power Macintosh G5

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