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Power Macintosh

Power Macintosh G5

Power Macintosh G5 Quad

Overview

Sometimes a computer with a lower GHz rating can outperform one with a higher speed rating, and that's especially true for the 2.5 GHz Power Mac G5 Quad.

The first Macs to use IBM's new dual-core G5 CPUs, they also use a pair of them, which means Power Mac owners now have access to four cores. Not since the Daystar Genesis of 1996 have Mac owners had a four-processor option.

Each core has 1 MB of level 2 cache, twice as much as earlier G5s, which further boosts computing power. In addition to the 2.5 GHz Quad, Apple also offers 2.0 GHz and 2.3 GHz models with a single dual-core CPU.

There's a small price to pay for this power. The 2.7 GHz Power Mac remains available for those who need PCI-X slots or can't wait for the Quad to ship in November, but the quad core 2.5 GHz model is from 20% to 75% faster according to Apple's tests.

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. This is the first time Apple has included an nVidia card as a standard feature on their leading-edge model since the "Digital Audio" Power Mac G4 of January 2001. There isn't even an ATI option at present.

The motherboard architecture uses HyperTransport technology. System memory is so fast (533 MHz on a 1.25 GHz bus) and the level 2 cache so large that Apple doesn't bother with a level 3 cache.

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.

The Upgrade Box

Details

Accelerators & Upgrades

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