The new iMac G5 features the breakthrough performance of the PowerPC G5 processor, as well as numerous system performance improvements designed to help consumers turbocharge their digital lifestyle applications. The 17-inch models come with either a 1.8 GHz PowerPC G5 processor and a SuperDrive for burning professional-quality DVDs, or a 1.6 GHz PowerPC G5 processor and a Combo drive for watching DVD movies and burning CDs. The 20-inch model has a 1.8 GHz PowerPC G5 processor and a SuperDrive. With a completely redesigned system architecture, the new iMac G5 now offers up to a 600 MHz front-side bus, 400 MHz DDR memory expandable to 2GB, AGP 8X graphics and 7200 rpm Serial ATA drives up to 250GB. The new iMac G5 comes standard with high-performance NVIDIA graphics with dedicated video memory for outstanding graphics performance and realistic game play.
Compared with the previous iMac (1.25 GHz PowerPC G4), iMac G5 plays 71% more simultaneous software instrument tracks in GarageBand. So play an alien pad and a cathedral organ at the same time – iMac G5 laughs at such complex tasks and comes back for more. Take Photoshop filters – iMac G5 plows through a 45-filter function test more than 55% faster than a G4-based iMac. Even more impressively, the iMac G5 renders your Final Cut Express 2 indie DV movies nearly 70% more quickly.
The PowerPC architecture was designed from the beginning for both 32- and 64-bit processing. That means the Power Mac G5 can run everything you run today, with no performance penalty. Contrast that with the competition, where switching to 64-bit computing will mean costly expenditures for 64-bit software or running a 32-bit operating system in a slow emulation mode. That