Apple today unveiled the fastest, most powerful Power Mac G5 desktop line ever, featuring dual 64-bit PowerPC G5 processors running up to 2.7 GHz and including Mac OS X version 10.4 Tiger, the world’s most advanced operating system. The new Power Mac G5 line delivers higher performance graphics options with more memory and built-in support for Apple’s breakthrough 30-inch Cinema HD Display on the 2.7 GHz model. The new line also includes larger hard drives, a faster 16X SuperDrive with double-layer support and 512MB of memory across the line.
“The Power Mac G5 continues to deliver the ultimate performance for our most advanced customers running bandwidth- and compute-intensive applications,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing in the press release. “With dual 2.7 GHz 64-bit G5 processors, dual 1.35 GHz front side buses, ATI Radeon 9650 graphics, 16X SuperDrive with double-layer support and Mac OS X Tiger, the new Power Mac G5 is the most powerful and advanced Mac we have ever made.”
Powered by dual 64-bit PowerPC G5 processors, the Power Mac G5 provides a 128-bit memory architecture, delivers expansion of up to 8GB of fast 400 MHz DDR SDRAM and supports graphics cards with up to 256MB of video memory. The top model features two 2.7 GHz processors, each with an independent 1.35 GHz front-side bus for bandwidth of up to 21.6 GBps.
All new Power Mac G5 models come standard with dual-display support with either the ATI Radeon 9600 graphics card with 128MB of video memory or the ATI Radeon 9650 with 256MB of video memory. The new Power Mac G5 line gives users new graphics options to drive Apple’s gorgeous 30-inch Cinema HD Display. The dual processor 2.7 GHz Power Mac G5 features built-in support to drive Apple’s breakthrough 30-inch Cinema HD Display right out of the box. Available as a build-to-order option on every model, the NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL high-performance graphics card can drive up to two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays.
Every Power Mac G5 ships with a new, faster 16X SuperDrive with double-layer support capable of burning up to 8.5GB on a single DVD, 512MB memory and larger hard drives for up to 800GB of internal storage, all within the Power Mac G5’s signature aluminum enclosure featuring innovative computer-controlled cooling for quiet operation. All Power Mac G5 desktops deliver industry-leading connectivity, high-performance I/O and expansion including Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire 800, FireWire 400, three PCI-X or PCI expansion slots, USB 2.0, optical digital audio input and output, and analog audio input and output.
All dual processor Power Mac G5 systems ship with Mac OS X version 10.4 Tiger, providing advanced 64-bit computational power on a desktop system. Tiger has more than 200 new features and innovations including Spotlight, a revolutionary desktop search technology that lets users instantly find anything stored on their Mac, including documents, emails, contacts and images; and Dashboard, a new way to instantly access important information like weather forecasts and stock quotes, using a dazzling new class of applications called widgets.
Apple’s line of widescreen flat panel displays, featuring a sleek aluminum design, offers the perfect match for the Power Mac G5. The line includes the 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display, a professional-quality, active-matrix LCD with 2560-by-1600 pixel resolution—the largest high-resolution display ever created—for $2,999. The 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display and 20-inch Cinema Display provide creative professionals and prosumers with the highest quality flat panel displays in the industry, and are now priced at $1,499 and $799, respectively. The displays offer dual FireWire and dual USB 2.0 ports and use the industry standard DVI interface for a pure digital connection with Apple’s latest Power Mac G5 desktops.
The new dual processor Power Mac G5 models will be available this week through the Apple Store, at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The new dual Power Mac G5 models complement the existing 1.8 GHz single processor Power Mac G5, providing customers with an affordable entry-level system priced at just $1,499 (US).
The Dual 2.0 GHz 64-bit Power Mac G5, with a suggested retail price of US$1,999, includes:
• 512MB 400 MHz DDR SDRAM (4GB maximum)
• 160GB Serial ATA 7200 rpm hard drive
• AGP 8X Pro graphics slot
• ATI Radeon 9600 with 128MB DDR SDRAM
• 3 PCI slots (64-bit 33MHz)
• 16X SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±R/CD-RW)
The Dual 2.3 GHz 64-bit Power Mac G5, with a suggested retail price of $2,499, includes:
• 512MB 400 MHz DDR SDRAM (8GB maximum)
• 250GB Serial ATA 7200 rpm hard drive
• AGP 8X Pro graphics slot
• ATI Radeon 9600 with 128MB DDR SDRAM
• 3 PCI-X slots (one 64-bit 133 MHz, two 64-bit 100 MHz)
• 16X SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±R/CD-RW)
The Dual 2.7 GHz 64-bit Power Mac G5, with a suggested retail price of $2,999, includes:
•• 512MB 400 MHz DDR SDRAM (8GB maximum)
• 250GB Serial ATA 7200 rpm hard drive
• AGP 8X Pro graphics slot
• ATI Radeon 9650 with 256MB DDR SDRAM and support for one 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display
• 3 PCI-X slots (one 64-bit 133 MHz, two 64-bit 100 MHz)
• 16X SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±R/CD-RW)
Build-to-order options include up to 8GB of RAM, 250GB, 400GB and two 400GB Serial ATA hard drives, Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive, graphics cards (ATI Radeon 9600, ATI Radeon 9650, and NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL), AirPort Extreme Card, Bluetooth module, internal v.92 56K modem, Apple Fibre Channel PCI-X Card, Apple PCI-X Gigabit Ethernet card and Mac OS X Server version 10.4 Tiger.
More information about Apple’s new Power Mac G5 line here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple reduces prices on Cinema Displays; 20-inch model now just $799, 23-inch model for $1499 – April 27, 2005
no dual core 🙁
that sucks…. oh well
i was waiting for these, but might as well wait for the new iMac until the dual core comes out
no dual core was known…what really sucks is the lame ATI 9600/9650. What a joke.
It looks like Apple is learning the lesson of sticker price addiction.
First offer low price configuration, then offer all the good options at a price.
Works wonders on PC world.
I would order the NVidia card instead.
does it come with a firewire cable?
/ducks
iPodder: Yes, but at least the PC world doesn’t start their “base” configurations at $2K+. This is rediculous plain and simple. Using 2 year old video card tech that can be bought for $80 on the PC platform?
Whatever, it’s not like your not going to buy it if you need it. I know I am. I was waiting in hopes of Dual Layer burners and a higher clock speed without water cooling. I’ve read that those water cooling units they use only come with a 1.8 year warranty from the manufacturer since they don’t know how long they will last.
MW: great. As in it would have been great if they had done this earlier.
It’s been a while since I’ve drooled over a new Apple product, which is interesting. I’ve been happy with my dual 2.0 G5 and my 1Ghz 17 inch PowerBook G4 for a very long time. Hmmm…. All it takes is a 2.0GHz PowerBook and/or a 3.0Ghz G5.
Tsk tsk.
Love this new RSS Feed in Tiger’s Safari. I don’t have to look at any of the crap on MDN, just the news!!!!! No pop ups! Just the news!!!! Yeah!
Any clues whatsoever as to the OEM supplier for the dual-layer burner?
Pioneer? Sony? Plextor? Other?
I really don’t understand why some people keep on bitching about the graphicscards. The only real reason to have a highend graphic card is for 3d game playing. And also, all these claims of the graphics cards for pcs being cheaper, here in germany, you can get the cheaper cards with lisenced chipsets, but if you buy the original cards, you also pay the same as apple charges for their cards, BECAUSE THEY ARE ORIGINALS and not some 3rd party manufacturers.
“The only real reason to have a highend graphic card is for 3d game playing.”
hmmm…No. This has to be the lamest comment to date. Can this be the next “640K ram is enough for anyone”?
Fully loaded I can still only push the top of the line dual 2.7 model to $8499 which is still $900 less than a fully loaded IIfx cost 15 years ago.
And why does the single 1.8 still come with only 256 Ram? I thought all Mac models (especially PRO models for god sakes) would start at 512. Rediculous.
Hey, did Apple overclock their 2.5 GHz chip, because I’m not seeing it anymore.
Yawn.
“Believe me, this platform has got legs.” -SJobs
Where’s the beef? I’m glad Apple has updated the graphics cards and hard drives and added dual-layer DVD. Now PowerMacs are in tune with modern computers again. Apple really should upgrade thier systems more often. A hard drive here and DVD drive there would make people feel like they have to wait till the next revision before purchasing.
Too bad the G5 is doing so poorly. I know it’s a great chip by itself, but it has hardly grown at the rates promised. Speculation was that if Steve promised 3GHz, well, it could be as high as 3.5 GHZ or dare we say 4GHz by summer of ’04. What about 970GX and dual-core G5? I thought we were a generation ahead of the x86 architecture there and suddenly we find ourselves a generation behind.
Well at least Windows still sucks. We can be sure that Longhorn will end up being XP2 and nothing really new.
Tiger is coming in two days, yeah.
iMac G5 buyers are holding out for an update too. How about it Apple? Do they get a 9600/128MB card? They’d care less about the processor than the video I think. Bump the hard drive too, it just looks good over 100GB. The screens and form factor are fantastic.
Thanks for the price cuts on the LCDs. That was long overdue. I’m sure they could come down quite a bit more, but you gotta keep those margins up.
What a bunch of whiners…
stantheman, then give me another reason why you would need a highend graphics card (in excess of 128 Mb), if not for the gaming?
So…. are the new high-end machines liquid or air cooled? Just curious!
>ph8te wrote: The only real reason to have a highend graphic card is for 3d game playing.
Trying reading Apple’s website. You’ll find many things that rely on the video card, rather than 3D games – Core, Motion, etc.
Maybe you should do a little research before bitching about people bitching.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
—
>Naraa Haras wrote: Apple has updated the graphics cards and hard drives… Now PowerMacs are in tune with modern computers again…suddenly we find ourselves a generation behind.
Ummm huh?
>Well at least Windows still sucks.
Still works fine for me… just as OSX does.
>Thanks for the price cuts on the LCDs.
Apple is feeling the heat from Dell. They can get away with overpricing for only a short amount of time… well that isn’t true. Some people buy just because it’s Apple.
—
—
I’m curious. Why does MDN refrain from commenting on this news? They talk **** about everything Windows, praise everything Mac, but no comment on this much-anticipated release?
>ph8te wrote: The only real reason to have a highend graphic card is for 3d game playing.
Trying reading Apple’s website. You’ll find many things that rely on the video card, rather than 3D games – Core, Motion, etc.
Maybe you should do a little research before bitching about people bitching.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
—
>Naraa Haras wrote: Apple has updated the graphics cards and hard drives… Now PowerMacs are in tune with modern computers again…suddenly we find ourselves a generation behind.
Ummm huh?
>Well at least Windows still sucks.
Still works fine for me… just as OSX does.
>Thanks for the price cuts on the LCDs.
Apple is feeling the heat from Dell. They can get away with overpricing for only a short amount of time… well that isn’t true. Some people buy just because it’s Apple.
—
—
I’m curious. Why does MDN refrain from commenting on this news? They talk **** about everything Windows, praise everything Mac, but no comment on this much-anticipated release?
>ph8te wrote: The only real reason to have a highend graphic card is for 3d game playing.
Trying reading Apple’s website. You’ll find many things that rely on the video card, rather than 3D games – Core, Motion, etc.
Maybe you should do a little research before bitching about people bitching.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
—
>Naraa Haras wrote: Apple has updated the graphics cards and hard drives… Now PowerMacs are in tune with modern computers again…suddenly we find ourselves a generation behind.
Ummm huh?
>Well at least Windows still sucks.
Still works fine for me… just as OSX does.
>Thanks for the price cuts on the LCDs.
Apple is feeling the heat from Dell. They can get away with overpricing for only a short amount of time… well that isn’t true. Some people buy just because it’s Apple.
—
—
I’m curious. Why does MDN refrain from commenting on this news? They talk **** about everything Windows, praise everything Mac, but no comment on this much-anticipated release?
ph8te: We use dozens of G5 machines to do 3D animation work. Believe me, the NVdia cards are a HUGE help in that area….. I only wish we could get real pro cards for the Macs 🙁
200MHz increase… see you next April. 🙁
200MHz increase… see you next April. 🙁
200MHz increase… see you next April. 🙁
“then give me another reason why you would need a highend graphics card (in excess of 128 Mb), if not for the gaming?”
You just don’t seem to know much about graphics cards. It’s not so much about video memory (although that does help), but more about the chipset.