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The Power Mac G4 was a major step for Apple to a very reliable and stable machine for professional audio, video and graphics users. So many different models were built so some confusion comes up from time to time on the specs of these machines.
Built from August 1999 to June 2004 the machines vary greatly below some of the key specs and what to look for.
Also basic data for the models below for starters I will update over the next few days the special audio port configurations for the models below and how to know which machine is which.
Just like with Powerbooks looking up a machine with it's serial number would be the easiest way but since Apple does not share this system with it's consumer, the simplest way it to look for the M model number on the machine and go from there. Other optional is always the System Profiler should the machine boot obviously.
1. Power Mac G4 "YIKES!"
Built from August 1999 to June 2004 the machines vary greatly below some of the key specs and what to look for.
From the outside the first models
where all the graphite color of the picture on the left, models 1 to 4
in the list below. The model in the middle is the "Quicksilver" look
that shipped with models 5 & 6. The model on the far right is
logically called "Mirror Drive Doors" and shipped on the models in the
list below 7 & 8.
I have missed a number of Educational models in the list below and will add them over the next few days.
Also
many of the early G4 Power Macs do not support drives that are larger
then 128 gb, this means if you buy a 300 gb drive and mount it in a
early Power Mac G4 and format it then you will only see it as 128 gb.
The work around is to use a google search for "ATA extended capacity
support driver" and thus be able to use the entire formated 300 gig
drive. Ebay won't allow external links so if you cannot find it send me
a mail.
Also basic data for the models below for starters I will update over the next few days the special audio port configurations for the models below and how to know which machine is which.
Just like with Powerbooks looking up a machine with it's serial number would be the easiest way but since Apple does not share this system with it's consumer, the simplest way it to look for the M model number on the machine and go from there. Other optional is always the System Profiler should the machine boot obviously.
1. Power Mac G4 "YIKES!"
- M7631 & M7826
- 350 or 400 Mhz
- 1gb of ram max(PC 100, 168 pin)
- 10/100 Ethernet
- Harddrive ultra ATA/33 up to a max of 128gb
- No Airport or Bluetooth
- 2 firewire, 2 usb
- M6921, M7232, M7824, M7825, M7827, M5183
- 350, 400, 450 or 500 Mhz
- 1.5gb of ram in OS 9/ 2gb of ram in OS X(PC 100, 168pin)
- 10/100 Ethernet
- Harddrive ultra ATA/66 up to a max of 128gb
- Optional Original Airport Card Support click here
- no bluetooth
- 3 firewire, 2 usb
- M7891, M7892, M7893
- 400, dual 450 & dual 500 Mhz
- 1.5gb of ram in OS 9/ 2gb of ram in OS X(PC 100, 168pin)
- 10/100/1000 GigaBit Ethernet
- Harddrive ultra ATA/66 up to a max of 128gb
- Optional Original Airport Card Support click here
- no bluetooth
- 2 firewire, 2 usb
- M7624, M7688, M7945, M7681
- 466, 533, dual 533, 667 & 733 Mhz
- 1.5gb of ram (PC 133, 168 pin)
- 10/100/1000 Ethernet
- Harddrive ultra ATA/66 up to a max of 128gb
- Optional Original Airport Card Support click here
- no bluetooth
- 2 firewire, 2 usb
- special jack for Apple Pro Speakers
- 733 Mhz model the first Power Mac with optional SuperDrive
- M8360, M8493
- 733, dual 800, 867 Mhz
- 1.5gb of ram (PC 133, 168 pin)
- 10/100/1000 Ethernet
- Harddrive ultra ATA/66 up to a max of 128gb
- Optional Original Airport Card Support click here
- no bluetooth
- 2 firewire, 2 usb
- special jack for Apple Pro Speakers
- M8493
- 800, 933, dual 1000 Mhz (1 Ghz)
- 1.5gb of ram (PC 133, 168 pin)
- 10/100/1000 Ethernet
- Harddrive ultra ATA/66 without a limit on harddrive size !
- Optional Original Airport Card Support click here
- no bluetooth
- 2 firewire, 2 usb
- special jack for Apple Pro Speakers
- M8570
- ual 867 Mhz, dual 1 Ghz, dual 1.25 Ghz
- 2.0gb of ram (PC 2100 for 867 Mhz)(PC 2700 for 1.0 & 1.25 Ghz)(184 pin)
- 10/100/1000 Ethernet
- Harddrive one ATA/66 and one ATA/100 without a limit on harddrive size !
- Optional Original Airport Card Support click here
- no bluetooth
- 2 firewire, 2 usb
- special jack for Apple Pro Speakers
- M8570
- dual 1, dual 1.25 & dual 1.42 Ghz
- 2.0gb of ram (PC 2100 for 1.0 Ghz)(PC 2700 for 1.25 & 1.42 Ghz)(184 pin)
- 10/100/1000 Ethernet
- Harddrive one ATA/66 and one ATA/100 without a limit on harddrive size !
- Optional Apple Airport Extreme click here
- Optional Bluetooth 1.1 ( Apple Part #820-1449 )
- 2 firewire, 2 usb
- special jack for Apple Pro Speakers
Guide created: 07/14/06 (updated 11/09/09)
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