Photo: Martijn Boer / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons · source
Power Mac G5 (Late 2005)
Dual-core and quad-core G5s with PCI Express.
Overview
In October 2005 the Power Mac G5 got its final overhaul: dual-core PowerPC 970MP processors at 2.0 and 2.3 GHz in single-socket form, and a Quad using two dual-core chips at 2.5 GHz. Four cores made it the first Mac with that many.
The PCI-X and AGP slots gave way to PCI Express, with one x16 graphics slot and several x4 and x8 slots, and memory moved to ECC-capable DDR2 up to 16 GB. Four USB 2.0 ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports and a 16x SuperDrive with dual-layer support came standard.
It ran Mac OS X Tiger and later Leopard, the last release for PowerPC. After the Intel switch the same enclosure carried over to the first Mac Pro.
Why it mattered
It was the last PowerPC Mac tower and its case carried straight into the Mac Pro.
At a glance
- Announced
- October 19, 2005
- Released
- October 19, 2005
- Discontinued
- August 7, 2006
- Launch price
- $1,999
- Chip / processor
- Dual-core PowerPC G5, 2.0 to 2.5 GHz (Quad)
- Storage
- 160 or 250 GB hard disk
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- Dual-core and Quad PowerPC 970MP
- PCI Express expansion
- DDR2 ECC memory up to 16 GB
- Two Gigabit Ethernet ports
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Chip
- Chip
- Dual-core PowerPC 970MP, 2.0 or 2.3 GHz; Quad with two dual-core chips at 2.5 GHz
Memory
- RAM
- PC2-4200 DDR2, expandable to 16 GB with ECC support
- Storage options
- 160 or 250 GB Serial ATA, 7200 rpm; 16x dual-layer SuperDrive
Graphics
- GPU
- Nvidia GeForce 6600 or 6600 LE, 256 MB
Expansion
- Slots
- Two PCI Express x4, one x8 and one x16 slot
Ports
- Ports
- 4 USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and 800, 2 Gigabit Ethernet
Design
- Dimensions
- 51.1 x 20.6 x 47.5 cm (20.1 x 8.1 x 18.7 in)
- Weight
- 20.2 to 22.1 kg (44.5 to 48.8 lb)
Software
- Launch OS
- Mac OS X 10.4.2 Tiger
- Latest supported OS
- Mac OS X 10.5.8 Leopard
Availability
- Announced
- October 19, 2005
- Released
- October 19, 2005
- Discontinued
- August 7, 2006
- Launch price
- $1,999
Colors
- Finishes
- Aluminum
