Apple Power Macintosh G4 933 (QS 2002) Specs
Identifiers: Quicksilver 2002 - M8666LL/A - PowerMac3,5 - M8493 - 1896
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The Apple Power Macintosh G4/933 (Quicksilver 2002) features an 933 MHz PowerPC 7450 or PowerPC 7455 (G4) processor with the AltiVec "Velocity Engine" vector processing unit, 256k "on chip" level 2 cache, and 2 MB of DDR SDRAM level 3 backside cache. It shipped configured with 256 MB of RAM, a 60 GB Ultra ATA/66 hard drive, a 2X DVD-R/CD-RW drive, and a 4X AGP NVIDIA GeForce4 MX graphics card with 64 MB of DDR SDRAM. AirPort (802.11b) was available by custom configuration.
The Power Macintosh G4 (Quicksilver 2002) series is very similar to the "Quicksilver" series that it replaced -- both share an identical case design, for example -- but the Power Macintosh G4/933 (Quicksilver 2002) and Power Macintosh G4/1.0 DP (Quicksilver 2002) -- have faster processors with faster DDR SDRAM level 3 caches. Additionally, all Quicksilver 2002 models support hard drives larger than 128 GB (running Mac OS X 10.2 or higher), add support for dual displays, and have slightly faster optical drives.
Despite the age of this system, site sponsor Other World Computing has RAM, hard drives, SSDs, and other upgrades available for this specific Mac while supplies last.
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| Introduction Date: |
January 28, 2002 |
Discontinued Date: |
August 13, 2002 |
| Details: |
The "Introduction Date" refers to the date a model was introduced via press release. The "Discontinued Date" refers to the date a model either was replaced by a subsequent system or production otherwise ended.
Also see: All Macs introduced in 2002. |
| Processors: |
1 |
Geekbench 2: |
550 |
| Details: |
This model only is compatible with the 32-bit Geekbench 2 benchmark. These numbers reflect an average of user provided 32-bit and 64-bit results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better.
You also might be interested in reviewing all 32-bit Geekbench 2 user submissions for Macs with the PowerMac3,5 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models.
To dynamically compare Geekbench results from different Macs side-by-side, see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison. |
| Processor Speed: |
933 MHz |
Processor Type: |
PowerPC 7455* (G4) |
| Details: |
The PowerPC G4 includes the AltiVec "Velocity Engine" vector processor.
*Apple provides no official information beyond "G4", but some models have a PowerPC 7450 (G4) processor. |
| Processor Upgrade: |
AGP G4 Daughtercard |
FPU: |
Integrated |
| Details: |
The Power Macintosh G4 (Quicksilver 2002) models have the processor mounted on a custom 300-pin daughtercard. |
| System Bus Speed: |
133 MHz |
Cache Bus Speed: |
933 MHz* (Built-in) |
| Details: |
This system has a 256k "on chip" level 2 cache running at processor speed (933 MHz) and a 2 MB DDR SDRAM backside level 3 cache "with 3.7-GBps throughput". |
| ROM/Firmware Type: |
Open Firmware |
ROM/Firmware Size: |
1 MB |
| Details: |
Boot ROM and around 1 MB, other instructions are loaded into RAM (NewWorld). |
| L1 Cache: |
64k |
L2/L3 Cache: |
256k (on chip), 2 MB |
| Details: |
This system has a 256k "on chip" level 2 cache running at processor speed (933 MHz) and a 2 MB DDR SDRAM backside level 3 cache "with 3.7-GBps throughput". |
| RAM Type: |
PC133 SDRAM |
Min. RAM Speed: |
133 MHz |
| Details: |
Supports 133 MHz PC133 SDRAM (3.3v, noninterleaved, 64-bit-wide, 168-pin). Apple also noted that this model has "full 128-bit internal memory data paths". |
| Standard RAM: |
256 MB |
Maximum RAM: |
1.5 GB |
| Motherboard RAM: |
None |
RAM Slots: |
3 |
| Video Card: |
GeForce4 MX* |
VRAM Type: |
DDR SDRAM |
| Details: |
*By default, this model has a NVIDIA GeForce4 MX graphics card with 64 MB of DDR SDRAM. It also could be configured at the time of purchase with a NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti graphics card with 128 MB of DDR SDRAM. The video card occupies a 4X AGP slot. |
| Standard VRAM: |
64 MB |
Maximum VRAM: |
64 MB* |
| Details: |
64 MB DDR SDRAM provided by default NVIDIA GeForce4 MX graphics card. It also could be configured at the time of purchase with a NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti graphics card with 128 MB of DDR SDRAM. |
| Display Support: |
Dual Displays |
Resolution Support: |
1920x1200* |
| Details: |
*With the default NVIDIA GeForce4 MX graphics card, Apple reports that this system "supports analog and digital resolutions up to 1920 by 1200 pixels". The build-to-order NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti graphics card with 128 MB of DDR SDRAM can support digital and analog resolutions up to 2048x1536. |
| 2nd Display Support: |
Dual/Mirroring |
2nd Max. Resolution: |
1920x1200* |
| Details: |
*Apple reports that the NVIDIA GeForce4 MX is capable of simultanously supporting dual displays (one using the ADC port and another using the VGA port). The build-to-order NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti graphics card also can support dual displays -- one ADC display and one DVI display (or a VGA display using an adapter). |
| Standard Storage: |
60 GB HDD |
Std. Storage Speed: |
7200 RPM |
| Storage Dimensions: |
3.5" (25.4 mm) |
Storage Interface: |
Ultra ATA/66 (ATA-5) |
| Details: |
Can officially support two 3.5" Ultra ATA/66 hard drives or SSDs on the original bus (more drives can be supported with a third-party controller PCI card). Officially, drives larger than 128 GB are not supported. However, third-parties have discovered that this system will natively support hard drives larger than 128 GB, when running MacOS X 10.2 or higher. Ultra ATA/100 hard drives are backwards compatible with the Ultra ATA/66 standard. |
| Standard Optical: |
2X "SuperDrive" |
Standard Disk: |
None* |
| Details: |
Apple reported that the 2X DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive "writes DVD-R at 2X, reads DVDs at 6X, writes CD-R at 8X, writes CD-RW at 4X, and reads CDs at 24X". By custom order, it also could be configured with a DVD-ROM/CD-RW "Combo" drive that "reads DVD at 8X, writes CD-R at 8X, writes CD-RW at 8X, and reads CD at 32X". The optical drive uses a EIDE (ATA-3) bus.
*An internal Zip 250 drive was available build-to-order. |
| Standard Modem: |
56k v.90 |
Standard Ethernet: |
10/100/1000Base-T |
| Details: |
Internal modem and 10/100/1000Base-T (Gigabit) Ethernet standard. |
| Standard AirPort: |
802.11b (Optional) |
Standard Bluetooth: |
None |
| Details: |
AirPort (802.11b) was available as a build-to-order addition. |
| USB Ports: |
2 (1.1) |
Firewire Ports: |
2 (400) |
| Details: |
USB 1.1 ports are dual channel. Apple advertised that this model has "four USB ports" counting the two on the keyboard as well as the two on the system. |
| Expansion Slots: |
4 PCI*, AP |
Expansion Bays: |
5 3.5" |
| Details: |
*In the default configuration, this model has four open 33 MHz 64-bit PCI slots, and a 4X AGP slot occupied by the graphics card. It also has an open AirPort (802.11b) expansion slot.
It has five 3.5" drive bays (four are internal and intended for hard drives, and one is external and intended for a Zip 250 drive). With a single hard drive and no Zip drive installed, three internal 3.5" bays and the external 3.5" bay are free. The system also has an external 5.25" drive bay occupied by the optical drive. |
| Incl. Keyboard: |
Apple Pro Keyboard |
Incl. Input: |
Apple Pro Mouse |
| Case Type: |
Tower |
Form Factor: |
Power Mac G4 (Quicksilver) |
| Apple Order No: |
M8666LL/A |
Apple Subfamily: |
Quicksilver 2002 |
| Details: |
The Apple order number should be unique to this system. |
| Apple Model No: |
M8493 (EMC 1896) |
Model ID: |
PowerMac3,5 |
| Details: |
Please note that these identifiers refer to more than one model.
Also see: All Macs with the M8493 Model Number, the 1896 EMC Number, and the PowerMac3,5 Model Identifier.
For more about these identifiers and how to locate them on each Mac, please refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Identification section. |
| Battery Type: |
3.6V Lithium |
Battery Life: |
N/A |
| Pre-Installed MacOS: |
9.2.2, X 10.1.2 |
Maximum MacOS: |
X 10.5.8 |
| Details: |
This system cannot run versions of MacOS X more recent than 10.5.8. |
| MacOS 9 Support: |
Boot/Classic Mode* |
Windows Support: |
Emulation Only |
| Details: |
*This model is capable of booting Mac OS 9 and using Mac OS 9 applications within the Mac OS X "Classic" environment provided with Mac OS X 10.4.11 "Tiger" and lower ("Classic" is not supported starting with Mac OS X 10.5 "Leopard"). |
| Dimensions: |
17.0 x 8.9 x 18.4 |
Avg. Weight: |
30.0 lbs. (13.6 kg) |
| Details: |
In inches - height by width by depth, (43.2 cm, 22.6 cm, 46.7 cm). |
| Original Price (US): |
US$2299 |
Est. Current Retail: |
US$100-US$200 |
| Details: |
Please note that on average the estimated current retail pricing of used systems is updated twice a year (please refer to the date on the bottom of the page for the date last updated).
Photo Credit: Apple Computer. |
Ten of the most popular Q&As about the Power Macintosh G4 models follow.
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1 VGA*, 1 ADC 
None 
None 
None 
None
None
2 (1.1)
2 (400)
1 (RJ-45)
None
None
None
None
2
None
1
N/A
1
N/A