Apple Power Macintosh G4 1.0 (FW 800) Specs

Identifiers: Firewire 800 - M8839LL/A - PowerMac3,6 - M8570 - 1914

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The Apple Power Macintosh G4/1.0 (Firewire 800) features a 1.0 GHz PowerPC 7455 (G4) processor with the AltiVec "Velocity Engine" vector processing unit, 256k "on chip" level 2 cache, and 1 MB of DDR SRAM level 3 backside cache. It shipped configured with 256 MB of RAM, a 60 GB Ultra ATA/100 hard drive, a 12X DVD-ROM/CD-RW "Combo" drive, and a 4X AGP NVIDIA GeForce4 MX graphics card with 64 MB of DDR SDRAM. AirPort Extreme (802.11g) and Bluetooth 1.1 were available by custom configuration.

The Power Macintosh G4 (Firewire 800) series is similar to the "Mirrored Drive Doors" series that it replaced -- both share an identical case design complete with "mirrored drive doors" and the same bus speeds (133 MHz or 167 MHz) and RAM (PC2100 and PC2700), for example -- but the "Firewire 800" models have faster optical drives and add a single Firewire 800 port along with support for onboard AirPort Extreme (802.11g) and Bluetooth 1.1.

Perhaps most notably, however, is that the "Mirrored Drive Doors" models are capable of booting in MacOS 9, whereas the "Firewire 800" models are not.

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.

• Tech Specs
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Tech Specs

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Introduction Date:

January 28, 2003

Discontinued Date:

June 23, 2003

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 2003.

Processors:

1

Geekbench 2:

570

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 PowerMac3,6 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:

1.0 GHz

Processor Type:

PowerPC 7455 (G4)

Details:

The PowerPC G4 includes the AltiVec "Velocity Engine" vector processor.

Processor Upgrade:

MDD G4 Daughtercard

FPU:

Integrated

Details:

The Power Macintosh G4 (Firewire 800) models have the processor mounted on a custom 300-pin daughtercard.

System Bus Speed:

133 MHz

Cache Bus Speed:

1 GHz* (Built-in)

Details:

This system has a 256k "on chip" level 2 cache running at processor speed (1 GHz) and a 1 MB DDR SRAM backside level 3 cache with "up to 4-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), 1 MB

Details:

This system has a 256k "on chip" level 2 cache running at processor speed (1 GHz) and a 1 MB DDR SRAM backside level 3 cache with "up to 4-GBps throughput".

RAM Type:

PC2100 DDR SDRAM

Min. RAM Speed:

266 MHz

Details:

This system uses 266 MHz PC2100 DDR SDRAM (2.5v) memory modules.

Standard RAM:

256 MB

Maximum RAM:

2 GB

Details:

Site sponsor Other World Computing sells memory -- as well as other upgrades -- for this Power Macintosh G4. In Germany, site sponsor CompuRAM sells memory and other upgrades for this Power Mac G4. Also see: Actual Max RAM of All G3 & Later Macs.

Motherboard RAM:

None

RAM Slots:

4

Details:

N/A

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 or ATI Radeon 9700 Pro either 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 or ATI Radeon 9700 Pro either 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 digital resolutions up to 1920 by 1200 pixels and analog resolutions up to 1600 by 1200 pixels".

2nd Display Support:

Dual/Mirroring

2nd Max. Resolution:

1920x1200*

Details:

*Apple reports that the default NVIDIA GeForce4 MX is capable of simultanously supporting dual displays (one using the ADC port and another using the DVI port -- DVI to VGA adpater also included). 1920x1200 maximum for digital displays and 1600x1200 maximum for analog.

Standard Storage:

60 GB HDD

Std. Storage Speed:

7200 RPM

Details:

By default, a single Ultra ATA/100 drive is installed. It also could be configured with up to four 10,000 RPM Ultra160 SCSI drives at the time of purchase (SCSI PCI card required), or a combination of ATA and SCSI drives (four total). In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells storage upgrades for this Power Mac G4. Also see: SSD Compatibility Guide for All G3 & Later Macs.

Storage Dimensions:

3.5" (25.4 mm)

Storage Interface:

Ultra ATA/100*

Details:

*Can officially support four internal hard drives or SSDs -- two Ultra ATA/100 (ATA-6) and two Ultra ATA/66 (ATA-5) -- drives larger than 128 GB are supported.

Standard Optical:

12X "Combo Drive"

Standard Disk:

None

Details:

Apple reported that the 12X DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo drive "reads DVDs at 12X, writes CD-R at 32X, writes CD-RW at 10X, and reads CDs at 32X". By custom order, it also could be configured with a second optical drive. Both optical drives use a EIDE (ATA-3) bus.

Standard Modem:

56k v.92

Standard Ethernet:

10/100/1000Base-T

Details:

Internal modem and 10/100/1000Base-T (Gigabit) Ethernet standard.

Standard AirPort:

802.11b/g (Optional)

Standard Bluetooth:

1.1 (Optional)

Details:

AirPort Extreme (802.11g) and Bluetooth 1.1 were available as build-to-order additions.

USB Ports:

2 (1.1)

Firewire Ports:

2 (400), 1 (800)

Details:

USB 1.1 ports are dual channel. Two Firewire "400" ports and one Firewire "800" port.

Expansion Slots:

4 PCI*, AP

Expansion Bays:

4 3.5", 2 5.25"

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 four internal 3.5" drive bays -- two Ultra ATA/66 and two Ultra ATA/100 -- intended for hard drives and two external 5.25" drive bays intended for optical drives. By default, with a single hard drive and one optical drive installed, three internal 3.5" bays and one external 5.25" bay are free.

Incl. Keyboard:

Apple Pro Keyboard

Incl. Input:

Apple Pro Mouse

Details:

N/A

Case Type:

Tower

Form Factor:

Power Mac G4 (MDD)

Details:

Apple Order No:

M8839LL/A

Apple Subfamily:

Firewire 800

Details:

The Apple order number should be unique to this system.

Apple Model No:

M8570 (EMC 1914)

Model ID:

PowerMac3,6

Details:

Please note that these identifiers refer to more than one model. Also see: All Macs with the M8570 Model Number, the 1914 EMC Number, and the PowerMac3,6 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

Details:

N/A

Pre-Installed MacOS:

X 10.2.3

Maximum MacOS:

X 10.5.8

Details:

This system cannot run versions of MacOS X more recent than 10.5.8.

MacOS 9 Support:

Classic Mode Only*

Windows Support:

Emulation Only

Details:

*This model is capable of 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"). It cannot boot into Mac OS 9.

Dimensions:

17.0 x 8.9 x 18.4

Avg. Weight:

42.0 lbs. (19.1 kg)

Details:

In inches - height by width by depth, (43.2 cm, 22.6 cm, 46.7 cm).

Original Price (US):

US$1499

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.

Ports

Click on a category for additional details. The most commonly needed info is "open" by default, but all info is important. The icons correspond with the icons for each port on the computer.

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Video (Monitor):

1 DVI, 1 ADC

Floppy (Ext.):

None

Details:

One DVI and one ADC port provided by all stock graphics cards. A DVI-to-VGA adapter also was included.

ADB:

None

SCSI:

None

Details:

N/A

Serial (Standard):

None

Serial (Geoport):

None

Details:

N/A

USB:

2 (1.1)

Firewire:

2 (400), 1 (800)

Details:

USB 1.1 ports are dual channel. Two Firewire "400" ports and one Firewire "800" port.

Modem:

1 (RJ-11)

Ethernet:

1 (RJ-45)

Details:

10/100/1000Base-T (Gigabit) Ethernet standard.

S-Video Input:

None

S-Video Output:

None

Details:

N/A

Microphone:

None

Sound In:

1

Details:

One analog stereo audio line in jack.

Sound Out:

2

Headphone:

1

Details:

Includes a rear mounted analog 16-bit stereo sound out jack and an Apple Pro speaker minijack, as well as a front mounted headphone jack.

Security (Lock):

1

Joystick (PC):

N/A

Details:

N/A

Power:

1

Power Adapter:

N/A

Details:

115V AC (90V to 132V AC) or 230V AC (180V to 264V AC). 360W maximum.

Popular Q&As

Ten of the most popular Q&As about the Power Macintosh G4 models follow.

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