{"id":22954,"date":"2025-12-06T10:40:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T15:40:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=22954"},"modified":"2026-06-19T14:40:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T18:40:15","slug":"vin177","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin177\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple iMac G5"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Apple iMac G5\n <\/h1>\n \n \n <\/header>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
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Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Apple iMac G5<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

[Vin177]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"First<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Apple iMac G5 (2004\u20132006) was notable for integrating a full PowerPC G5 desktop-class processor into an ultra-thin, all-in-one LCD form factor, a radical engineering achievement at the time that foreshadowed modern slim desktop design. Its claim to fame was bringing 64-bit PowerPC performance and quiet, fan-zoned thermal design to mainstream users and educational institutions, making it a common sight in university labs and classrooms. Historically, it represents both the peak of Apple\u2019s PowerPC era and a transitional milestone just before the shift to Intel, and it was extremely popular, selling in large numbers and serving as Apple\u2019s flagship consumer Mac during its production run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Manufacturer<\/strong>: Apple<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Type<\/strong>: Desktop computer<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Release Date<\/strong>: 2004<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Cost at release<\/strong>: Canadian suggested retail prices ranged roughly from $3,500 (adjusted for inflation) for a 17\u2033 1.6 GHz model up to $5,000 (adjusted for inflation) for a 20\u2033 1.8 GHz model.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • MIPS<\/strong>: 4,600-6,000 (4.6 – 6.0 GIPS)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Hardware Specifications<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • CPU: IBM PowerPC G5 (PowerPC 970 family), 64-bit RISC architecture, Clock speeds: 1.6 GHz, 1.8 GHz, 2.0 GHz, 1.9 GHz, 2.1 GHz (model dependent)\n
        \n
      • Memory (RAM): Standard: 256 MB or 512 MB DDR \/ DDR2 SDRAM<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Maximum: 2 GB\u20132.5 GB (revision dependent)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Storage: 80 GB to 250 GB Serial ATA (SATA), 7200 RPM hard drives<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Graphics:\n
          \n
        • NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra (64 MB)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • ATI Radeon 9600 \/ X600 Pro \/ X600 XT (128 MB)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Display:\n
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          • 17-inch LCD: 1440 \u00d7 900 resolution<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • 20-inch LCD: 1680 \u00d7 1050 resolution<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Optical Drive:\n
              \n
            • Slot-loading DVD-ROM\/CD-RW Combo Drive<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • or SuperDrive (DVD\u00b1R\/RW), model dependent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Ports & Connectivity: USB 2.0 \u00d73, FireWire 400 \u00d72, Ethernet (10\/100 or Gigabit on later models), 56k V.92 modem, Audio in\/out, Optional AirPort Extreme (802.11b\/g) and Bluetooth<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Camera (late models): Integrated iSight webcam (2005\u20132006 revisions)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Weight:\n
                \n
              • 17-inch models: ~15.5\u201318.5 lb (7.0\u20138.4 kg)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • 20-inch models: ~22\u201325.2 lb (10.0\u201311.4 kg)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                Operating System & Programming Languages<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                  \n
                • Operating System<\/strong>: Mac OS X 10.3 Panther<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Supported Languages<\/strong>:\n
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                  • Apple \/ Native Development\n
                      \n
                    • C, C++ (GCC toolchain)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Objective-C (Cocoa, Carbon frameworks)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • AppleScript<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Java (Apple-supplied JVM, Java 1.4\u20131.5 era)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Scripting & Interpreted Languages\n
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                      • Python<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • Perl<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • Ruby<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • PHP<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • Shell scripting (bash, zsh, sh)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • Academic & Scientific\n
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                        • Fortran (via GCC)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        • MATLAB (PowerPC versions available)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        • R (early PowerPC builds)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        • Web & Application Development\n
                            \n
                          • HTML, CSS, JavaScript<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                          • Server-side development using Apache, PHP, Perl, Python<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                            Notables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                              \n
                            • One of the first mass-market desktops to place all components directly behind a flat LCD, establishing the modern all-in-one layout.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • Desktop-class CPU in a thin chassis: Used a full 64-bit PowerPC G5, previously found only in large Power Mac towers, an unusual engineering feat for 2004.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • Introduced independent cooling zones with multiple fans, influencing later quiet-PC and Apple thermal designs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • The last PowerPC-based iMac, marking the close of Apple\u2019s IBM\/Motorola CPU lineage before the 2006 Intel transition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • Widely deployed in education and design labs, valued as an affordable UNIX workstation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • Informally called the \u201ciMac Slab\u201d or \u201cFlat iMac\u201d by collectors and technicians.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            • Early models became known for capacitor failures, now a common restoration talking point in vintage computing circles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                              Donated by<\/strong>: Dr Paul Van Oorschot<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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