Power Macintosh · The Digital Hub · 2003
Power Mac G5
Apple jumped to 64-bit and clothed it in a slab of perforated aluminium. Top models needed liquid cooling; the promised 3 GHz G5 never came, pushing Apple toward Intel.
A computer I used for many years, really good-looking and powerful, with that distinctive perforated aluminum front. Unmistakable.
First 64-bit desktop processor in a Mac, in the perforated aluminium tower.
My own
The aluminium tower that ran my desk for years. I still remember the sound of its fans spinning up under load.
Power Mac G5: key facts
When was the Power Mac G5 released?
The Power Mac G5 arrived on June 23, 2003. Apple discontinued it in August 2006.
How much did the Power Mac G5 cost?
The Power Mac G5 launched at $1,999 in 2003, about $3,478 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: PowerPC 970 (G5) at 1.60 GHz, 256 MB RAM, 78.1 GB storage, External display.
Why does the Power Mac G5 matter?
First 64-bit desktop processor in a Mac, in the perforated aluminium tower.
Full specifications
| CPU | PowerPC 970 (G5) · 1.60 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 256 MB (up to 8 GB) |
| Storage | 78.1 GB |
| Display | External |
| GPU | ATI Radeon 9600/9800 |
| Ports | USB 2.0, FireWire 400/800, Ethernet |
| Weight | 17.6 kg |
| Dimensions | Perforated aluminium "cheese-grater" tower |
| Operating system | Mac OS X 10.2.7 |
| Released | June 23, 2003 |
| Discontinued | August 2006 |
| Launch price | $1,999 |
How the Power Mac G5 compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 64× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 1.60 GHz, the clock is roughly 2.0× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 20,000 modern phone photos, a respectable library even today.
Launched at $1,999 in 2003, about $3,478 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker, Wikimedia Commons image credits.
Did you know?
The cheese-grater look was so loved Apple revived it for the 2019 Mac Pro.
Related Power Macintosh models
Open the Power Mac G5 in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11