Power Mac G4/400, 450, 500 (Gigabit Ethernet)

code name: Mystic

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• Mac OS 9 List is for those using Mac OS 9, either natively or in Classic Mode.
• Jaguar List is for those using Mac OS X 10.2.
• Panther List is for those using Mac OS X 10.3.
• Tiger List is for those using Mac OS X 10.4.
• Leopard List is for those using Mac OS X 10.5.

Overview

Details

• 400 MHz single-CPU model also made (see specs for G4/Sawtooth)
  G4/450 MP introduced 2000.07.19 at US$2,499; discontinued 2001.01.18
  G4/500 MP introduced 2000.07.19 at US$3,499; discontinued 2001.01.18
• requires Mac OS 9.0.4 through OS X 10.4, 10.5 not officially supported
• CPU: dual 450/500 MHz PPC G4
• bus: 100 MHz
• performance:
• • Geekbench 2 (Leopard): 484 (500 dual), 437 (450 dual)
  • Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 497 (500 dual), 421 (450 dual), 261 (400 single)
  • Speedmark: 165 (500 dual), 158 (450 dual)
• L2 cache: 1 MB 2:1 backside cache per processor
• RAM: 128/256 MB standard on 450/500 MHz models, expandable to 2 GB (although Mac OS 9 will only recognize 1.5 GB) using PC100 SDRAM (3.3V, unbuffered, 64-bit, 168-pin, 100 MHz) in 4 DIMM slots
• VRAM: 16 MB
• Video: ATI Rage 128 Pro in AGP 2x slot; supports resolutions to 1600 x 1200 with 32-bit support, VGA and ADC connectors (no DVI).
• hard drive: 30/40 GB 7200 rpm Ultra ATA/66 on 400/450/500 MHz models. Maximum IDE drive size is 128 GB without third-party support. See How big a hard drive can I put in my iMac, eMac, or Power Mac? for three options.
• DVD-ROM on G4/450 MP
  DVD-RAM on G4/500 MP
• internal Zip drive optional
• three 64-bit PCI slots
• internal 56k modem standard
• microphone: standard 3.5mm minijack, compatible with line-level input including Apple's PlainTalk microphone
• two 400 Mbps FireWire ports
• two 12 Mbps USB ports for keyboard, mouse, and peripherals
• ethernet: 10/100/gigabit
• antenna and connector for AirPort card
• size (HxWxD): 17.0" x 8.9" x 18.4"
• weight: 30.0 lb.
• Gestalt ID: n/a
• PRAM battery: 3.6V half-AA
• upgrade path: VIA CPU upgrades
• part numbers: M7891 (400 MHz), M7892 (450 dual), M7893 (500 dual)

Accelerators & Upgrades

• 8x SuperDrive DVD±RW upgrade, MCE Technologies, $149. 8x4x12x DVD, 24x24x40x CD. 2 MB buffer. Requires OS 9 or OS X.
• for CPU upgrades, see our Guide to Power Mac G4 Upgrades

Online Resources

• Low End Mac's best used Power Mac G4 deals, updated biweekly.
• Best classic Mac OS deals. Best online prices for System 6, 7.1, 7.5.x, Mac OS 7.6, 8.0, 8.1, 8.5, 9.0, 9.2.2, and other versions.
• Best Mac OS X 10.0-10.3 deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3.
• Best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.4.
• Best Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' deals. Best online prices for Mac OS X 10.5.
• Unsupported Leopard installation, Dan Knight, 2007.10.31. How to install Mac OS X 10.5 on unsupported hardware - plus field reports.
• Faking out the Leopard installer with Open Firmware, Dylan McDermond, Unsupported Leopard, 2007.12.06. You don't have to hack the installer to make the Mac OS X 10.5 installer run on sub-867 MHz G4 Macs by using this simple Open Firmware trick.
• What's the best version of OS X for my Mac?, Ian R Campbell, The Sensible Mac, 2008.02.28. Which version of Mac OS X is best for your hardware depends on several factors.
• Low End Mac's Compleat Guide to Mac OS 9, 2008 edition, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.05.12. Declared dead by Steve Jobs 6 years ago, Mac OS 9 remains fast and stable, but Classic software hasn't kept up with Web changes. What Macs support OS 9, where to buy it, and how to update to version 9.2.2.
• Does running OS X system maintenance routines really do any good?, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.08.26. Mac OS X is designed to run certain maintenance routines daily, weekly, and monthly - but can't if your Mac is off or asleep.
• The compressed air keyboard repair, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.07.24. If your keyboard isn't working as well as it once did, blasting under the keys with compressed air may be the cure.
• Opera trumps Safari, flashed video cards for Macs, hacking Leopard for G3 Power Macs, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.07.11. Also expectations for future MacBooks, more power than expected from a CPU upgrade, ADB and QuickCams, Snow Leopard and PowerPC, and more.
• Turn your old Mac into a website server with free open source software, Jason Packer, Macs in the Enterprise, 2008.07.02. By installing Linux without a GUI, your old Mac can dedicate all of its resources to running Apache, MySQL, and PHP.
• 'Snow Leopard' and the death of PowerPC support, Carl Nygren, Classic Macs in the Intel Age, 2008.06.23. It looks like Mac OS X 10.6 will only support Intel Macs - and possibly only 64-bit ones at that. Should G4 and G5 owners start looking at Linux?
• How a heavily upgraded Power Mac G4 pulled me back from the Dark Side, Ben Zalutsky, No Windows for Me, 2008.06.23. Seduced by a quad-core Windows gaming rig, it was a 9-year-old Power Mac that brought him back to the Mac.
• With a 600 MHz iBook running circles around a 2.8 GHz Celeron, it was time to switch, Jason Dill, My First Mac, 2008.06.05. The author now has a MacBook, along with a couple of older, cheaper Macs for use around the house.
• Leopard on old Macs, Leopard nightmares, bargain Macs for kids, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.06.04. Also getting the right version of Mac OS 9.2.2 for Mirror Drive Door Power Macs, using PC disk images with Macs, and using an ImageWriter II printer with Mac OS X.
• Some G4 Macs not sweet enough for Leopard, low cost notebooks, SE/30 repairs, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.06.03. Also upgrading an AGP Power Mac, formerly broken iSub and Time Machine work after 10.5.3 update, and the story behind IBM compatibles.
• Upgrading a Digital Audio G4 to work better in Leopard, Carl Nygren, My Turn, 2008.06.02. In its original configuration, the dual 533 MHz Power Mac G4 was slow with Mac OS X 10.5, but add the right upgrades, and it runs Leopard quite nicely.
• SheepShaver brings Classic Mac OS to Intel Macs and Leopard, Alan Zisman, Mac2Windows, 2008.05.20. Mac OS X 10.5 doesn't support Classic Mode. Neither does Leopard. But SheepShaver lets you emulate a PowerPC Mac and run the Classic Mac OS.
• Leopard is the way to go, even on most old G4 Macs, Carl Nygren, My Turn, 2008.05.14. The useful and just cool features in Mac OS X 10.5 make this the biggest step forward in the history of the Mac OS.
• Macintosh peace of mind, PA Semi and the iPhone, $40 802.11g PCI card, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.05.01. Also Power Mac vs. Mac mini, more on DVD User Op Patch, 12" vs. 14" iBook, and VGA for a Power Mac 6100.
• OS X for PCs, Mac mini with HDTV, 802.11n options, upgrading from Mac OS 9, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.22. Also reviving a dead PowerBook 5300, Lucida Grande, external FireWire SuperDrive advice, OS X and the DeskWriter, and royalties.
• Used Intel Mac mini vs. 867 MHz Power Mac G4 dual, Mark Garbowski, My Turn, 2008.04.07. Can a dual processor Power Mac hold its own against a Core Duo Mac mini?
• Leopard on a Cube, G4 CPU swap limitations, Power Mac G5 a good choice?, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.06. Also looking for a scanner that works with Panther and the hsitory of expansion slots in low-cost Macs.
• Boosting an old Power Mac with NewerTech's 1.8 GHz G4 upgrade, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Reviews, 2008.02.01. Got a faithful old Power Mac that's reliable but feeling sluggish? A brain transplant well beyond the 1 GHz mark can make a world of difference.
• Restoring a Blue & White G3 and a 'Mystic' Power Mac G4, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2008.01.30. Both of these Power Macs had been unreliable since they were purchased (used). Patience plus trial and error got them both working reliably with Mac OS 9 and X.
• G3 and G4 Power Macs and Clamshell iBooks still useful, Ben Zalutsky, No Windows for Me, 2008.01.29. Intel CPUs may be blazingly fast, but the old G3 and G4 Macs have plenty of usable life left in them.
• Power Mac G4/450 MHz dual, 2008.01.25. This 2001 Power Mac is benchmarked under Mac OS X 10.2.8, 10.3.9, and 10.4.11.
• Upgrading a Power Mac G4 on the cheap, Mark Garbowski, My Turn, 2008.01.04. For under $200, the author upgraded memory, dropped in a SuperDrive, added a better video card, and moved up to USB 2.0.
• GeForce startup delay in Leopard solved, transclucent menu bar tied to CPU speed, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.24. Also why GeForce 5200 may not be a good choice, LeopardAssist automates unsupported installs, dual G4 Power Mac misreports CPU speed, and using a USB webcam with iChat.
• Flash drive reliability, going back to Tiger, Classic emulation, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.19. Also looking for good video card options for use with Leopard on older Macs, and one more unsupported Leopard report.
• Leopard on a G3 iMac (with a G4 upgrade), flashed video card problems, the cheapest G4 Mac, and More, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.12.03. More unsupported Leopard reports point to the importance of a good video card, success on a CRT iMac with a G4/550 upgrade, and whether Sawtooth or Quicksilver is a better buy.
• Cooler laptops, a G4 recording studio, a fast Unicode text editor, and phantom email, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.12.03. Quieter, cooler running notebooks, a Power Mac G4-based recording studio using Mac OS 9, a fast text editor with great Unicode support, and phantom email in Mail in OS X 10.3.9.
• The G4 Power Mac that won't run Leopard, more OS X 10.5 success stories, and Pismo tips, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.11.08. A dual 533 MHz Digital Audio Power Mac that refuses to boot Leopard, other unsupported Macs that do run it, and suggestions for improving a Pismo running OS X 10.5.
• Unsupported Leopard reports: Sawtooth, Mystic, Digital Audio, Quicksilver, and TiBook success, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.31. Readers report that Leopard can be installed for PowerPC Macs from Intel Macs. Also success stories for AGP, Gigabit Ethernet, Digital Audio, Quicksilver, and a 400 MHz PowerBook G4.
• CF in a clamshell iBook, Leopard on a 400 MHz AGP Power Mac, VGA ports on Macs, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.30. Also graphics card options for AGP Power Macs, KompoZer and Claris Home Page, installing Mac OS 8.6, and Zune price drop.
• Leopard on a 1999 AGP Power Mac, Leopard upgrade problems, fixes for Menu Bar and Dock, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.10.29. Also software updates from Apple, tips on using Time Machines and Spaces, a better volume control for OS X 10.5, and more.
• Unsupported Leopard installation and the truth about Leopard DVD Player system requirements, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.25. How to create a hacked Leopard installer, and exactly what benefit you gain from a 1.6 GHz CPU with DVD Player under Leopard.
• Leopard pales before Mac OS 8.5 for Macs left behind, dual processor benefits, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.10.23. Mac users may not remember that Mac OS 8.5 left behind some Macs just over two years old. Compared to that, Leopard users have it made.
• The future of early G4 Power Macs in the Age of Leopard, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.10.04. Mac OS X 10.5 ships this month. Even if it can run on Yikes, Sawtooth, and Mystic Power Mac G4 models, can you expect it to run well?
• Make AGP 8x video cards work in G4 Power Macs, The Mac Elite, 2007.08.19. Instructions for disabling pins 3 and 11 so Mac compatible AGP 8x video cards will work in most G4 Power Macs.
• PC war losers, Mac 'just works', $68 802.11n for older Macs, a free font manager, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.08.31. Also DVD region locking, the iMac's glossy screen, Mac mini powerful enough, Chromac iMac housings, SanDisk's 8 GB flash drive, and more.
• Unmatched Classic Mac OS apps, TiBook reliability, Matias Tactile Pro 2.0 disappoints, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.06.18. Also Netscape 7 and 9, MacBook causing problems with iMac's display, and graphics cards for a Power Mac G4 and an ADC display.
• Importance of G3 support in 10.5, clever USB/FireWire solution, upgrade options, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.05.01. Also the loss of the PowerBook brand, upgrading to an Intel iMac, Korg and the Mac, Quadra boot problems, and the value of a Mac Classic.
• Format any drive for older Macs with patched Apple tools, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2007.04.25. Apple HD SC Setup and Drive Setup only work with Apple branded hard drives - until you apply the patches linked to this article.
• 2 GHz upgrade for G4 Power Macs, Apple named in Bluetooth suit, Boot Camp gains Vista support, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.03.30. Also Macs vs. Windows for gaming, Apple's share of high-end market, upcoming Core 2 CPUs to pass 3 GHz, 802.11n for Intel Mac mini, and more.
• Allegro USB 2.0 a great way to add several USB 2.0 ports to your Power Mac, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Reviews, 2007.03.28. You can never have too many USB ports. Whether your Power Mac has no USB 2.0 ports or too few, this $30 card is a great way to add the ports you need.
• 11 ways to optimize your Mac's performance, Ed Eubanks Jr, The Efficient Mac User, 2007.03.12. If your Mac is getting sluggish, here are 11 tips that can help restore its original performance.
• $25 802.11g card for PCI Macs, drive support for 802.11n AirPort Extreme, Adtron ups flash disks, and more, Mac News Review, 2007.03.02. Also firmware update info for Intel Macs, washable medical mouse and keyboard, TechTool Protogo, and more.
• Adding an Intel Mac mini can be cheaper than upgrading a Power Mac G4!, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2007.02.14. Looking at the cost of upgrading memory, adding a fast hard drive, and a GHz-plus CPU upgrade, buying a new Core Duo Mac mini makes a lot of sense.
• Upgrade the Power Mac or buy a Mac mini?, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2006.11.30. With 1.8 GHz dual G4 upgrades selling for US$600, it might make more sense to add a Core Duo Mac mini than upgrade the processor.
• AMD rumors gain traction, 2.0 GHz G4 upgrade, JukeDock for iPod, FireWire/USB 2.0 combo drive, and more, Mac News Review, 2006.11.22. Future Macs may have AMD CPUs, MAXPower G4 upgrades hit 2 GHz, Apricorn's new combo hard drive, colorful JukeDock, and more.
• How much Mac do you really need to run OS X?, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.11.16. You don't need dual-core Intel processors to read email or use the Web. Here are some 1999-2001 Macs that could be all you need.
• Disabling deep sleep on MacBooks, 'Other Red' a scam?, mixed RAM can reduce performance, and more, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.11.13. Also other disk utilities Mac owners should know about, Lombard cooling, Netscape 7 on OS 9, Final Vinyl for ripping LPs, and more.
• Why a 7-year-old Power Mac G4 replaced a Mac mini, Andrew J Fishkin, The Mobile Mac, 2006.10.31. There's a lot more to productive computing power than CPU speed. The old Power Mac lets you add a second video card, a fast hard drive, and lots more that the Mac mini can't.
• Using FireWire Target Disk Mode to install OS X on Macs without DVD drives, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.09.14. Two methods for using FireWire Target Disk mode to install OS X on a Mac that can't read DVDs.
• Customizing Mac OS 9, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.08.01. Fiddling with themes, picking a browser, and making the Classic Mac OS work just the way you want it to.
• Suggestions for converting AIFF to MP3 in iTunes, taken on eBay?, G4 upgrades, and low end Mac sadness, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2006.07.19. Reader suggestions for getting iTunes to convert AIFF to MP3, checking for dual processors, the upgradability of the Power Mac G4, and disappointment over discarded Macs.
• End of G4 models points to unprecedented value for used G4 Macs, Leaman Crews, Plays Well with Others, 2006.06.02. The PowerPC G4 may no longer have a place in Apple's product line, but that's a far cry from saying G4-based Macs are obsolete. If anything, their value is going to increase.
• Making the move from Jaguar (OS X 10.2) to Panther (10.3), Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.04.11. One advantage of Apple's "no upgrades" policy for OS X - someone can give you their old copy after upgrading without worrying about violating their license.
• What to buy when the old Beige G3 is just too sluggish, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living, 2006.03.27. When your old Power Mac G3 just can't keep up with your needs under OS X, it's time to look at the used Power Mac G4 market. The difference in speed can be astounding.
• Picking a Power Mac G4: How much Mac do you need?, Charles Webb, PowerBook Beat, 2006.03.22. Today's laptop computers can be great primary computers, but sometimes you need things only a desktop model can offer. A used Power Mac G4 can be a good choice.
• Web browser tips for the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.01.03. Tips on getting the most out of WaMCom, Mozilla, Internet Explorer, iCab, Opera, and WannaBe using the classic Mac OS.
• The best browsers for PowerPC Macs and the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2005.12.16. Two browsers stand out from the pack: iCab 3 is modern and remains under development, and WaMCom brings Mozilla to older Macs.
• How big a hard drive can I put in my iMac, eMac, or Power Mac?, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2005.10.24. A lot of older Macs don't know how to deal with drives over 128 GB in size. We look at three options.
• Picking an older Power Mac: Go G4, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 2005.04.18. If you plan on running OS X, the G4 processor makes a big difference - and older Power Mac G4s are very affordable these days.
• Sonata SD, Sonnet Tech, 2004.06.01. First new PCI video card for the Mac in ages sells for just US$99, supports OS 7.5.3 and later plus OS X 10.1.5 and later, works with VGA or old Mac monitors, 16 MB VRAM.
• 1000 MHz Power Mac bonanza, Bare Feats, 2003.04.12. Comparison shows how much a second CPU can help. "...it's never a liability to have two processors."
• Are two brains better than one?, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2003.03.24. It sounds reasonable that two processors are better than one, but how much better is a dual processor Power Mac G4 than a single processor model?
• Shot in the foot again: Firmware update disables RAM, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2001.03.25. "...we should not be at risk of losing some or all of the memory in our Macs because of a firmware update."
• SCSI and FireWire Disk Modes, Paulo Rodrigues, Tangerine Fusion, 2000.11.29. How to use SCSI Disk Mode and FireWire Target Disk Mode for ultrafast file transfers.
• Hands on: Dual processor Power Mac G4, Michel Munger, Mac Observer, 2000.09.22.
• Hands on: G4 multiprocessing lesson for the masses, Michel Munger, On the Flip Side, Mac Observer, 2000.08.22. Symmetric Multiprocessing defined - and what it means for Mac users.
• Review: Sonnet Tempo Ultra ATA66 Macintosh PCI Host Adapter, Dan Knight, 2000.07.28. The most economical way to put IDE support in a PCI Power Mac.
• Apple Specs: Power Mac G4 (Gigabit Ethernet)

Cautions

• Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) boot times for Power Mac with the GeForce 6200 fall into the 4-5 minute range, and was initially suggested that you install Leopard with the Mac's original video card to avoid slowing down the process. "gotoh" has posted the fix in The Mac Elite Forum. The delay is due to Leopard not supporting temperature sensors in G4 Macs. Simply remove AppleHWSensor.kext from /System/Library/Extensions, and the delay goes away.
• Power Macs earlier than the 2002 Quicksilver models do not have built-in support for IDE hard drives with capacities over 128 GB. Without a third-party solution, larger drives can only be formatted to 128 GB in these models. There are three options (as noted on Accelerate Your Mac):
  • Intech's ATA Hi-Cap Support Driver
  • A PCI IDE card that supports big drives
  • A FireWire enclosure that supports big drives
• Power Mac G4 (AGP): Single channel SCSI cards may interfere with wake from sleep, Apple Knowledge Base, 2002.07.22. Computer may incorrectly assume card supports power down mode and not wake properly from sleep under OS 8.6.

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