Power Macintosh G4 (AGP Graphics)

code name: Sawtooth

• Got a Power Mac G3 or G4? Join the G-List email list.
• Got a G4 or want to know more? Join the G4 email list.
• 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

• G4/350 (Sawtooth) quietly introduced 1999.12.01 at $1,599; discontinued 2000.02.16.
  G4/400 (Sawtooth) introduced 1999.10.13 at US$2,499
  G4/450 introduced 1999.08.31 at US$2,499
  G4/500 introduced 1999.08.31; available 2000.02.16 at US$3,499
• requires Mac OS 8.6 through OS X 10.4.x, 10.5 not officially supported
• CPU: 350/400/450/500 MHz PPC G4
• bus: 100 MHz
• L2 cache: 1 MB 2:1 backside cache
• performance:
• Geekbench 2 (Leopard): 309 (450 MHz)
• Geekbench 2 (Tiger): 343 (500 MHz), 291 (450 MHz), 245 (400 MHz), 232 (350 MHz)
• Speedmark: 159 (500 MHz), 146 (450 MHz)
• MacBench 5 (Beige G3/300 = 1000): CPU/FPU: 1218/1438 (400 MHz), 1321/1609 (450 MHz)
• Speedometer 4.02 (Quadra 605 = 1.0): CPU: 23.4, FPU: 850 (350 MHz)
• RAM: 64/128/256 MB standard on 400/450/500 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 (was Rage 128 prior to December 1999); supports resolutions to 1600 x 1200 with 32-bit support, includes VGA and DVI ports.
• hard drive: 10/20/27 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 G4/350, 400, original G4/450; DVD-RAM on newer G4/450, 500
• internal Zip drive (optional on G4/350)
• 3 64-bit PCI slots
• optional internal 56k modem
• microphone: standard 3.5mm minijack, compatible with line-level input including Apple's PlainTalk microphone
• three 400 Mbps FireWire ports (one internal, not on latest revision of G4/400)
• two 12 Mbps USB ports for keyboard, mouse, and peripherals
• no ADB port
• 10/100Base-T ethernet connector on back of computer
• antenna and connector for AirPort card (same card used in iBook)
• 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: M6921, M7232, M7824, M7825, M7827

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

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Penryn advantages, Leopard on a G4 Cube, scanner advice, upgrading Sawtooth, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.03.05. Also why no LED backlight on the new MacBook, Final Cut mostly works with integrated graphics, and Diablo II problems under Leopard.
• Safari 3.1 will be 'crazy fast', OS X 10.5.2 update, 20x SuperDrive from $35, and more, Mac News Review, 2008.02.15. Also Security Update for Tiger, Graphics Update for Leopard, Mac mini "as powerful as a larger desktop", TechTool Deluxe update, and more.
• 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.
• MacBook Air vs. ThinkPad X300, moving from MacBook to PowerBook, USB 2.0 cables, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.01.22. Also another crumbling G3 iMac, a Rev. B iMac brought back from the dead, 'fencing in' type in HTML, and Leopard on an AGP Power Mac G4.
• 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.
• 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.
• Leopard with 384 MB RAM, on a PowerBook G4/550, benchmarked, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.11.06. Leopard on Digital Audio, Quicksilver, and Sawtooth Power Macs. Questions on CPU load in OS X 10.5 and whether beige G3s and PCI Power Macs might run it.
• Best AGP Mac video card, Leopard on 667 MHz PowerBook G4 and 'Sawtooth' Power Macs, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.11.01. Also questions about booting a Pismo PowerBook from Compact Flash in a PCMCIA reader and whether Leopard might run in a G4-upgraded Power Mac 7500 or G3.
• 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 faster than Tiger on Intel, slower on PowerPC, and possible below 867 MHz, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.10.29. Early benchmarks indicate Mac OS X 10.5 is 10-15% slower than 10.4 on PowerPC, while 64-bit Leopard on Intel Core2 hardware is over 5% faster. Also Sawtooth and Cube success stories.
• 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.
• 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?
• APG Card Compatibility, The Mac Elite, 2007.08.09. Guide to which ATI and nVidia AGP video cards are compatible with which AGP Power Macs.
• 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.
• Is Apple TV a Mac?, upgrading a Power Mac G4, troubleshooting a Beige G3, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2007.04.12. Also accessing files on floppies and old Mac on a new Mac, satisfaction and consumerism, and 10th anniversary feedback.
• 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 Core2 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.
• 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.
• Chronically ailing Yikes! G4 cured while overclocking, Hardy Menagh, Empowered, 2006.04.05. This PCI Power Mac G4 had been acting up for years and resisted all attempts to bring stability. But when the new owner attempted to overclock it, things became clear.
• 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.
• Adding a DIP switch and overclocking Sawtooth's bus speed, Chris Placzek, Mac Daniel, 2005.11.30. How to install a DIP switch and overclock Sawtooth's system bus to 120 MHz.
• 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.
• How about giving your old Sawtooth a faster graphics card?, Rob Art Morgan, Bare Feats, 2002.08.22, since updated. Recommends ATI Radeon 8500 Mac Edition as the "best bet" video upgrade card for Sawtooth.
• 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.
• Upgrade G4/Sawtooth to 500 MHz or buy new dual processor G4?, Bare Feats, 2000.09.15. Considering resale value of a slower G4, which gives more bang for the buck?
• 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.
• Benchmark: Rage128 Pro vs. Rage128, Accelerate Your Mac, 2000.02.05. Compares original G4 AGP video card with current version (available from Apple for $99 with OS 9).
• Benchmark: Yikes vs. Sawtooth G4/400, Bare Feats, 1999.12.17. How much faster is the new motherboard?
• Is G4/400 a good value?, Charles Moore, Applelinks, 1999.09.02
• Power Mac G4: How to Differentiate Between Models, Apple TIL 58418
• Apple Spec: Power Mac G4 (AGP graphics)

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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