Apple Power Mac G5 Desktop M9749LL/A (Dual 2.7 GHz PowerPC G5, 512 MB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive)

by Apple

Product Details

Product Manual [9.21mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 58 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007OW502
• Item model number: M9749LL/A
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 28, 2005

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Professionals need superior tools to produce designs, music, high-definition video or the next scientific breakthrough. The new Power Mac G5 line extends as far as you require. Two 64-bit G5 processors reaching top speeds of 2.7 GHz, room for up to 8 GB of main memory, pro performance graphics cards and ultrahigh-bandwidth system architecture will give you more results than systems costing twice as much.

Supersonic Speed The Power Mac G5 offers a 2.0 GHz, 2.3 GHz and this 2.7 GHz dual-processor model with a speed boost at the top of the line. This dual 2.7 GHz model packs so much power into tight quarters that Apple designed a liquid cooling system for it, resulting in a cool tower that runs Photoshop nearly two times faster than a Pentium 4-based system. In fact, for most creative endeavors, the Power Mac G5 simply has no competition in its class. Does It Faster The PowerPC G5 processor dramatically accelerates performance in real world applications. When compared head-to-head against PCs in a series of Photoshop tests, the dual 2.7GHz, 2.3 GHz and dual 2.0 GHz Power Mac G5 systems ran the 45 filters 98%, 78% and 59% faster, respectively, than the 3.6GHz Pentium 4-based system, and 72%, 56% and 38% faster than the dual 3.6GHz Xeon-based system. Up to 8 GB of Memory The Power Mac G5 comes with eight DIMM slots that use fast PC3200 DDR SDRAM. Combine that with a 128-bit memory controller for up to 6.4-GBps throughput. The 2.7 GHz dual-processor model comes with 512 MB of RAM. And since memory is scalable up to 8 GB, you can add RAM as your application and workflow requirements increase.

The dual 2.7GHz, dual 2.3 GHz and dual 2.0 GHz Power Mac G5 systems ran the 45 filters 98%, 78% and 59% faster, respectively, than the 3.6GHz Pentium 4-based system, and 72%, 56% and 38% faster than the dual 3.6GHz Xeon-based system.

The 16x SuperDrive built into every dual-processor Power Mac G5 now supports double-layer (DVD+R DL) discs.

Double-layer Drive The 16x SuperDrive built into every dual-processor Power Mac G5 now supports double-layer (DVD+R DL) discs. While single-layer DVD-R discs hold up to 4.7 GB of data, double-layer discs have two layers of data, allowing the SuperDrive laser to read and write on either layer, almost doubling the storage to 8.5GB. Using iDVD -- included on every Power Mac G5 -- or DVD Studio Pro, you can author discs with over three hours of MPEG-2 video on one DVD+R DL disc. If you work with high-definition video, use the SuperDrive to burn double-layer discs with more room for high-bit-rate H.264 video.

Up to 800 GB Of Internal Storage
The Power Mac G5 has two Serial ATA hard drive bays for up to 800 GB of fast internal mass storage -- ideal for video, audio and high-resolution graphics. Built-in software RAID allows you to stripe the two drives for increased performance or mirror them for high reliability. And it's easy to add storage as your needs grow. Single-drive systems come with the cabling to connect a second hard drive, and the easy-to-open side panel lets you insert a new drive yourself. Want massive system storage? Just use a Fibre Channel PCI card to connect to Xserve RAID, Apple's high-performance storage system.

Exquisitely Advanced Technology With 64-bit power and high-bandwidth architecture, this groundbreaking system alleviates the limitations and bottlenecks of the traditional PC -- opening up a wealth of possibilities for 2D and 3D designers, video and audio producers, scientists, researchers and game developers and players. The industry's fastest frontside bus, an advanced system controller and high-speed, high-capacity memory combine to make the Power Mac G5 one of the fastest PCs ever built. 1.35 GHz Frontside Bus Designed to harness the power of the PowerPC G5 processor, a 1.35 GHz, 64-bit bidirectional Double Data Rate (DDR) frontside bus maximizes throughput between the processor and the system controller. And unlike most processor interfaces, which can carry data in only one direction at a time and waste precious time changing directions, the PowerPC G5 features two high-speed unidirectional 32-bit data paths -- one flowing continuously into the processor and one flowing from the processor. This lets data move in opposite directions simultaneously, with no other demands on the data stream and no wait time while the processor and system controller compete for use of the bus. What's more, the data streams integrate clock signals along with the data, allowing the frontside bus to work at 1.35GHz for an astonishing 10.8 GB per second of aggregate bandwidth. Plugged In It's easy to plug printers, scanners and other devices into the Power Mac G5. In addition to sporting a full complement of ports on the back, the front panel has FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 ports, as well as a minijack for headphones and desktop speakers. PCI-X Expansion Slots PCI and PCI-X cards enable the Power Mac G5 to perform specialized tasks, such as video capture and playback and audio digital signal processing (DSP). PCI-X supports 3.3V signaling and Universal 33MHz and 66MHz PCI cards. Choose a PCI or PCI-X Power Mac G5 system: Three 64-bit PCI-X slots let you add one card running at 133MHz and two cards running at 100MHz, and three 64-bit PCI slots allow you to add three 33MHz cards.

The Power Mac G5 comes equipped with one FireWire 800 port, two FireWire 400 ports (one on front); three USB 2.0 ports (one on front), two USB 1.1 ports; AGP 8X Pro slot with graphics card installed.

Optical Digital Audio
The Power Mac G5 comes with audio capabilities that are not usually found on personal computers. The state-of-the-art optical digital audio in and out ports use the S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) protocol over Toslink cables for connecting to devices such as decks, receivers, digital instruments and even 5.1 surround-sound speaker systems. And since S/PDIF is an optical signal -- a beam of light -- you won't get any ground loop interference caused by copper wiring.

The enclosure design allows heat dissipation through four independently controlled thermal zones. A transparent internal air deflector channels airflow over the processor heat sinks and the expansion slots.

Truly Intelligent Design An exceptional computer demands an exceptional enclosure. The Power Mac G5 has a stunning chassis forged of anodized aluminum. Apple engineers were also pretty obsessive about clutter. That's why there isn't any. Especially conspicuous by its absence is that tangle of unsightly wires and cables that turn the inside of a typical PC into a veritable rat's nest. "A place for everything and everything in its place" isn't just something your mom said: It's an important philosophical precept that Apple applies rigorously to hardware design. This clutter-free design also allows for intelligently managed heat dissipation through four independently controlled thermal zones. To make the Power Mac G5 even easier to cool, a transparent internal air deflector channels airflow over the processor heat sinks and the expansion slots. Each of the four thermal zones is equipped with its own dedicated, low-speed fans. Apple engineered the nine fans to spin at very low speeds for minimum acoustic output. Using 21 different sensors, Mac OS X constantly monitors component temperatures in each zone, dynamically adjusting individual fan speeds to the appropriate levels for the quietest possible operation. As a result, the Power Mac G5 runs two times quieter than the previous Power Mac G4 enclosure.

Since its introduction, the Power Mac G5 has stunned customers, critics and developers alike with the promise of unprecedented performance in a desktop computer. Unlike other 64-bit systems, the Power Mac G5 runs existing applications natively, without emulation. In fact, unmodified Mac software can already take advantage of the speed benefits of the G5, since Mac OS X Panther has been fine-tuned for the new processor. You'll find that adding a Power Mac G5 to your workflow will pay you back before you know it. In every way, the Power Mac G5 outpaces the previous generation, thanks to faster processors and a high-bandwidth architecture.

Product Description

The Power Mac G5 was built for speed from the inside out. The modern creative class needs a Mac that can handle high-end content creation applications, and do it quickly. Those who wish to produce the very best designs, music, high-definition video or the even next scientific breakthrough at a much faster pace finally have a computer built with them in mind. The newer, faster 64-bit processing with whiplash-fast frontside bus mean no more lags when accessing memory or the hard drive. The high-bandwidth architecture is perfect for 2D and 3D designers, video and audio producers, scientists, researchers and game developers. Combined with an advanced system controller and high-speed, high-capacity memory combine to make the Power Mac G5 one of the fastest PCs ever built. 1 FireWire 800 and 2 FireWire 400 and 3 USB 2.0 ports, 2 USB 1.1 on keyboard 3 PCI-X expansion slots ( PCI Backward Compatible) - one 133MHz, 64-bit slot and two 100MHz, 64-bit slots AirPort Extreme ready (based on 802.11g specification; IEEE 802.11b Wi-Fi certified) Optional internal Bluetooth module Built-in support for the 30-inch Apple Cinema Display Multiple device connections - DVI connector, ADC connector, analog audio in & out, optical S/PDIF in & out, front headphone and speaker jack and built-in Gigabit Ethernet Comes with Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger. Mac OS X Tiger offers a seamless transition to 64-bit performance - Current 32-bit code such the Mac OS 9 Classic environment and existing applications runs natively at processor speed. With no interruptions to your workflow. And no additional investment in software required to take advantage of 64-bit power Power Mac G5 comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a one-year limited warranty PLEASE NOTE - Monitor sold separately

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's powerfull and empowering, June 17, 2005

By 

djac "beantownboy" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apple Power Mac G5 Desktop M9749LL/A (Dual 2.7 GHz PowerPC G5, 512 MB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive) (Personal Computers)

If you're reading this review you probably want to know if this is the computer for you. That definitely depends more on you than this computer. It's clearly too much money for web surfing and e-mail. If that's your primary use for a computer please, get something else. But if you really drive your computer hard, especially with graphics or video applications this computer is a great choice.

Why? Is this the fastest hardware when compared to Intel/AMD options in the same price range? In the real world it's right up there with the fastest. But, just as with cars, horsepower isn't everything. Handling is probably more important and and handling is, if nothing else, very different when driving an OS X based computer vs Windows.

Maxed out Windows PCs remind me of American muscle cars built with little thought to handling, comfort, or efficiency. Macs are a lot more like a Porsche 911 - plenty of horsepower connected to excellent engineering on every other part of the car. OS X on this 2.7 is the same way - there's no doubt it's a high performance computer, but it's also so well thought out it's a pleasure to drive hard all day long.

And this was my criteria for purchasing this computer. I use both a 2.5GHz G5 and a high end XP machine at work. I simply feel better at the end of the day driving the Mac. OS X is a plush ride for those who really push applications hard. This distinction could be subjective but I suspect that it's more like seats, vibration and noise in cars - factors that will wear you down no matter how much you tell yourself your muscle car is really comfortable.

If you get the hopped up PC you'll still get to Cleveland - maybe a few seconds faster, maybe a few seconds slower - but you're not going to enjoy the trip nearly as much as I do.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I think the Negative reviews are liars and ignorant people, October 20, 2005

By 

Microsoft Certified System Engineer (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apple Power Mac G5 Desktop M9749LL/A (Dual 2.7 GHz PowerPC G5, 512 MB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive) (Personal Computers)

I don't need a long winded rebuttal. The guy who said he called for service on a new machine, and was told to take it to COMPUSA has never gotten service from Apple. Apple will cheerfully send you a box to your home next day air. They will also repair your machine in one day, and next day air it back to you. All free. They are the most reliable machines in the world as proven by the non-profit consumers union, and the rabidly pc positive PC-World consumer survey. Anybody that says that Macs crash ever, or that they ever had to reboot it, has not used a Mac since OS X came out. I do not care what real bench marks you used. I have never seen a PC that can download video from a HI-8 digital video camera withour dropping frames. My old 800 mhz Ibook laptop could do it with no problem. The special made PCs could render faster than my laptop, but I can wait for perfect rendering after a perfect download. The special PCs that cost nearly ten times as much as my old dinky laptop just could never produce acceptable home video. My dual G5 now renders slightly faster in the real world than my friend's $10,000.00 intel machine. He looks like a puppy told to go to his room for peeing on the floor. I really do not care if it is a little faster or a lot slower, just as long as it is perfect.

As far as business, and productivity software all machines are fast enough PC and Mac.

PCs alway have some little thing break that worked the day before. The windows task bar has always been buggy. Try setting it to auto-hide. You can't use it! PCs are a constant hassle. They are for professionals only. Because you have to be a professional to keep them working. I know, I am a Microsoft Certified System Engineer, and spend my day job hours making Windows Networks, desktops and servers work. I see no sign of a PC that can run an hour without some kind of little problem, and PC users have just come to expect it, and do not even try to make them work, unless the problem is so severe that they cannot possbibly do thier job.

I have never had anything stop working for no reason on Mac. Yes I have had hardware problems on Macs, twice. I got them fixed for free and within three days. My wife runs a 1998 250MHz blueberry ibook. My son runs a 500MHZ 2000 dual USB ibook, and I run a new 2005 1.4GHZ ibook and a 2.5GHZ desktop. I do not pay for antivirus, or antispyware. I also own a 1.4GHZ Intel server that I built myself that is unplugged, unloved, and sitting in a closet. I used to use it as a shared hard-drive for my whole family, but it was alway causing problems.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing machine..., October 16, 2005

By 

Robert J. Uncapher (North Coventry, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Apple Power Mac G5 Desktop M9749LL/A (Dual 2.7 GHz PowerPC G5, 512 MB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, 16x Dual Layer SuperDrive) (Personal Computers)

I have been using Macintosh computers since the SE30 we had in college and I have watched Apple put out better and better machines and this G5 is their most amazing machine yet. It was fast out of the box, but after upgrading to 8gb of RAM this machine screams. You can zip through huge Photoshop files, high definition video, and everyday computing with ease. Regardless of what industry you work in, your work (and play) will benefit from this computer and with Amazon's $200 rebate, you can't find a better price.