Power Macintosh G3

code name: Yosemite

a.k.a. Blue and White G3, Blue G3, G3 Pro

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Overview

Bold best summarized the new G3. With an entirely new minitower case design and huge graphics, it would stand out even without the bright colors.

In a big step forward, these models have 4 PCI slots, one more than previous models. And its the first computer to ship with the new copper CPU technology.

With a tip of the hat to the iMac, the new G3 doesn't have a built-in floppy drive. With USB floppies finally available at under US$100, that may not be a huge issue, but many users will want to add a floppy.

The keyboard and mouse are also direct from the iMac. Users have had a mixed reaction to the round mouse; fortunately, good alternatives are now shipping. Likewise, although the keyboard has a nice feel, it is missing some keys from the Extended Keyboard that Apple has used for years (see iMac's Keyboard: the missing keys for a full list). Again, the presence of third-party keyboards with a standard layout makes this less of a miss than it was when the iMac shipped with no alternative keyboards.

As on the iMac, USB has practically replaced ADB, although this time Apple left on ADB port in place. The addition of FireWire provides a fast alternative to the missing SCSI. (Again, SCSI PCI cards are readily available, allowing access to older hardware.)

Unfortunately, the Power Macintosh G3 shares the same product name as the earlier, very different Power Macintosh G3. You'd think Apple might have learned a thing or two about product name confusion with the PowerBook G3/PowerBook G3 Series situation, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

The Rev. 2 uses a different motherboard, has an additional drive bracket, incorporates a new IDE controller chip (marked 402), and includes a faster version of the ATI Rage 128 video card. 350 MHz and 400 MHz models may have either motherboard; 450 MHz and faster versions use the Rev. 2 board. The new IDE controller improves slave drive support.

Details

G3/300 introduced January 1999 at US$1,599, discontinued June 1999.
G3/350 introduced January 1999 at US$1,999.
G3/400 introduced January 1999 at US$2,999.
G3/450 introduced June 1999 at $2,519.
requires Mac OS 8.5 or later
CPU: 300/350/400/450 MHz PPC 750
bus: 100 MHz
CPU performance
300 MHz: 9.85 BYTEmark, 926 MacBench 5
350 MHz: 11.51 BYTEmark, 1144 MacBench 5
400 MHz: 13.31 BYTEmark, 1323 MacBench 5
450 MHz: 1484 MacBench 5
RAM: 64 MB or 128 MB standard, expandable to 1 GB using PC100 SDRAM (3.3V,unbuffered, 64-bit, 168-pin, 100 MHz) in 4 DIMM slots
VRAM: 16 MB
Video: ATI Rage 128 on 66 MHz bus, supports resolutions to 1600x1200 with 32-bit support, VGA output (replaces older DB-15 port Apple has used since 1987). Rev. 1 runs as 75 MHz, while Rev. 2 uses faster 90-100 MHz clock.
L2 cache: 1 MB 2:1 backside cache (512 KB on 300 MHz model)
hard drive: 6 GB or 12 GB Ultra ATA or 9 GB Ultra2 SCSI hard drive
CD-ROM: 24x maximum throughput, DVD and DVD-RAM optional
internal Zip drive optional
4 PCI slots (3 are 64-bit, one is 66 MHz; 66 MHz slot used for video card)
optional internal 56k modem
two 400 Mbps FireWire ports
two 12 Mbps USB ports for keyboard, mouse, and peripherals
one ADB port
10/100Base-T ethernet connector on back of computer
size (HxWxD): 17.0" x 8.9" x 18.4"
weight: 28.7 lb.
Gestalt ID:
battery: 3.6V lithium
upgrade path: ZIF CPU upgrades

Accelerators & Upgrades

Guide to G3 ZIF Upgrades, Low End Mac
some ZIF upgrades for older Power Mac G3 may work, if compatible with 100 MHz system bus

Online Resources

QuickDraw 3D acceleration in B&W Power Mac G3, Apple TIL 25020, 10/13. summary: No 8-bit support at any resolution, no Portrait support, supports 16- and 24-bit video to 1280x1024 and some higher settings.
Review: Power Macintosh G3/450, Macworld, September 1999, p. 47
New G3 features, Accelerate Your Mac! Information on Rev. 2 motherboard.
Guide to G3 ZIF Upgrades, Low End Mac
Currently available FireWire products, FireWire Watch
Blue and White G3 Tips/Information, Accelerate Your Mac!
Opinion: A new G3 generation, Ric Ford, eMediaweekly, 2/1
Apple has 3 different PCI SCSI cards for G3 Pro, Apple TIL
IDE slave drive in a G3 Pro, Accelerate Your Mac
G3 Pro compatibility issues, MacFixIt
PC100 memory prices, RAMseeker
G3 Pro: good enough?, Mac Musings
iMac Envy, Macworld
Apple specs: Power Macintosh G3 Pro
Apple TIL: Power Mac G3 Pro specs
FireWire FAQ, Peripherals.Net

Cautions

To distinguish the Rev. 1 and Rev. 2 logic boards, check the number printed on the CMD chip at location U1. On Rev. 1 boards, the number is PCI646U2. On Rev. 2, it will read 646US-402.
The G3 Pro can use all three types of PC100 DIMMs: 3-2-3 (the slowest), 3-2-2, and 2-2-2 (the fastest). It will recognize which you have and set timing to match the slowest installed memory. For best performance, use only 2-2-2 DIMMs. And be sure to specify unbuffered memory.

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