Power Mac G5: Memory Specifications and Requirements

Summary

Learn the type of memory (RAM) used in Power Mac G5 and Power Mac G5 (June 2004) computers and the installation requirements.

Power Mac G5 memory slots accept only 184-pin dual inline memory modules (DIMMs). The memory must be DDR SDRAM at a speed rating that depends on computer model (see the table below).

Products Affected

Power Mac G5, Power Mac G5 (June 2004)

Important:

  • The required RAM speed is listed on the serial label in your computer as either 333 MHz or 400 MHz.
  • Use only the speed specified. Slower RAM (for example, PC2100) will not work in this computer.
  • DDR SDRAM DIMMs must be installed in matched pairs. "Matched" in this context means that the two DIMMs have the same capacity and speed. A valid pair would be two 512 MB PC2700 DIMMs, for example.




    Figure 1 Matching pairs of DIMMs
    1. DIMMs are already installed in these two slots.
    2. Install additional DIMMs in these two slots first.
    3. If slots are available and you want to install more memory, install additional DIMMs in a similar fashion: in pairs, one per bank, from the center outward.



RAM requirements and capacities

1.6 GHz
Power Mac G5		 4 4 GB PC2700 DDR SDRAM 184-pin DIMM 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB
1.8 GHz,
Dual 1.8 GHz,
Dual 2.0 GHz
Power Mac G5		 8 8 GB PC3200 DDR SDRAM 184-pin DIMM 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB
Dual 1.8GHz
Power Mac G5 (June 2004)		 4 4 GB PC3200 DDR SDRAM 184-pin DIMM 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB
Dual 2.0 GHz,
Dual 2.5GHz
Power Mac G5 (June 2004)		 8 8 GB PC3200 DDR SDRAM 184-pin DIMM 128MB, 256MB, 512MB, 1GB
1.8GHz
Power Mac G5 (Late 2004)		 4 4 GB PC3200 DDR SDRAM 184-pin DIMM Up to 1GB
Dual 2.0 GHz
Power Mac G5 (Early 2005)		 4 4 GB PC3200 DDR SDRAM 184-pin DIMM Up to 1GB
Dual 2.3 GHz,
Dual 2.7 GHz
Power Mac G5 (Early 2005)		 8 8 GB PC3200 DDR SDRAM 184-pin DIMM Up to 1GB
Dual 2.0 GHz,
Dual 2.3 GHz,
Quad 2.5 GHz
Power Mac G5 (Late 2005)		 8 16 GB PC2-4200 DDR2 SDRAM 240-pin DIMM Up to 2GB

 

Additional Information

Note: When purchasing DDR SDRAM for use in Macintosh computers, make sure the memory vendor conforms to the JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) specification. Check with your memory vendor to ensure that the DDR SDRAM supports the correct timing modes and that the Serial Presence Detect (SPD) feature has been programmed properly, as described in the JEDEC specification.
To check compatibility with Apple's DDR SDRAM DIMMs, see the Macintosh Products Guide on Apple's website at http://www.apple.com/guide/ . You can purchase Apple-branded memory online from the Apple Store at http://store.apple.com/.

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