Setting up the G4 is quite simple. Take it out of the box, remove all of the packaging, plug in the mouse and keyboard (a USB extension cable is included in case the keyboard cable isn't long enough), plug in a VGA or ADC monitor (DB-15 and DVI monitors can be used with the appropriate adapter), and start it up. In very little time you will go from the excitement of owning a G4, to actually using it.

The biggest thing in computers these days is "How fast is it?" Well, this computer comes with a G4 CPU running at 466 MHz, which literally flies. Not to mention the AltiVec engine which, when used by applications, can increase the speed of this thing to totally new levels. Not all applications are written to take advantage of this unit, but when they do, you will notice it. Even if you don't use programs which use the AltiVec engine, this computer will have more than enough power to do any task thrown at it.

But the processor isn't the only thing that makes up a computer. RAM can play a very large part in the overall performance of the computer. This G4 comes standard with 128 MB of RAM, which is enough for many people, but gamers and people who do heavy work may want more. I suggest going for at least 256 MB of RAM. Especially considering Mac OS 9.1 (the preloaded operating system) uses 45 MB of RAM with Virtual Memory turned on. Turn it off, and watch the system RAM usage go through the roof.

Stock G4 466MHz with 5400 RPM hard drive vs. G3 500 MHz with 7200 RPM hard drive

The other type of main storage (the permanent, yet slower kind) is the hard drive. This G4 comes with a 30 GB Ultra ATA hard drive, with a rotational speed of 5400 RPM. While this drive will be slower than 7200 RPM drives in current machines, legacy machines (like my beige G3) will have a hard time keeping up with the hard drive in this machine. This just adds to the overall system performance, because the hard drive is normally the main bottleneck of a system. The faster the hard drive, the faster the computer.

But what are the CPU, RAM, and hard drive without something to display your work. This configuration of G4s comes configured with an ATI RagePro 128 video card, with 16 MB of video RAM. It's by no means a top of the line video card, but it will put out enough power for most people. Gamers may want to go with the nVidia line of cards, for better performance, and fewer screen artifacts.

The G4 only comes with one speaker, position in the center of the front face plate. Don't be discouraged, as this one speaker delivers better than expected quality. In fact, Apple must have done something special, because this speaker provides stereo sound, even though the sound is only coming from a single source. However, you will need to purchase a pair of computer speakers if you want much better sound.

Continuing on the subject of aural sensations, I could not believe how quite this computer is. The fan makes a constant noise, but it's barely audible. The hard drive's clicks can only be heard if you really listen for them. In fact, even the CD spin-up is quiet. Of course, the fanless Cube and iMacs will be quieter, but not much. It's about time computers don't interrupt your work with their jet like noises.

So, what exactly can this beast be connected to? Well, it has built in Firewire, USB, and Ethernet ports. The USB and Firewire ports can be used to connect everything from keyboards and mice, to CD burners, to scanners, to printers. The Firewire ports are much faster, and therefore should be used for CD burners and hard disks for better performance. The Ethernet jack supports up to 1 Gigabit Ethernet networks. Most networks you find will be 100 MBit or slower, so the G4 is way ahead of the pack in this department.

If you are not on a network, or cannot get broadband Internet, the built in 56k modem will serve your needs nicely. This modem delivers great speeds, and reliable connections, but misses my favorite part of external modems, the blinking lights. Those lights have saved me more time than you would believe, and without them, I feel lost. Although the organization of an internal modem nearly makes up for that.

This brings us to the keyboard and mouse. Apple took much criticism for their tiny puck mouse, and very undersized keyboard. They have fixed this by providing a very nice optical mouse (whereas the whole top acts like a mouse button), and a full sized keyboard. If you are a veteran Mac user, the first thing you will notice is that there is no power key on the keyboard, instead, it has been replaced by the very helpful mute, sound up, sound down, and eject keys. I find myself using these keys on a constant basis, and they more than make up for a missing power key.

Apple also took some flak when they introduced the first iMac without a floppy drive. Since then, no Mac had come standard with any type of removable media. Luckily, that has changed. Apple now builds CD-RW (ReWriteable) drives with every standard G4. These 8x-4x-32x drives provide a great way to backup your system, or transfer files from one computer to another. However, the one flaw with the way you burn CDs (which is done just like a floppy, by dragging and dropping files), is that you cannot burn sessions. Sessions allow you to burn some stuff to a disk now, and leave it open for more stuff later. Hopefully this can be fixed in a later version of the Disc Burn software.

So, what is included with this machine? Well, nearly all the cables you need are provided. A power cable, a Firewire cable, a USB extension cable, and a phone line cable. Apple makes sure you are up and running right out of the box. Plus, they include 6 CDs with the G4. One software restore, one software install, one hardware diagnosis, one iMovie 2 CD, and two blank CD-R discs. Everything you need to start your computing experience, and correct problems when they happen to crop up.

However, the included software bundle isn't so great. Besides the normal utilities, browsers, and simple applications, you get iMovie, Disc Burn, and iTunes. The least they could have done was hook us up with a better word processor than SimpleText, and maybe a copy of Bugdom or Cro Mag Rally (like the iMacs have). At least they included over 700 MB of MP3s for your listening enjoyment. Still, not too much beyond what a normal install of Mac OS 9.1 would give you.

What other cool features does the G4 tout? Well, a main one is the upgradability. By simply lifting a tab, you can swing out the innards of the computer, for very easy installations of RAM, hard drives, expansion cards, airport networking, and much more. Definitely, the easiest computer to get to the insides I have ever seen. Plus, if you are in an environment where you don't trust your RAM with other people, you can pull out a tab in the back, and put a simple padlock on it to keep unwanted visitors from opening your Mac.

Ok, so you can open it fine, but what can you put inside. Well, beyond the 3.5" IDE drive bays, the airport slot, and the three PC133 RAM slots (for up to 1.5 GB of RAM), Apple has listened to users one more time and added an extra slot to the mix. Now, they have 1 AGP slot (for video cards), and 4 full length PCI slots. The three PCI slots included with every Pro Mac since the beige G3 series have not been enough for the more advanced users. This one extra slot adds a huge amount of upgradability to this Mac.

Finally, one of my favorite features, that is nearly useless, but worth it nonetheless, is the power button's light. When you start up your Mac, the power button will be brightly lit up with a nice back light, that instantly shows you the computer is on and working (at least the power is). However, the real magic comes when you put the G4 to sleep. When you do that, the power light starts to pulsate (or snore as my brother likes to call it). It will slowly get brighter, then fades until it's nearly out, then brightens up again. It will continue this the entire time it's asleep. As I said, practically useless, but still fun.

The only problems I encountered were due to Mac OS 9.1 not being compatible with some of my older programs. While new users won't have those problems, long time Apple Computer users may have to shell out some extra dough to upgrade their applications. Still, a very little price to pay for this Supercomputer.

If you are looking to upgrade that old beige box, and don't want the constrictions of the iMac, the G4 line is the way to go. Those on a budget will find this machine will suit their needs perfectly, providing everything you need for a spectacular computing experience.

Pros	Cons
Very Fast Processor, and Hard Drive Looks Extraordinarily great CD-RW completely replaces the floppy drive Completely versatile Easy Set-up Very easy to expand/upgrade Power Light pulses when sleeping Nearly ready out of the box	Not much for a software package ATI card leaves artifacts occasionally Cannot burn in sessions
10/10 stars