Power Mac G4s get Nvidia GeForce4 Titanium option

Apple today announced that NVIDIA’s GeForce 4 Titanium will be offered as a build-to-order option in its Power Mac G4 series. This news comes hot on the heels of Apple’s revelation last week that NVIDIA’s new mainstream GeForce4 MX chip is offered as standard issue on the revamped mid-range and high-end Power Mac G4 systems.

Apple indicated that the GeForce4 Titanium can pump out 87 million triangles and 4.9 billion textured pixels per second. The GeForce4 Ti-based card is being offered on a 4x AGP card equipped with 128MB of double data rate (DDR) SDRAM. Apple also noted that the GeForce4 Ti-based card comes equipped with both Apple Display Connector (ADC) and Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connectors, making it possible to attach two flat panel displays simultaneously — although if you want to connect two Apple displays, you’ll need an ADC to DVI adapter for one of them. The card will include a DVI to VGA connector if you want to attach an analog display, as well.

Last week Apple introduced to its professional customers a newly revamped line of Power Mac G4s with faster processor speeds. An 800 MHz G4 equipped with an ATI Radeon 7500-based graphics card is now the entry level model. A 933 MHz G4 with GeForce4 MX graphics is the mid-range system, and the new high-end system is a dual processor 1 GHz G4, also equipped with the GeForce4 MX card as standard equipment. Mac OS X is the default boot operating system for these new machines.

Apple said that the Geforce4 Titanium-equipped card is available as a build-to-order option on Power Mac G4s purchased through The Apple Store with systems shipping in March. It’s a US$250 option on dual 1 GHz and 933 MHz systems, and it’s a $350 option on the 800 MHz model.

If you’ve just purchased a Power Mac G4 or you have an older “QuickSilver” system, fear not — Apple said that you’ll be able to purchase a standalone card from them this Spring; the suggested retail price for that board is $399.