Apple says that “due to higher than expected volumes” of the PowerPC G4 733 MHz processor, they’re releasing a new Power Mac configuration with the chip. The new 733 MHz Power Mac G4 comes with a CD-RW drive rather than a SuperDrive and has a suggested retail price of US$2,999.
Before today (or next week, actually), the PowerPC G4 733 MHz processor was only available in a $3,499 Power Mac G4/SuperDrive configuration. The SuperDrive is a combination CD-RW/DVD-R drive that can read and write (“burn”) DVDs that can be played in consumer DVD players. Both configs come with Apple’s iTunes digital jukebox software and iMovie 2 digital video editing software preinstalled.
The new 733 MHz Power Mac G4 with CD-RW drive will be available through The Apple Store (http://www.apple.com) and Apple Authorized Resellers beginning next week in the following standard configuration: 733 MHz processor with 256K level 2 on-chip cache and 1MB level 3 backside cache; 256MB of PC133 SDRAM memory; 60GB Ultra ATA/100 hard disk drive; NVIDIA GeForce2 MX with 32MB video SDRAM; CD-RW optical drive; two FireWire and USB ports; four full-length 64-bit PCI slots at 33MHz; 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet; AirPort ready; built-in 56K V.90 modem; iTunes and iMovie 2 software.
Meanwhile, the 733/SuperDrive machines are beginning to trickle into stores. One reseller with whom we spoke said they were only getting five to ten at a time with 200 units backordered.