Editing Power Macintosh (section)

{{Short description|Family of personal computers released by Apple Computer}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}}
[[File:Apple Power Macintosh G5 Late 2005 02.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Power Mac G5]], the last model of the series]]
The '''Power Macintosh''', later '''Power Mac''', is a family of [[personal computer]]s designed, manufactured, and sold by [[Apple Inc.|Apple Computer, Inc]]<!-- the word "computer" was in the company name during the Power Mac's sales period --> as the core of the [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]] brand from March 1994 until August 2006.

Described by ''[[Macworld]]'' as "the most important technical evolution of the Macintosh since the [[Macintosh II|Mac II]] debuted in 1987",<ref name="macworld9405_1">{{cite magazine
| date = April 1994
| title = When Not To Buy A PowerMac
| url = https://archive.org/stream/MacWorld_9405_May_1994#page/n21/mode/2up
| magazine = MacWorld
| first = Adrian
| last = Mello
| pages = 21–22
}}</ref> it is the first computer with the [[PowerPC]] CPU architecture, the flagship product of the [[AIM alliance]]. Existing software for the [[Motorola 68040|Motorola 68k]] processors of previous Macintoshes do not run on it natively, so a [[Mac 68k emulator]] is in System 7.1.2. It provides good compatibility, at about two-thirds of the speed of contemporary [[Macintosh Quadra]] machines.<ref name="macworld9405_1" />

The Power Macintosh replaced the Quadra and was initially sold in the same enclosures.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.lowendmac.com/roadapples/q800case.shtml
| title = Quadra 800/840av and Power Mac 8100 Case
| publisher = lowendmac
| access-date = September 6, 2017
| archive-date = September 7, 2017
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170907122224/http://www.lowendmac.com/roadapples/q800case.shtml
| url-status = live
}}</ref> Over the next twelve years, it evolved through a succession of enclosure designs, a rename to "Power Mac", five major generations of PowerPC chips, and a great deal of press coverage, design accolades, and controversy about performance claims. It was discontinued as part of the [[Mac transition to Intel processors]] announced in 2005, making way for its replacement, the [[Mac Pro]].