iMac Ambient Light Sensor 2005

Similar to their predecessors, the "Ambient Light Sensor" iMac G5 models feature a chassis that rests on an adjustable aluminum stand and is VESA-compliant for flexible mounting options. As the name suggests, these models include a sensor below the display that automatically dims the sleep indicator light in dark environments—a convenient feature for bedroom use.

This iMac G5/2.0 17-Inch (ALS) is powered by a 2.0 GHz PowerPC 970 (G5) processor with an AltiVec "Velocity Engine" and a 512k on-chip L2 cache. It comes with 512 MB of 400 MHz PC3200 DDR SDRAM, a 160 GB (7200 RPM) Serial ATA hard drive, a vertical slot-loading 8X DVD-R/CD-RW "SuperDrive", and ATI Radeon 9600 graphics with 128 MB of DDR SDRAM (AGP 8X). It features integrated stereo speakers designed to "bounce sound off the desk below". Connectivity includes Firewire "400", USB 2.0, and standard AirPort Extreme (802.11g) and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.

Cooling for the iMac G5 models is managed by three quiet blowers that draw air in through the speaker grill, with heat dissipating through a slit at the top of the rear case.

The iMac G5 (ALS) models were introduced as a refinement of the original iMac G5, highlighted by the inclusion of an Ambient Light Sensor. This sensor, which automatically adjusted the brightness of the sleep indicator light based on room lighting, was particularly praised by users, especially for bedroom use. Internally, the hardware was comprehensively updated with a faster processor, a more powerful ATI Radeon 9600 graphics card, and the standardization of Gigabit Ethernet, AirPort Extreme, and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR. However, this model had a short lifespan, as Apple announced its transition to Intel CPUs and released the next iteration with a built-in iSight just five months later. Despite its transitional nature, it was remembered as a model that offered solid performance enhancements and thoughtful features.