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400 MHz G4 Upgrade Shoot Out |
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| Reviewed by: Michael Flaminio Review Date 6.8.00 Updated: 6.15.00 |
Manufacturers: Newer Technology Powerlogix Sonnet Technologies XLR8 |
In my latest round of CPU upgrade reviews, I take a look at the 400 MHz G4 ZIF upgrades. This review tests upgrades from Newer Technology, Powerlogix, Sonnet Technology and XLR8. For the review, I put these four high-powered upgrades head to head to test performance, compatibility and value.
Upgrades
As with most CPU upgrade reviews,
I begin with practicality. One of the greater strengths
of most recent Apple computers is their ability to easily upgrade their processors.
Upgrades can help maintain a machine's value well into the future. Unlike most PCs,
CPU upgrades can be performed by just swapping the processor. On one hand, this can
make the upgrade more cost effective, however, on the other it can limit the machine's
overall capability.A CPU is only one, particularly the single most important, component of a computer's performance. Over the years, Apple has introduced numerous additions to their computer lines, such as faster graphics acceleration, faster system buses, faster networking and new features such as USB, AirPort and FireWire. Most relevant of the new features is the system bus. Through expansion products, most other new features can be added to older computers. Unfortunately Mac users are stuck with their older motherboards' specs, as no motherboard replacements are practical for Apple computers.
The G4
The G4 processor introduces new technology called AltiVec or also known as the Velocity Engine by Apple. I've tested this new performance boosting technology since its introduction, and its can be truly amazing. The trick with G4 processors is that they need to be supported by the applications. Without the application support, performance is nearly identical to a G3 processor. Since you will be paying a premium for AltiVec support, you will want to make sure that you will utilize it's power.
As I write this review, it has been about ten months since Apple introduced the G4 processor into its hardware. Since then, a handful of applications have been released with AltiVec support. Most applications are in the area of higher-end or specialized tasks, namely QuickTime authoring or Photoshop filtering/manipulation. Granted there is more AltiVec support planned in the future, namely Mac OS X, but to date support is still sparse. To justify the costs of a G4 upgrade you first need to decide your computing needs.
Ultimately, when deciding between a G3 and G4 upgrade, there are two lines of logic. First is that there is exceptional value still in G3 processors. If you're just looking to get your machine running faster, you could save some money and put the balance saved from a G4 upgrade towards a new computer down the road. The other option would be to buy a G4 processor that will last you (relatively) well into the future. It really just comes down to how much longer you plan on using your current Mac.
Hardware Variations
The ZIF style upgrades are designed to work in two types of Macs. These computers
are the "beige" Power Mac G3 and the "blue & white" Power
Mac G3 computers. These machines compare to Apple's current lineup, the Power Mac
G4. These upgrades will also work in Apple's G4 black sheep machine, known as "Yikes."
This computer is essentially a blue/white G3 computer with a 350 MHz G4 processor.
By design, Apple's beige and Yikes computers can accept G4 processors. The blue and
white computers are another story. To use upgrades in these machines, you will need
to update you Mac's firmware. Each of the
upgrade companies have developed a third-party firmware
upgrade, which will make your blue/white computer more like Apple's Yikes G4, meaning
that it can accept a G4 processor.
Ideally I wish I could have tested these upgrades on four original blue/white
G3 computers. By upgrading the firmware with one company's software, I contaminated
the tests for the other upgrades. In other words my tests did not really replicate
what you may find out of the box. When I first approached this review I wasn't too
concerned about this, as I suspected that each company's firmware upgrades are very
similar. Unfortunately the tests didn't work out as I planned.
Blue/White G3
Before I started the upgrades, I attempted to first test a G4 processor without the
firmware patch. As expected, the Mac would not boot. I then started with the Newer
Technology upgrade, first rebooting with a G3 processor and then upgrading the firmware.
My first attempt at running the Newer board failed, as the Mac would not produce
a start up tone. I again attempted to upgrade the firmware and found the same results.
I put the Newer upgrade aside for the time being and moved on to the Powerlogix upgrade.
The Powerlogix upgrade booted and tested fine. I then moved on to Sonnet, which also
booted and tested as expected. Finally I tried the XLR8 upgrade, and it would not
boot either. I had spent the better part of the day and most of the weekend trying
to get the Newer and XLR8 upgrades to boot correctly. Oddly they would occasionally
boot and then not boot. In the end I did get the two upgrades to consistently boot
up, but I can't account for my experiences.
For the evaluation, I had spent a considerable amount of time testing each upgrade.
I tested them formally with benchmarks and also in every day use. With the exception
of the booting problems, the XLR8 and Newer upgrades worked well, once booted. The
Powerlogix and Sonnet upgrades ran with no problems.
Benchmarks
When testing benchmarks, I always stress the relative comparison between products.
All processors were tested in the same computer, using identical system software
and hardware configurations. The only variables are the individual processor upgrades
and their respective configuration software. These tests do not necessarily reflect
actual performance that you may or may not experience. These benchmarks are only
provided to represent a relative comparison between upgrade products.
To test these upgrades, I performed a standard CPU/FPU MacBench 5.0. I also performed
two custom QuickTime and Photoshop tests. The QuickTime tests utilize Sorenson Video
2.1 and QuickTime 4.1.2, and the Photoshop tests utilize Adobe's Photoshop 5.5 AltiVec
enablers. These two tests demonstrate the G4's AltiVec support. All tests compare
and contrast the individual products in addition to a 400 MHz G3 processor.
Without much 
surprise,
all four upgrades performed similarly. There were variations, but nothing significant
enough to declare a particular upgrade a speed winner. Besides the noted installation
difficulties, the only remarkable difference between products are their respective
software packages. Newer ships its upgrades with its MAXpowr control software and
Gauge Pro diagnostics software; Powerlogix ships its G4 Cache Profiler and extensions
to control its board's settings; Sonnet ships it's Encore software and Metronome
utility software; and XLR8 ships its MACh Speed Control with PowerPack testing application.
Conclusions
These upgrades are idea for beige or entry level B/W G3 systems. If you have a blue
and white G3, a G4 processor will for all practical purposes bump you up into PowerMac
G4 performance. While you may not be quite as fast as Apple's current G4 line, you'll
be pretty close, all while saved yourself a good chunk of cash over a new system.
For beige G3 owners, you can jump-start yesterday's Mac into today's Mac CPU speeds.
Ideally you may also want to look at adding USB expansion, a graphics accelerator
and, if desired, FireWire to stay current with the rest of the Mac world.
While expensive, these upgrades can preserve your Mac's life span. Presumably, the
upgrades will not only help keep you productive, but also increase its resale value
for the day you decide to invest in a new, more powerful Mac.
Product Grid
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Upgrade |
MSRP |
400 G4 |
400 G3 $/MHz |
Rating |
| Newer | $599 | $1.50 | $1.13 |
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| Powerlogix | $529 | $1.32 | $0.75 |
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| Sonnet | $550 | $1.38 | N/A |
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| XLR8 | $679 | $1.70 | $1.20 |
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