When it comes to CPU upgrades only two things really matter: performance and value. This ongoing review will continually be updated with the results of the latest G4 daughtercard upgrades for PCI-based, non-G3 PowerMacs.
Installation
Sonnet's Crescendo G4 cards proved to be the easiest to install, requiring only an installation of the drivers from the included floppy, replacing your old daughtercard with the Crescendo G4, and restarting your Mac. For good measure it's recommended that you press the motherboard reset (CUDA) swich after installating any upgrade to ensure that the Mac recognizes the new card. Illustrated, step-by-step directions are included for installing the card in a variety of systems. The Crescendo software consists of only one extension, and as such there's nothing to configure. The cards also do not feature any dip/jumper switches for overclocking or optimizing performance.
XLR8's MACh Carrier and Powerlogix PowerForce cards required a similar hardware and software install but offer options to fine tune performance both through the control panel and on the card. The speed the backside cache functions at can be set via their respective control panels, allowing you to increase performance but at the risk of stability. Likewise, switches on the cards allow you to overclock them, increasing their speed but again at the cost of stability. Generally speaking, a card can usually be overclocked up to 10% without causing stability issues, and of course can always be reset to the original settings of stability does become an issue. Both Powerlogix and XLR8 provide excellent documentation for installing their respective cards in various systems as well as information on overclocking the cards.
Performance - Benchmarks
Test configuration for upgrade cards: PowerTower Pro, 128 MB RAM, 7200 RPM SCSI-2 HD, Voodoo3 3000, Mac OS 9
Performance - Real World
|
Test
|
Configuration
|
|
Apple G3 400 |
XLR8 G3 400 |
Apple G4 350 AGP |
XLR8 G4 350 |
Sonnet G4 350 |
Sonnet G4 400 |
PS Ligting Effects
(150 MB file)
|
2:13 |
3:11 |
2:09 |
2:07 |
2:12 |
2:01 |
PS Despeckle
(150MB file)
|
1:27 |
2:48 |
2:10 |
2:20 |
2:14 |
2:11 |
PS
image scale
(1600 dpi to 600 dpi) |
1:19 |
2:02 |
1:20 |
1:50 |
1:53 |
1:39 |
PS
Lense Flare
(50MB file) |
0:29 |
0:41 |
0:32 |
0:37 |
0:34 |
0:35 |
SoundJam MP
(encode 3:51 song)
|
1:25 |
1:29 |
1:11 |
1:13 |
1:16 |
0:59 |
SoundJam
MP
(encode 5:50 song) |
2:19 |
2:39
|
1:46 |
1:45 |
1:48 |
1:39 |
Round Up
Sonnet's Crescendo G4 350 and 400 scored the best in MacBench testing, especially with the FPU tests, with the 400 scored 17% higher than second-best performing card (without the LibMoto extension, which Sonnet includes with their cards, that inflates FPU scores). In real world performance, these benchmarks held true for the Crescendo G4 400, but the G4 350 turned in slightly below average results.
XLR8's MACh Carrier 350, which retails for $120 more than Sonnet's Crescendo G4 350, commands that premium because of the card's carrier architecture, which allows the card to use standard ZIF processors. This ensures that upgrades down the road will not only be less expensive, but that future PowerPC processors, which may be only available in the ZIF format, will be able to work with your PowerMac. The MACh Carrier G4 350 card trailed the Sonnet G4 350 by 88 MacBench 5.0 Processor points, but in our real world testing the XLR8 G4 350 out performed the Sonnet G4 350 in four of the six tests and was finished within a few secondss on the other two tests. The XLR8 card does require dip-switches to be configured, a perk for users interested in overclocking the card, but if you are a first time buyer the simplicity, price, and performance of the Sonnet card will likely suit you best.
Up next: XLR8 MACh Carrier G4/400, PowerLogix PowerForce G4, Newer Technologies G4/350,400
