March 29, 2000 by Misha Sakellaropoulo SRP: $299 ($399 w/ FPU) Sonnet Technologies Supports: LC, LC II, LC III, LC III+, LC 520, LC 550; Performa 250, 275, 400, 405, 410, 430, 450, 460, 466, 467, 520, 550, 560; and Color Classic, Color Classic II Pros: elegant all-in-one design, adds 32 MB of RAM to Macs that otherwise can't support more RAM Cons: late to market, expensive

    It's not very often that you come across an upgrade that costs several times more than the computer it is designed for is worth, but that's exactly what Sonnet has done with its Presto Plus. The Presto Plus is compatible with a variety of Macs that are 5-7 years old and features a 66/33 MHz 68LC040 processor, 10 Base-T ethernet, and 32 MB of RAM for $299.

    The Presto Plus uses the PDS slot found on a variety of 030-based Mac coupled with software drivers to deliver its features. Installation takes only a few minutes and is relatively straightforward, although it is a little confusing that you are supposed to install the Presto 7 Enabler even if you are using Mac OS 8. The card also requires that 32-bit addressing be turned on, as the accelerator will not function under 24-bit addressing.

    The Presto Plus is geared primarily towards schools and other institutions that wish to extend the life of their dated machines. The 040 processor is hardly cutting edge, but coupled with the 32 MB of RAM it does allow the machines to run Mac OS 8, although unless you require the features of Mac OS 8 you'll be better off sticking with Mac OS 7.x, which runs significantly faster on non-PowerPC machines.

    While the Presto Plus may have made sense as an upgrade when it was announced nearly two years ago, a shortage of parts that prevented the upgrade from shipping until this month makes it difficult to justify the $299 price tag. The RAM and on-board ethernet, which most institutions will already have outfitted the Macs with if they're on a network, sell for roughly $100 on their own, and the 040 processor provides a nearly unnoticeable boost in performance compared to the 030, although admittedly it does allow some newer applications to be run. Similarly, though, many older applications must be updated for 040 compatibility.

    The Presto Plus is perhaps best suited for the original LC and LC II, which normally support a maximum of 10 MB of RAM. With the additional 32 MB from the Presto Plus these machines become more usable, but like the rest of the Macs that the card is designed for only feature slow 80-250 MB hard drives, a further issue that plagues the computer's life expectancy and performance.

    With older, used PowerMacs that sell for the same price as the Presto Plus and command far more value, it's difficult to justify its purchase price. The Presto Plus is an impressive engineering feat, but it missed its window of opportunity, which leaves it as an overpriced upgrade for obsolete computers.