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You are here: MacNN Forums > Enthusiast Zone > Hardware Hacking > b/w G3 upgrade to Sonet G4

b/w G3 upgrade to Sonet G4
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ZSS
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Feb 5, 2004, 11:31 PM
 
I'm looking to upgrade my b/w G3 with a Sonet G4 processor. Anyone out there done it? Is it a reliable product? Any probs to be aware of?
     
Lateralus
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Feb 6, 2004, 04:08 PM
 
Check around the CPU reviews over @ XLR8YourMac.com. The reviews are not good.

Frankly, I would avoid the new upgrades entirely. They cripple the bus speed on the B&Ws from 100MHz to 66MHz, which is insane. I would personally recommend the 900MHz 750FX G3 processor upgrade from OWC for $230. 512k of L2 cache, and it allows the system to continue to run at full bus speed, meaning it is probably just as fast as the $349 Sonnet.

I had one of the 900 G3s myself in my B&W before I sold it. Excellent little processor.
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ZSS  (op)
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Feb 11, 2004, 12:03 AM
 
Thanks for your help! I'll check xlr8
     
djohnson
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Feb 11, 2004, 12:30 AM
 
Would you suggest the 750fx as a viable processor in a beige g3?
     
Lateralus
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Feb 11, 2004, 12:44 AM
 
Depends.

If I had a Beige that I were looking to upgrade, I'd be deciding between the G3 900 for $235 and the G4 533 for $150.

I think overall the G3 900 would be faster since the 7410 series G4 is nothing super-impressive. But then again, it is significantly cheaper and many people who have bought these have gotten overclocks of 600MHz. So, given the price difference, I'd have to recommend the G4. I would normally have never recommended it because only weeks ago it was $200. But the $50 price drop, and the overclock potential have made it quite a nice value.

But if you're still an OS 9 user and want raw speed, then the G3 900 would literally whip the G4 533 since OS 9 is not AltiVec aware. But if you're running OS X, the G4 533 at that price is quite nice as I said, and would be even nicer if you could get 600MHz out of it.
I like chicken
I like liver
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Please de-liv-er
     
u3b3rg33k
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Feb 14, 2004, 12:59 AM
 
I have a powerlogix G4 ZIF 533/550 running happily @ 650MHz. and under insane conditions I hit 750MHz (don't expect to get that.) that card has a convenient rotary dial to change the bus:cpu ratio so it's easy to change, and according to powerlogix (check their site to be certain, always) overclocking + warranty? sure.
also recommending xlr8yourmac.com for reviews of chips.

by the way: B/W or Yikes boards are fussy with temperatures. chip speeds that work in the winter may or may not (likely not) be stable in the summer with stock cooling
     
ZSS  (op)
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Feb 17, 2004, 12:58 AM
 
Thanks, that's good to know. I really do need the G4 becaude the real issue is that I need Altivec for running an external La Cie DVD burner.
     
   
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