Power Macintosh

Guide to G4 Daughter Cards for PCI Power Macs and Clones

Updated 2007.10.31

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The G4 goes two steps beyond the popular G3, adding the Velocity Engine (formerly AltiVec) and the ability to use a 2 MB level 2 cache.

PowerLogix notes: "Unfortunately the G4 chip is not compatible with Catalyst motherboards from Power Computing. This includes the PowerCurve, PowerCenter, PowerCenter Pro, and PowerTower. But those machines can still fly with up to a 500 MHz G3. The PowerBase, believe it or not, is compatible with the G4." It remains to be seen if this will apply to other brand G4 upgrades.

This page uses MacBench 5 processor scores. The previous page with MacBench 4 scores is still available, but it will not be updated to reflect new models, price changes, etc.

Note that computers upgraded with these cards may not support Mac OS X. (Apple has emphatically stated it will run on all Macs designed with a G3 processor, but has never promised any support for G3-upgraded models.)

Discontinued accelerators are listed for historical reasons.

 


CPU
Speed
Cache
Size
Cache
Speed
MacBench
5.0 rating*
Estimated
U.S. Price
metabox joeCARD, adjustable bus, discontinued
450 MHz 1 MB 225 MHz disc
400 MHz 1 MB 200 MHz disc
Newer Technology, MAXpowr G4
450 MHz 1 MB xx MHz disc
400 MHz 1 MB 200 MHz 1309 disc
350 MHz 1 MB 175 MHz disc
PowerLogix G4 PowerForce
450 MHz 1 MB 225 MHz disc
400 MHz 1 MB 200 MHz 1267 disc
Phase 5 Maccelerate! 7400, US distribution by Software Hut
450 MHz 1 MB 225 MHz disc
400 MHz 1 MB 200 MHz disc
350 MHz 1 MB 175 MHz disc
Sonnet Crescendo PCI, updated 2007.10.31
1 GHz 2 MB L3 250 MHz $100
800 MHz 1 MB L3 200 MHz disc
700 MHz 1 MB disc
500 MHz 1 MB 250 MHz $50
450 MHz 1 MB 225 MHz disc
400 MHz 1 MB 200 MHz 1267 disc
350 MHz 1 MB 175 MHz 1116 disc
XLR8 MACh Carrier G4 MPe (solo), adjustable bus, updated 2005.01.06
450 MHz 1 MB 225 MHz $199
400 MHz 1 MB 200 MHz 1274 $159
350 MHz 1 MB 225 MHz 1028 disc

* Processor score from MacWeek or Macworld when possible, but many MacBench ratings are from manufacturers. End user results will vary based on a number of factors including bus speed and OS used.

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