In the world of Mac CPU hardware upgrades for your Power Mac G4, the Sonnet Encore/ST G4 1.6 is an aesthetically pleasing one, shaded with vibrant yet deep purple colors. Although it wasn’t a Dual CPU model, it was available seemingly for a long time, and was still available for purchase in December 2010 off of OWC’s website. The price was quite discounted from its original one, and seemed as a good choice at the time. When ordering, you’d get instructions, a CD for Mac OS 9 / OS X software, and an OWC magazine! This was a much needed upgrade over a 400 MHz CPU, particularly for web browsing.. although web standards were quickly changing by this point in time. If you were a creative professional, obviously, you would have most likely either picked up one of these by then or moved onto a more powerful Mac. If you were a creative, aspiring student, looking to tinker with computers and see what more you could get out of your Power Mac G4, then perhaps this was the CPU upgrade for you.
Processor upgrade card spec sheet
Source: Sonnet Data Sheet
Packaging
Sonnet G4 vs a G5 vs an Intel Mac usability at the time
As soon as Mac OS X Snow Leopard was released, app support along with web standards quickly adjusted. In 2010 it started to feel like you needed a stronger G4, in 2011 a Dual G5, and beyond 2012, at least an early Intel Mac. Around this time (December 2010) was around the last time when PowerPC Macs truly felt usable on the web, before slowly sinking.
Above: Sonnet Encore ST G4 1.6 Pictured in a Sawtooth Power Mac G4, 7/12/2011.
How it shows up in the system
Above: Screenshot made shortly after the upgrade on 12/22/10, with a dying Pc-flashed ATI Radeon 9800 Pro showing screen artifacts.
Above: Browsing the web on an upgraded Power Mac G4 in Late 2010 – Mid 2011.
Hindsight: Was it worth it?
Hard to say. The CPU upgrade is rare enough that it retained its resale value throughout the years. These Sonnet CPUs remain high value items on eBay and elsewhere, however, they don’t necessarily sell fast. If I could step into a wayback machine, back to December 2010 – I would tell myself to get that Dual 2.0 Power Mac G5 sooner. Or better yet, at least a 1.83 Ghz Core 2 Duo GMA 950 iMac. Still, this was a fun CPU upgrade – another thing to add and tinker with in the Power Mac G4.
