Accelerate Your Mac! - Review of the XLR8 MAChCarrier G4/450 CPU upgrade

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MAChCarrier G4/450 4 Macs Rating
Review: XLR8's MAChCarrier^TM G4/450
First Shipping 450MHz G4 CPU Upgrade
By Mike Breeden
Published: 4/7/2000

450MHz G4 CPU Upgrade Review

Intro | Benchmarks | Appl. Tests | Software Controls | Installation | Specs/Design | Summary

Introduction

XLR8 's MAChCarrier G4/450 uses the award-winning CarrierZIF base card mated with a 450MHz G4 CPU ZIF module. This card allows owners of older Macs access to the latest CPU technology present in Apple's new systems. Installed in the Umax S900 test system, performance in most applications was as good or better than my G4/450 AGP system. (My G4/450 AGP system has an earlier 2.6 revision of the G4 CPU, current G4 systems ship with a 2.9 rev CPU that does not have the errata of the earlier revs and would likely perform a bit better I suspect. Speculative processing is also disabled on my G4, but is enabled on the current G4 systems.)
I chose to use the S900 as a test system as a change of pace from my past G4 upgrade reviews which used a 9600/350. The 9600/350 (and other Mach5/Kansas systems) has low memory/PCI performance and no motherboard cache, so I wanted to see how the G4/450 upgrade would perform in a different Mac. Since the S900 has a Tsunami based motherboard with soldered-in 512KB cache and older ROMs than the 9600/350, I thought it would be a better test of XLR8's "Virtual Firmware".

The S900 (stripped) had just arrived courtesy of MacGurus, and this review was a good excuse to put together a 'parts' system to see how it performed. I'd never owned an S900 before but had tested a very similar system from PowerTools back in November 1997 -- the X-force G3/250 that used the same motherboard and case design. Many readers had also recently bought stripped S900 systems during a blowout sale on the Net (about $350 for motherboard/case/floppy), so that was another reason to use the S900.

As I've mentioned in the main site news previously, my loaded Genesis system has not been able to reliably run any brand of G4 CPU upgrade so far. A specially modified G4/400 card from Newer Tech shows some promise, but has not been totally reliable. Perhaps the 6 hard drives, 512MB of RAM and 5 PCI cards plus the additional load of a G4 CPU upgrade with its higher current draw is too much load for the power supply, causing the stability and boot problems I've seen to date. Another factor might be the 2 PCI SCSI controllers, (slots 1 and 4), as some G4 upgrades have problems if a SCSI controller is in the 2nd PCI bus (noted in my PF G4/350 review). If you own a system similar to my Genesis, or with PCI SCSI controllers in the lower 3 slots of a 6 slot Mac, check with the upgrade dealer or mfr. for compatability information before buying.

Target Market for G4/450 Upgrades:

Older Mac owners with 6 PCI slot Macs and lots of legacy devices.

Older Mac owners who want a G4 CPU but can't afford the appx. $1600 for a new Mac

Owners of ZIF based Macs (Beige/B&W G3s) AND an older Mac that would like to upgrade both Macs at once. (I.E. Putting the G4 ZIF from the MAChCarrier card in a B&W G3 and using its ZIF CPU module in the CarrierZIF to upgrade the older Mac.) This is an example of the 'two for one' upgrade bonus of ZIF socketed cards I mentioned in my first CarrierZIF article. (Note: For B&W G3 owners planning on this path, see my installation page of the previous XLR8 G4/400z review for how the XLR8 firmware patcher removes the G4 ROM block in those systems.)

Even though the test system had a 50MHz bus speed, the G4/450 upgrade performs very well in most applications compared to faster bus speed, more modern Macs. Generally 3D games and Photoshop (to a lesser extent) show the advantages of faster memory/bus speeds and more modern PCI/memory controllers in new systems.

I've included results of applications and benchmarks with the S900 using the G4/450 CPU upgrade and with a 200MHz 604e CPU card (a common S900 cpu/speed) as well as comparisons to a B&W G3/400 and my G4/450 AGP system. See the application tests page. for results.

As noted in my past reviews of G4 CPU upgrades, without software that takes advantage of the Altivec core, a G4 runs most applications no faster than a G3 CPU of the same speed (all other factors being equal). Applications with Altivec support often show dramatic performance increases with a G4 CPU. For a list of applications that have G4 Altivec (what Apple calls the 'Velocity Engine'), see the FAQ's Apple G4 topic area.

About OS 9 and G4 Upgrades: As noted last fall in my previous reviews, if you install OS 9 on a G4 CPU upgraded Mac, the 4 OS 9 Altivec extensions are not normally included. These 4 extensions are:

vBasicOps
vBigNum
vectorOps
vMathLib

If you don't know someone with a new G4 system, the best way to get these extensions is to use Tome Viewer to extract the specific files from the OS 9 installer. Point Tome Viewer at Mac OS 9:Software Installers:System Software:Mac OS 9 Additions:Tome.

Note: The just-released OS 9.04 update is said to include improvements in the memory manager which has some support for Altivec. I didn't see any improvement in GaugePro tests on the G4/450 AGP system under OS 9.04, but that test may not use the functions that are enhanced.

Review Tests/Topics Pages:

BenchMark Performance: Includes MacBench 5.0, ATTO Tools hard drive tests and GaugePro memory performance.
Applications Performance: How the upgrade performed in real world CPU intensive tests like Photoshop 5.5, Infini-D, After Effects, Premiere, Bryce, and demanding 3D games like Quake2, Quake3 and Unreal Tournament.
Software Controls: Ease of use and features of the supplied control software.
Installation: A summary of installation steps and tips for troubleshooting should problems arise.
Specs/Design: Features and details on the hardware design. Includes package contents and compatibility information.
Summary: Final comments, summary and pricing/availability.

Compatibility:

The MAChCarrier G4/450 is listed as compatible with the following Mac models:

Apple 7300/7500/7600/8500/8600/9500/9600
Umax S900 and J700
PowerComputing PowerTower Pro and PowerWave
Genesis MP 720 (and later) and Millennium

The G4/450 ZIF module is compatible with Beige G3, B&W G3, and Yikes G4 (PCI model). (The Specs page lists results of my very limited tests in the Beige/B&W G3).

Note: No G4 CPU upgrade is currently compatible with Catalyst based motherboard Macs like the PowerCenter/Pro and PowerTower. These systems are compatible with the CarrierZIF when used with a G3 CPU module however.

Test System Hardware Summary

Umax S900

144MB RAM (Two Matched 64MB/60ns Dimms plus
the S900 motherboard's 16MB of soldered-in RAM)
Maxtor 27GB IDE hard drive (7200 rpm, 2MB cache)
Acard ATA/66 PCI IDE controller in Slot 2
Imation 8x20 CDR drive (based on Plextor mechanism)
3Dfx Voodoo3 3000 PCI Graphics Card in Slot 1 (Beta 11 drivers)
All OS 9 Altivec extensions were enabled for G4 CPU tests
OS 9.0, VM off except as noted, QT 4.0.3 Pro, QD3D 1.6., OpenGL 1.1.2, [No Libmoto]
The S900 was tested with a 50MHz bus speed 604e card as well as the G4 upgrade.

Apple G4/450 AGP (Sawtooth) Comparison System
G4 CPU revision 2.6 with errata
256MB SDRAM (222 clock matched dimms)
Stock 20GB WD Expert (7200rpm, 2MB cache)
OS 9 tests used 18GB WD Expert (7200rpm 2MB cache) slave drive
ATI Rage128 AGP graphics card (Rage128 Pro used in some tests as noted)
All OS 9 Altivec extensions were enabled
OS 9.0, VM off, QT 4.0.3 Pro, QD3D 1.6., OpenGL 1.1.2, [No Libmoto]

Apple B&W G3/400MHz Comparison System
256MB SDRAM (222 clock matched dimms)
Stock 6GB Quantum EX IDE drive (5400rpm, 512KB cache)
ATI Rage128 rev 2 in 66MHz PCI slot
ATI universal drivers v4.2
OS 9.0, VM off, QT 4.0.3 Pro, QD3D 1.6., OpenGL 1.1.2, [No Libmoto]

You can follow my preferred path through the review by continuing to the next page, or use the links below to jump to a specific page.

Index of XLR8 MAChCarrier G4 450MHz Review Pages
Intro | Benchmarks | Appl. Tests | Software Controls | Installation | Specs/Design | Summary

- or -
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All Rights Reserved.
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The Source for Mac Performance News and Reviews
Review: XLR8's MAChCarrier^TM G4/450 First Shipping 450MHz G4 CPU Upgrade By Mike Breeden Published: 4/7/2000
450MHz G4 CPU Upgrade Review
Intro \| Benchmarks \| Appl. Tests \| Software Controls \| Installation \| Specs/Design \| Summary
Introduction
XLR8 's MAChCarrier G4/450 uses the award-winning CarrierZIF base card mated with a 450MHz G4 CPU ZIF module. This card allows owners of older Macs access to the latest CPU technology present in Apple's new systems. Installed in the Umax S900 test system, performance in most applications was as good or better than my G4/450 AGP system. (My G4/450 AGP system has an earlier 2.6 revision of the G4 CPU, current G4 systems ship with a 2.9 rev CPU that does not have the errata of the earlier revs and would likely perform a bit better I suspect. Speculative processing is also disabled on my G4, but is enabled on the current G4 systems.) I chose to use the S900 as a test system as a change of pace from my past G4 upgrade reviews which used a 9600/350. The 9600/350 (and other Mach5/Kansas systems) has low memory/PCI performance and no motherboard cache, so I wanted to see how the G4/450 upgrade would perform in a different Mac. Since the S900 has a Tsunami based motherboard with soldered-in 512KB cache and older ROMs than the 9600/350, I thought it would be a better test of XLR8's "Virtual Firmware". The S900 (stripped) had just arrived courtesy of MacGurus, and this review was a good excuse to put together a 'parts' system to see how it performed. I'd never owned an S900 before but had tested a very similar system from PowerTools back in November 1997 -- the X-force G3/250 that used the same motherboard and case design. Many readers had also recently bought stripped S900 systems during a blowout sale on the Net (about $350 for motherboard/case/floppy), so that was another reason to use the S900. As I've mentioned in the main site news previously, my loaded Genesis system has not been able to reliably run any brand of G4 CPU upgrade so far. A specially modified G4/400 card from Newer Tech shows some promise, but has not been totally reliable. Perhaps the 6 hard drives, 512MB of RAM and 5 PCI cards plus the additional load of a G4 CPU upgrade with its higher current draw is too much load for the power supply, causing the stability and boot problems I've seen to date. Another factor might be the 2 PCI SCSI controllers, (slots 1 and 4), as some G4 upgrades have problems if a SCSI controller is in the 2nd PCI bus (noted in my PF G4/350 review). If you own a system similar to my Genesis, or with PCI SCSI controllers in the lower 3 slots of a 6 slot Mac, check with the upgrade dealer or mfr. for compatability information before buying. Target Market for G4/450 Upgrades: Older Mac owners with 6 PCI slot Macs and lots of legacy devices. Older Mac owners who want a G4 CPU but can't afford the appx. $1600 for a new Mac Owners of ZIF based Macs (Beige/B&W G3s) AND an older Mac that would like to upgrade both Macs at once. (I.E. Putting the G4 ZIF from the MAChCarrier card in a B&W G3 and using its ZIF CPU module in the CarrierZIF to upgrade the older Mac.) This is an example of the 'two for one' upgrade bonus of ZIF socketed cards I mentioned in my first CarrierZIF article. (Note: For B&W G3 owners planning on this path, see my installation page of the previous XLR8 G4/400z review for how the XLR8 firmware patcher removes the G4 ROM block in those systems.) Even though the test system had a 50MHz bus speed, the G4/450 upgrade performs very well in most applications compared to faster bus speed, more modern Macs. Generally 3D games and Photoshop (to a lesser extent) show the advantages of faster memory/bus speeds and more modern PCI/memory controllers in new systems. I've included results of applications and benchmarks with the S900 using the G4/450 CPU upgrade and with a 200MHz 604e CPU card (a common S900 cpu/speed) as well as comparisons to a B&W G3/400 and my G4/450 AGP system. See the application tests page. for results. As noted in my past reviews of G4 CPU upgrades, without software that takes advantage of the Altivec core, a G4 runs most applications no faster than a G3 CPU of the same speed (all other factors being equal). Applications with Altivec support often show dramatic performance increases with a G4 CPU. For a list of applications that have G4 Altivec (what Apple calls the 'Velocity Engine'), see the FAQ's Apple G4 topic area. About OS 9 and G4 Upgrades: As noted last fall in my previous reviews, if you install OS 9 on a G4 CPU upgraded Mac, the 4 OS 9 Altivec extensions are not normally included. These 4 extensions are: vBasicOps vBigNum vectorOps vMathLib If you don't know someone with a new G4 system, the best way to get these extensions is to use Tome Viewer to extract the specific files from the OS 9 installer. Point Tome Viewer at Mac OS 9:Software Installers:System Software:Mac OS 9 Additions:Tome. Note: The just-released OS 9.04 update is said to include improvements in the memory manager which has some support for Altivec. I didn't see any improvement in GaugePro tests on the G4/450 AGP system under OS 9.04, but that test may not use the functions that are enhanced. Review Tests/Topics Pages: BenchMark Performance: Includes MacBench 5.0, ATTO Tools hard drive tests and GaugePro memory performance. Applications Performance: How the upgrade performed in real world CPU intensive tests like Photoshop 5.5, Infini-D, After Effects, Premiere, Bryce, and demanding 3D games like Quake2, Quake3 and Unreal Tournament. Software Controls: Ease of use and features of the supplied control software. Installation: A summary of installation steps and tips for troubleshooting should problems arise. Specs/Design: Features and details on the hardware design. Includes package contents and compatibility information. Summary: Final comments, summary and pricing/availability. Compatibility: The MAChCarrier G4/450 is listed as compatible with the following Mac models: Apple 7300/7500/7600/8500/8600/9500/9600 Umax S900 and J700 PowerComputing PowerTower Pro and PowerWave Genesis MP 720 (and later) and Millennium The G4/450 ZIF module is compatible with Beige G3, B&W G3, and Yikes G4 (PCI model). (The Specs page lists results of my very limited tests in the Beige/B&W G3). Note: No G4 CPU upgrade is currently compatible with Catalyst based motherboard Macs like the PowerCenter/Pro and PowerTower. These systems are compatible with the CarrierZIF when used with a G3 CPU module however. Test System Hardware Summary Umax S900 144MB RAM (Two Matched 64MB/60ns Dimms plus the S900 motherboard's 16MB of soldered-in RAM) Maxtor 27GB IDE hard drive (7200 rpm, 2MB cache) Acard ATA/66 PCI IDE controller in Slot 2 Imation 8x20 CDR drive (based on Plextor mechanism) 3Dfx Voodoo3 3000 PCI Graphics Card in Slot 1 (Beta 11 drivers) All OS 9 Altivec extensions were enabled for G4 CPU tests OS 9.0, VM off except as noted, QT 4.0.3 Pro, QD3D 1.6., OpenGL 1.1.2, [No Libmoto] The S900 was tested with a 50MHz bus speed 604e card as well as the G4 upgrade. Apple G4/450 AGP (Sawtooth) Comparison System G4 CPU revision 2.6 with errata 256MB SDRAM (222 clock matched dimms) Stock 20GB WD Expert (7200rpm, 2MB cache) OS 9 tests used 18GB WD Expert (7200rpm 2MB cache) slave drive ATI Rage128 AGP graphics card (Rage128 Pro used in some tests as noted) All OS 9 Altivec extensions were enabled OS 9.0, VM off, QT 4.0.3 Pro, QD3D 1.6., OpenGL 1.1.2, [No Libmoto] Apple B&W G3/400MHz Comparison System 256MB SDRAM (222 clock matched dimms) Stock 6GB Quantum EX IDE drive (5400rpm, 512KB cache) ATI Rage128 rev 2 in 66MHz PCI slot ATI universal drivers v4.2 OS 9.0, VM off, QT 4.0.3 Pro, QD3D 1.6., OpenGL 1.1.2, [No Libmoto]

You can follow my preferred path through the review by continuing to the next page, or use the links below to jump to a specific page.

Index of XLR8 MAChCarrier G4 450MHz Review Pages Intro \| Benchmarks \| Appl. Tests \| Software Controls \| Installation \| Specs/Design \| Summary - or - Back to WWW.XLR8YOURMAC.COM
Copyright © 2000. All Rights Reserved. All brand or product names mentioned here are properties of their respective companies. Users of the web site must read and are bound by the terms and conditions of use.