Upgrading a Mac G3?
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- illroot
Is it possible to upgrade a mac G3(old blue and white model)? Like adding a new 'stronger' processor? What's mac processor speeds up to these days? (Can you tell i'm a PC person?) I'm trying to help out a brother with a G3.
Thanks.
- BrianMalcolm0
ya, there are definitely "upgrade" cards that let you put a g4 in them, and i know that some are better than others, but i don't know which... but it is worth researching, i hear...
- unknown0
in general, Mac processor upgrades are a waste of money and shouod just be put towards getting a brand new machine where you'll get a better speed increase for your money.
- xrusos0
that is not always true, cinder...
often an upgrade card is a less expensive way to stay current. sometimes, however, a new OS makes it impossible to use older systems, despite upgraded processors (as seen with anything older than a g3 can't run OS X, even if they get a g3 upgrade card)
i'm on a slow g3 myself and feel your pain. i'm biting the bullet and getting a new machine though. it's been 6 years, and about time.
http://www.apple.com/powerbook/i…
for upgrade cards check out:
http://www.xlr8yourmac.comfor reviews check out:
http://www.macworld.com
http://www.macnn.com
- Douglas0
Just have your friend max out the RAM and he'll be fine. I run Jaguar with all my other apps like a dream. RAM is super cheap at ramjet.com
- xrusos0
o dear, he's right...
http://www.ramjet.com/g3probw.as…
I'm running my 300MHz B & W with 256MB of RAM, but if i knew how cheap RAM has gotten, i would've bought 2 more 256ers ($45ea.)
- illroot0
Thanks for all the help guys. Much appreciated!
- shadowlab0
I believe that the Sonnet and PowerLogix are both good options.
One word of caution. If you replace it on your own, be careful of the plastic clasps that hold the heatsink clip to the processor mounts. They are very BREAKABLE! Apple definitely didn't want you messing with it, and there's a lot of pressure exerted on the clip...taking it off and reattaching it is tricky. I recently snapped one of and there's no good way to fix it...outside of getting a new motherboard
- illroot0
thanks for the recommendation and the words of caution shadowlab.
- illroot0
Can you tell me anything about the PCI G3 upgrade cards? Do you just plug that in the PCI slot and it works as a second processor or bumps the speed up of the current one? I'm looking at the Sonnet Crecsendo PCI G3 or G4 processor upgrade card 700mhz. Thanks!
- illroot0
^bump
- gdiddy0
illroot, the pci upgrades are for older pre-G3 apples. i have a sonnett g4 500 in my old beige g3 and it works great with osx 10.2.3. Processor upgades do not prevent you from running OSX. Max out your ram, pick up a g4 chip and you'll be running at a pretty good clip. And probably for under $500.
G.
Of course my beige is much slower than my 1ghz powerbook....