The Railgun CPU card contains a IBM or Motorola 250 Mhz PowerPC 750 CPU and 1MB of backside cache running at your choice of 1/2 or 2/3 the CPU speed depending on the extension you use. The cache used on this sample was the expensive, metal-lid IBM type, with this particular card having 3ns parts (a shocker, since these chips last year were said to be $300 each). I was surprised that the cache chips used on this card, as most 166mhz cache speed cards use 5ns parts (such as the XLR8 266/177). Even the MacTell 266/266 card only used 4ns parts. I can't say if this card is typical, but if it is, that makes the card even more of a bargain.

Components Verified:
To ensure I was not sent a "ringer", I removed the heatsink to check the CPU and cache on the card. This particular card had a IBM 266mhz CPU and IBM 3ns rated cache. I took a photo of the CPU and Cache as part of the verification, although the writing in the CPU cannot be read in the photo I did verify that it was a 250mhz rated part by the markings on the CPU.

Workmanship:
As with all recent production G3 cards I've seen, quality of workmanship was very good, with no cold solder joints, no jumper wires, cut traces, or other modifications that would indicate a design change after the pwb was manufactured. The heat sink made good contact with the CPU (and cache) and thermal compound was used for improved heat transfer. I caution owners not to remove the heatsink, there are extremely static-sensitive components on the card, and it is possible to damage the CPU if you over-tighten the heatsink, placing too much stress on the CPU (which would be increased as temperatures rise during use).

Since the Apple G3 systems have far more hardware compatibility issues than the PowerForce card, I do not deduct points for this. There are many other choices of SCSI cards that do work with the PowerForce, including the winner of my SCSI tests - the HammerStorage Jackhammer. If you currently use a Adaptec SCSI card, this is something to consider however.

Bottom Line lists the following systems as compatible with the Railgun:

• Apple PowerMac 7300, 7500, 7600, 8500, 8600, 9500, 9600
• Power Computing-PowerWave, PowerCurve, PowerCenter, PowerCenter Pro, PowerTower, and PowerTower Pro.
• UMAX Supermac S900, J700

The hardware design was reliable in use at accelerated speeds, had good adjustability and the fastest cache available. For these reason I rated the hardware a 9.

The next page contains a summary and final comments on the product and pricing.