Accelerate Your Mac! - Review of the MetaBox JoeCard G4 450MHz 2MB cache CPU upgrade

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Review: MetaBox's JoeCard^TM Z G4/450 2MB Cache
First Shipping 2MB G4 CPU Upgrade
By Mike
Published: 9/15/2000

Hardware Features/Specifications/Compatibility

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

JoeCard Z G4+ 450MHz, 2MB Cache Technical Details

JoeCard G4 450 Z

Hardware Details:

ZIF module with Motorola 450MHz G4 CPU (stepping 2.8 on this sample)
1MB Backside L2 Cache (Sync. Pipeline Burst SRAM)
2 MegaBytes of Backside L2 Cache
Chips are Galvantec GVT71256036TA-5 x 2
(I don't have a Galvantec data book to check the rated speeds/cycle times of these chips. The -5 could be 5ns cycle time but since this is a 225MHz cache speed upgrade I doubt that but this is an early sample and later models may vary as far as cache chips used.)

Update: Beige G3 Tests See the intro page for comments on Beige G3 limited testing. (All test results in this review were originally done in a Blue and White (B&W) G3.) Cache speed will be 225MHz in the 100MHz bus speed systems like the B&W G3, but 187MHz in the 66MHz bus speed systems like the Beige G3. Running the cache at 1/2 the CPU speed in 66MHz bus speed systems (which have a CPU speed of 466MHz) would exceed the 225MHz cache speed limit Metabox said.
Speed Settings:
The JoeCard ZIF has a small 4 position switch to adjust Bus/CPU ratios to allow for use in a Beige G3/AIO Mac (with 66MHz bus speed) or B&W G3/G4 Yikes systems with a 100MHz bus speed. MetaBox has a page covering how to adjust the switch settings here.

Important Note: Along with the benefits of a wide range of adjustments comes some responsibility. This card allows setting bus/CPU speeds to rates beyond the rating of the CPU and possibly your system's capability. You need to consider the installed ZIF module's rating and the limits of your particular Mac.

Overclocking is not recommended as it will void the warranty and may not be reliable (near or long-term). Speed is nothing without reliability and you risk your data and your hardware when overclocking any hardware. For more on the risks of overclocking, see my FAQ's Overclocking Risks topic area.

System Compatibility:

The JoeCard G4 is listed as compatible with the following Macs:

Beige G3 (the All-In-One Mac uses a similar motherboard)
*Note: Newer Tech warns that 'Royal' Brand Voltage Regulator Modules present in some Beige G3 (and perhaps AIO models) pose a danger of destroying G4 CPU upgrades. See the FAQ's Apple G3 or CPU Upgrade section for links to a page showing how to tell which VRM your Beige G3 has.

Blue and White G3

Since the G4/PCI (Yikes) is based on the B&W G3 motherboard, I suspect this upgrade would also work in that model.

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

Index of MetaBox's JoeCard ^TM Z G4/450 2MB Cache Review
Intro | Benchmarks | Appl. Tests | Software Controls | Installation | Specs/Design | Summary

- or -
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Copyright © Mike, 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.

The Source for Mac Performance News and Reviews
Review: MetaBox's JoeCard^TM Z G4/450 2MB Cache First Shipping 2MB G4 CPU Upgrade By Mike Published: 9/15/2000
Hardware Features/Specifications/Compatibility
Intro \| Benchmarks \| Appl. Tests \| Software Controls \| Installation \| Specs/Design \| Summary
JoeCard Z G4+ 450MHz, 2MB Cache Technical Details
Hardware Details: ZIF module with Motorola 450MHz G4 CPU (stepping 2.8 on this sample) 1MB Backside L2 Cache (Sync. Pipeline Burst SRAM) 2 MegaBytes of Backside L2 Cache Chips are Galvantec GVT71256036TA-5 x 2 (I don't have a Galvantec data book to check the rated speeds/cycle times of these chips. The -5 could be 5ns cycle time but since this is a 225MHz cache speed upgrade I doubt that but this is an early sample and later models may vary as far as cache chips used.) Update: Beige G3 Tests See the intro page for comments on Beige G3 limited testing. (All test results in this review were originally done in a Blue and White (B&W) G3.) Cache speed will be 225MHz in the 100MHz bus speed systems like the B&W G3, but 187MHz in the 66MHz bus speed systems like the Beige G3. Running the cache at 1/2 the CPU speed in 66MHz bus speed systems (which have a CPU speed of 466MHz) would exceed the 225MHz cache speed limit Metabox said. Speed Settings: The JoeCard ZIF has a small 4 position switch to adjust Bus/CPU ratios to allow for use in a Beige G3/AIO Mac (with 66MHz bus speed) or B&W G3/G4 Yikes systems with a 100MHz bus speed. MetaBox has a page covering how to adjust the switch settings here. Important Note: Along with the benefits of a wide range of adjustments comes some responsibility. This card allows setting bus/CPU speeds to rates beyond the rating of the CPU and possibly your system's capability. You need to consider the installed ZIF module's rating and the limits of your particular Mac. Overclocking is not recommended as it will void the warranty and may not be reliable (near or long-term). Speed is nothing without reliability and you risk your data and your hardware when overclocking any hardware. For more on the risks of overclocking, see my FAQ's Overclocking Risks topic area. System Compatibility: The JoeCard G4 is listed as compatible with the following Macs: Beige G3 (the All-In-One Mac uses a similar motherboard) Note: Newer Tech warns that 'Royal' Brand Voltage Regulator Modules present in some Beige G3 (and perhaps AIO models) pose a danger of destroying G4 CPU upgrades. See the FAQ's Apple G3 or CPU Upgrade section for links to a page showing how to tell which VRM your Beige G3 has. Blue and White G3* Since the G4/PCI (Yikes) is based on the B&W G3 motherboard, I suspect this upgrade would also work in that model.
The next page contains a summary and final comments on the product.

Index of MetaBox's JoeCard ^TM Z G4/450 2MB Cache Review Intro \| Benchmarks \| Appl. Tests \| Software Controls \| Installation \| Specs/Design \| Summary - or - Back to WWW.XLR8YOURMAC.COM
Copyright © Mike, 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.