Update: In January 1999, XLR8 released a new V1.2 of their Cache Control software that reportedly solves the compatibility issues with Adaptec SCSI cards and Retrospect backup software. Updates are available at: http://www.xlr8.com/support/files.html.

Also note since this review was written XLR8 has released a new set of software controls for their G3 cards. For details see my XLR8 Processor Info page.

The XLR8 card comes with a Cache Control panel and speed checking utility on a floppy disk. You simply copy the control panel to your system folder control panel subfolder and restart the machine. You then open the control panel and set the desired CPU to cache speed ratio and click the "Enable Now" button. Since this card is sold as a 266/177 card, the stock ratio would be 1.5:1, however as reported on the Benchmarks page, I was able to run the card at the 1:1 setting reliably with CPU speeds up to 300 Mhz. That is not a guarantee that every 266/177 card will be able to do this however and overclocking can result in lockups and data loss so I cannot recommend it to others.

Cache Control:

As you can see, the XLR8 Cache Control panel is based on the PowerLogix version and operates identically. You can adjust backside cache speeds as a ratio of the CPU speed - from 1:1 (same as CPU speed) to 3:1 (1/3 of CPU speed) in 0.5x increments. The current status of the cache (enabled or disabled) is also shown. There is an option to disable the backside cache which may be of use in troubleshooting or benchmarking. I found no need to do so during the tests.

The floppy also contains a speed checking utility called Speed Control that reports the total size of L2 cache (including any motherboard cache present and enabled) and the speed of the CPU.

This software also appears to be licensed from PowerLogix and has the same limitions of their version, in that it will not run with CPU speeds above 300 Mhz. I use and recommend the latest version of Newer Technologies Clockometer, a part of their freeware Gauge series, which shows not only CPU speed and Cache speed but also bus speed as well. As proof of the speeds I reliably reached with this particular card/system combination with the XLR8 266/177 card, a screenshot from Clockometer is shown below:

Software controls were easy to install and use. My only wishes would be a option to disable the motherboard cache and a speed verifier that showed bus speed as well as CPU speed. Deducting one point each for these, I rated Software Controls a 8.

The next page describes the documentation and installation instructions supplied with the card. Or you may use the links below to jump to a specific page.