PCI PowerMac 604E CPU Upgrade Card Summary/Buyer's Guide
| PowerLogix | Newer Technologies | XLR8
|
|
| Card |
CPU Type
|
Features |
Pros
|
Cons |
Max Speed
Obtained |
Review Link |
PowerLogix
PowerBoost Pro |
233mhz 604E
Tested
(166 to
233mhz avail) |
Remote Speed Control,
40-70mhz bus speed
adjustments in 0.3mhz
increments.
|
Best of Class.
Fastest 604E ever,
ran 55mhz bus speed
with stock cache.
Remote control makes
tuning
a breeze.
180, 200 & 225mhz
models are excellent
values as well.
|
None
|
55mhz bus
263mhz CPU |
233mhz Review
200mhz Review |
Comments:
Without a doubt the class act of the currently shipping 604E cards,
the PowerLogix PowerBoost Pro with its unique remote speed control makes finding
the peak performance setting of your Mac a breeze. For only $30 more than the
fixed speed PowerBoost card it's a great value. This card has by far the widest
range of adjustments (speed settings) of any card to date, allowing you to
squeeze every bit of performance out of your PowerMac. However if you're not
comfortable with doing that, just set it to one of the "standard" settings
listed in the manual - it's your choice. Truly a "no-compromise" accelerator
card. Our review card
was the 233mhz version - which easily posted the fastest scores we've seen
anywhere on a 604E based system to date, running reliably at a 263mhz CPU speed. 3 year Warranty.
Update: 8/21/97 - a review of the 200mhz Pro is posted.
|
|
|
| Card |
CPU Type |
Features |
Pros |
Cons |
Max Speed
Obtained |
Review Link |
PowerLogix
PowerBoost 604E |
233mhz 604E
Tested
(166 to
233mhz avail)
|
Fixed bus/CPU speed
48mhz bus, 240mhz CPU |
For those that
do not care to
adjust speeds, this
card provides simple
plug & play and
excellent performance. |
Fixed bus speed.
|
(N/A) |
Std Review
Ultra Review |
Comments:
This card is identical to the PowerBoost Pro, but without the
remote control. If you do not feel comfortable adjusting speeds and just
want a plug and play card with top notch performance then this may be your card.
Scores exceeded the PowerTower Pro 250 in our 8500 system with 1meg cache.
A review of the standard PowerBoost is here, and
the special order "Ultra" version review is here.
The Ultra version runs at 250mhz with a 50mhz bus speed, differing from the
standard version's cpu speed of 240mhz with a 48mhz bus speed. Why 240mhz?
- the 48mhz oscillator is more readily available. 3 year Warranty.
|
|
|
| Card |
CPU Type |
Features |
Pros |
Cons |
Max Speed
Obtained |
Review Link |
Newer Technology's
MaxPowr 225 |
225mhz 604E
Tested
(180mhz to 225mhz avail) |
4 Speed settings
(45/225,52.5/210,
56.25/225,60/240) |
Easy adjustments
Proven reliability. Speed Doubler2/Ram Doubler2 Included. |
Limited speed
options may
result in running
CPU well below
rated speed. |
52.5mhz bus
210mhz CPU
(Some users report
56.25/225 settings
work in some Macs) |
Full Review |
Comments:
Newer Technology is one of the most respected names in the
Mac Accelerator market, and this card shows why. Rock solid reliability
and good performance are hallmarks of Newer Designs (well - except the
MP cards we've seen). Other than the limited speed selections there is
nothing to complain about with this card, and the Speed Doubler2/Ram Doubler2
bundle is a nice bonus. At the time we tested this card we did not have
the PowerLogix 1 meg caches, and we wonder now if the card may have
ran at the better 56.25mhz bus/225mhz cpu speed with the PowerLogix cache.
With the 1 meg IDT cache, we were forced to choose between two settings -
either 45mhz bus/225mhz cpu or 52.5mhz bus/210mhz cpu (below the rated cpu speed).
These two settings are each a compromise, as you're choosing either bus speed
or cpu speed. The MacBench scores in the detailed review
show the tradeoffs. Again, with the PowerLogix cache the Newer 225 may have
ran at 56.25/225 which would have boosted scores significantly. Overall a fine
product with a proven track record. 2 year Warranty.
|
|
|
| Card |
CPU Type |
Features |
Pros |
Cons |
Max Speed
Obtained |
Review Link |
| XLR8
MACh Speed |
604E 180mhz
to 233mhz
(All tested)
|
Large number of speed settings (2nd only to PowerLogix) |
Least expensive (usually)
in its speed range.
Wide range of bus speeds. |
Cache sensitive
Usually limited to under 50mhz bus speeds. Requires removing
card to adjust speeds. |
45mhz bus
180mhz CPU
(180mhz card)
49mhz bus
245mhz CPU
(233mhz card)
|
180mhz Review
225mhz Review
233mhz Review |
Comments:
In a way XLR8 made this site possible by their low pricing on the their
initial product, the XLR8-180mhz card. At that time this site was just an idea, and
spending approx. $800 for a competing card was out of the question. I bought the card
from MacZone for $579.99 - hundreds less
than any other card at the time. XLR8's pricing seemed to start a price war
that continues even today. With that said, the XLR8 cards have proven to
be much more cache sensitive in our 8500 than products from Newer and PowerLogix.
However we have not had any reliability problems, and performance even at the
lower bus speeds has been good. The reviews of the 233mhz,
225mhz and 180mhz cards bear this out.
As a note - the PowerLogix 1 meg cache (see the Cache Crop page) has proven to work
with the XLR8 cards which can boost performance significantly. The XLR8-180 is
also the lowest priced 180mhz 604E card at this time as well. 2 year warranty.
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