Xlr8YourMac.com's Mac Model Related Articles
(Most recent first in each Category) |
= Link Category List - Click to jump to that Section=
Intel-CPU Macs | Mini (Intel/PPC) |
G5 Macs | G4 Macs | Cubes |
G3 Macs
iMacs/eMacs/iBooks | Powerbooks |
Old Macs | Misc.
|
| Intel CPU Mac Related Articles |
| 2006 Mac Pro 8-Core CPU Upgrade report (Dual 2.66GHz Quad-Cores) |
(Nov 2011) Yet another report on a low-cost Dual Quad-Core CPU Upgrade to a 1st gen Mac Pro. Upgraded from the original two 2.66GHz Dual-Core CPUs to dual Xeon 5335 2.66GHz Quad-Cores. ($350 paid for the Quad-Core CPUs at auction.)
|
| 2006 Mac Pro 8-Core CPU Upgrade report (Under $60) |
(Oct 2011) Another report on a (very) low-cost Dual Quad-Core CPU Upgrade to an early (2006) Mac Pro. However the Quad-Core CPUs were only 1.83GHz models. |
| 2010 MacBook Pro 15in Video Update (fix for intermittent black screen/no video) |
(Oct 2011) Hopefully a fix for this issue noted here on Oct. 13th. I wrote a reader with an affected MacBook Pro that had commented on the problem here on Oct. 14th to ask if the update solved the problem on his machine. |
Early MacBook Pro Upgrades
(5GHz WiFI card w/AirDrop, SSD & Improved Cooling) |
(Sept 2011) Article on a reader's upgrades to his MacBook Pro 2,2 including swapping in a Dual-Band (5GHz and 2.4GHz) Airport card with Airdrop Support, SSD drive and Thermal Paste to lower chipset temperatures. |
(Unofficial) Mac Pro 1,1 to 2,1 EFI Updater Feedback
(Fix for KP's in Lion/10.6.8 w/Quad-Core CPU upgrades?) |
(Sept 2011) Reports that -some- Mac Pro 1,1 owners that upgraded to Quad-Core CPUs had Kernel Panics in Lion (and in some cases 10.6.8). For those that did, using the 'unofficial' Mac Pro 1,1 to 2,1 EFI updater solved that they said. (Updated w/later notes.) |
| Another (Low-$$$) Early Mac Pro 8-Core CPU Upgrade |
(June 2011) Latest of several reader reports on low-cost 8-Core (Dual Quad-Core) CPU Upgrades to earlier Mac Pro models. (Also Includes links to several other Mac Pro CPU Upgrade reports from 2011.) |
Notes on 2009->2010 Mac Pro EFI (Bootrom) Updater
(w/6-core CPU & 1333MHz RAM, and MDP Audio support) |
(May 2011) Notes and Tips regarding the "unofficial" EFI/BootRom updater for 2009 Mac Pros to flash a 2010 Mac Pros Bootrom. This enables support for 6-core CPUs and 1333MHz Memory. (Also reported to enable MiniDisplayPort Audio.) See notes in the post on tips and a FYI for 2009 Mac Pro owners that have "B08" bootrom. |
2010 Mac Pro CPU Upgrade
2.8GHz 4-core to 3.2GHz 6-Core |
(Apr 2011) A 2010 (single cpu) Mac Pro owner report with notes/links to CPUs, simple benchmark comparisons, etc on his 3.2GHz 6-Core CPU Upgrade. |
| Water Cooled 2006 Mac Pro w/3.3GHz (OC'd 2.66's) Quad-Core CPUs |
(Mar 2011) A follow-up to his original post in Jan 2011 on his 2006 Mac Pro Quad-Core CPU Upgrade (5350's OC'd to 3.3GHz), this update includes notes on water cooling and a youtube video link. (BTW - See below for a older post from 2008 on a software OC util for mac pros like this.) |
iMac eSATA Mod
(using Mini-PCIe Card)
|
(Sept 2010) iMac (intel-based) notes and pictures on swapping out the Airport card with the same 2-port SATA card for eSATA used earlier by Mini owners. (See article link below.)
(An earlier article on this mod is here.) |
2006-07 Mac Mini eSATA Mod
(using Mini-PCIeCard)
|
(Aug/Sept 2010) 3 Reader reports on swapping out the Mini-PCIe Airport card with a 2-port SATA card used for eSATA. Includes card info and some initial real-world benchmarks. Reports are from OS X 10.6.4 and 10.5.8 mini users.
(NOTE: 2009 and Later Minis DO NOT have a Mini-PCIe Airport card and can't do this mod. PPC Macs also do not have Mini-PCIe Airport cards.) |
Info on iMac's HD + SSD Option w/service part info
|
2010 iMac owner's notes with Apple P/Ns on cables for adding a SSD to a 27in Mac with Hard Drive. (If any reader knows if the same parts are used for 2011 iMacs, send a note. Thanks.) |
2008 Mac Pro CPU Upgrade (single 2.8GHz to Dual 3GHz Quad Cores)
|
(Aug 2010) Reader report on a (very cheap) 3GHz Quad-Core Xeon upgrade to his single CPU 2008 Mac Pro. (As with most earlier Mac Pro CPU Upgrades, he bought used CPUs.) |
| How to get 10.6.4 client working on 2010 Mac Mini Server Model |
(Aug 2010) Tips (required) to get OS X 10.6.4 client working properly (w/ethernet and SDcard slot support) on a 2010 Mac Mini Server model. (Posted after a reader failed to get correct answers from several trips to Apple Genius bars.) |
| 2010 Mac Mini Server DriveTemperature Sensors Info/Pix |
(Jun 2010) The June 17th, 2010 news page had some comments on special drive cables/thermal sensors in the new 2010 Mac Minis (and reminders on HD brand specific/temp sensor cables for late 09 iMacs). The takeaparts of the new 2010 Minis didn't include any info on that (but I suspect may be revised later). However a reader with a 2010 Mini server sent notes/pix on the cables/termal sensors during his dual SSD upgrade/drive swap. |
2009 Mac Pro CPU Core Temperature Tests
(OS X and Windows) |
(Updated w/Apple fix for 10.6 in 2010) After some Apple forum thread/user concerns over higher than expected core temperatures with 2009 Mac Pros from simply playing audio in iTunes, I ran some simple tests in OS X vs Windows using freeware utilities for both OS's. Includes notes on Turbo mode, explanations from the author of OS X freeware Temperature monitor, notes on (turbo) core speeds reported in Windows and more. |
| Mac Pro FB-Dimm Pairing Guide/Tests (w/mixed 1GB, 2GB and 4GB pairs)
|
(Nov 2009) A reader sent his Mac Pro FB-Dimm Pairing Tests w/mixed 1GB, 2GB and 4GB pairs, noting the 4GB pair were not fully recognized if the OEM (Apple supplied) Hynix 1GB FBdimms were installed in the same riser, despite Apple's guide showing that pairing is OK. (Many times over the years I've had Mac Pro owners write their new FBDimms were not recognized properly. Other than some rare cases of bad FB-dimms, usually the problem was the FB-Dimms were not Paired properly (1st thing to check) and/or not fully seated (dimm or riser card). I've included links to Apple's PDF guides on memory and riser cards on the linked page.) |
| (2006-2008) Mac Mini Core 2 Duo CPU Upgrades (Chip swaps) |
Intel-based Mac Mini owner's notes on Core 2 Duo CPU swaps (includes link to chip swap guide.) |
| 2006 Mac Pro Clovertown (Quad core) CPU Swaps Revisited
|
(July 2009) A 1st gen Mac Pro owner's notes on buying (used) Clovertown 2.66GHz CPUs to replace the original (dual core) 5150's. Includes notes on pricing (some new/service parts) and links to upgrade guides (article and video). (Updated to include links to later posts on 3GHz Clovertowns, 3GHz Dual-Cores and Low Power Quad-Core Xeon swaps.) |
| 2009 Mac Pro Video card tests - EVGA GTX 285 Mac Edition vs ATI 4870 vs Nvidia GT120 |
(June 2009) Review/comparisons of EVGA's Nvidia GeForce GTX 285 Mac edition vs the Mac ATI 4870 and the base Geforce GT120 card, tested in a 2009 Mac Pro 8-core 2.66GHz system. Includes pages on apps/game tests, power (watts) usage, benchmarks and more. |
| First Impressions of 2009 Mac Pro (8-Core 2.66GHz/ATI 4870)
|
(March 2009) 2009 Mac Pro 8-core photos (incl. internals), notes on noise levels, initial benchmarks, links to Apple DIY Guides, Intel docs on Nehalem Microarchitecture, Turbo Boost, QuickPath Technology, OEM CPU chip pricing and dozens of 2009 Mac Pro comparisons to 2008 models. Also includes notes onBootcamp/OEM Vista 64-bit install.) |
| MacBook Pro GPU/Video Failures |
(Updated July 2009) Article from July 2008 (later updated) on the issue of flawed (packaging defect) Nvidia GPUs- including the 8600M used in many MacBook Pros. Updated to include Apple's later doc on the issue that noted affected MacBook Pro model production ranges and a warranty extension. Also includes reader reports, links to info on the issue, actions by other notebook mfrs and more. |
| Feedback on (2008) Mac Pro (and Xserve) Overclocking Utility
|
(June 2008) Info/download link and initial feedback from 2008 Mac Pro and 1st Gen Mac Pro owners on using this freeware Overclocking Utility. |
| Mac Pro 2008: Guide to optical bay hard drive install
|
Oliver sent info/photos on installing his WD Raptor hard drive in the lower Optical drive bay. (A followup for the 2008 model to his article from June 2007 on How I "Silenced" a WD Raptor in a Mac Pro) |
| 2008 Mac ProOwner Feedback |
Owner reports on the early-2008 Mac Pro systems. (Includes notes/tips on system lockups reported by early users.) |
| 2007/AL iMac Owner Feedback |
2007 (Alum) iMac (20in, 24in) owner reports on features, heat, performance, higher-res iSight, new keyboard and more. (Also includes links to downloads at Apple for AL/2007 iMac specific updates.) |
2007 iMac 20in LCD Feedback/Tips
(viewing angles/washed out color)
|
A catch-all page with notes/specs/tips on the new (Aug 2007) 20in iMacsDisplay which has less viewing angle than the previous 20in (or the 24in). Includes notes on custom display calibration/gamma that can help with the washed out color/overly bright display. |
| Info on 4GB RAM in early Core2 Duo MacBook (w/Benchmarks)
|
MacBook (early core2 duo model) owner notes on 4GB RAM installed and link to benchmarks of MacBook apps/game/benchmark tests with 1GB to 4GB of memory installed. (Apple noted 2GB max for earlier MacBooks.) |
| After Effects CS3 Public Preview vs. AE v7 Performance |
Reader performance tests of After Effects CS 3 Public Preview vs AE v7 on Mac Pros and G5 Towers (dual 2GHz and Quad 2.5GHz). |
| Using the Mac Pro's 2 extra onboard SATA Ports with an External SATA Case Kit |
A Mac Pro owner's article on using the spare 2 SATA ports on the Mac Pro motherboard with Newer Tech's SATA cable kit and an external dual SATA drive case. (FYI - Includes reports on compatible (and incompatible) external cases - some ext. case bridge boards (w/multiple interfaces) are not compatible.) |
(2007) 8-Core Mac Pro
Notes/Temperatures/Benchmarks |
A page dedicated to 8-core Mac Pro owner reports on performance, power use, temperatures, compatibility, etc. |
| MacBook Pro (Core Duo) Guide on swapping in Mac Pro 802.11n Wireless card |
A reader's guide to upgrading a Core Duo Macbook Pro using a $49 Mac Pro Airport Extreme card (802.11n compatible Mini PCI-e card). Apple's 802.11n Enabler is installed using Pacifist. The MacBook, Intel-based Mac Mini and iMac also use Mini PCI-e Wireless cards so this swap should work with them also. (For other Mac 802.11n reports/tests/tips, Apple Docs, Airport Extreme 802.11n and non-Apple 802.11n base user reports, see the Mac 802.11n page here.) |
| Notes/Guide to Intel-CPU iMac Take-Apart
|
Notes on Tools and Steps required to take apart the Intel CPU iMacs (for hard drive, CPU upgrades, etc.) |
| 2006 Mac Pro tests w/Quad Core CPUs vs Dual Core |
Cnet has posted a page with Mac Pro tests with Intel Quad-Core ("Clovertown") CPUs vs the original Dual Core Xeons. (Intel officially launched Quad Core Clovertown CPUs in mid-November, although some tested Mac Pros with them back in August.) The linkedpage has comparison tests usingCinebench 9.5, PyMOL, Multimedia Multitasking, iTunes encoding and Quake4. (NOTE: 2007 and 2008 Mac Pros used later "HarperTown" Quad-core Xeons which are not compatible with the original 2006 Mac Pro.) |
| CoolBook Utility User Feedback/Tests |
CoolBook (registered version) allows an Intel CPU Mac (MacBook Pro, MacBook, etc.) to change the CPU's core voltage setting for cooler running and less CPU Throttling. But there's some doubts about the claims and test results (and who they actually were from...) |
After Effects 7 Rosetta Fix (Memory/Cache settings)
AE v6.5 vs v7.0 tests w/Mac Pro and Dual G5
|
A Mac Pro owner gives tips on After Effects Memory/Cache settings to fix problems running under Rosetta. Also includes rendering performance tests of After Effects 7 vs. 6.5 and compares both versions' performance running on a Mac Pro (under Rosetta) vs his Dual G5 Tower system with interesting results. |
| MacBook Pro owner reports on Express/34 Cards |
A catch-all page for feedback from MacBook Pro owners on Express34 cards (eSATA, Firewire, Firewire/USB, Modems, flash memory adapters, etc.) |
| Feedback on Mac Pro EFI/SMC Firmware Updates |
Mac Pro owners report on the Apple Mac Pro EFI and SMC Firmware Updates. |
| Mac Pro (2.66GHz) Photoshop CS2 tests in Rosetta vs. Win XP (BootCamp)
| Results of OWC's streamlined/simplified version of PSBench's filter tests comparing Rosetta emulation performance to native bootcamp/Windows XP. |
| Mac Pro 2.66GHz vs Dual 1.8GHz G5 Photoshop CS2 Filter tests
| A Mac Pro owner compares Rosetta emulated Photoshop CS2 performance to his previous PowerPC G5 dual 1.8GHz. |
| Info/Guides/Feedback on Sheep Shaver for Classic OS support with Intel Macs
| Apple doesn't support running Classic on Intel Macs, but since early in 2006 there's been a build of "Sheep Shaver" for Intel Macs to run Classic, with some limitations. (See the page for more info, download links, tips, guides, etc.) |
| Guide to installing Bluetooth module in a Mac Pro
| Reader's photo illustrated guide to installing a Bluetooth Module in a Mac Pro. |
| Mac Pro owner reports on 3rd party Memory | Information on Mac Pro Memory (Apple's large heatsink type and others), tests of large heatsink vs standard heatsink 3rd party FB-Dimmsand reader reports on 3rd party Memory in Mac Pros. |
| Mac Pro user notes on different OS X 10.4.7 Builds | Info on Apple's preferred build (for better video performance they say), although some Mac Pro owners (and developers) mention some issues with that build. |
| Intel Core Solo Mini running Final Cut Studio 5.1, Motion | Despite the "requirements", a Core Solo Mini owner reports running Final Cut Studio 5.1 (even Motion) on that Intel GMA950 based system. |
| Final Cut Pro 5.1 Performance tests - Intel CPU Macs vs PowerPC Macs
| 2 Articles with Final Cut Pro 5.1 (Universal binary) performance tests of Intel CPU Macs (including MacBook Pro) vs PowerPC/G5 Macs. |
PC vs iMac/MacBook Pro X1600 Clock Speeds
Reports on Overclocking X1600 (using ATItool)
| Notes on (big) differences in the core/memory clock rates of iMac and MacBook Pro ATI X1600 graphics vs some PC/notebooks and reports on overclocking the Mac's X1600 GPU core/memory clocks using ATItool for Windows XP. |
Apple BootCamp User reports,
Tests and Tips | User reports and tips on Apple "BootCamp" assistant for installing Windows XP (SP2) on Intel CPU Macs. Includes links to Apple docs/FAQ's, etc. |
| User Reports/Tips/Tests of Parallels Workstation 2.1b for Intel Based Macs | User feedback and tips on Workstation Virtual Machine software that allows running Windows, Linux, etc. in a window on Intel CPU Macs. |
| Core Duo Mac Mini Media Center Project | Article detailing a 3 week look at incorporating a Mac Mini Core Duo, Newer Technology miniStack external hard drive, and an EyeTV EZ PVR into a media center package. Also includes installing an OEM copy of Windows XP Professional via Apple BootCamp. |
| (Original) MacBook Pro Owner Reports | User reports from owners of the first model MacBook Pro, including installing Windows XP (natively), performance, usage, some OOB Problems and a section of related articles including take-apart guides and reviews. |
| Intel Core Duo iMac Disassembly/Hard Drive Upgrade Guide | Reader guide/photo gallery on Intel CPU iMac take-apart/Hard drive upgrade guide. BTW: He had problems with a Western Digital WD4000KD (400GB) drive in the Intel CPU iMac, but said a Maxtor (300GB) model was literally plug an play. (G5 owners also reported problems in the past with the WD4000KD drive on the onboard SATA.) |
| (1st model) MacBook Pro Performance Analysis | Comparing results of iTunes audio encoding, video encoding and HD video playback (720p and 1080p content) of MacBook Pro Core Duo 1.83GHz, 2005 PowerBook G4 15" 1.67GHz, 2003 PowerMac G5 Dual 2GHz and 2001 PowerBook G4/500MHz. |
| Intel Core Duo iMac 17in Review | Ars' detailed review of the Intel CPU iMac including notes on the Intel T2400 CPU and Mobile Intel 945GM Express Chipset inside. |
| Mac Mini (Intel and PPC/G4) Related Articles |
| OS X 10.7.x Lion (and Server) on Core2 Duo Updated Mini and iMacs (originally CoreDuo models) |
Reports from Core2Duo CPU Upgraded (chip swap/socketed CPUs) Mac Mini and iMac owners on running OS X Lion and/or Lion Server.
Includes notes and tips on OS X 10.7.2 and 10.7.1 updates. (Unlike 10.7.1 updater, OS X 10.7.2 update did reinstall the supported macs plist file. See page for tips on how to remove the file again.) |
| (2006-2008) Mac Mini Core 2 Duo CPU Upgrades (Chip swaps) |
Intel-based Mac Mini owner's notes on Core 2 Duo CPU swaps (includes link to chip swap guide.) |
2006-07 Mac Mini eSATA Mod
(using Mini-PCIeCard)
|
(Aug/Sept 2010) 3 Reader reports on swapping out the Mini-PCIe Airport card with a 2-port SATA card used for eSATA. Includes card info and some initial real-world benchmarks. Reports are from OS X 10.6.4 and 10.5.8 mini users.
(NOTE: 2009 and Later Minis DO NOT have a Mini-PCIe Airport card and can't do this mod. PPC Macs also do not have Mini-PCIe Airport cards.) |
| How to get 10.6.4 client working on 2010 Mac Mini Server Model |
(Aug 2010) Tips (required) to get OS X 10.6.4 client working properly (w/ethernet and SDcard slot support) on a 2010 Mac Mini Server model. (Posted after a reader failed to get correct answers from several trips to Apple Genius bars.) |
| 2010 Mac Mini Server DriveTemperature Sensors Info/Pix |
(Jun 2010) The June 17th, 2010 news page had some comments on special drive cables/thermal sensors in the new 2010 Mac Minis (and reminders on HD brand specific/temp sensor cables for late 09 iMacs). The takeaparts of the new 2010 Minis didn't include any info on that (but I suspect may be revised later). However a reader with a 2010 Mini server sent notes/pix on the cables/termal sensors during his dual SSD upgrade/drive swap. |
| Intel Core Solo Mini running Final Cut Studio 5.1, Motion | Despite the "requirements", a Core Solo Mini owner reports running Final Cut Studio 5.1 (even Motion) on that Intel GMA950 based system. |
| Core Duo Mac Mini Media Center Project | Article detailing a 3 week look at incorporating a Mac Mini Core Duo, Newer Technology miniStack external hard drive, and an EyeTV EZ PVR into a media center package. Also includes installing an OEM copy of Windows XP Professional via Apple BootCamp. |
| Original Mac Mini Mini-Review | Reader review w/photos of the first model (2005) Mac Mini. (PowerPC G4 CPU.) |
| Mac Mini (G4) Owner Reports/Articles/Docs | This page has Mac Mini owner reports, performance tests, Drive Upgrade tests and links to Apple Kbase Docs on the Mini, Mini take-apart video and more. |
| Mac Mini Owner Reports on Dim Analog Video | This page has Mac Mini owner reports on the issue of dim/low contrast video (per a C'T magazine test measurement). Not all owners noted this issue depending on monitor used. |
| G5 System Related Articles |
| Jumper Tips for Western Digital 6Gb/sec HDs in G5 Macs |
(May 2011) Jumper setting tips for WD 6Gb/SATA III drives in G5 Macs (and any other SATA I/1.5Gb interfaces). Without forced mode reduction, drives were not usable/recognized. |
| Guide to Repairing a PowerMac G5 Delphi Liquid Cooling System |
Expanding on his original article from fall 2009 here, Bill sent a 6 page Guide to Overhauling a PowerMac G5 Delphi Liquid Cooling System. |
| PowerMac G5 Coolant Leaks/Repairs |
Reader reports on some liquid cooled G5 towers leaking coolant (usually out of warranty). If not detected early the coolant leak can do substantial damage (blown PS, etc.) Includes reports from some owners that got repairs covered out of warranty and in some cases a new Mac Pro (where repair parts could not be procured). Also includes some DIY repairs some have done and photos of the 2 LCS designs. |
| After Effects CS3 Public Preview vs. AE v7 Performance |
Reader performance tests of After Effects CS 3 Public Preview vs AE v7 on Mac Pros and G5 Towers (dual 2GHz and Quad 2.5GHz). |
| G5 Tower Disassembly/Dust Cleaning (to lower temperatures) |
A G5 Tower owner wrote an article on partial disassembly and dust cleaning that lowered temperatures, which usually reduces fan speeds also. (An Xserve G5 owner also noted similar benefits to cleaning - lower fan speeds/lower temperatures.) |
| Quad G5 Owner reports on CPU Sensor Temperatures |
Quad G5 PowerMac owner reports/screenshots on CPU/Temperatures after after a post mentioning one CPU ran 20F hotter than the other (even at idle). |
| Feedback/Tips on PowerMac G5 Random Shutdowns | Some G5 tower owners reported problems with random shutdowns. Included are some tips and things to check, although frequently a repair was required. |
| Western Digital note onWD4000KD/YR and Raptor Drive problems with onboard G5 SATA | Western Digital finally confirms the problems noted with these drives from readers in the past. (Note - WD has now updated the tech note to include Raptor 36/74GB drive models, not just the 150GB Raptor.) |
| G5 Dual 2.5GHz 6800 Ultra Performance Tests
| Dual 2.5GHz G5 w/6800 Ultra card owner report including performance tests and some comparisons to a Dual 2GHz G5 w/OEM 9800 Pro 128MB graphics card. (Not the 9800XT model.) The page also includesinitial impressions and comments onusing the file transfer utility that ships on new Macs and more. |
| G5 Owner Reports on Optical Audio
| PowerMac G5 owner feedback on using the Optical Audio output - includes pro user comments on DAT tape, etc. and consumer quality speaker/ampl. systems (some which have amplifier hiss/noise - such as the Klipsch GMX series) |
| PowerMac G5 vs MDD G4
| Article comparing the features, specs, design, CPUs, Memory, Expansion, etc. of the PowerMac G5 vs. MDD G4 Systems (Updated to add page 2 with performance tests of G5/1.6GHz, Dual 2GHz G5s vs MDD Dual 1.25GHz G4.) |
| Using the G5 ATA/100 bus for (non-SATA) Hard Drive
| Reader comments and photos on using the Optical drive bus for a 2nd parallel (standard IDE) hard drive. |
| Powermac G5 Hard Drive Heat/Cooling Tip
| G5 Owner comments, tests and a tip on relocating the Hard Drive Cooling FanTemperature Sensor to better cool the G5's hard drives. |
| G5 RAM Tests - Photoshop performance w/512MB to 8GB of installed RAM | Dual G5 2GHz performance tests with 512MB to 8GB of RAM. |
Retail Radeon 9800
vs
BTO/OEM 9800
(tests in Dual G5 system) | Performance tests comparing the Retail ATI 9800 Pro to the BTO/OEM 9800 Pro card in a Dual G5 System. (See below for a previous article with 9600 vs 9800 tests.) |
| G5 Noise Reports/CHUD Tools Fix | This page has G5 owner reports on Beeping and other noises that often were fixed by using Apple's CHUD Tools to disable "Nap" mode. (See article for details and reports, including recordings of the noises.) |
| Dual G5 2GHz w/Radeon 9600 vs 9800
vs MDD G4 Dual 1.25GHz w/9800 | First tests with a Dual G5 2GHz system with 9600 Radeon vs 9800 Radeon (retail) graphics card vs a Mirror Drive Door Dual G4/1.25GHz with Radeon 9800 card. Includes game tests (UT2003, Jedi II, Quake3, RTCW, UT X PR3) and a few apps tests and benchmarks. Also includes notes on installing the retail 9800 Pro card in a G5. |
PowerMac G5
Tech Info/Software Updates
Compatibility Info | Catch-All page organized by Topic. Includes links to G5 System and CPU white papers, performance docs,Developer info (with system detail/specs), programming tech notes on the G5 (IBM PowerPC970) CPU, G5 specific OS, Application and Software updates. Also includes compatibility notes/reports/tips on PCI cards, RAM, USB and Firewire Devices |
| G5 Firewire and USB Device/Card Reports | This page has G5 owner reports on using Firewire and USB devices - includes some problem reports and tips. (Covers everything from devices using the onboard ports to PCI cards and Hubs.) |
PowerMac Dual G5 2GHz
Photos/Test Results | The first photos and initial tests with a Dual G5 2GHz system. |
| PowerMac G5 First Impressions | First article on the PowerMac G5 systems announced at WWDC 2003 with reader comments and photo galleries of the new system. |
G4 System Reviews and Related Articles
(most recent articles first) |
| Sawtooth G4 tower Bus Overclocking w/DIP Switch | A reader article w/photos on mods for an adjustble bus speed (via DIP switch) in a first model (Sawtooth) G4 Tower. |
| MDD Pwr Supply and ADC Video Card Mods in Sawtooth Tower
| A reader article w/photos on mods to install a Mirror Drive Door tower Power Supply and ADC graphics card power mods in a first model (Sawtooth) G4 Tower. |
| G4 Tower to Dual P.S. ATX Case Conversion
| A reader article w/photos on converting his Quicksilver to a Dual PS PC ATX case. |
| MDD Tower to ATX Case Conversion
| A reader article w/photos on Mirror Drive Door system to PC ATX case conversion. |
| MDD Pwr Supply Mods for Digital Audio/Quicksilver Towers | A reader article w/photos on mods to a Mirror Drive Door system Power Supply for use in a Digital Audio or Quicksilver Tower system. |
| G4 (Sawtooth) Tower Media Center Project | A reader's writeup on his Sawtooth (1999 model) G4 Tower Media Center Project. |
| G4 to 20 Drive Server Cube Case Conversion | Doug Birling sent a writeup and photos of his "Son of FrankenMac", G4/AGP Tower to 20 Drive Server Cube Case Conversion. He includes comments on setting up a RAID 10 array in the system also.
|
| Mirror Drive Door HD Bay CPU Heatsink Cooler Mod | Article on using a Hard Drive bay fan set to
cool the MDD Heatsink. (Bottom of page also has links to other MDD Cooling articles here)
|
| Powermac G4 Front Firewire/USB Ports Mod | A G4 Tower owner's mods (kit) to mount
a front Firewire and USB port adjacent to the
ZIP drive in the lower front bay. (Unlike the previous InternalFirewire/USB Hub Mod, you can still have a 3.5" drive in the lower bay.)
|
| MDD Guide on upgrading to Dual 1.42GHz CPU module | A MDD (single G4/1.25GHz) owner's guide to
replacing the CPU module with a OEM Apple Dual 1.42GHz MDD module
(sold on ebay). Includes links/notes on replacing the heatsink
with the Apple Copper one and changing the bus speed to 167MHz.
|
| "Unreal" MDD Cooling Mod | A MDD system owner replaces the case speaker with
a cooling fan (and a cool Unreal logo grille).
|
| G4 Clear Case Conversion | Reader article and photos ofhis G4 conversion to a clear (and lighted) tower case.
|
| MDD G4 "Glow" Mod | A reader's article on installing a cold-cathode light tube in Mirrored Drive Door (MDD) G4 tower. (the "snort holes" now
glow red) |
MDD Case Conversion
(G5-like Alum. case) | A reader's article w/photos detailing how he did a Mirrored Drive Door (MDD) G4 tower case conversion that looks a bit like the new G5 case exterior. (3 page article w/many photos.)
|
Quicksilver G4 Owner reports
on Big IDE Drive Support | Quicksilver G4 tower owner reports that Jaguar (OS 10.2) allowed "big" (>128GB) IDE drives to be used to their full capacity with the onboard IDE interface without needing 3rd party drivers or an IDE PCI card. (Apple as of May 2003 still notes only MDD G4s and Xserves have native big drive/48bit addressing support in the bootrom.) |
| MDD owner Feedback on CHUD Tools 3.5.x Nap mode (to lower CPU temperatures) | MDD Owner reports on enabling CPU "NAP" mode on Dual G4 MDD systems to reduce CPU temperatures. (Some noted stability problems - although not all.) |
| More MDD G4 Tower Cooling Mods | Reader article on MDD G4 tower Cooling mods. |
Cheap MDD Cooling Tip
(PCI slot cooler) | Reader comments/temperature tests before/after using a low-cost PCI Slot cooling fan to help exhaust hot air out of the MDD G4 tower case. |
| MDD G4 Tower Copper Heatsink Swap | Article on swapping in the Copper Heatsink (w/heatpipe) from a MDD Dual 1.42GHz model into a previous MDD G4 tower (which has an Alum. heatsink w/o heatpipe). |
| Water Cooled MDD G4 Tower | Article with photos of a Water Cooled (CPU) MDD G4 Tower. |
PowerLogix DUAL 1GHz CPU Upgrade
For 133MHz Bus Towers | Review comparing the Dual 1GHz CPU Upgrade to the original Digital Audio Dual G4/533 and a Mirrored Drive Door Dual 1GHz Tower. Includes Apps, Games and Benchmark tests and notes on installation. |
G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors)
Dual 1GHz reader Review | Reader review of the G4 Mirrored Drive Doors Dual 1GHz system that focuses on features and impressions in use rather than benchmarks. (Also includes a list of past issues reported with the early G4 DDR systems such as PCI Audio Cards, etc.) |
G4 (Mirrored Drive Doors)
P.S. Fan Replacements
(for noise reduction) | Article on replacing the Power Supply fans in the G4 Mirrored Drive Doors System. (Note: voids warranty and slightly lower CFM fans do not match Apple's original fan CFM specs. See warnings/disclaimers.) |
G4 (MirroredDrive Doors)
CPU Module Speed Settings | Michiro Isobe's illustrated article on the G4 7455 CPU module design. |
GVS9000 Dual 1GHz G4
Rack Mount System | Reader review and photos of the GVS9000 Dual 1GHz rack mount system based on the Apple Quicksilver 2002 Dual 1Ghz motherboard. |
| Review: Dual 1GHz G4 PowerMac (Quicksilver) | Reader Dave Linder sent a review of the Quicksilver Dual 1GHz PowerMac G4. He covers the new system'sfeatures, software included and comments on using Final Cut Pro 3.0, iDVD and iPhoto. |
Quicksilver Dual 1GHz G4
Performance Tests | Results of tests in RC5, Quake3 (comparing Geforce4MX vs GeForce3), Stream, Throughput and more from owners of the Dual 1GHz PowerMacs. |
G4/500 Dual Performance Tests:
OS X 10.1 vs OS X 10.0.4
Pshop Performance Tests | I compared performance in several areas (Classic/PShop 5.5, boot/disk tests, iMovie2, etc.) running OS X 10.1 vs 10.0.4 on my G4/500 Dual Processor system. Also included are tests in Quake3 for OS X with both a Radeon AGP card and a Geforce3 |
G4/733 w/GeForce 3
Performance Tests | Comments and Performance tests on a G4/733 (Digital Audio model) system with Nivida GeForce3 AGP graphics card. Includes Radeon vs GeForce3 performance, comparisons to a Dual G4/500 system and comments on GeForce3 game and apps compatibility. (Note this G4/733 is the model with 1MB L3 cache, the summer 2001 G4/733 has no L3 cache.) |
G4/867 Memory Bandwidth Tests
Rev 2.0 vs Rev 2.1 CPUs
Benchmark Results | Regular readers will remember the very low memory bandwidth scores from the G4/733 (and all 2.0 revision 7450 G4 CPU chip based Macs). This page has some comparisons of benchmark rates with a rev 2.1 and rev 2.0 7540 CPU. |
Quicksilver G4 (733 & 867MHz)
Benchmark Results | Several readers with newG4/867MHz and G4/733Mhz "Quicksilver" systems (summer 2001 model) sent results of benchmark tests. I've included some comparisons to a previous G4/733 Digital Audio system from a previous review here. |
G4/867 Quicksilver
Quake3 Performance | First G4/867MHz system (summer 2001 model) comments on Quake3 performance. Includes OS 9.2 and OS X Quake3 FPS results at several resolutions. |
| G4/733 Overclocking to 800Mhz | Reader report and info on one resistor cut/change that sets the G4/733 module to 800Mhz speeds. Do NOT try this yourself - Voids your warranty and may not be reliable short or long-term. |
Overview and Speed Settings of the 7450 CPU Module
(G4/667, G4/733MHz models) | Michiro Isobe's illustrated article on the G4/733 (and G4/667) CPU module design where he notes he overclocked his G4/733 to 867MHz. Do NOT try this yourself - Voids your warranty and may not be reliable short or long-term. |
Apple's Comments & Tests
on G4/733 System | Apple's performance product manager sent comments and their test results comparing the G4/733 to other systems. |
G4/733 Owner Report
w/GeForce2MX | Reader impressions and performance tests (often puzzling) of a 2001 G4 733MHz system with GeForce2MX graphics card. |
G4/667 Owner
First Impressions | A reader's impressions ofhis 2001 G4 667MHz system (not a detailed report). |
Review of G4/533
w/GeForce2MX | Detailed review of a 2001 G4 533MHz with GeForce2MX graphics card. |
New G4 Systems
from MWSF 2001 | Photos and details on the new G4 Tower systems announced at Macworld SF 2001 |
Dual G4 Processor
CPU Module Swap | Illustrated article on swapping a single G4 CPU module for a dual processor module. (AGP G4 Gigabit Ethernet Tower System) |
| Quicksilver G4 Tower Fan Noise Reduction Mods | Illustrated article from a reader on his fan mods (several) to reduce noise in a Quicksilver (summer 2001) G4 Tower. (Updated to include links to several other fan noise reduction articles in the "related links" at the bottom of the article.) |
How I Quieted the Fan
Noise in my G4 Tower | Illustrated article on how I added padding for fan isolation on my G4 dual processor system to reduce noise. (Blue & White G3s also use the same fan/bracket design.) |
Adding a 2nd IDE Drive
to a G4 system | Photo illustrated Guide to adding a 2nd IDE drive to a G4 Mac.
|
Dual G4/500 vs Single G4/500:
iMovie 1 vs iMovie 2
QT 5 vs QT 4
Performance Tests | Using dual G4/500 and single G4/500 systems, I test iMovie 1 vs iMovie2 performance, as well as Quicktime 5 preview vs Quicktime v4.1.2 on both systems. Interesting results. QT 5 was more than 50% faster on both systems! |
Photoshop 5.5 Performance
1GHz Pentium III
vs G4 Mac systems
(G4/500 and Dual G4/450) | Results of a 21 filter Photoshop 5.5 test series using an Apple G4/500 (single CPU), Apple G4/450 Dual CPUand a Pentium III 1GHz. Updated 9/5/2000 to include results with a reader's dual G4/450 system. |
Dual G4 CPU Module
Speed Settings | Reader photos showing where the bus/cpu ratio control resistors are located. Read warnings/disclaimers. |
Sawtooth G4/AGP CPU
Module Speed Settings
(100MHz bus systems) | My friend Michiro Isobe details the speed settings, core voltage, L2 level control and Bus clock configuration of the Apple G4 Sawtooth system. [Updated to include 133MHz bus speed info] |
Sawtooth G4/AGP Rev 2
Comments | Reader feedback on the 2nd revision of the first Apple G4/AGP (Sawtooth) systems. |
Gigabit G4/AGP to 9600
Case Conversion | A multi-page article on converting a G4/AGP (Gigabit Enet) system to a PowerMac 9600 case, which has more external drive bays. Due the risks involved, this article is for entertainment purposes only. |
"Sawtooth" G4/AGP to PC ATX
Case Conversion | A Reader describes how he converted a G4/AGP system to work in a PC ATX case (more drive bays, etc.). Page 2 includes notes on using PC ATX Power Supply in "Sawtooth" (only) Tower. (Later G4 towers had different PS's with ADC power, etc.) |
Reader Report:
Peltier Cooled Yikes G4 | Reader submitted article on his active cooled Yikes G4 running at 500MHz.Caution: Voids Warranty. And if there's condensation, damage can result. |
Reader Report:
500MHz Yikes G4/400 | Reader submitted article by on how he overclocked (w/voltage tweaks) his Yikes G4/400 to 500MHz.Note: Requires skilled soldering. |
Reader Report:
Yikes G4 Overclocking | Reader submitted article by Todd Eddie on how he overclocked his Yikes G4/400 to 450MHz. Includes before and after performance tests. |
| G4 Cube Related Articles |
| Review: GigaDesigns G4/1GHz-1.2GHz CPU CUBE CPU Upgrade
| Review of the first GigaDesigns Cube CPU upgrade w/2MB SDR L3 compared to the stock Cube G4/450 CPU. Tested at 1GHz and 1.2GHz.Apps, Games, Benchmark comparisons to the stock G4/450 Cube as well as installation/jumper settings info and core temperature tests.
|
PC Geforce2MX Card
Flashing for Cubes
| Reader info on how he flashed and underclocked the Mac ROM into a PC Geforce2MX card. (For use in a Cube w/o a fan on the card. Mac GF2MX fanless cards are rare now and often expensive.)
|
G4 Cube Mods for
8500 Radeon Card | Reader Photos/Info on how he modified his Cube (moving the Power Supply board) to be able to install a Radeon 8500 AGP card. (Note - 80mm case fan also installed for cooling.)
|
Review of Cube 1GHz
CPU Upgrade | Review of the Powerlogix 1GHz CPU Upgrade for the Cube. (Tested in apps/games/benchmarks vs the original G4/450 and a dual 500MHz CPU module in the Cube)
|
| Dual G4/500 Cube | Photos of how a reader installed a Sonnet Duet Dual G4/500 in a G4 Cube. (I later did the same mod myself.) |
| Dual G4/450 Cube | Photos of how a reader stuffed an Apple Dual G4/450 CPU module in a G4 Cube.
|
"All American" Cube
w/U.S. Flag Design | William Rivas sent photos and info on how he customized his Cube with an American Flag inside the clear housing.
|
| Maxtor 100GB IDE Drive Tests in G4 Cube | Review of the 100GB Maxtor 536DX (5400 rpm/2MB cache) IDE drive tested in a G4/450 Cube. Performance is compared to the original 20GB Cube's drive in OS 9.1 and OS X 10.0.4. (Time to boot, file copy, apps launching, file load/save, etc.) as well as pure benchmarks.
|
Cube Firmware Update 4.1.9
Owner Comments | Cube owner's comment on the 9/25/2001 released 4.1.9 firmware update from Apple. Some noted previous speaker issues were solved, but read all the reports.
|
G4 Cube
Owner Comments | In June 2001 there were some rumors of the Cube being discontinued, so I asked for Cube owner comments on how they liked their machines and if they had seen any problems. I received many more reports than I expected the first day. |
G4 Cube
OS X vs OS 9.1
Firewire Performance | Testing fast Firewire drives (AC and Portable models) with a G4/450 Cube in OS 9.1 and OS X. |
| G3 System Reviews and Related Articles |
| Case Conversion with 2 Mac Motherboards inside | Adrianna Lane sent photos and info on her unusual Case Conversion with 2 Mac Motherboards inside - a B&W G3 and PowerTower Pro logic board in the same case
|
| B&W G3 Owners Report PCI Firewire Cards Help Solve Onboard FW Issues | For B&W G3 owners that have seen firewire problems using the onboard FW ports (disconnects, errors, etc.) you might want to read the posts from readers that noted PCI Firewire cards helped. See the reports in the Nov. 20th, 2001 and Nov. 26th, 2001 news pages.
|
Performance Tests:
XLR8's Dual G4/500 CPU MPe Upgrade for Beige G3s | First performance tests of XLR8's MPe dual G4/500 CPU Upgrade for Beige G3s. Test results in Photoshop 5.5, 6.0, Cleaner 5.02, iMovie2 and CineBench2000. Comparison systems include a dual G4/500 AGP system and for the Photoshop 5.5 tests, a 1GHz PC, G4/733, Dual and Single G4/500 AGP systems. |
| G3 ZONE | Special Coverage of Apple's Original and new G3 Systems. Includes Troubleshooting tips pages, Tutorials on upgrades, Overclocking, compatibility notes and more. A must read for Apple G3 owners. |
Adding a 2nd IDE Drive
to a B&W G3 Rev 2 | Photo illustrated Guide to adding a 2nd IDE drive to a Blue and White G3 revision 2 system.
|
B&W G3 *Rev 1*
IDE Slave Upgrade | Illustrated article on howI installed the drive in an early 1999 model. (later models are different, see the above article for rev 2 systems.)*NOTE* Read the warnings on data corruption that is possible with any IDE drive upgrade (master or slave) to a B&W G3 rev 1. See this article to see if you have a rev 2 model that has the revised IDE chip that solves this issue. |
| Rev 2 B&W G3 Features | Photos and explanations of the June 1999 added features of the latest revision of the B&W G3s. New dual drive bracket/cable, heatsinked (faster clock speed) Rage128 card, revised IDE controller chip and taller CPU heatsink. |
| Backlit B&W G3 Case Mod | Reader report on how he modified the case of his Blue and White G3 to add a backlight. (For Entertainment only - DO NOT try this at home as backlights use high voltages.) |
Installing a G4 CPU
in a B&W G3 | XLR8 G4/400Z installation into a rev 1.1 firmware B&W G3. Includes how to installer the XLR8 firmware patch that removes the G4 CPU block. (For many G4 and G3 CPU Upgrade reviews and articles - see the CPU Upgrades page.) |
Blue and White G3
(aka Yosemite) | Early page posted in 1999 to cover Specs, Tips and Compatibility notes on the Blue and White G3 systems. |
| B&W G3 Compatibilty Reports | Reports on Issues and Solutions for Software and Hardware compatibility issues. Based on Reader and my personal experience. (Most of these issues have been resolved now.) |
| B&W G3 Performance | Early 1999 page withbenchmarks and real world apps tests on theBlue and White G3. The CPU Upgrade/Reviews page has more up to date info. |
B&W G3 to PC ATX
Case Conversion | Reader Tim Seufertdescribes how he converted a B&W G3 to work in a PC ATX case. |
Beige G3 to PC ATX
Case Conversion | Reader Tim Seufertdescribes how he converted a Beige G3 motherboard to work in a PC ATX case. |
|
Beige G3 Hard Drive Upgrade | Illustrated article on how I replaced the hard drive in my Beige G3 minitower with a larger, faster model. More Beige G3 upgrade, troubleshooting, etc. articles are at the G3-ZONE sidebar links. |
|
Beige G3 Internal Modem Install | Illustrated article on how I added an internal modem to my Beige G3. More Beige G3 upgrade, troubleshooting, etc. articles are at the G3-ZONE sidebar links. |
|
Beige G3 RAM/VRAM Upgrades | Illustrated article on upgrading the RAM and Video RAM in a Beige G3. Includes notes on max RAM limits, dimm height limits in the desktop model and more. Other Beige G3 upgrade, troubleshooting, etc. articles are at the G3-ZONE sidebar links. |
| B&W G3 Speed Settings | The first page ever posted in the world to show the Yosemite Jumper Block Speed settings. Note: Your Mileage may Vary. Perform at your own risk.
|
Beige G3
Speed Settings | Beige G3 motherboard Jumper settings listing. Note: Your Mileage may Vary. Perform at your own risk. |
B&W/Beige/iMac Overclocking
Owner Reports | Note: The Rate Your CPU Upgrade database includes Overclocking results with Beige/Blue and White and iMac models as well as CPU Upgrade card reports.
|
| Powerbook System Reviews and Related Articles |
| Review of Daystar 1.92GHz CPU Upgrade for AL PowerBook G4 | Reader review of the upgrade tested in his 2003 Powerbook G4 (originally 1.25GHz). Includes notes on heat, performance, pros/cons, VirtualPC,and some issues he saw when running at full speed.
|
| Alum Powerbook G4 Finish Wear | Aluminum PowerBook G4 owners reporting on how the finish is holding up (some noting pitting/black spots/wear, others not).
|
| Powerbook G4/15in (Alum) Take-Apart | John Wolf sent photos and comments of his PB G4 15in (Aluminum) Disassembly guide. (Doesn't go into removing the drives or logic board.)
|
| 2x DVD-R Firmware for PB G4/Cube Slotted Superdrives | Links and Reports on using the unofficial Firmware update for Matshita UJ-815 (slotted superdrive) that enables 2x DVD-R write support. (Use at your own risk, although initial reports are positive.)
|
| MacResq PowerBook G4 Superdrive Upgrade Review | My review of the MacResq PowerBook G4 (slotted) Superdrive upgrade. (Incl. performance test comparisons to the original Combo Drive.)
|
| PowerBook G4 12inch Hard Drive Upgrade Guide | Reader Article on upgrading the hard drive in a PowerBook G4 12inch model. (See below for links to PB G4 15in models, PowerBook G3 Pismo and wallstreet models.)
|
Testing Hitachi's 60GB
7200 RPM notebook hard drive | Tests with the Hitachi 60GB, 7200RPM Travelstar notebook hard drive vs. 5400RPM and 4200RPM previous models.
|
| Hitachi 80GB iBook/PowerBook Hard Drive Tests | Tests with the Hitachi 80GB Travelstar notebook hard drive. (Fits ibook and powerbook models.)
|
Reader Reports on PB G3 Pismo
G4/500 CPU Upgrades | Reader reports on G4/500 CPU Upgrades for the PowerBook G3 2000 (aka Pismo/PB Firewire) - one on the Newer Tech G4/500 and another on the Powerlogix Bluechip G4/500. (Also search the Rate Your CPU Upgrade database for other owner reports.)
|
2002 PowerBook G4/800
First Impressions/Performance Tests | My first impressions, list of features and performance tests of the improved 2002 PowerBook G4/800 with 1MB L3 cache, fast Radeon 7500 Mobility graphics chip, DVI port, higher res. screen and more. (Comments on airport range, heat, Photoshop, iMovie2, Game performance and more.)
|
2001 PowerBook G4
Logic Audio Tests
PB G4/500 Better
than PB G4/667? | See the update to my original 2001 PB G4/667 article which added test results in Logic audio showing better performance with a PowerBook G4/500 than a2001 PB G4/667. (The 7410 CPU based older PB G4s have higher memory bandwidth than the later PB G4s that use the 7440 CPU chip.)
|
2001 PowerBook G4/667
vs
WinXP PC notebook
Quake3 and Photoshop 5.5 Tests | Photoshop 5.5 and Quake3 performance tests of the PowerBook G4/667 vs a Windows XP Pentium III 850MHz notebook w/GeForce2GO graphics chip.
|
| Zero Z5 Alum. Case Review | Review with Photos of the Zero Z5 aluminum case for PowerBooks. Includes pros/cons, many photos, feature list and much more.
|
| PowerBook/iBook Screen Protectors | Article on protective mats for keyboards to prevent contact/oils on the LCD screen.
|
| PB G3 Firewire Owner Comments with OS X 10.1 | A reader with a PowerBook G3/400 (Firewire) comments on improvements in OS X 10.1 (DVD player and more).
|
PowerBook G4
Hard Drive Upgrade | Photo Illustrated Installation Guide for PowerBook G4 hard drives. Includes a page on drive setup formatting also.
|
| Cheap Combo DVD/CDRW Drive Mod for PB G3 Expansion Bay | A reader sent photos and info on how a notebook Combo DVD/CDRW drive he bought at Ebay was made to work in a PowerBook G3 Expansion bay (PB Firewire model, but Lombard/Bronze keyboard has similar case). Includes photos and how he enabled iTunes/DiscBurner support for the drive. (Update - there's also a complete photo-illustrated build guide article using the drive - including how to swap the sideplate/cover for a perfect fit.) |
| PowerBook Screen Protector | If you have a problem with the key caps contacting the LCD screen on your Powerbook or iBook as I did, here is a low-cost protective cover that can prevent that. (Also notes a more expensive option - replacing the key caps.) |
OS X Reports
PowerBook G3/Wallstreet | After one PB G3/250 Wallstreet owner reported problems with the initial release CD install, several other Wallstreet owners sent their comments and system configs. Most seem ok, but one noted the onboard SCSI was not recognized. |
OS X Tests & Impressions
on PowerBook G4 | Comments on performance, compatibility and other tests on a PowerBook G4 running OS X 10.0 release. |
OS X Reports
PowerBook G3/Wallstreet | After one PB G3/250 Wallstreet owner reported problems with the initial release CD install, several other Wallstreet owners sent their comments and system configs. Most seem ok, but one noted the onboard SCSI was not recognized. |
PowerBook G4
Photoshop 5.5
Performance | If you're curious about how a PowerBook G4/400 compares to the 500Mhz model in Photoshop, or how it compares to say a dual G4/450, single G4/500 or 1GHz Pentium III,I've ran the 21 filter PSBench tests comparing them |
PowerBook G4
Owner Comments | Comments on pros, cons and even problems that owners of the new Titanium PowerBook G4s have seen. Includes tips and fixes for things like the DVD slotted drive alignmnent problem some owners have reported. |
PowerBook G4
First Impressions
Airport Tests
10GB vs 20GB Drive
Performance Tests | My first impressons of most every aspect of the new PB G4. I also included tests of Airport range (internal Airport card vs Wavelan card) and tests comparing the original 10GB IBM drive vs a replacement 20GB IBM drive. |
| PowerBook G4 | Photos and details on the new PowerBook G4 announced at Macworld SF 2001 |
PowerBook Firewire
G3/500 Review | Detailed review of thefirewire PowerBook G3/500 including application and game performance comparisons and much more. |
PowerBook Firewire
Hard Drive Upgrade | Review and Installation of an IBM 32GB Travelstar drive in a PowerBook G3 Firewire model. Includes photos of the installation and comparisons of performance with the original 12GB drive, and IBM 20GB and 32GB drive.
|
PowerBook Firewire
Owner Comments | Comments on the new PowerBook model (Pismo), including comparisons to previous models. Also includes some benchmark results and performance comments as well as colorsync profiles. |
Review of Powerlogix's
PowerBook G3/500 CPU Upgrade | A detailed review of the BlueChip G3/500 CPU upgrade for Powerbook G3 Wallstreet and Lombard models. Includes illustrated install guide and comparisons to other PB models/upgrades. |
Review of NewerTech's
PowerBook G3/466 CPU Upgrade | A detailed review of Newer Technologies G3/466 CPU upgrade for Powerbook G3 Wallstreet and Lombard models. |
| Inside the PB G3 Wallstreet | A look inside and out of the 1998 PowerBook G3 (aka wallstreet). Also includes an illustrated guide to adding ram. (For a guide to installing ram in the *lower slot* (requires removing the CPU module) see this transintl.com guide.) |
|
PB G3 (WallSteet 1)
vs Gateway Solo PII
|
Comparing the 1998 Powerbook G3/250/13.3 to the arguably one of the best PC Notebooks of the time. Includes design notes, costs, features comparison and performance results in many applications. |
PowerBook Wallstreet
Hard Drive Upgrade | Review and Installation of an IBM 20GB Travelstar drive in a PowerBook G3 Wallstreet. Includes photos of the installation and comparisons of performance with the original 4GB drive and the new 20GB drive.
|
| PowerBook Tips & Tricks | Tips on getting the most out of your PowerBook from Chris Martin. |
WallStreet PB G3
Reader Comments | Detailed Reader comments on the 1998 Powerbook G3 models. |
| Into the Lion's Den | PB G3 steals the (PC) show! |
| PB 2400 G3 CPU Upgrade | Reader review of the Newer Tech PowerBook 2400 G3 CPU upgrade, including battery life tests. (Newer Tech stopped making these upgrades, as did Vimage The CPU Review database has other reports on them.) |
| PowerBook G3 vs Pentium II | (1998 article) ByteMark is not what I consider a very useful Benchmarks, but this very old article shows how the original PowerBook G3 compared to the Pentium II in ByteMark tests. |
| iMac, eMac & iBook System Related Articles |
iMac eSATA Mod
(using Mini-PCIe Card)
|
(Sept 2010) iMac (intel-based) notes and pictures on swapping out the Airport card with the same 2-port SATA card for eSATA used earlier by Mini owners. (See article link below.)
(An earlier article on this mod is here.) |
Info on iMac's HD + SSD Option w/service part info
|
2010 iMac owner's notes with Apple P/Ns on cables for adding a SSD to a 27in Mac with Hard Drive. (If any reader knows if the same parts are used for 2011 iMacs, send a note. Thanks.) |
| 2007/AL iMac Owner Feedback |
2007 (Alum) iMac (20in, 24in) owner reports on features, heat, performance, higher-res iSight, new keyboard and more. (Also includes links to downloads at Apple for AL/2007 iMac specific updates.) |
2007 iMac 20in LCD Feedback/Tips
(viewing angles/washed out color)
|
A catch-all page with notes/specs/tips on the first Intel-CPU 20in iMacs Display which has less viewing angle than the previous 20in (or the 24in). Includes notes on custom display calibration/gamma that can help with the washed out color/overly bright display. |
| Notes/Guide to Intel-CPU iMac Take-Apart
|
Notes on Tools and Steps required to take apart the Intel CPU iMacs (for hard drive, CPU upgrades, etc.) |
| Intel Core Duo iMac Disassembly/Hard Drive Upgrade Guide | Reader guide/photo gallery on Intel CPU iMac take-apart/Hard drive upgrade guide. BTW: He had problems with a Western Digital WD4000KD (400GB) drive in the Intel CPU iMac, but said a Maxtor (300GB) model was literally plug an play. (G5 owners also reported problems in the past with the WD4000KD drive on the onboard SATA.) |
| iBook G4 Vreg Chip Solder Joint Repair |
Article on repairing cracked solder joints on the iBook G4 motherboard voltage regulator chip (prone to cracks over time.) |
| 2007 iMac Owner Feedback |
2007 iMac (20in, 24in) owner reports on features, heat, performance, higher-res iSight, new keyboard and more. |
2007 iMac 20in LCD Feedback/Tips
(viewing angles/washed out color)
|
A catch-all page with notes/specs/tips on the new (Aug 2007) 20in iMacsDisplay which has less viewing angle than the previous 20in (or the 24in). Includes notes on custom display calibration/gamma that can help with the washed out color/overly bright display. |
| Notes/Guide to Intel-CPU iMac Take-Apart
|
Notes on Tools and Steps required to take apart the Intel CPU iMacs (for hard drive, CPU upgrades, etc.) |
| Article on iBook G3 Video Repair (may not be a permanent fix)
| April 24th, 2006 news page item on iBook G3 graphics problem repair (where BGA chip solder joints break). Includes notes it may not be a permanent repair.
|
| Inside Photos of iMac G5 (iSight)
| An iMac G5 (iSight) 20in model owner sent photos of the internals and X600 XT video memory chip.
|
| eMac Superdrive Install Guide (PDF File) | Trevor Hardwick sent an eMac superdrive install guide w/photos (He used a Pioneer DVR-109) that I've mirrored here as a PDF doc download.
|
| iMac G5 Cooling Fan Mod/Temperature reports | iMac G5 owner's mod to add a cooling fan on the rear to prevent overheating. Includes many other iMac G5 owner reports on internal temperatures, etc.
|
| Review/Performance Tests of iBook G4/800 | Full review of iBook G4/800 with apps, games and benchmark tests. Includes comparisons to other systems.
|
| iBook G4 First Impressions | An iBook G4 owner comments onon design, heat, battery life, Panther/10.3, and the Dual Display Mod working.
|
| Hitachi 80GB iBook/PowerBook Hard Drive Tests | Tests with the Hitachi 80GB Travelstar notebook hard drive. (Fits ibook and powerbook models.)
|
iMac G4 Owner reports
on Big IDE Drive Support | iMac G4 (and Quicksilver) owner reports that Jaguar (OS 10.2) allowed "big" (>128GB) IDE drives to be used to their full capacity with the onboard IDE interface without needing 3rd party drivers or an IDE PCI card. (Apple as of May 2003 still notes only MDD G4s and Xserves have native big drive/48bit addressing support in the bootrom.)
|
| iMac to ATX/PowerCenter Case Conversion |
Reader article on converting early iMac (233-333MHz) to an ATX/PowerCenter case including soft power on/off. |
| iMac G3/233 Clear Cube Case Conversion |
Reader's home-made large clear Cube case conversion for an early iMac. |
| iMac to Mac IICI Case Conversion |
Pat Sullivan sent a Word doc that I converted to HTML with photos and info on his iMac to IICI case conversion he performed on a used iMac with analog board failure |
IDE External CDRW mod
for early iMacs |
Reader mini-guide for installing an external IDE CDRW drive with an early iMac.
|
iBook Combo Drive
Slow CDR Write Speeds |
Reader reports/tips on the slow CDR write speed issue many owners saw with iBook 2002 combo DVD/CDR drives.
|
|
iBook (Radeon)/eMac (ATI)/iMac G4/G5 -
Dual Monitor Support Firmware Mod
| Reader reports on a firmware mod (unsupported by apple) to enable dual display support for iBook's w/Radeon Mobility chip, eMacs w/ATI graphics and iMac G4/G5s. (Does not work with Mac Mini and some other later models, nor older iBook/iMac models that had older graphics chips.) |
| iMac G4 Take-Apart
| Reader article w/photos of disassembling the iMac G4 (flat panel 2002 model) for things like RAM or Drive upgrades.
(**NOTE** - probably voids Apple warranty.) |
| iBook 2002 Overclocking via Hardware
| Reader article on iBook 2002Overclocking via resistor mods. (**NOTE** - voids warranty and may lead to permanent damage.) |
| iBook 2002 Overclocking via Software?
| Reader reports on software overclocking of the iBook 2002's IBM 750FX CPU.
(**WARNING** - voids warranty and may lead to permanent damage.) |
| iMac G4 iMovie2 Performance Compared to Other Macs | Reader report comparing iMovie2 performance to a G4/867 Tower, PowerBook G4/550, iBook G3/500 and G4/350 AGP system. |
| iBook 2001 Overclocking Guide - 100Mhz Bus Speed/600MHz CPU Tests | A reader sent a guide to how he modified his 2001 iBook to run at 100mhz bus speed and 600mhz CPU speed. Includes before/after performance tests and photos. (Warning - voids the warranty and requires skilled soldering.) |
iMac DV SE
Review | Detailed review of the iMac DV SE (1999 model) with 400MHz G3 CPU, Rage128 graphics chip, DVD, and Firewire. Includes Applications, Game Performance and Benchmark test results. |
iMAXpowr G4/433
World's First iMac G4 upgrade! | A detailed review of Newer Tech's G4 CPU upgrade for rev A to D (233-33Mhz) iMacs. Includes application and game tests using my rev A iMac with Game Wizard graphics card. |
| Painting 2001 iBook | A 2001 iBook owner sent an article w/photos on how he painted the case. |
| Older Mac System Reviews and Related Articles |
Frequently
Asked Questions | If the site reviews/articles/guides don't answer a question on your older Mac, check the topics areas here. |
| Case Conversion with 2 Mac Motherboards inside | Adrianna Lane sent photos and info on her unusual Case Conversion with 2 Mac Motherboards inside - a B&W G3 and PowerTower Pro logic board in the same case
|
OS X 1.0 Install page
for 7300-9600 Macs | Reader Ryan Remple has a page with details on installing OS X 1.0 on these "unsupported" Mac models. (The CD installer will not run on these Macs. Officially OS X 1.0 requires a Beige G3 or later Mac.) NOTE: for Older Mac owner reports on OS X - see our Discussion Forums OS X on pre-Beige G3 Macs area. |
Inside the Daystar Genesis
(1998's Project Mac) | A look inside my loaded Daystar Genesis, the 1998 Ultimate Mac project system. Nicknamed "Elvis" since it's the King of expandability and installed components. 6 internal SCSI drives (incl. 4-drive RAID stripe), Dual SCSI cards, 768MB of RAM and much more. (Currently running a Newer Tech G4/400 CPU card) |
9600/350
The Mach 5Page | Differences in the Mach 5 motherboard/CPU cards and more. Info on the lower video/memory performance of the Kansas motherboard. |
8500 Cache Dimm
Upgrade Guide | 1997 article on how to replace the L2 cache dimm in a 8500 (9500 case is similar). Also useful for adding RAM. Read the warnings on potential damage from handling the motherboard. (8600/9600 cases flip open. 8600/250 and up systems have no L2 cache dimm - it's on the CPU card.) |
X-Force 250
System Review: | POWERtools PPC750 Hi-End system (S900 motherboard based). 1997 review (company no longer in business) |
Inside the
PowerCenter Pro
Review | My 1997 review of the PowerComputing PowerCenter Pro. The review covers performance of the 180/210/240 models, compatibility notes, upgrade tips and more. Also includes pages with photos inside the system identifying various components like CPU card, cache, video riser and more. |
PowerComputing Upgrades
Risky? | Although very rare, there are several reader reports indicating that there is a risk of system failures from upgrading some PowerComputing systems. Read this article for a tip that might save you $$$ and grief on repairs you don't need! |
| PC ATX Power Supply Conversion for 8600/9600 | Reader Dick Moore shows how he converted a PC ATX power supply for using in his 8600 (9600 similar). |
8500 to PC ATX
Case Conversion | Reader Dan Calhoun shows how he converted his 8500 to work in a PC ATX case for easier access and more drive bays. |
7500 to PC ATX
Case Conversion | Reader Paul de Haan shows how he converted his 7500 to work in a PC ATX case. |
| Upgrade or New System? | Darin Ames writes an analysis of his Upgrade a 9600/350 or buy a New B&W G3 decision. |
|
Umax S900 Tips
|
Owner Tips on S900 specific problems |
Umax S900/Power3D
Owner Feedback | Reader Feedback on 3Dfx cards installed in the S900. |
| Umax S900/PortJuggler | Reader Feedback on PortJuggler and the S900. |
Interleaved RAM
Does it Matter? | Many older Macs support interleaved RAM. Which Applications does it most benefit and by how much? Includes interesting memory bandwidth test results as well. |
|
Q&A with Newer Tech on G3 Bus Speeds
|
A detailed explaination from Newer Tech on why a faster bus does not help performance in older Macs with G3 CPU cards. (Thanks Kent Kanja!)
|
|
Past, Present and Future Issues of G3 CPU Card Upgrades
|
A detailed explaination of the bus speed issues and pros/cons of the G3 CPU card upgrades for Older Macs (pre-G3 systems).
|
|
Opening a 6400/6500 Case
|
Reader mail on how to get into these cases which apparently is not very obvious. I've also added this info to the General Mac Questions topic area of the Frequently Asked Questions. |
| General/Misc. Mac System Related Articles |
| Misc. Recent Posts/Articles | A listing of reports/tips/articles, etc not linked here that you might find useful. |
= Other Site Topic Areas =
CPU Upgrades | Storage | Firewire | Video Cards/Coolers | Audio | Apps/OS/Networking
|
= Reviews/Tests/Articles Wanted=If you have a performance oriented hardware or software product review/article/guide, mod, upgrade, etc - Contact Me. This site is read by thousands of motivated Mac users each day! Don't take my word for it - see what readers had to say. |
Thanks to my wife for tolerating all the time I spend on this site.
|
