Guide to G3 ZIF Upgrades
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Updated 2003.05.11
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If you have a Power Mac G3, whether the original beige model or the blue & white one, moving to a faster CPU is as easy as removing the current one and inserting a new on in the zero insertion force (ZIF) socket.
Benchmark scores are MacBench 5 (note that these are roughly 7% lower than MacBench 4 scores). For comparison purposes, the beige Power Mac G3/300 has a CPU score of 1000, the new $1,600 blue & white G3/300 scores 926 (due to a smaller L2 cache), the G3/350 reaches 1145, and the top of the line G3/400 hits 1310.
Be sure to read That extra 10% to help you decide which upgrade provides the best value for you.
The information is as accurate as I can find, but specifications and availability are subject to change; I suggest you check with the manufacturer to verify current models. Prices may be outdated. (Prices are in $US, and no price is listed for discontinued upgrades.) In fact, models are added and discontinued so often, it's impossible to keep track of which models are current.
- Accelerate Your Mac has user reports on various G3 upgrades.
- dealmac tracks special deals on ZIF upgrades.
NOTE: Not all upgrades are compatible with the Blue G3.
Discontinued accelerators are listed for historical reasons.
| Manufacturer | CPU Speed |
Cache Size |
Cache Speed |
MacBench 5.0 rating* |
Estimated Street Price |
Estimated |
| metabox joeCARD Z adjustable bus discontinued |
500 MHz | 1 MB | 250 MHz |
| Newer Technology MAXpowr G3 discontinued |
500 MHz | 1 MB | 250 MHz |
| phase5 G3 Power Booster discontinued |
466 MHz | 1 MB | 233 MHz | |||
| 450 MHz | 1 MB | 225 MHz | ||||
| 400 MHz | 1 MB | 200 MHz |
| PowerLogix PowerForce ZIF adjustable bus updated 9/11/07 |
500 MHz | 1 MB | 250 MHz | |||
| 1 GHz | 1 MB | 1 GHz | $140 | |||
| 1.1 GHz | 1 MB | 1.1 GHz |
| Sonnet Technologies Encore/ZIF discontinued |
500 MHz | 1 MB | 250 MHz |
| XLR8 MACh Speed G3z adjustable bus discontinued |
500 MHz | 1 MB | 250 MHz | |||
| 466 MHz | 1 MB | 233 MHz | ||||
| 450 MHz | 1 MB | 225 MHz | ||||
| 400 MHz | 1 MB | 200 MHz | 1341 |
9.00 |
||
| 366 MHz | 1 MB | 183 MHz | 1228 | |||
| 333 MHz | 1 MB | 167 MHz | 1117 |
3.29 |
||
| 300 MHz | 1 MB | 200 MHz | 1005 |
* Processor score from MacWeek or Macworld when possible, but most MacBench ratings are from manufacturers. End user results may vary based on a number of factors including bus speed and OS used.
** Estimated value is MacBench rating divided by price. Higher numbers represent more bang for the buck.
Reviews & Overviews
- Is it worth putting a G3 in an older Mac?, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive, 11/3/00. As always, it depends, but sometimes a used Power Mac G3 is the better value.
- Macs Only!
- MacWeek and Macworld (use search to find reviews)
- Mac Speed Zone
- Accelerate Your Mac
This page created May 19, 1999 and updated occasionally.
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