Sonnet today announced a new Encore/ZIF G4 1.0GHz model, the fastest processor upgrade available for Power Macs with ZIF processor sockets. The upgrade utilizes the Motorola 745X series G4 chips and has 256K of L2 cache with 1MB of L3 cache, which provides up to a ten time speed improvement over the original system.
The new Encore/ZIF G4 1GHz is compatible with Beige G3 Power Macs. Additional speeds and expanded compatibility with Blue & White and G4 PCI Graphics systems are expected in the coming weeks for US$700. Sonnet continues to offer its entry-level of Encore/ZIF G4 models, which are compatible with all Beige G3s, Blue & White G3 Towers, and PCI Graphics G4 Towers. The Encore/ZIF G3/500M is $170 and the Encore/ZIF G4/500 is $300.
More info here.
finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow! I thought we had been told not to expect anything better than the G4/550’s that have been around awhile. At over double the price, I’m not sure I would choose it over the G3/800 at this point, but it’s nice to know I can if I want to. Yosemite lives!
Yes, pricey, at more than twice what the g3/800 or G4/500 costs. Remember also that they haven’t yet announced support for the Yosemite on the 1Ghz, only for beiges. I think I will wait for a trusty XLR8yourmac review first, and perhaps, a price drop.
Interesting to note that this article talks about the chip being based on 745x, with a L3 cache, yet the Sonnet site shows it as a L2, which would put it as an enhanced/overclocked 741x, wouldn’t it? It only has a 4:1 cache ratio…
Let’s hope they really have got around the motherboard issues that have plagued rivals like Powerlogix in developing decent G4s for the Blue and White G3.