Other World Computing (OWC) today introduced the Mercury G4/450-533 megahertz (MHz) ZIF upgrade with one megabyte (MB) L2 Cache for the Apple PowerMac G3 Beige, G3 Blue & White and G4 “Yikes” models. This new model replaces OWC’s G4/450MHz, G4/500MHz and G4/533MHz models.
Available through [url=http://www.macsales.com/MercuryZIF]http://www.macsales.com/MercuryZIF[/url] for $149.99, the Mercury G4/450-533MHz ZIF upgrade is more affordable and flexible than its predecessors. It uses a high temperature Motorola G4/450MHz processor that is tested and guaranteed for safe, reliable operation of up to 533MHz in all Power Mac G3 Beige models (Desktop, Minitower and All-In-One) and G4/500MHz operation in all PowerMac G3 Blue & White and G4 “Yikes” PCI models.
“OWC’s new G4/450-533MHz ZIF upgrade is a great way to significantly speed up these PowerMacs for a very reasonable investment,” said Larry O’Connor, president of Other World Computing in the press release. “You’re not just getting more megahertz, but when you upgrade any of the PowerMac G3s you’re also doubling the L2 Cache from 512 kilobytes (KB) to 1,024KB (1MB). That additional L2 Cache plus the boost to processor speed provides a leap in system performance that is a difference of night and day.”
The new Mercury ZIF plug-and-play upgrade is fully compatible with all existing hardware and software, and with Apple OS 8.6 through 9.2.2, and all versions of Apple OS X up to and including 10.3.x “Panther.” The upgrade comes with a two-year warranty from OWC.
Hello? What are you thinking?
Upgrade directly to the G5 instead!
Yikes! Who on earth want’s one?
I DO. A friend gave me his old 8500 with a carrier card. I want to get the kids off the eMac so this way they can run Jaguar with iTunes and surf just fine…….
“Who on earth want’s one?” Perhaps the owner of a beige G3 who just wants a little better performance without spending 15-20 times as much?
You mean I can upgrade directly to the G5 for $150? Please provide link.
I give up!
Beige G3. So out of support scope.
The problem is that unlike M$, you don’t have to upgrade too much to run the latest OS from Apple. So there are still a lot of old Macs still in use. A lot more than old Wintels. Mac users are smart enough to know that they do not NEED the latest and greatest hardware, just the latest hardware.
You aren’t going to believe this, but I just got a beige 233 desktop from my sis in law for a surfing/wp for my mom. It has os8. Is there a point to upgrading the os and if so what do I need to do ramwise (it has the original 32mb)and cpu wise?
I have a blue and white G3 350 and upgraded to this – now panther works just fine and I can take advantage of the G4 chip too. Eventually I will get a new machine – but this is fine for web design, surfing, and leisure stuff. My iSight works too. Of course I think I paid around $250 for mine a few months ago. Oh, well – it’s still worth it. Between this and my G5 dual 1.8GB at work, I never really can tell the difference that much. I’ve never said to myself “This is a slug”, except maybe when I’m working of a complex 3D project or poster-size photoshop file. But, that’s what weekends at the office are for.
“You aren’t going to believe this, but I just got a beige 233 desktop from my sis in law for a surfing/wp for my mom”
No-Way! That is un-believable!
you just got a beige 233????????
it’s a desktop?????
it’s from your sis-in-law?????????
using it for surfing???? and wp????
for you mom??????
That’s just Crazzzay!!!!
seriously, don’t spend more than $100 upgrading, cuz by that point you might as well get a blue and white G3 off e-bay
Joe: Perhaps more helpful:
If your mom is happy with just word processing and light surfing/e-mail, you probably don’t need to do anything with it; you have a machine quite capable of handling her needs. If you want, with that machine you can quite comfortably move up to OS 9, which will let you get into more media-type stuff — the classic versions of iTunes and iMovie are available for OS 9. I would suggest increasing the RAM to at least 128 M if you want to do that.
If you want to go all out and run OS X, you’d have to spend too much to make it economically worthwhile. A processor upgrade, video card upgrade. maxing out the RAM and (probably) getting a new hard drive. You probably want a USB/firewire card, too … at that point you’re better off getting a refurb eMac, or, if you don’t want to spend that much, a second hand G3 blue and white as silly suggests.
Hope this helps.
Thanks functus, and silly too. We will run it stock and see how it goes for a while.
I know what stuff is worth on ebay…….after I told sis what the box was worth and resuscitated her, I made a pretty good deal………….she is not worldly, and was surprised that her $2k purchase was now worth $50. What I paid, in the interest of family harmony, was a bit more.
I think this was a good idea like a year and a half ago. Since the G5’s was released this product is dead.
Your sister in law does not like you 🙁
People should forget Os 9 and move those machines to the museum.
That is my humble opinion. Os X is so much better that it there is no reason to hold back any more. Actually there is thousands of reasons to move qiuckly away from Os 9.