Guide to CPU Upgrades for AGP G4 Power Macs
Updated 2008.06.04
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The Power Mac G4 started life as a powerful computer, but some are
already five years old and could use a speed boost. Although more
memory and a faster hard drive can improve system performance,
replacing the old G4 with one or two newer, faster G4 processors is
just the ticket for processor-intensive work.
Current CPU upgrades range from 550 MHz to 1.5 GHz, and dual processor
models offer speeds to 1.33 GHz.
Upgrades on this page may work in any of the following models. Be
sure to check manufacturer specifications for full compatibility
details. The following numbers are used in the tables below to noted
compatibility. At this time, only Sonnet makes CPU upgrades for the
1.25-1.42 GHz MDD models that have a 167 MHz system bus.
- G4/350-500 Sawtooth/AGP
graphics - 100 MHz bus
- G4/450-500 dual
processor - 100 MHz bus
- Cube - 100 MHz bus
- G4/466-533 (digital
audio) - 133 MHz bus
- G4/667-733 (digital
audio) - 133 MHz bus
- G4/733-867
(Quicksilver) - 133 MHz bus
- G4/800-1 GHz (Quicksilver
2002) - 133 MHz bus
- G4/867 MHz dual (Mirror Drive
Door) - 133 MHz bus
G4/1 GHz (FireWire 800) -
133 MHz bus
- G4/1-1.25 GHz GHz dual (Mirror
Drive Door) - 167 MHz bus
G4/1-1.42 GHz (FireWire
800) - 167 MHz bus
G4/1.25 GHz (June 2003) -
167 MHz bus
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 keep dropping, so these
prices may be outdated. (Prices are in $US.) In fact, models are added
and discontinued so often, it's impossible to keep track of which
models are current.
NOTE: These upgrades are not compatible with the
Yikes! G4. See our Guide to G4 ZIF Upgrades for
Power Mac G3 and G4 "Yikes!" models.
Discontinued accelerators are listed for historical reasons. On dual
processor upgrades, cache size is per processor.
The PowerPC 7451 and 7455 have an internal 256 KB level 2 cache. The
7447 and 7457 have 512 KB. The 7448 has 1 MB. All else being equal, the
bigger cache will make upgrades a bit faster.
|
CPU
Speed
|
L3
Cache
|
Cache
Speed
|
CPU
|
Estimated
Street Price
|
Giga Designs, CPUs may be
overclocked
Compatible with 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 - see site for details |
| 1.2 GHz |
2 MB |
240 MHz |
1.0 GHz 7455 |
disc. |
| 1.4 GHz |
2 MB |
233 MHz |
1.25 GHz 7455B |
$219 |
| 1.467 GHz |
2 MB |
244 MHz |
1.25 GHz 7455 |
disc. |
| 1.5 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
1.25 GHz 7455 |
disc. |
| 1.53 GHz |
2 MB |
unknown |
1.53 GHz 7455B |
$249 |
| 1.6 GHz |
|
1.6 GHz 7447A |
disc. |
| 1.8 GHz |
|
|
1.8 GHz 7447A |
disc. |
| dual 1.2 GHz |
2 MB |
240 MHz |
1.0 GHz 7455 |
disc. |
| dual 1.3 GHz |
2 MB |
222 MHz |
1.25 GHz 7457 |
disc. |
| dual 1.33 GHz |
2 MB |
280 MHz |
1.25 GHz 7455B |
disc. |
| dual 1.4 GHz |
2 MB |
280 MHz |
1.25 GHz 7457 |
disc. |
| dual 1.7 GHz |
|
1.7 GHz 7447A |
disc. |
| dual 1.8 GHz |
|
1.8 GHz 7447A |
disc. |
| For the Cube |
| 1.33-1.5 GHz |
2 MB |
222-250 MHz |
1.33 GHz 7457 |
disc. |
| For Mirrored Drive Door |
| 1.33 GHz |
2 MB |
167 MHz |
1.33 GHz 7455B |
disc. |
| 1.4 GHz |
2 MB |
233 MHz |
1.25 GHz 7455 |
disc. |
Newer
Technology MAXPower
G4/7447A, MAXPower
G4/7448
Compatible with 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 1.6 GHz |
512 KB |
1.6 GHz |
7447A |
$230 |
| 1.6 GHz dual |
512 KB |
1.6 GHz |
7447A |
$400 |
| 1.7 GHz dual |
512 MB |
1.7 GHz |
7447A |
$500 |
| 1.8 GHz dual |
512 KB |
1.8 GHz |
7447A |
$600 |
| 1.8 GHz |
1 MB |
1.8 GHz |
7448 |
$340 |
| 2.0 GHz |
1 MB |
2.0 GHz |
7448 |
$399 |
| 1.7 GHz dual |
1 MB |
1.7 GHz |
7448 |
$599 |
| 1.8 GHz |
1 MB |
1.8 GHz |
7448 |
$699 |
Other
World Computing Mercury
Extreme
Compatible with 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 867-933 MHz |
2 MB |
173-233 MHz |
7455A |
disc. |
| 933 MHz-1.0 GHz |
2 MB |
233-250 MHz |
933 MHz 7455A |
disc. |
| 1.0 GHz |
2 MB |
233-250 MHz |
1.0- GHz 7455A |
disc. |
| 1.2 GHz |
2 MB |
240 MHz |
1.0 GHz 7455 |
disc. |
| 1.2 GHz |
2 MB |
240 MHz |
1.2 GHz 7455B |
$199 |
| 1.25 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
1.25 GHz 7455A |
disc. |
| 1.25-1.33 GHz |
2 MB |
208-222 MHz |
1.25 GHz 7455B |
disc. |
| 1.4 GHz |
2 MB |
233 MHz |
1.33 GHz 7455B |
disc. |
| 1.467-1.5 GHz |
2 MB |
245-250 MHz |
1.5 GHz 7455B |
$260 |
Operator Headgap Used,
sometimes overclocked Apple CPUs
Compatible with 1, 2 (single-processor model only) |
| 400 MHz |
1 MB |
200 MHz |
400 MHz 7400 |
$12.77 |
| 500 MHz |
1 MB |
250 MHz |
450/466 MHz 7400 |
$24.77 |
| 550 MHz |
1 MB |
275 MHz |
466 MHz 7400 |
$49.77 |
| 600 MHz |
1 MB |
600 MHz |
533 MHz 7410 |
$39.77 |
PowerLogix PowerForce G4
Single CPU
Compatible with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 800 MHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 1.2 GHz |
2 MB |
200 MHz |
1.0 GHz 7455 |
$179 |
| 1.4 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 1.6 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
1.2 GHz 7447A |
$439 |
PowerLogix
PowerForce 47/55
Compatible with 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 1 GHz |
2 MB |
200 MHz |
7455 |
$160 |
| 1.6 GHz |
|
7447A |
$220 |
| 1.2 GHz dual |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
7455 |
$300 |
| 1.6 GHz dual |
|
7447A |
$429 |
| 1.7 GHz dual |
|
7447A |
$449 |
| 1.8 GHz dual |
|
7447A |
$629 |
PowerLogix PowerForce G4 Series
100
Compatible with 1, 2, 3; $10 more for Cube fan kit |
| 700 MHz |
2 MB |
unknown |
|
disc. |
| 800 MHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 1 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 1.2 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
PowerLogix PowerForce 47/48 for
Cube
Compatible with 3 |
| 1.5 GHz |
512 KB |
7447 |
$250 |
| 1.7 GHz |
1 MB |
7448 |
$370 |
| 1.5 GHz dual |
512 KB |
7447 |
$450 |
| 1.6 GHz dual 7447 |
512 KB |
7447 |
disc. |
| 1.6 GHz dual 7448 |
1 MB |
7448 |
$680 |
PowerLogix PowerForce G4 Series
133
Compatible with 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 733 MHz |
2 MB |
unknown |
|
disc. |
| 867 MHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 1 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 1.6 GHz |
|
7447A |
disc. |
PowerLogix PowerForce
Dual G4 Series 100
Compatible with 1, 2, 3
"Early models of AGP have a bridge chip that is not compatible with
dual processors. We recommend the PowerForce G4 Series 100 (single
processor) for those machines." |
| 800 MHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc |
| 900 MHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc |
| 1 GHz Dual |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
7455 |
disc. |
| 1.3 GHz Dual |
2 MB |
unknown |
7455 |
disc. |
| 1.6 GHz Dual |
|
7447A |
disc. |
| 1.7 GHz Dual |
|
7447A |
disc. |
| 1.8 GHz Dual |
|
7447A |
disc. |
PowerLogix PowerForce
Dual G4 Series 133
Compatible with 4, 5, 6, 7
"The PowerMac G4 Cube has a lower capacity power supply and therefore
we conservatively recommend installing at most a Dual 800 MHz." |
| 867 MHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 933 MHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 1 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 1.2 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
7457 |
disc. |
| 1.33 GHz |
2 MB |
250 MHz |
7457 |
disc. |
| 1.6 GHz |
|
1.25 GHz 7447A |
$429 |
| 1.73 GHz |
|
1.42 GHz 7447A |
$499 |
| 1.8 GHz |
|
1.6 GHz 7447A |
$629 |
Sonnet Encore/ST
G4
Compatible with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 800 MHz |
2 MB |
400 MHz |
7455 |
disc. |
| 1 GHz |
2 MB |
500 MHz |
7455 |
$170 |
| 1.2 GHz |
2 MB |
unknown |
7455 |
disc. |
| 1.4 GHz |
2 MB |
unknown |
7457 |
disc. |
| 1.6 GHz |
|
7457 |
disc. |
| 1.7 GHz |
|
7457 |
disc. |
| 1.8 GHz |
|
7457 |
$270 |
Sonnet Encore/ST G4
Duet
Compatible with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 500 MHz |
1 MB |
250 MHz |
7455 |
disc. |
| 1.267-1.3 GHz |
2 MB |
unknown |
7455 |
disc. |
| 1.6 GHz |
2 MB |
unknown |
7447A |
disc. |
| 1.8 GHz |
2 MB |
unknown |
7447A |
$500 |
XLR8 MACh Speed G4 Sawtooth
Compatible with dual G4/450 and 500 only. |
| 500 MHz |
1 MB |
250 MHz |
7410 |
disc. |
| 550 MHz |
1 MB |
275 MHz |
7410 |
disc. |
XLR8 MACh Speed G4 ZIF MPe
Compatible with dual G4/450 and 500 only. |
| 350 MHz |
|
disc. |
| 400 MHz |
disc. |
| 450 MHz |
disc. |
| 500 MHz |
disc. |
| 550 MHz |
disc. |
