PowerBookG4 2.0GHz CPU upgrade by Daystar

[FarSide]

That is even better then the MacBook Pro 2.13GHz CTO... =.)

from www.barefeats.com

February 15th, 2006: Daystar announces up to 2.0GHz upgrade for Aluminum G4 PowerBooks.

The base price of $499 includes all parts and labor.

PowerBook G4 15": 1.0, 1.25, 1.33 upgraded to 1.92 GHz
PowerBook G4 15": 1.5 is upgraded to 2.0 GHz
PowerBook G4 17": 1.33 upgraded to 1.92 GHz
PowerBook G4 17": 1.5 is upgraded to 2.0 GHz

[Daedalus256]

That's really cool but I can honestly think of about 100000 other ways to spend $500.

[jacobj]

When you have to spend $500 to give your machine a little boost, then it really is time to move on..

[aricher]

"Note that this upgrade does void any Apple based logic board warranties."

Scary, I've had my PB 17" 1.33 logic board replaced twice - all covered under AppleCare. I would have spent nearly $1,000 on repairs each time had I not had AppleCare.

That said I'd think about it an another year once my AppleCare is over and if the CPU install prices came down.

[zap2]

Originally Posted by jacobj

When you have to spend $500 to give your machine a little boost, then it really is time to move on..

i think this upgrade is more for low mhz G4 PB, not the 1.67Ghz

[Heb1228]

Anybody ever tried one of these things? I wouldn't do it anytime soon, but if the prices came down from $499 I might be willing to try it in another year or so. This things already gets hot enough.

[FarSide]

What are some people thinking when they post? It's just incredible.

Fact is - if you have a PowerBookG4 1.0GHz or a 1.25GHz, this would be more then just a lil speed bump. But some people prefer to mess around I suspose...
Have fun boys =.) - Daedalus256 & jacobj

[yg17]

Originally Posted by FarSide

What are some poeple thinking when they post? It's just incredible.

Fact is - if you have a PowerBookG4 1.0GHz or a 1.25GHz, this would be more then just a lil speed bump. But some people prefer to mess around I suspose...
Have fun boys =.)

Right, for that old of a Powerbook, this makes a bit more sense. But I would never upgrade my 1.67GHz PowerBook because it's just a minor speed bump, and more importantly, it voids the warranty.

[Daedalus256]

Originally Posted by FarSide

What are some people thinking when they post? It's just incredible.

Fact is - if you have a PowerBookG4 1.0GHz or a 1.25GHz, this would be more then just a lil speed bump. But some people prefer to mess around I suspose...
Have fun boys =.) - Daedalus256 & jacobj

What am I thinking? I'm thinking that I could spend $500 in a lot of different ways than shelling it out for a 700mhz upgrade for my G4 Pbook. Here are a couple examples:

Getting my car fixed
Gas
Rent
Food
Tuition
A nicer apartment
A new TV
Better internet ISP
A better cell phone
Some more RAM for my PC

Need I say anymore? I'm sorry but this stuff is just too expensive for the average user. Sure if you have thousands of dollars in excess per year to waste on this garbage you can afford it but the average user is just not going to spent the $500 for this upgrade.

So the next time you try to flame me on the internet, try to use your friggin brain.

[Little Endian]

I am more interested in what PowerLogix may have to offer. PoweLogix is supposed to be launching PowerPC G4 7448 processor upgrades that clock as high as 2Ghz and double the L2 cache to a full 1MB. The 7448 should also run considerably cooler than the current 7447 G4.

http://www.powerlogix.com/press/rele...06/060110.html

[zap2]

Originally Posted by Daedalus256

What am I thinking? I'm thinking that I could spend $500 in a lot of different ways than shelling it out for a 700mhz upgrade for my G4 Pbook. Here are a couple examples:

Getting my car fixed
Gas
Rent
Food
Tuition
A nicer apartment
A new TV
Better internet ISP
A better cell phone
Some more RAM for my PC

Need I say anymore? I'm sorry but this stuff is just too expensive for the average user. Sure if you have thousands of dollars in excess per year to waste on this garbage you can afford it but the average user is just not going to spent the $500 for this upgrade.

So the next time you try to flame me on the internet, try to use your friggin brain.

Or if you PowerBook is aging and you 1) don't have the cash to buy a new one 2) love your old PB

[Daedalus256]

Originally Posted by zap2

Or if you PowerBook is aging and you 1) don't have the cash to buy a new one 2) love your old PB

Yeah but my life doesn't revolve around my Powerbook or my computers. It revolves around me surviving, getting what I need, etc.

[California]

I bought three Tibook upgrades from Daystar and was very happy.

However, the current Albook pricing is just slightly too high to be make anyone happy.

Daystar does put a lot of money in R and D, I presume, but they would more than make it all back if these prices were more in the 325 dollar than 500 dollar range. More people would buy. Plus their work is warrantied for out of warranty Albooks. There could be a really good price point for all concerned here -- it is just curious to me why they are asking so much.

For example, a speed bump on my 12" PB 1.5ghz takes it up only to 1.83ghz -- and costs $699.00????? And voids my three years of Applecare which is over in December 2008?

Maybe, in three years, I'd consider for maybe 200 dollars. Maybe.

All that said, Daystars CPU upgrades are WONDERFUL. I just wish they could afford to drop prices to reasonable level -- they'd sell and sell and sell if they did.

[yoda13]

I might be interested in this in another year and a half when AppleCare expires on my Powerbook, but not before then. Hopefully, by then I will be able to afford a new MacBook Pro, but if not, then this is something I would really consider, esp. with a small price drop by then.

[iHeartTheApple]

I wonder if they're planning on making an upgrade option for the 1.67GHz PBG4's...Maybe to 2.0 or 2.25ish, something like that...I agree with you all that losing applecare coverage sucks, but I just bought my PB (listed in my sig) and I plan on using it for a long time. So in another year or two, a processor upgrade might not be a bad idea. Their prices do need to come down a bit though...

[donniedarko]

500 bucks in the big picture of things isn't much...
Life is short I buy what I want if I have the dough.

I like upgrading my stuff.

and as it has been said to each there own.
dd

[California]

Originally Posted by donniedarko

500 bucks in the big picture of things isn't much...
Life is short I buy what I want if I have the dough.

I like upgrading my stuff.

and as it has been said to each there own.
dd

That makes no sense. Apple's iBooks in a couple of years should be hovering at that price point with specs that will blow our pbs out of the water.

Daystar needs to remember that it is not the 90's anymore and Apple's switch to Intel is to give Dell a run for their money with quality at a good price.

In other words, what gives with the high priced upgrades? What about the actual labor on the machines equals seven hundred dollars for some pb cpus?

Three hundred bucks is reasonable and they'd be flying out the window. Maybe they would do a group discount for MR people.

[FarSide]

I am not sure but maybe those CPU Upgrades include a new modified logicboard aswell. I don't think a PB G4 1.0GHz Logicboard is made for a 1.92GHz. Maybe I assume completely wrong. In case it includes a new logicboard, the price would be acceptable. What is included in a CPU speed upgrade (almost double clocked)?

[Amuraivel]

If they could upgrade the GPU/VRAM and the processor at the same time--I would be all over that for my PB 12", but as it stands, 500USD is too expensive.

I looked into because I love the 12", but need more power.

I would upgrade my PB for 300USD though.

[toothpaste]

Originally Posted by Daedalus256

What am I thinking? I'm thinking that I could spend $500 in a lot of different ways than shelling it out for a 700mhz upgrade for my G4 Pbook. Here are a couple examples:

Getting my car fixed
Gas
Rent
Food
Tuition
A nicer apartment
A new TV
Better internet ISP
A better cell phone
Some more RAM for my PC

Need I say anymore? I'm sorry but this stuff is just too expensive for the average user. Sure if you have thousands of dollars in excess per year to waste on this garbage you can afford it but the average user is just not going to spent the $500 for this upgrade.

So the next time you try to flame me on the internet, try to use your friggin brain.

Ditto. What kind of apartment can you get for $500 more? $500/12 months is $41.67. How much better is the apartment you are going to get than the one you have now for $42 bucks a month? I'm really curious.

[Daedalus256]

Originally Posted by toothpaste

Ditto. What kind of apartment can you get for $500 more? $500/12 months is $41.67. How much better is the apartment you are going to get than the one you have now for $42 bucks a month? I'm really curious.

I currently live in overpriced school housing. I pay $600/month to live there. If I moved out and found a different apartment (Because many cost much less than $500) This 2.0Ghz Upgrade could pay for my apartment for like...two or three months, heh.

Plus my car has been making creaking noises :/

[California]

Originally Posted by FarSide

I am not sure but maybe those CPU Upgrades include a new modified logicboard aswell. I don't think a PB G4 1.0GHz Logicboard is made for a 1.92GHz. Maybe I assume completely wrong. In case it includes a new logicboard, the price would be acceptable. What is included in a CPU speed upgrade (almost double clocked)?

No, a CPU "upgrade" does not mean a new logic board. Daystar only can upgrade certain boards to a certain speed. If they were making boards, they would be bumping up against Intel.

Intel makes boards. It is not an easy business to be in .

[spaceballl]

Mac upgrades are always overpriced, but if someone has a 1 - 1.33 ghz powerbook, $500 might buy you another year of solid life for the powerbook until you finally want to make the plunge to newer rev macbooks.

of course it's overpriced, but there's definitely a market for it.

[California]

Originally Posted by spaceballl

of course it's overpriced, but there's definitely a market for it.

Just saying that they'd get more business if they lowered prices. That's all. I have a feeling the high prices reflect r and d costs, not the actual labor of upgrading the CPU.

[Heb1228]

Originally Posted by spaceballl

Mac upgrades are always overpriced, but if someone has a 1 - 1.33 ghz powerbook, $500 might buy you another year of solid life for the powerbook until you finally want to make the plunge to newer rev macbooks.

Yeah I agree. When my Applecare runs out in October or so, if I could bump from 1.33 to 2.0 for $300-$400, I might go for it. Especially if Apple continues to not include FW800 on MacBooks! And if its still going to be a few months until all the apps I use are universal binaries.

My question would be if FSB speed remains the same (I think 167 MHz) does the increased clock speed really have that much of an impact on performance? Doesn't it just kind of create a system bottleneck?