Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Processors compatible with 533 mhz G4 DA?

S

Scribbler

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 21, 2004
16
0
Midlands, UK
I have a pretty good G4 digital audio powermac but am finding the 533mhz processor a bit inadequate these days.
I obviously want to upgrade but can't afford to buy new, so was thinking of a 2nd hand processor from a more recent machine. The only problem is that I don't know what processors are compatible with my machine. (i would like minimum of dual 833mhz)
Can anyone help?
Does anyone know where i could buy one?
 
Cheers for the replies.
I was thinking more about 2nd hand processors as I can't really justify spending $700 on a new one!
There are a few on ebay but i don't want to buy one only to find it doesn't fit!
Are there any other online 2nd hand Mac sellers that are any good?
 
From what I've heard the slower Digital Audios (533MHz or slower) can't take a CPU card pulled from a 667 or 733MHz Digital Audio. I also doubt they will accept a card from a Quicksilver. I believe your only option is to go with a 3rd party upgrade. I haven't tried it myself, though.

For $200-230 you should be able to pick up a 1-1.2 GHz upgrade that will speed up your machine drastically. I would bump your RAM up to 1GB at the same time.

Total cost of a 1.2GHz CPU and 512MB more RAM should run ~ $300-320, and it will feel like an entirely new computer.
 
The Digital Audio series was the first to use the 133MHz FSB, and as such, that's the sort of processor that you need to find. Everything up through the Quicksilvers used the exact same socket, and so anything up that high should work in your machine. The 3rd party processors are somewhat more reliable, but 2nd hand stuff is often cheaper. Have a look around eBay.
 
Finding a board with matching the bus speed isn't that difficult, the problem is the physical size & shape of the thing. Also, the size of the heat sink & fan can mean that it won't fit either!
It's a potential minefield. I might take Blackadders advice and go for a 1.2ghz Sonnet or something, although they're a lot more expensive this side of the Atlantic!
 
Scribbler said:
Finding a board with matching the bus speed isn't that difficult, the problem is the physical size & shape of the thing. Also, the size of the heat sink & fan can mean that it won't fit either!
It's a potential minefield. I might take Blackadders advice and go for a 1.2ghz Sonnet or something, although they're a lot more expensive this side of the Atlantic!
Click to expand...

Doh! didn't look at your location. 😱

Still, the 3rd party cards are guaranteed to work, unlike the Apple 2nd hand cards.

If anybody has swapped their CPU with a newer Apple unit pulled from a faster Mac, speak up - I've read on several sites, among them this page on lowendmac.com that imply it won't work on certain models or between certain models.
 
Scribbler said:
Just spotted this on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=80031&item=5762578250&rd=1

He mentions that it ran on a digital audio but was pulled from a quicksilver. The board looks a lot bigger than the one in mine, as does the heat sink and I personally don't think the case would close when it was fitted.
$395 is a lot of money for me to gamble on a possible dud!
I just don't know!
Click to expand...

To add a quicksilver processor, there is a minor Hardware hack you need to acomplish before it will work. Most of the work is running a 12v power feed to the PROC, but there are other mods needed if you would like to continue using the stock Heatsink. I think if you are running a Digital Audio motherboard, some of the modifications are not needed (ie Removal of one of the IDE cable connectors.

http://homepage.mac.com/josephk/G4_mod.html

I am looking to update an older Digital Audio MB I have laying around with a QS chip.
 
Hmm, looks like the incompatibilites are menchanical rather than logical. If you're handy with tools a second hand Apple CPU seems like a viable option. From my experience you won't notice much performance difference unless you go to a 800 MHz or higher CPU from your 533.

And of course, always compare the total cost of the second hand Apple card modification to the cost of a 3rd party CPU upgrade - IMHO the only reason to go with the Apple CPU is to save money.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back