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Jun 28, 2007 8:24 AM in response to Tony Giordanoby Buggins Turn,Cheapest CPU upgrade? That would be a new Mac, I think. Seriously - those CPU upgrades are really expensive and they generally require the CPU card to be returned to the vendor. A second hand PowerBook G4 would be a better bet. Other than that, try to find a broken 500MHz Pismo on eBay. -
Aug 15, 2007 8:42 AM in response to Tony Giordanoby Doctor X,You can easily upgrade to a G4 550 MHz for about $200-$250. You will not get a decent used Mac for that price unless you are very lucky. This assumes you have upgraded your RAM to the 1G. That costs about another $140 depending on vendor and what chips you already have.
So, as with the responder noted, you have to add up the cost and see if you can get a better Mac for the price.
Here is an older article on the subject with links to some companies: LowEndMac.
If you look for upgrades, you will see a number of companies that will want you to send you your computer--through a box--do this or that, and pay about ~$350. Changing the processor is easier than changing the memory, which you may know, or you will know if you go to ifixit. Depending on the type, you just have to be sure the heat sink is in contact with the processor--which is almost impossible for it not to be, seriously. This saves you a lot of money. Comparing, you are looking at about $200-250.
Going from 400 MHz to 500 MHz for a G3 is not going to do much for you. You have to do a processor upgrade to a G4 550.
Wegener sells a simple kit--the paste, the torque wrench, and all that which you send back with your old processor board--which he uses to make more methinks. That was the cheapest one I found for about $200. You have to give a deposit for the kit which gets refunded after you send it back. The guy who runs it is a schmuck to deal with sometimes. He tries to make replacing one or sorting out problems far more arcane then it is. He will tell you the processor runs cool. It does not; it will run hot. That little fan that never turned on? It will turn on. However, I have had his processor for a little over a year and have not had a problem.
I use a cooling plate powered off the USB and have no problems with over-heating--fan never turns on now.
You really need a G4 to run the OS X, your browser, all of those good things. Otherwise, get use to very slow on a G3 400-500.
The article has a broken link to Daystar, the functioning one is Daystar. If you send your parts to them, the price is comparable.
--J.D.