(Japanese Site)
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| G3 Boards for Macintosh Computers See Brisk Sales
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April 3, 1998 (TOKYO) -- The new upgraded board for Apple Computer Inc.'s
Macintosh computers, featuring the PowerPC G3, is selling at a brisk pace in
Japan.
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Users of conventional Power Macintosh computers have two reasons to choose the
upgrade board without buying new models. Upgrading can match the performance of
the latest new models. Also, upgrading can achieve greater expandability than
Apple's G3 machine when combined parts are optimized.
With a CPU upgrade only, it was impossible to expect the same performance as the
latest model on the same CPU due to the older architecture, including the bus
clock. In the PowerPC G3 a high-speed cache memory called backside cache is
used, and this makes possible a CPU performance of the same level as that of an
upgraded model.
On the issue of expandability, many Macintosh users are dissatisfied with
Apple's G3 machine having only three PCI slots and memory slots. Some existing
models have six PCI slots and eight memory slots. Upgrading those models' CPUs
to the PowerPC G3 improves performance and expandability.
Analysts warn that strong sales of G3-upgraded boards by a third party might
lead to shrinking sales of Apple's new standard G3 machines in the short run.
Apple Japan Inc. said that such introductions are helpful to improve the
expandability of Macintosh machines, and that therefore they are welcome in the
market.
Newer Technology Inc. of the United States and Interware Co., Ltd. of Japan,
which both sell the upgrade boards, are planning to ship the G3 upgraded
products for specific models including notebook PCs.
A new 300MHz PowerPC G3 model has been released, which adds to the line of
233MHz and 266MHz PowerPC G3 computers.
(Nikkei Personal Computing)
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