# Should I upgrade the CPU on my Mac G4?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-upgrade-the-cpu-on-my-mac-g4/135085
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 3, 2002, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-upgrade-the-cpu-on-my-mac-g4/135085 "2002-11-03T08:18:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2002, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-upgrade-the-cpu-on-my-mac-g4/135085/1 "2002-11-03T08:18:11Z")

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I realize this isn’t exactly the right site to ask this sort of question, but I didn’t know who else to trust with a problem of this world-shaking magnitude…I was wondering, simply, if it would be worth it to try and upgrade the processor on my Power Mac. I figured someone else here would have faced a similar quandary. I haven’t had much experience tinkering with computer hardware, so I don’t know if any available CPU upgrade would even be able to boost my performance appreciably. And I’m not looking to do any heavy-duty industrial level computations or anything, I’d just like to be able to get a good frame rate on the new versions of my flight simulator…and to get my system up to the level able to support “Return to Castle Wolfenstein” and “Medal of Honor.” 🙂

My computer is a 400 mhz G4, at the moment. (Though I got it after Apple had upgraded motherboards in the 400 mhz G4s from the old G3 type) Purchased in early 2000.

Can anyone help?

Thanks for your patience,  
Ranchoth

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### Author: ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)
#### Post date: [November 3, 2002, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-upgrade-the-cpu-on-my-mac-g4/135085/2 "2002-11-03T17:52:27Z")

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I’m pretty sure Sonnet has an [upgrade card](http://www.sonnettech.com/product/configurator.html) for it.  
Try [Upgrade Forums](http://www.macgurus.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro&BypassCookie=true) if you want to get user feedback about whether or not it was worth it.

I have a G4 500 in my WallStreet PowerBook (which was born as a G3 300) and I’m very happy with it.