Mini Review: PowerLogix PowerBoost Pro 225

August 26, 1997

I recently installed a PowerLogix PowerBoost Pro 225 CPU card in my PowerMac 8500/120. The PLPBP 225 replaced the original Apple 604/120 Mhz daughter card. The PLPBP 225 has a 225 Mhz 604e CPU and it allows one to adjust independently the ratio between the CPU speed and the system bus speed and the actual bus speed to achieve the best performance from one's system. I also installed a PowerLogix 1 MB Rapid RAM L2 Cache card which replaced the stock Apple 256 Mhz L2 cache card. Here are the MacUser MacBench 4.0 results for the best bus setting for each ratio on my computer:

Performance of the PowerLogix PowerBoost Pro 225

CPU/Bus Ratio	Bus Speed (Mhz)	CPU Speed (Mhz)	Processor Score*	FPU Score	Disk Score
4:1	54.33	217.33	577	713	206
5:1	51.33	256.67	606	823	208
6:1	43.00	258.00	543	803	204

*MacUsers MacBench 4.0, where 100 = PowerMac 6100/66 performance.

 

The best performance on the MacBench tests is with a 5:1 CPU/Bus speed ratio and a 51.33 Mhz system bus speed. These scores are better than double those of a stock 8500/120. The best that my motherboard's system bus will do is 54.33 Mhz. The best that the 225 Mhz CPU will do is 258 Mhz. For more information on other CPU daughter cards and how to install them, visit Mike Breeden's site on how to Accelerate Your Mac.

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