From: kanefsky@halcyon.com (Steve Kanefsky)
Subject: Re: IIcx upgrade advice needed
Organization: The 23:00 News and Mail Service
Date: Sat, 7 Nov 1992 00:28:40 GMT

In article <werner-061192142144@128.32.157.31> werner@soe.berkeley.edu (John Werner) writes:
>I'm finally thinking of upgrading my ancient IIcx at home, and I need some
>advice on how to do it.  I'm a developer, so compatibility is important; I
>tend to use the latest (or even prerelease) system software and development
>tools.  I can think of three possible ways to upgrade it:
>
>1) Quadra 700 upgrade from Apple
>   Pros: Fast.  68040.  Compatible.  Nice fast onboard video.
>   Cons: EXPENSIVE!  At UC's prices, it's about $2900.  Developer price is
>         about $2500.
>
>2) Radius Rocket 25 or 33
>   Pros: Fast.  68040.
>   Cons: I've heard about compatibility problems.  I'll need to buy more
>         memory.
>
>3) DayStar PowerCache 50 (with coprocessor?)
>   Pros: cheap (around $1200).   Apparently fewer compatibility problems.
>   Cons: 68030.  ???
>
>Does anyone have any more options about these three options, or any new
>ideas for an upgrade?  I'd also appreciate any Speedometer results from
>people with any of these configurations.  What would _you_ do?


DayStar is coming out with a 33mhz 68040 PowerCache in the next month or
two, and a 40mhz 68040 PowerCache next year.  You can upgrade from the
50mhz 68030 for the difference in price, so you don't have to wait if
you don't want to.  If you're interested in compatability the 50mhz '030
will beat even the Quadra upgrade, and the '040 PowerCaches are
guaranteed to equal the Quadra in compatability.  The Rocket will be
terribly incompatible in comparison, as they practically have to build a
whole new computer on that board to avoid talking to the motherboard.

Here are some Speedometer 3.1 numbers for my LCII with 50mh 68030
PowerCache (no FPU).  You should get slightly better numbers for a IIcx
with PowerCache, because of your full 32-bit data path.  Also, a
PowerCache without FPU can use the 16mhz FPU on your motherboard, while
my system has no FPU whatsoever.


System is Mac LCII with 4MB RAM, 80MB hard disk, System 7.0.1 w/ TuneUp,
booted with all extensions off, except for the PowerCentral control
panel.  Video is built-in with Apple 13" RGB monitor (640x480)

Benchmark       w/o PC  w/ PC   %faster
-----------------------------------------
CPU             4.03    13.11   225%
Graf            4.80    10.52   119%
Disk            1.65    1.95     18%
Math            5.63    17.35   208%
P.R. Rating     3.95    10.52   166%
 
KWhet           6.67    18.55   178%
Dhry            2.64    10.44   295%
Towers          2.57    8.32    224%
Quicksort       3.26    10.73   229%
Bubble Sort     4.66    14.21   205%
Queens          4.36    11.74   169%
Puzzle          4.70    16.56   252%
Permute         3.69    7.43    101%
Fast Fourier    4.53    13.73   203%
F.P. Matrix     4.43    12.85   190%
Int. Matrix     3.94    15.12   284%
Sieve           4.87    15.07   209%
Bench. Ave.     4.19    12.90   208%

Monochrome      1.15    2.63    129%
2 Bit           1.23    2.49    102%
4 Bit           1.28    2.17     70%
8 Bit           1.28    1.76     38%
Color Ave.      1.23    2.26     84%
 

--
Steve Kanefsky

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware