L3 cache

imud

Is it possible to upgrade the L3 cache on the dual 1gb from 1mb to 2mb?

bauman

unless you are _EXTREMELY_ good at micro-soldering, the answer is no.

kecksy

What he said.



The short answer is no.



It is technically possible to add or replace an SRAM chip and solder it onto the daughter card, but I wouldn't recommend you try. The chances of you breaking something are EXTREMELY high.



[ 08-21-2002: Message edited by: Son of Pismo ]</p>

dual 867

Just as a post-script to the original remark:



Why did Apple not up the on-chip L2 cache from 256k to 512k, like the newest iBooks have? I guess maybe the difference in speed was just too neglegeable to bother?



-Dual 867

kecksy

Because modern processors have there L2 cache on chip, and the G4 is made using a 0.18-micron process. There simply isn't room for more transistors without increasing the die size, which costs BIG $$. (an extra 256K of memory is over a million transistor BTW)



The new G3s have 512K L2 cache because they are 0.13-micron and which allowed IBM to put more transistors on the core without increasing the die size.



Hope this answers your question.

dual 867

Sure does...Thanx Pismo!



-Dual 867



[ 08-21-2002: Message edited by: Dual 867 ]</p>

wmf

Actually, Apple can't increase the L2 cache size because Apple doesn't make the CPUs.



[ 08-22-2002: Message edited by: wmf ]</p>

kecksy

Yes they can. L3 cache is off chip. When you buy a G4 from Motorola it doesn't come with L3 cache, although it supports it. Apple simply places SRAM chips of its daughter cards which the G4 detects and utilizes.

bryan fury

..i guess if we could replace the level 3 cache , we'd upgrade even less..

kecksy

Do you have any idea how expensive SRAM is? I bet 1MB of the SRAM Apple uses goes for atleast $100. :eek:



[ 08-22-2002: Message edited by: Son of Pismo ]</p>