Apple Power Macintosh Upgrade Card
| Power Macintosh Upgrade Card | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Power Macintosh Upgrade Card, board 820-0562-A (Stephen Edmonds, CC BY-SA 2.5) | |
| Manufacturer | Apple Computer |
| Type | PowerPC 601 processor upgrade card |
| Release date | 14 March 1994 |
| Interface | 68040 processor-direct slot |
| Compatible | Macintosh Quadra 610, Macintosh Centris 650, Macintosh Quadra 650, Macintosh Quadra 700, Macintosh Quadra 800, Macintosh Quadra 900, Macintosh Quadra 950 |
The Power Macintosh Upgrade Card is Apple's PowerPC 601 card for the 68040 processor-direct slot (PDS) of Macintosh Quadra and Centris computers. AppleFacts describes it as the low-cost route to PowerPC, fitted in the slot "using only a screwdriver".[1] The 68040 stays in the computer, and Apple's specification pages list it as a second processor in every upgraded configuration.[2] Apple's system software for the card is the "PowerPC Upgrade Card Enabler".[2]
For the 68LC040 machines (LC 475, LC 575, Quadra 605, the 630 family and their Performa versions) Apple sold a different product, the Apple Macintosh Processor Upgrade, which goes in the processor socket.[1]
Configurations
[edit | edit source]Apple publishes a technical specification for each computer fitted with the card. All give a 601 with 32K of level 1 cache and 1 MB of level 2 cache, the 68040 kept as a second processor, the PDS filled, a 4 MB ROM, System 7.1.2 as the original system software, and availability from 14 March 1994 to 15 May 1995.[2][3][4][5][6][7] The 601 runs at twice the computer's bus clock:
| Computer | 601 clock | Data path | Gestalt ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macintosh Quadra 610 | 50 MHz | 64-bit, 25 MHz | 121[3] |
| Macintosh Centris 650 | 50 MHz | 64-bit, 25 MHz | 120[4] |
| Macintosh Quadra 650 | 66 MHz | 64-bit, 33 MHz | 122[2] |
| Macintosh Quadra 700 | 50 MHz | 64-bit, 25 MHz | 116[5] |
| Macintosh Quadra 800 | 66 MHz | 64-bit, 33 MHz | 123[6] |
| Macintosh Quadra 900 | 50 MHz | 64-bit, 25 MHz | 117[7] |
AppleFacts 10.94 also lists the card as the PowerPC upgrade for the Centris 610 and the Quadra 950.[8] The same chart puts the card against the LC 630, Quadra 630 and Performa 630 series as well; Apple's specification pages and service manuals give the Macintosh Processor Upgrade for those machines.[8][9]
The board
[edit | edit source]The card in the photograph is printed "Apple Computer, Inc. 820-0562-A © 1993,94". The 601 sits under a heat-sink clip on the right, and the PDS connector runs along the bottom edge.[10]
Installation and service
[edit | edit source]Apple's Service Sources for the Quadra 610/Centris 610, Centris 650/Quadra 650, Quadra 700 and Quadra 900/950 each say that fitting the card in the PDS upgrades the computer to a PowerPC processor, and refer to the card's own manual for installation. The Quadra 610 manual points to its Expansion Cards procedure for fitting a card in the single expansion slot.[11][12][13][14] Apple's alternative for these machines was a logic board swap: the Power Macintosh 6100 board for the 610 and the 7100 board for the 650, both covered in the same Service Sources.[11][12]
With the card fitted, Apple's specifications list the PDS as filled; in the Quadra 610 that is the computer's only expansion slot.[3] For NuBus in the 610, see Apple NuBus Adapter Card.
Related pages
[edit | edit source]- Apple Macintosh Processor Upgrade
- Apple Workgroup Server 95 (another card for the Quadra 900 and 950 PDS)
- Macintosh Quadra 650
- Macintosh Quadra 700
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Apple Computer, AppleFacts 4.95 (April 1995), Desktop System Accessories, PowerPC upgrades: the Power Macintosh Upgrade Card is a "low-cost card, which can be installed in the 68040 processor-direct slot of a Macintosh Quadra or Macintosh Centris using only a screwdriver"; the Macintosh Processor Upgrade "provides the same capabilities" for select Quadra, LC and Performa models; the Power Macintosh Logic Board Upgrade is the third option. vintageapple.org (retrieved 2026-10-04).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Apple, "Quadra 650: Technical Specifications" (Power Macintosh Upgrade Card configuration; retrieved 2026-10-04): processor 601, 66; data path 64, 33; L1 32K; L2 1MB; 2nd processor 68040; slots "3 NuBus, PDS filled"; note "This configuration is achieved by installing the Power Macintosh Upgrade Card"; introduced 3/14/1994, discontinued 5/15/1995; Gestalt ID 122; original system software 7.1.2; original enabler "PowerPC Upgrade Card Enabler"; ROM 4 MB.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Apple, "Quadra 610: Technical Specifications" (Power Macintosh Upgrade Card configuration; retrieved 2026-10-04): 601, 50; data path 64, 25; L2 1MB; slots "PDS filled"; Gestalt ID 121.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Apple, "Centris 650: Technical Specifications" (Power Macintosh Upgrade Card configuration; retrieved 2026-10-04): 601, 50; data path 64, 25; L2 1MB; Gestalt ID 120.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Apple, "Quadra 700: Technical Specifications" (Power Macintosh Upgrade Card configuration; retrieved 2026-10-04): 601, 50; data path 64, 25; L2 1MB; Gestalt ID 116.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Apple, "Quadra 800: Technical Specifications" (Power Macintosh Upgrade Card configuration; retrieved 2026-10-04): 601, 66; data path 64, 33; L2 1MB; Gestalt ID 123.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Apple, "Quadra 900: Technical Specifications" (Power Macintosh Upgrade Card configuration; retrieved 2026-10-04): 601, 50; data path 64, 25; L2 1MB; Gestalt ID 117.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Apple Computer, AppleFacts 10.94 (October 1994), QuickCharts, upgrade chart ("If you currently have this... You can upgrade to this... By purchasing this..."): Power Macintosh Upgrade Card against the Centris 610, Quadra 610, Centris 650, Quadra 650, Quadra 700, Quadra 900 and Quadra 950; the same chart names it for the LC 630, Performa 630 series and Quadra 630. vintageapple.org (retrieved 2026-10-04).
- ↑ Apple, "Macintosh LC 630: Technical Specifications" (PowerPC configuration; retrieved 2026-10-04): "This configuration is achieved by installing the Macintosh Processor Upgrade Card".
- ↑ Stephen Edmonds, "Power Macintosh Upgrade Card front.jpg", Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5, from computers.popcorn.cx (retrieved 2026-10-04). Board markings read from the photograph.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Apple Computer, Macintosh Quadra 610/Centris 610/WS 60 Service Source, Upgrades, Power Macintosh Card - 24 and 25. Hosted as File:Quadra.centris_610.ws_60.pdf; see Macintosh Quadra 610/ Centris 610/WS 60 Service Source.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Apple Computer, Centris 650/Quadra 650 Service Source, Upgrades, Power Macintosh Card - 9 and 10. Hosted as File:Quadra.centris_650.pdf; see Centris 650/Quadra 650 Service Source.
- ↑ Apple Computer, Macintosh IIcx/IIci/Quadra 700 Service Source, Upgrades, Power Macintosh Upgrade Card - 13. Hosted as File:Quadra_700.mac_iicx.iici.pdf; see Macintosh IIcx/IIci/ Quadra 700 Service Source.
- ↑ Apple Computer, Macintosh Quadra 900/950/AWS 95 Service Source, Upgrades, Power Macintosh Upgrade Card - 44. Hosted as File:Quadra_900.950.ws_95.pdf; see Macintosh Quadra 900/950/ AWS 95 Service Source.
