Press

Other World Computing (OWC) today announced its new generation of OWC Mercury Extreme G4 Processors. Priced lower than prior models and starting at $229.00, the new models are immediately available with operational speeds from 933 Megahertz (MHz) to 1.4 Gigahertz (GHz). The 1.467-1.5GHz original model is also still available for $479.99.

Featuring Smart-Bus technology, the new OWC Mercury Extreme G4 processors are factory-configured and preassembled with a fan and heatsink for convenient plug-and-play usage, making them a simple replacement for existing Apple and after-market G4 processors.

The new Mercury Extreme G4 processor upgrades are available online at www.macsales.com/extreme and are priced as follows:
OWC Mercury Extreme G4/933MHz-1GHz – $229.00 (replaces 867-933MHz unit, $249.95),
OWC Mercury Extreme G4/1.0-1.2GHz – $299.00 (same speed was $319.95), and
OWC Mercury Extreme G4/1.3-1.4GHz – $389.99.

“Today’s operating systems and applications significantly benefit from a faster processor, and many of the latest applications even require a processor faster than what may have come straight from the factory in a PowerMac G4 model,” said Larry O’Connor, president of OWC. “Our OWC Mercury Extreme G4 line offers a reliable and extremely economical way to get enhanced performance today without having to buy a new Mac. Further, even if it’s time to get that G5 you’ve been eying for months, a small investment in the machine you already have can provide a great second system at the same time. A new processor doesn’t just make existing software run faster, it also allows new software with faster processor speed requirements to be utilized as well.”

In addition, through December 31, 2004, customers purchasing any Mercury Extreme G4 upgrade can receive a $20 discount when also purchasing an ATI Radeon high performance video card available from $119.00 (specifically the ATI Radeon 9000 Pro 128MB, ATI Radeon 9600 Pro 64MB or ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB Mac AGP). At checkout, customers enter coupon code “RADG4” or mention the discount to the sales representative for the $20 savings to apply. Qualifying video cards may be viewed online at www.macsales.com/g4radeon.

“Along with having a good processor, the right video card can make all the difference as well,” O’Connor said. “For PowerMac G4 machines running Apple OS X 10.2.x and later, the built-in Quartz Extreme accelerated video technology makes a night and day difference in performance, but it also requires the computer to have at least a 32 Megabyte (MB) AGP video card to engage. It’s really amazing to see what a new processor and video card do – many find their ‘new’ Mac is the Mac they already own!”

Mercury Extreme G4 processors with Smart-Bus technology feature 256 Kilobytes (KB) of 1:1 L2 cache on-chip and 2MB of high-speed L3 Cache. They are compatible with Apple PowerMac G4 AGP Graphics (Sawtooth), Gigabit Ethernet, Digital Audio and Quicksilver models, and with Mac OS 9.2.1 or higher and all versions of OS X 10.0.4 and later, including 10.3.x Panther versions. Each Mercury Extreme G4 processor upgrade is backed by a three-year warranty and a 30-day 100 percent money-back guarantee.

Complete pricing, ordering and availability information for Mercury Extreme G4 processor upgrades is available online at www.macsales.com/extreme.