Should I pay more to get a ZIF Socketed CPU Upgrade card?
If you’re going to keep your Mac for some time, I think it’s worth the extra money (often $100-$150 more). The ZIF socketed card allows the use of Apple Beige/B&W G3 ZIFs (often available used for very low cost), allows you more options on future upgrades (since in the future more ZIF models are likely to be available than CPU slot cards) and is worth more in resale value due to its flexibility. The other bonus is that in my tests, the CarrierZIF was an extremely stable base card. By retaining a stable base card with a wide range of speeds, you eliminate ‘rolling the dice’ on an unproven completely new card in the future. For other benefits to ZIF socketed CPU cards see my CarrierZIF first look. Initial tests so far are also positive on the Powerlogix Z-Force, which should be available soon. I’ve not seen the NewerTech ZIF socket card personally but there were one or two reports on it in my Rate Your CPU Upgrade database. • Is there a CPU upgrade for my XXXX model Mac? My best advice i
