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Home Forums just got a performa 5200CD — #6 just got a performa 5200CD — #6
Post #6 by Cory5412
Source Forumjust got a performa 5200CD — #6
CategoryHardware
Post DateThu, 31 Dec 2015 - 16:39
Original URLhttps://68kmla.org/bb/threads/just-got-a-performa-5200cd.3203/
Post
The 5200-5500 and 6200-6500 motherboards are all compatible. That enclosure will probably also run a 580 board, but there's no really compelling reason to run a 580 board, and I'm not totally sure the 580 board will run the display at any more than 640x480.

The TAM uses the same architecture, and the board should drop in, but I probably wouldn't bother with one because you can either G3-upgrade a slow 5400/6400 board, or put in a faster 6500/300 board. The TAM board doesn't include the beige back-plate that the 580/630/5000/6000 series Macs do.

The Performa 5200 is like the Performa/Mac 520 - it is the first model of that line, compete with all the bugs and problems that first came out with them that were fixed or improved on in later models. I know like the Mac 520 can be upgraded with a 550 logic board, you can do the same with the 5500 board to upgrade the 5200.
While it's the first of a line, I wouldn't say that it's "like the Performa/LC520" if only because the LC520 didn't quite have the problems the 5200 did. Both were still usable in the long run, even if the 5200 in particular weren't nearly as fast as their massive clock speed and architectural upgrades should have afforded them.

I'd argue that nobody's specifically beholden to using their vintage Macs a particular way. RAM and a newer version of the OS may alleviate some of the problems of the 5200, but if you already have other faster Macs, maybe you want a 5200 for the other things it represents. Many people prefer original installs for reasons of specific nostalgia or because they want to see the system as it existed at a particular time.

mp.ls