is anyone using a G4 with the GeForce4 MX video card ? How is it ? Is it fast ? Any complains ?
Can you compare the video performances of this card with the GF2 MX ?
And what about the antialiasing in games ?
Thanks.</strong><hr></blockquote>
not using a G4 with it but I have read the reviews.
The Geforce 4MX is not a Geforce 4. or at least it shouldn't be caled that. It's more of a cross between a Geforce 2 and a Geforce 4 with more in common with the Geforce 2.
It's nVidia's lowend card now. It's significantly faster than the older Geforce 2MX so that's good.
The general consensus is if buying a new PowerMac from the applestore with BTO go for the radeon 7500 or take the money hit and go Geforce 4 Ti. If buying a prebuilt model from a reseller then you are "stuck" with the Geforce 4MX of course but that's not exactly bad.
Antialiasing is not enabled in the mac drivers as of yet (AFAIK).
Right now I don't have any games to test out but I will try and getmy hands on some and give some benchmarks/observations of the GF4 MX card in my dual GHz G4 (that felt good ). I am also planning to get a Radeon 8500 & one of the GF4 Ti cards to test out (not going to keep the GF4 MX in this computer). Might not be getting a Ti 4600, but 4400 or 4200 card. I wanna get 4x4 Evo 2 to play. So later on I'll have a big time shootout with the dualie.
I will try and getmy hands on some and give some benchmarks/observations of the GF4 MX card in my dual GHz G4 (that felt good ). I am also planning to get a Radeon 8500 & one of the GF4 Ti cards to test out (not going to keep the GF4 MX in this computer). </strong><hr></blockquote>
Kool ! Shoot the FPS rates and all the stuff. But try to enable the antialiasing feature. I wont buy any Macintosh computer if I can't have real time antialiasing in games.
Really, if Macs can't have real time AA, they are very far behind the PCs
It makes significantly less difference at today's high resolutions than it used to.
If you're playing at 1280 x 1024 resolution or above (which is totally possible given the technology in the CPU and graphics cards of the new G4 towers) you won't notice much difference if it is using FSAA or not. Except for the fact that it will be rather a lot slower with it enabled.
800 x 600 is a totally different story, but nobody in their right mind would be playing a game at that resolution on the towers.
<strong>Really, if Macs can't have real time AA, they are very far behind the PCs </strong><hr></blockquote>
That is not "very far behind PC's." I came recently from the dark side, I, along with most if not all other users, always disabled this option, as it made things run so slow. I am not sure whether or not Mac games do or don't support it, but I am sure it is on the way soon, especially with the GF4, which finally makes it a good option.
4MX is great for people who actually do something productive with their machines. Keep it and don't waste any money on 4Ti. 64MB of memory and dual display in about a bottom line GF3 performance level.
If you're spending powermac money to play games, you've got too much money anyway.
If you're spending powermac money to play games, you've got too much money anyway.[/QB]<hr></blockquote>
I'm NOT getting a new PMac just for games, of course ! I'll use it for all tasks. Work, DVD, internet AND games. But I want very good performances for all things I'll do with this computer.
I've got a new dualie (wow, you're right Tiger. That does feel good), and while I'm no game expert, I'm very happy with the stock card. I'm trying to get into Giants, and I've run my old UT (only in classic) and they both play great. Not just 'playable,' but really great (no framerates, but <a href="http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/dual_1ghz_performance_test.html#storytop"; target="_blank">XLR8yourmac</a> has them).
If you're a hardcore gamer, then yea, I guess you'd wanna get the best card, but honestly I don't know what else you would need a better card for.
Many of the unique features of the nVidia cards are not experienced on a Mac. I have a dual GHz with an ATi and a GeForce3. When I swap the GeForce3 in and load up Giants many of the graphics features are shaded (Giants was specifically written to take advantage of many of these features)
Many of the unique features of the nVidia cards are not experienced on a Mac. I have a dual GHz with an ATi and a GeForce3. When I swap the GeForce3 in and load up Giants many of the graphics features are shaded (Giants was specifically written to take advantage of many of these features)</strong><hr></blockquote>
:eek:
F*** NVIdia then!
And what about your ATI card ? which one is it ? What performances, and do you have features ?
Check nvidia's website. I believe I saw that all those features you mentioned will work on the Mac.I think it is mainly up to the companies that port the games.
<strong>Check nvidia's website. I believe I saw that all those features you mentioned will work on the Mac.I think it is mainly up to the companies that port the games.</strong><hr></blockquote>
not neccessarily. some are but most of the problem is that Apple's OpenGL does not support any of the new "modern" graphic card features. pixel shading doesn't work at all for example.
And don't blame apple. they are (I believe) trying to convince the OpenGL folks to implement all these as a standard so that they don't have to write specific opengl drivers for every card.
It is not an nVidia thing, it's an Apple thing (sorry Applenut)
But like Applenut says it's not entirely Apple's fault due to laziness, it's the OpenGL consortium, Apple is waiting for some things to become standard.
But I admit, it IS frustrating that many of the advantages that Jobs touted a year ago at MWTK about the GeForce3 still have yet to see thelight of day.
There was an article at Inside Mac Games a while ago about this, people bought Giants who had a GeForce3 to only see that certain features were not there. Both MacPlay and nVidia both said that the features are written into the game, it's Apple's OpenGL drivers in X that are keeping us from using them.
All I know is that I get about 20-30 FPS more on my dual gig with the 4mx versus 2001 733mhz w/geforce2mx at 800x600 with Apple cinema display. Won't run at any higher resolution and deafults to 640x480 if I try to past 800x600.
Comments
<strong>Hi,
is anyone using a G4 with the GeForce4 MX video card ? How is it ? Is it fast ? Any complains ?
Can you compare the video performances of this card with the GF2 MX ?
And what about the antialiasing in games ?
Thanks.</strong><hr></blockquote>
not using a G4 with it but I have read the reviews.
The Geforce 4MX is not a Geforce 4. or at least it shouldn't be caled that. It's more of a cross between a Geforce 2 and a Geforce 4 with more in common with the Geforce 2.
It's nVidia's lowend card now. It's significantly faster than the older Geforce 2MX so that's good.
The general consensus is if buying a new PowerMac from the applestore with BTO go for the radeon 7500 or take the money hit and go Geforce 4 Ti. If buying a prebuilt model from a reseller then you are "stuck" with the Geforce 4MX of course but that's not exactly bad.
Antialiasing is not enabled in the mac drivers as of yet (AFAIK).
<strong>
Antialiasing is not enabled in the mac drivers as of yet (AFAIK).</strong><hr></blockquote>
What the ... ? Are you sure of this ?
No antialiasing in Mac games with OS X ?
I can't believe this
I NEED Antialising !
Right now I don't have any games to test out but I will try and getmy hands on some and give some benchmarks/observations of the GF4 MX card in my dual GHz G4 (that felt good
<strong>Sup Kali,
I will try and getmy hands on some and give some benchmarks/observations of the GF4 MX card in my dual GHz G4 (that felt good
Kool ! Shoot the FPS rates and all the stuff. But try to enable the antialiasing feature. I wont buy any Macintosh computer if I can't have real time antialiasing in games.
Really, if Macs can't have real time AA, they are very far behind the PCs
If you're playing at 1280 x 1024 resolution or above (which is totally possible given the technology in the CPU and graphics cards of the new G4 towers) you won't notice much difference if it is using FSAA or not. Except for the fact that it will be rather a lot slower with it enabled.
800 x 600 is a totally different story, but nobody in their right mind would be playing a game at that resolution on the towers.
-Ender
<strong>Really, if Macs can't have real time AA, they are very far behind the PCs
That is not "very far behind PC's." I came recently from the dark side, I, along with most if not all other users, always disabled this option, as it made things run so slow. I am not sure whether or not Mac games do or don't support it, but I am sure it is on the way soon, especially with the GF4, which finally makes it a good option.
AA however is only enabled on Radeon cards (8500 model, with a driver update soon for other older radeons to support it).
If you want AA:
Wait a bit and see when the Radeon7500 gets it, or jump in now with a Radeon8500
Nvidia don't have it yet in their drivers
If you're spending powermac money to play games, you've got too much money anyway.
If you're spending powermac money to play games, you've got too much money anyway.[/QB]<hr></blockquote>
I'm NOT getting a new PMac just for games, of course ! I'll use it for all tasks. Work, DVD, internet AND games. But I want very good performances for all things I'll do with this computer.
If you're a hardcore gamer, then yea, I guess you'd wanna get the best card, but honestly I don't know what else you would need a better card for.
Many of the unique features of the nVidia cards are not experienced on a Mac. I have a dual GHz with an ATi and a GeForce3. When I swap the GeForce3 in and load up Giants many of the graphics features are shaded (Giants was specifically written to take advantage of many of these features)
<strong>Kali -
Many of the unique features of the nVidia cards are not experienced on a Mac. I have a dual GHz with an ATi and a GeForce3. When I swap the GeForce3 in and load up Giants many of the graphics features are shaded (Giants was specifically written to take advantage of many of these features)</strong><hr></blockquote>
F*** NVIdia then!
And what about your ATI card ? which one is it ? What performances, and do you have features ?
<strong>Check nvidia's website. I believe I saw that all those features you mentioned will work on the Mac.I think it is mainly up to the companies that port the games.</strong><hr></blockquote>
not neccessarily. some are but most of the problem is that Apple's OpenGL does not support any of the new "modern" graphic card features. pixel shading doesn't work at all for example.
And don't blame apple. they are (I believe) trying to convince the OpenGL folks to implement all these as a standard so that they don't have to write specific opengl drivers for every card.
at least that's my understanding
But like Applenut says it's not entirely Apple's fault due to laziness, it's the OpenGL consortium, Apple is waiting for some things to become standard.
But I admit, it IS frustrating that many of the advantages that Jobs touted a year ago at MWTK about the GeForce3 still have yet to see thelight of day.
There was an article at Inside Mac Games a while ago about this, people bought Giants who had a GeForce3 to only see that certain features were not there. Both MacPlay and nVidia both said that the features are written into the game, it's Apple's OpenGL drivers in X that are keeping us from using them.