Which video card should I match up with the G5?

dmpizzledmpizzle
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I just got a dual 1.8 G5, and I'm upgrading to 1GB of RAM. Just wondering, what video card should I go with that is fairly future proof and will substantially improve performance. I will be using it for 3D games (World of Warcraft when it coems out for sure), and will do some video editing, although at this point, nothing more than playing with iMovie.



What do you think? ATI Radeon 9800? If so, anyone see a good price?



Thanks.



-dmp

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    ipodandimacipodandimac Posts: 3,273member
    get the cheapest 9800 series you can afford (like the Pro SE). you dont need top end, but you want your computer to be up to date at least for a while.
  • Reply 2 of 18
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    I'd wait till the XTs are available in retail before making any moves.



    But I'm a speed freak, so don't let this change your decision too much.
  • Reply 3 of 18
    zapchudzapchud Posts: 844member
    The last card I'd buy would be the 9800 XT. It's sure to be way overpriced, and it's already outdated. I would wait for the X800. :-)
  • Reply 4 of 18
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Zapchud

    The last card I'd buy would be the 9800 XT. It's sure to be way overpriced, and it's already outdated. I would wait for the X800. :-)



    All valid points, but I'm just pointing out that the 9800 XT is the fastest Mac card currently available, not that it's the best deal or that it's best suited to dmpizzle's needs. I'm saying that of the cards currently available, it's the least likely to be really outdated anytime soon.
  • Reply 5 of 18
    dmpizzledmpizzle Posts: 6member
    It looks like there's no bang for my buck right now. I didn't realize that the Radeon 9800 was a Mac specific part that charged a ruthless premium. I think I'll stick with the 5200 for now and wait for a price drop (hopefully someday).



    -dmp
  • Reply 6 of 18
    3.14163.1416 Posts: 120member
    I ordered a refurbished dual 1.8 so I'm in the same situation. I'll be able to swap the 5200 with a Radeon 9600 in a dual 2.0 at work, so I don't feel compelled to upgrade immediately. I'm hoping that at some point the X800 Mac version will come out and reduce the price of the 9800.
  • Reply 7 of 18
    playmakerplaymaker Posts: 511member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by 3.1416

    I ordered a refurbished dual 1.8 so I'm in the same situation. I'll be able to swap the 5200 with a Radeon 9600 in a dual 2.0 at work, so I don't feel compelled to upgrade immediately. I'm hoping that at some point the X800 Mac version will come out and reduce the price of the 9800.



    I'm sure you guys know that this wont happen until G5's offer PCI-X right?
  • Reply 8 of 18
    tekmatetekmate Posts: 134member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Playmaker

    I'm sure you guys know that this wont happen until G5's offer PCI-X right?



    The 2's and 2.5' already do.
  • Reply 9 of 18
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Playmaker

    I'm sure you guys know that this wont happen until G5's offer PCI-X right?



    You mean PCI-E? PCI Express and PCI-X are two totally different things. PCI Express is basically AGP-16X, and PCI-X is a speed-bumped PCI.
  • Reply 10 of 18
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    the card makers rape apple users because of one (utterly worthless) thing: ADC
  • Reply 11 of 18
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by a_greer

    the card makers rape apple users because of one (utterly worthless) thing: ADC



    Actually, no.



    Most of the "Card makers" rape Apple because they don't feel like writing firmware for apple. The car doesn't need to have ADC to work with a mac.



    Spend some time writing firmware, and you'll see where the markup comes from.



    (5 minutes ago I was writing firmware. . .ugh)
  • Reply 12 of 18
    sharkbaitsharkbait Posts: 61member
    Long time lurker, first time poster...



    dmp - I'm in the same boat. I'm thinking a DP 1.8 as I don't need PCI-X and am buying it for personal use. If there was a headless G5 iMac, that's what I'd buy, but I digress.



    From what I've read at Tom's Hardware (link ) the 9800 XT yields about 2x the framerate of the 9600 XT, while the 5200 Ultra is half as fast as the 9600 XT.



    Given the incremental costs at Apple.com, I'd say that the 9600 XT gets my vote. I'm also a little concerned that a dual 1.8 may not be able to saturate a 9800 XT, though I may be trying to save several hundred dollars...



  • Reply 13 of 18
    dmpizzledmpizzle Posts: 6member
    Where have you found a price on the 9600XT Macintosh edition? I can't find it on Google or Pricewatch it seems. I assume this is a different part than the Windows version?
  • Reply 14 of 18
    sharkbaitsharkbait Posts: 61member
    Sorry dmp - I just now noticed you have already bought your mac. I haven't seen any prices for a new 9600 XT ME.
  • Reply 15 of 18
    dmpizzledmpizzle Posts: 6member
    Ah, BTO option only right now, eh?
  • Reply 16 of 18
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Splinemodel

    Actually, no.



    Most of the "Card makers" rape Apple because they don't feel like writing firmware for apple. The car doesn't need to have ADC to work with a mac.



    Spend some time writing firmware, and you'll see where the markup comes from.



    (5 minutes ago I was writing firmware. . .ugh)



    I am just saying that firmware isnt an issue, it was in 9 and before, but the new cards should work fine in X because of unix/linux capability.
  • Reply 17 of 18
    leonardleonard Posts: 528member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by SharkBait



    I'm also a little concerned that a dual 1.8 may not be able to saturate a 9800 XT, though I may be trying to save several hundred dollars...





    I think you're trying to save a few hundred dollars. A PowerMac G5 with it's gigantic bus bandwith can EASILY saturate a 9800XT .
  • Reply 18 of 18
    sharkbaitsharkbait Posts: 61member
    Fair enough. But I did save myself a few hundred dollars yesterday! The ol' Cube wasn't cutting it lately.



    I haven't seen any benchmarks using a DP 1.8, but I haven't been looking very hard either. Care to share any links? 8)
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