I think the thread is titled poorly. People shouldn't get the wrong idea about this card. It's not a high performance gaming card. It's not intended for that. I for one don't think it would outperform a 6800 Ultra, but it will outperform a 7800 GT,(in halo) but probably not a 7800 GTX.
I think DOOM is a better game to spec these cards on. I think Apple chose something in favor of selling more Quadro's when they chose to spec these cards in a comparative manner with Halo at their site. They should have used DOOM. I Also think they did it to avoid PC comparison, but thats neither here nor there.
This post is officially approved by slughead.
I agree with every word, apart from I think the quadro 4500 would outperform a 6XXX card.
On the PC side, the 6800 is faster than the Quadro simply because it's tested in Direct X with shaders. However, I don't know how it works on the Mac side.
I'd just wait until they have the 7800GTX up and available.
On the PC side, the 6800 is faster than the Quadro simply because it's tested in Direct X with shaders. However, I don't know how it works on the Mac side.
I'd just wait until they have the 7800GTX up and available.
The Quadra 4500 FX is OF COURSE the fastest card on the mac today, including for gaming. This is essentially a 7800 GTX card with 512MB framebuffer, slightly faster core speed and some hardware accelleration routines that benefit only certain rendering apps (such as Maya).
THe question is, is 10%-15% more speed worth $1300 over the 7800 GT ?! The answer is probably no unless you have wads of cash or NEED the power of the card.
But there is NO REASON this card would be any less capable of playing games (the card doesn't care what it's rendering) than what else is out there. It CERTAINLY will be faster than a 6800 Ultra or a 7800 GT/X. In the latter case, we are talking minimal advantage, and again, the price premium is obviously not worth it.
Apart from teh drivers (on the PC side) there is nothing that makes the 4500 'less optimized' on Hardware than a consumer-grade (7800) card.
Buying a quadro for playing games is perhaps one of the stupidest things that you can do.
For the price of a quadro FX 4500, you can build your own gaming PC, with a geforce 7800 GTX video card. Much better for games than any macs.
No kidding. Besides don't be fooled by its gaming statistics. It's a Professional 3D card, not a Professional Gaming card. This card is designed for CAD, CG/DCC Professionals. It was never intended to be the de facto standard card for playing DOOM & Halo, but It was made for the people that make those games at work, and for work. Not for play.
Oh absolutely. I'm just saying don't be fooled by its surprisingly good gaming performance into thinking it's some kind of high end gaming card. It's hardly going to compete with cards intended for gaming. Like a 7800GTX, or even a 7850GT when that comes out. I think a 6800 Ultra DLL should have put it down. This may be an issue with the Apple Nvidia 3D driver that has yet to be fully completed or something. Because none of the other Quadros have done very well in games in the past.
This may also just be that the new graphics processor can pipe the polygons through being that all the games are still written on machines using the last processor, and a next generation game built to spec for new cards will have a much harder time with this card's drivers.
That last part actually makes a lot more sense than anything I've read about it so far IMO.
Given that the Quadro FX 4500 is a high-end workstation card, would it also be better for games than the GeForce 6600?
Thanks to all who answer.
Well, in Windows land, no, but in UNIX / OpenGL land, HELL YEA
The reason the quadra class is soo much more expencive than the gforce line is that the gforce is built on the Direct X platform for the masses with a little GL power just as a bonus or after thought, these are cheaper because of the volume of gamers on the windows/DX platform
The Quadra is built as an openGL card from the grownd up, these are much more expencive because there is not the volume that the DX cards have. For GL, if you have the cash, go Quadra and don't look back. THAT SAID...
BUILD A WINDOWS BOX FOR GAMING, use a 7800 and have a better hi-end experiance than any games on the mac. Get a mini and a KVM if you want a mac for daily computer chores or something.
Comments
Originally posted by onlooker
I think the thread is titled poorly. People shouldn't get the wrong idea about this card. It's not a high performance gaming card. It's not intended for that. I for one don't think it would outperform a 6800 Ultra, but it will outperform a 7800 GT,(in halo) but probably not a 7800 GTX.
I think DOOM is a better game to spec these cards on. I think Apple chose something in favor of selling more Quadro's when they chose to spec these cards in a comparative manner with Halo at their site. They should have used DOOM. I Also think they did it to avoid PC comparison, but thats neither here nor there.
This post is officially approved by slughead.
I agree with every word, apart from I think the quadro 4500 would outperform a 6XXX card.
I'd just wait until they have the 7800GTX up and available.
Originally posted by Placebo
On the PC side, the 6800 is faster than the Quadro simply because it's tested in Direct X with shaders. However, I don't know how it works on the Mac side.
I'd just wait until they have the 7800GTX up and available.
7800GT not 7800GTX.
The Quadra 4500 FX is OF COURSE the fastest card on the mac today, including for gaming. This is essentially a 7800 GTX card with 512MB framebuffer, slightly faster core speed and some hardware accelleration routines that benefit only certain rendering apps (such as Maya).
THe question is, is 10%-15% more speed worth $1300 over the 7800 GT ?! The answer is probably no unless you have wads of cash or NEED the power of the card.
But there is NO REASON this card would be any less capable of playing games (the card doesn't care what it's rendering) than what else is out there. It CERTAINLY will be faster than a 6800 Ultra or a 7800 GT/X. In the latter case, we are talking minimal advantage, and again, the price premium is obviously not worth it.
Apart from teh drivers (on the PC side) there is nothing that makes the 4500 'less optimized' on Hardware than a consumer-grade (7800) card.
Cheers,
Dan
Thanks.
Originally posted by chascmd
Which card would be best for 2D applications -- i.e., Aperture?
Thanks.
Just don't get a Quadro, okay?
For the price of a quadro FX 4500, you can build your own gaming PC, with a geforce 7800 GTX video card. Much better for games than any macs.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
Buying a quadro for playing games is perhaps one of the stupidest thing that you can do.
For the price of a quadro FX 4500, you can build your own gaming PC, with a geforce 7800 GTX video card. Much better for games than any macs.
lol, so true
Originally posted by Powerdoc
Buying a quadro for playing games is perhaps one of the stupidest things that you can do.
For the price of a quadro FX 4500, you can build your own gaming PC, with a geforce 7800 GTX video card. Much better for games than any macs.
No kidding. Besides don't be fooled by its gaming statistics. It's a Professional 3D card, not a Professional Gaming card. This card is designed for CAD, CG/DCC Professionals. It was never intended to be the de facto standard card for playing DOOM & Halo, but It was made for the people that make those games at work, and for work. Not for play.
This may also just be that the new graphics processor can pipe the polygons through being that all the games are still written on machines using the last processor, and a next generation game built to spec for new cards will have a much harder time with this card's drivers.
That last part actually makes a lot more sense than anything I've read about it so far IMO.
Originally posted by sc_markt
Given that the Quadro FX 4500 is a high-end workstation card, would it also be better for games than the GeForce 6600?
Thanks to all who answer.
Well, in Windows land, no, but in UNIX / OpenGL land, HELL YEA
The reason the quadra class is soo much more expencive than the gforce line is that the gforce is built on the Direct X platform for the masses with a little GL power just as a bonus or after thought, these are cheaper because of the volume of gamers on the windows/DX platform
The Quadra is built as an openGL card from the grownd up, these are much more expencive because there is not the volume that the DX cards have. For GL, if you have the cash, go Quadra and don't look back. THAT SAID...
BUILD A WINDOWS BOX FOR GAMING, use a 7800 and have a better hi-end experiance than any games on the mac. Get a mini and a KVM if you want a mac for daily computer chores or something.