Future GPUs for Mac Pro
I'm really wondering if and when we'll see the next gen GPUs for the mac pro (gf 8800, R600).
But not sure if it's possible at all, do Mac Pros have the additional power-connectors to run these cards? The 8800 GTX needs about 180W!
What do you think, will Ati/Nvidia release EFI versions of their new cards?
But not sure if it's possible at all, do Mac Pros have the additional power-connectors to run these cards? The 8800 GTX needs about 180W!
What do you think, will Ati/Nvidia release EFI versions of their new cards?
Comments
I'm about to get a Macpro- the cheapest one I can afford (I'm a Maya junkie).
Having to settle for the 7300 sure will feel alot better if I know that I can eventually settle for one of those tasty burgers sometime down the road.
Yeah, 180 watts though- nice to see George Foreman moving into the GPU market.8)
Will the Mac Pro ever get the 8800 GTX? If it gets that then it will be considered gaming viable, which would help out a lot. The gamers kind of seem to run a lot of the consumer market. Lots of times it is them working at the stores recommending Windows machines, and flaming Macs as they do it. It happened to me a few years back when I was first starting to consider Macs (again).
This is absurd.
The 8800 is just coming out. I don't think any computers are shipping with it yet.
The 8800 completely destroys any game, ever. It's way overkill for games right now. It won't make Macs any more gaming viable than the current Mac Pro with the X1900, which is also overkill for most games.
Third, gamers don't run the consumer market. People look at a variety of features, and when their geek friend says "d00d, you don't get as many FPS in FEAR," they really couldn't care less.
I really hope the 8800 (or something better) is around sometime next year when I'll get my Mac Pro, but asking "will it EVER get it" is ridiculous.
This is absurd.
The 8800 is just coming out. I don't think any computers are shipping with it yet.
The 8800 completely destroys any game, ever. It's way overkill for games right now. It won't make Macs any more gaming viable than the current Mac Pro with the X1900, which is also overkill for most games.
Third, gamers don't run the consumer market. People look at a variety of features, and when their geek friend says "d00d, you don't get as many FPS in FEAR," they really couldn't care less.
I really hope the 8800 (or something better) is around sometime next year when I'll get my Mac Pro, but asking "will it EVER get it" is ridiculous.
The only people interested in the 8800 are gamers at this point, and they build their own computers, not buy them complete (except the really rich ones).
As for being way overkill for games right now, obviously you aren't the target audience for the 8800. Check out the gamespot review of the card here:
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6161267/p-3.html
Need For Speed Carbon, Max Quality, 1600x1200, 4xAA/16xAF/Transparency AA - 43 FPS
Oblivion, Max Quality (Grass Shadows, Self Shadows Disabled), 1600x1200, 4xAA/16xAF - 45 FPS
That's average frames - not minimum. That means even with this card you can hit spots where you can stutter. These are games out now, not next gen games.
The 8800 is a freaking beast of a card that's for sure - it beats 2 X1950XTX cards in crossfire in most games. But to say it 'destroys any game, ever' simply isn't true. I'd love to have one in a Mac, and would be sorely tempted to shell out the huge bucks if I could do it.
For people who use their macs for work as well as for games on the PC side I think it's possible to put a graphics card in an open slot and have windows use it as the main card isn't it? Anyone know for sure?
The only people interested in the 8800 are gamers at this point, and they build their own computers, not buy them complete (except the really rich ones).
I don't game that often, currently I'm spending over 90% of the time in OSX. But its given a fact that the stock card (7300GT) is too weak for apterture and other applications, the 1900xt is just too expensive for its performance. So buying the 8800/R600 in 1-3 months would be a (more) logical step.
As for being way overkill for games right now, obviously you aren't the target audience for the 8800. Check out the gamespot review of the card here:
http://www.gamespot.com/features/6161267/p-3.html
Need For Speed Carbon, Max Quality, 1600x1200, 4xAA/16xAF/Transparency AA - 43 FPS
Oblivion, Max Quality (Grass Shadows, Self Shadows Disabled), 1600x1200, 4xAA/16xAF - 45 FPS
That's average frames - not minimum. That means even with this card you can hit spots where you can stutter. These are games out now, not next gen games.
Consider that for 24" and 30" Displays, the 8800 is the only card with some reserves left. The 7300 GT cannot play recent games in high details or high resolutions.
In 2560x1600 many games are unplayable on a 1900xt while on the 8800gtx full details and AA could be enabled....
The 8800 is a freaking beast of a card that's for sure - it beats 2 X1950XTX cards in crossfire in most games. But to say it 'destroys any game, ever' simply isn't true. I'd love to have one in a Mac, and would be sorely tempted to shell out the huge bucks if I could do it.
For people who use their macs for work as well as for games on the PC side I think it's possible to put a graphics card in an open slot and have windows use it as the main card isn't it? Anyone know for sure?
The 8800gts needs an additional power cable and it drains so much power that it doensn't yet seem to be possible to power both the 8800 and the 7500GT for OSX.
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...=250851&page=3
However I think it's crazy to buy such a fast card without having the possiblity to use its power in osx.
However I think it's crazy to buy such a fast card without having the possiblity to use its power in osx.
Sounds like fun to me...
The Mac Pro can spare something around 215W and the 8800 takes 275W at peak.
Therefore, in order to run the 8800 in the current Mac Pro, you'll have to add in another PSU and rig it in there.
Otherwise, at peak times your computer will just SHUT OFF from too much power usage (don't worry, it doesn't break anything).
There ARE 300W PSUs that will fit in the extra optical drive bay, but you have to route the AC cable as well as the PCIe cable through the case (good luck ARG).
As far as the 8800 being the 'end all' of cards, that's ridiculous. There WILL be games that will use the thing, and there WILL be better cards, eventually.
As far as it becoming available for the Mac Pro, it's a possibility, but unlikely. The 8800 would be EASY to run on OS X, but power requirements and demand are too low. In fact, most NVidia cards already have a Mac driver, it just needs to be unlocked through a 3rd party driver:
http://omni.starchaser.org/
There is also one fundamental reason why Apple 'could give a crap' about video cards, and it's kind of a catch-22: There are few games for mac because 90% of Macs sold have crappy video cards, and they have crappy video cards because there are few games for mac (and thus low demand).
Paraphrased from slashdot:
"Hi, I'm a Mac"
"and I'm a PC"
"hey PC, what are you up to?"
"Playing Battlefield 2"
"Sweet! Can I play?"
"No."
Yes, it's true that Macs can "run windows" and therefore "games," but you have to dual boot every time you want to play AND your graphics options are limited. With nearly all Macs sold having video cards you can't upgrade, which were merely MID RANGE to begin with, game makers 'could give a fark'
Then there's the whole directX thing, but we'll ignore that.
Well, first off, the current Mac Pro is a few watts (powerwise) shy of working with the 8800 at full speed.
The Mac Pro can spare something around 215W and the 8800 takes 275W at peak.
Sorry, the Mac Pro runs 235W per PCIe Cable, and the 8800 takes 281W.
Someone mentioned that the excess wattage would be taken directly from the PCIe power lane (in the PCIe slot) but I'm not sure I agree with that.