[macgeek2005]

When do you think apple will release a new video card upgrade kit for the Mac Pro?

I don't NEED the power of the X1900XT by any means, so I have no problem with switching back to the 7300GT for the duration of time between selling the old card and buying the new card. The reason I want to upgrade is because I want a card more powerful than the 7300GT, but the X1900XT just has issues. It's not that my card is defective, it's just it doesn't handle heat properly, and the machine isn't designed right for it. I'm hoping the X2900XT will be more suited for the machine.

Anyways, i'd like to sell my X1900XT before the new card is available for Mac. At what point do you think I should sell it?

Thanks!

Lennon

[Richard Richard]

I fail to see the preoccupation with super duper videocards for the mac pro , unless of course , is it something to do with gaming ?

If you don't need the power of the x1900 why on earth would you require a card that's even more powerful ??

[goMac]

Is your machine actually overheating and shutting down?

If not, be aware that the X1900xt is going to run hot, and the X2900 would run even hotter.

Heck, I even had issues with my X700 in my old PC on a hot day. The faster the card, the more heat it will put out. There's no magical solution for that.

[macgeek2005]

Originally Posted by goMac 

Is your machine actually overheating and shutting down?

If not, be aware that the X1900xt is going to run hot, and the X2900 would run even hotter.

Heck, I even had issues with my X700 in my old PC on a hot day. The faster the card, the more heat it will put out. There's no magical solution for that.

But technology keeps getting better. If what you just said is true, then the video cards nowadays would turn your fingers to ash on a single touch. The 16mb Rage 128 in the original G4 Towers were plenty hot when that computer was being taxed. But now we have video cards dozens of times more powerful, and they aren't THAT much hotter. If heat always increased with a speed increase, that wouldn't work.

Anyways, when I play a game like Quake 4, sometimes the screen will just lock up, and then i'll hear the audio of the game continuing for a few seconds, and then that too will stop. I'm then forced to restart the computer. And yesterday, I had that infamous problem with Call of Duty 2, where the screen just shuts off on it's own, (goes black), and the sounds of the game continue forever. I was then forced to restart the computer as well.

None of these problems exist when I crank up the fans with smcFanControl.

Basically I figure, if I can sell this one, and get a new one and not lose much money, why not keep up with the latest stuff? I have a feeling that the X2900 will be more suited for the computer. And once I get it, i'll crank up the fans every time I play, from the beginning, so that there is no risk of overheating the card or temporarily damaging it. I don't game that much. I just like having a fast video card. It's like a "thing".

[unixadm]

Well it sounds like you're trying to perhaps pawn off a questionable card. Contact Apple first and get them to replace the card with a revision 2. The X1900 isn't worth all that much anymore and I did not go the Apple route when buying one. I bought an X1900XTX off of Ebay last week and it arrived last night. I flashed it with the X1900XT Apple EFI ROM after I changed the clocks to reflect those of the X1900XTX. It works perfectly and takes all of five minutes (flashed right in the Mac Pro), which with the Apple OEM power cable cost me about $220. Much cheaper than Apples $399 or $367 with EPP. Or buy yourself an Accelero X2 cooler for $20.

[macgeek2005]

Apple sent me a Revision 2 card. Now I can sell that if I feel like it.