 |
 |
Any idea when we'll see a graphics refresh?
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Regular
Join Date: Aug 2003
Status:
Offline
|
|
Still trying to adjust from being a PC gamer with a tendency to order cards on release...
I'm aware there's a good chance there won't be updated graphics cards for the Mac Pro anytime soon, but can anyone give me an idea when I should be checking the news sites for announcements?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
Status:
Offline
|
|
Just in case you haven't heard it already. Beside what Apple offers you can get an ATI HD3870 (512 MB) Mac Edition for ~$200.
The MP will probably be updated towards the end of the year or at the latest by January. And it will come with a new selection of GPUs. That however, does not automatically mean they will also work in older MPs (as we learned last time around). At least not right from the start.
|
|
•
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Regular
Join Date: Aug 2003
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by Simon 
Just in case you haven't heard it already. Beside what Apple offers you can get an ATI HD3870 (512 MB) Mac Edition for ~$200.
I've got the 8800 GT already, which it looks to be about a match for. Good to know, though, thanks!
Originally Posted by Simon
The MP will probably be updated towards the end of the year or at the latest by January. And it will come with a new selection of GPUs. That however, does not automatically mean they will also work in older MPs (as we learned last time around). At least not right from the start.
Yeah... well, hoping, y'know? Also hoping by that point Nvidia have managed to make their latest cards less closely resemble jet engines, optimist that I am. I'll keep an eye out for new Mac Pros, that's at least simpler (they tend to be more widely announced), thanks!
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator  Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status:
Offline
|
|
Rumors have it that ATi are preparing Mac models of the 4850 and 4870.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Regular
Join Date: Aug 2003
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by P
Rumors have it that ATi are preparing Mac models of the 4850 and 4870.
Fantastic, I'll keep an eye out, thank you!
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2001
Status:
Offline
|
|
And thankfully ATI had cards out right away that worked in both the old and new Mac Pros when they put out the 2600.
At this point, I think the Jan 08 Mac Pros should have an upgrade path for a long while for the graphics side. The only concern I have with mine is power requirements of future cards. Many high end cards are moving to an 8 and 6 pin power connector arrangement, while the Mac Pro only has 2 6 pin power connectors. Odds are though the one step below absolute high end should remain power friendly enough to work.
|
|
<This space under renovation>
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Feb 2008
Status:
Offline
|
|
our 3870 just arrived at work. installing after i run a base rendering test in FCP.
|
|
Mac Pro 8 core 2.8ghz 8gb RAM
Penryn Macbook Pro 2.4ghz 2gb Ram
Academy of Art University
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Tampa, Florida
Status:
Online
|
|
I thought that the days of videocards made specially for the Mac were over. Didn't the transition to x86 help with the big-endianess incompatibility of the PowerPC?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Admin Emeritus  Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status:
Offline
|
|
It really had less to do with endianness than with drivers. And since PC graphics cards are designed for BIOS-based systems, not EFI, the incompatibility remains.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Tampa, Florida
Status:
Online
|
|
Originally Posted by tooki
It really had less to do with endianness than with drivers. And since PC graphics cards are designed for BIOS-based systems, not EFI, the incompatibility remains.
Sucks royally. So, the latest PC-only videocards wouldn't work in Bootcamp either?
If so, the Mac gaming community must be fuming at such unfortunate situation.
I wonder if more videocards are supported under Linux than under OSX.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status:
Offline
|
|
No, Boot Camp is BIOS based, and it's plain old Windows. People have run GPUs in their MPs that are only compatible on the Windows side.
|
"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Regular
Join Date: Aug 2003
Status:
Offline
|
|
Originally Posted by The Godfather
I wonder if more videocards are supported under Linux than under OSX.
Yes, absolutely. For example, Nvidia's supported card list for Linux: http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_18897.html . Now, the drivers are a lot LOT more hassle, but that's not what you asked  I think with the move to PC hardware it became much easier for graphic card manufacturers to make Mac editions, but they do still require different firmware on the card which is a serious issue.
Personally, what I really don't get is why you have things like Steve Jobs getting id Software to talk about their latest games at Mac conferences, but there's still no serious hardware support for gamers. The iMacs need upgradable graphics on a slot in, slot out card, and the Mac Pros need to have cards that are within a couple of months of the PC versions. As it stands, the 8800 GT is now two card generations out of date, and our best hope for an upgrade is from a 3rd party doing their own releases.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 
|
|
|
Forum Rules
|
|
|
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top
