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Graphics Card
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2010
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Dec 16, 2010, 08:26 AM
 
Hi
I have the opportunity to buy a graphics card for my 2007 Mac Pro. The card is as follows:
Sapphire RADEON HD 3870 - Graphics adapter - Radeon HD 3870 - PCI Express 2.0 x16 - 512 MB GDDR3 - DVI, HDMI ( HDCP ) - HDTV out
The card I have at the moment is the usual NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT.
Can any of you chaps out there tell me if it will go into my Mac. By the way, after I upgraded my Ram from 4gb to 8gb, it is a lot slower at doing everything?
Regards
     
Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: UK
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Dec 16, 2010, 09:02 AM
 
It might work under Boot Camp but you will need to take steps to make it work under OS X. The information you require is more than likely here:

netkas.org

Are you sure you have installed the correct RAM and in the correct slots? Newer ones have a memory utility which can tell you if you are using the best configuration or not. I know there was such a utility for the PCI-E slots on the original MP, not sure about the RAM.
(Last edited by Waragainstsleep; Dec 16, 2010 at 09:04 AM. (Reason:Added note about RAM))
MacBook 2.0GHz CD; MacBook Pro 15" 2.4GHz Late '08; PowerMac G4 MDD Dual 1GHz; 3x Xserve G4 1GHz; Mac Mini 2GHz; Big pile of broken and working bits;
     
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Dec 16, 2010, 09:24 AM
 
Many thanks for your reply, I will have a look.
The Ram is showing up on System Profiler as being the same Ram as I already have and I sent the company all my specs before buying so???
Do you know of a decent Graphics card that would replace mine and also run another 30" Monitor? Price????
I am writing from England.
Many thanks
     
Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
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Dec 21, 2010, 08:35 AM
 
If you want to ensure compatibility, you have to go for an Apple card. Thing is even then, Apple won't certify some cards for some Mac Pros.

2007 is the original Mac Pro from 2006. OWC seem to think the current 5770 will work in your machine. Apple UK sells it for £199. Another problem is that most cards only have the one DVI output these days. If your display has mini displayport its not a problem but if not you'll need the pricey and not always reliable mini displayport to dual link DVI adaptor.

Going back to the RAM, how many sticks do you have total? For maximum speed you put the first matched pair in the top riser (nearest the motherboard), the second pair go in the lower riser, third pair go in the top one and the fourth pair goes nearest you in the bottom riser.
MacBook 2.0GHz CD; MacBook Pro 15" 2.4GHz Late '08; PowerMac G4 MDD Dual 1GHz; 3x Xserve G4 1GHz; Mac Mini 2GHz; Big pile of broken and working bits;
     
   
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