[blakespot]

They are pushing the nv40-based nVIDIA GeForce 6800 to drive the 30" Cinema display. I have two 20" Cinemas and am looking more at performance that anticipating a 30" Cinema in my future - and looking at recent benchmarks, the performance of the GeForce 6800 is something like TWICE that of the Radeon 9800XT.

I wonder if I am correct in assuming that this card can be used for a regular dual display situation (or must it power a 30")? Also I would need another ADC->DVI converter to use that card.

I called Apple and verified that changing my order to a GeForce 6800 would indeed push the shipment of my G5 back to the August timeframe. Of course...I ordered my dual 2.5GHz G5 on the day it was released and my current ship estimate is "on or before 7/30/04" basically August. Argh...heavy decisions.





blakespot

[videian28]

I am in the same predicament, debating whether to change my order, it is already a month away... I am tempted to do so, will extend the life of the machine for sure

[blakespot]

Originally posted by videian28:
I am in the same predicament, debating whether to change my order, it is already a month away... I am tempted to do so, will extend the life of the machine for sure

Indeed it is something to think about - and fast. Look at some of the framerate numbers from the June 2004 issue of CPU magazine (this is a subset of their published results):

- HALO @ 1024x768
Radeon 9800XT= 60.5fps
GeForce 6800 = 92.5 fps

- HALO @ 1600x1200
Radeon 9800XT = 28.9fps
GeForce 6800 = 61.6 fps

- UT 2004 @ 1600x1200
Radeon 9800XT = 122 fps
GeForce 6800 = 152.1 fps

- UT 2004 @ 1600x1200 4xAA/8xAF
Radeon 9800XT = 67.8 fps
GeForce 6800 = 125.6 fps

And many general benches show twice the performance of the Radeon 9800XT. Here is a machine with a 1.25GHz bus - it seems it might be worth paying $150 more for the fastest video card available. AND if you decide to go 30" Cinema later, you're set.... Though that's not much of a concern for most folks, admittedly.

I am leaning towards switching up. But the clock is ticking. If the G5 ships, it's too late...



blakespot

[Dennis the Phantom Menace]

Does anybody know if the 6800 will work the 20" & 23" displays? I'm not sure if it has a standard DVI compatible port(s).

[UnixMac]

It better, cause I just ordered the new 23" and the 6800 from Apple Store and they claimed that they were compatible... I believe that the 30" however REQUIRES the 6800 to run, no other option there..

[k2director]

Originally posted by blakespot:
- it seems it might be worth paying $150 more for the fastest video card available.

I hadn't really thought about it that way--I saw the $599 price and thought, "too much," but it's not *that* much more than what I'm going to spend for the ATI 9800 in my BTO 2.5 g5!

Hmmmm......

Hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmm....

[Eug Wanker]

Originally posted by Dennis the Phantom Menace:
Does anybody know if the 6800 will work the 20" & 23" displays? I'm not sure if it has a standard DVI compatible port(s).

The new ones yes. The old ones yes, but it will require an adapter.

[Zubir]

If you can afford it, get the 6800. It's the fastest card Nvidia has right now, and it's neck and neck with ATI's X800, which will probably be available for Mac soon. The 6800 is a better choice for Mac because Nvidia cards are always faster with OpenGL than an equivalent Radeon. Radeons are only faster with DirectX, which is Windows only.

[Krauti]

Originally posted by Zubir:
Nvidia cards are always faster with OpenGL than an equivalent Radeon. Radeons are only faster with DirectX, which is Windows only.

That's news to me... who told you that?

[mac freak]

A little elf

OpenGL games run just fine on my PC with a 9700 Pro

[blakespot]

I just called Apple and upgraded my dual 2.5GHz G5 order from Radeon 9800XT to GeForce 6800 Ultra. Estimated ship date: "On or before 08/31/2004"



blakespot

[videian28]

do a search for mac and 6800 or apple and 6800 on nVidia's web site return 0 results

[olePigeon]

Since the 6800 uses DDL, will it work with non DDL monitors? Or will that need an adapter, too?

[Waragainstsleep]

I wonder if you could do this with it:

http://www.hardocp.com/image.html?im...1fM18yX2wuanBn

http://www.hardocp.com/articleprint.html?article_id=633

[bowwowman]

"we're not evil because we do evil; we do evil because we're evil"

So in a Gump-ian sort of way, what you are saying is:

"Evil is as Evil Does" right ? hehehe

[bowwowman]

Originally posted by Waragainstsleep:
I wonder if you could do this with it:

http://www.hardocp.com/image.html?im...1fM18yX2wuanBn

http://www.hardocp.com/articleprint.html?article_id=633

Yes you could IF you had a Mac with dual PCI-E slots, spaced accordingly (each card takes up TWO slot spaces