[YuSa28]

Can I use 2 Graphic Cards on my MAC PRO ? This are the model of the graphics cards: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT and NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256MB and this is the model of my MAC PRO:

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro1,1
Processor Name: Dual-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors: 2
Total Number Of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per processor): 4 MB
Memory: 7 GB
Bus Speed: 1.33 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MP11.005C.B08

Thank you very much.

[NobleMatt]

i dont know much off the top of my head about SLI but i think they need to be the same card, i could be wrong

[Big Mac]

deleted

[olePigeon]

I believe SLI has to be the same card. Also, SLI does not current work under OS X. You would have to be booted into Windows to benefit from 2 graphics cards.

Edit: Apparently nVidia has SLI working under 10.5.6? I did a search on Google. Maybe someone else can verify. I'm still fairly certain they have to be identical video cards.

[NobleMatt]

i know apple released a GT8800 or something SLI upgrade for the Mac Pro

[mduell]

Yes, but be careful to buy the correct version of the 8800GT (the retail one, not the one that shipped with new 2008 Mac Pros).

Asymmetric SLI won't work, but the OP didn't say anything about SLI.

[EricTheRed]

I run both a 1900XT and a 7300GT graphics cards in my first generation Mac Pro. On the Mac side it works perfect. Firing the box up under XP, I've run into conflicts with how Windows XP attempts to manage the desktop when I've tried to extend the desktop using more than one of graphics cards. If you need more than two display on the Windows side, then use identical cards. On the Mac side you can mix and match all day. However, be aware that if you use two screaming cards, you may not get the throughput you hoped for because the PCI bus has a maximum pipeline size that can be exceeded.

That said, when you install new PCI cards upon start-up, the Mac Pro will ask you how you want to manage the PCI bus pipeline.

[SierraDragon]

Some graphics apps function poorly with mix-and-match card installations. I am surprised at Eric's success.

Note also that some cards require a particular OS version.

-Allen Wicks

[silverflyer]

Originally Posted by crazyreaper 

i know apple released a GT8800 or something SLI upgrade for the Mac Pro

Really? Link?

[NobleMatt]

i thought i read it a while back, but cant seem to find it now, i think i maybe confusing myself but i did find a review on the GT 8800 on the apple store who claims to have the cards running in SLI via an SLI ribbon:

This Card Runs really nice in 2008 Mac Pro. I have 2 of these cards installed and have the SLI ribbon connecting them. OS 10.5.2 runs Battlefield 2142 uses both cards in 10.5.2. They are running as one card in my Winders Vister Ultimate 64. I bought a third card just to try in my 2007 8 core Mac Pro. Did not work. I tried the PCIe utility in system/library/core service/ expansion slot utility. Nothing worked. And yes I tried it with my ATI x1900xt and put the 8800GT in slot one and the ATI in slot three. Booted to winders with a card on the nvidia and still nothing. My poor 8 Core from 2007 won't work with this card installed. Happy Gaming.

From: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB137Z/A

so sorry if ive got your hopes up under false intense but it might not be all doom and gloom

[tooki]

<off topic>

Originally Posted by EricTheRed 

Why's the subwoofer using up valuable desk space, when they work best on the floor?</ot>

[silverflyer]

Originally Posted by crazyreaper 

i thought i read it a while back, but cant seem to find it now, i think i maybe confusing myself but i did find a review on the GT 8800 on the apple store who claims to have the cards running in SLI via an SLI ribbon:

From: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB137Z/A

so sorry if ive got your hopes up under false intense but it might not be all doom and gloom

It is not your fault, I am skeptical of this persons claims, but what the hell, all I can do is try and see what happens.

[NobleMatt]

tbh i dont know much about he SLI, i just thought i had read it on engadget at one point, maybe it was a speculation, that runed out to be false, but for some reason i thought i saw it on the apple store........ OMG...... i just got the cleverness in the iphones title of "app store" Application/Apple Store, lols

[mduell]

2 8800GTs work in a Mac Pro in OS X, but I'm really skeptical you can use SLI; they probably even work if you connect an SLI bridge, which they ignore.

[olePigeon]

Google mentions something about Titan.kext for enabling SLI under OS X. I'd look into it more, but I'm leaving for lunch.