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Replacing PowerMac G5
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
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Whole bundle of questions in here...
I'm looking at replacing my trusty G5 machine (Dual 2.5, 4Gb RAM, 750Gb HDD, 9800XT 256Mb, AirPort, Bluetooth) with a shiny Mac Pro in the next few weeks, but I'm at a confusing point with some of my options.
Firstly, I was looking at the stock 8 core model, but upgrading to the nVidia 8800GT, adding AirPort and the second Superdrive. Being somewhat of a gamer, I'm intending to BootCamp Vista64 - but if I get a second 8800GT can I run SLi mode under Windows? I've read a few sites out there that seem to indicate it is possible, but nobody has said so with the new PCIe 2.0 machines. Are all the slots PCIe 2.0?
SLi would make me rather happy, as powering a pair of 23" Cinema Displays is going to stress a single card a little too much for decent FPS scores. I know it doesn't work under OS X though!
Is it worth upgrading to the 3.0Ghz CPUs? It's £500 extra, but I'm torn. I do a lot of Photoshop work, and some Final Cut Pro. Obviously I'll be upping the RAM and HDDs from a non-Apple source.
How much would my PowerMac be worth? I'm based in the UK...
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Truckee, CA
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Go to eBay to get an idea of used G5 market values.
Barefeats Real World Speed Tests for Performance Minded Mac Users has test results for various cards and setups.
Modern MP CPUs are seldom the limiting factor for most workflows. No, the extra money for more CPU is not worth it. Put your money into other areas (RAM, RAID0, fast scratch disk for PS) then maybe a year+ from now when CPU prices have fallen substantially consider a CPU upgrade if workflow improvements justify it.
-Allen Wicks
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
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No, I don't think you can do SLI. You're better off buying a 9800GX2 to 9800GTX and using it for Windows (you can install it alongside the 8800 just fine). There are two PCIe 2.0 x16 slots and two PCIe 1.x x4 slots in the current Mac Pro.
The CPU upgrades are not worth it. Spend the money on RAM or disk.
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
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Originally Posted by mduell 
No, I don't think you can do SLI. You're better off buying a 9800GX2 to 9800GTX and using it for Windows (you can install it alongside the 8800 just fine). There are two PCIe 2.0 x16 slots and two PCIe 1.x x4 slots in the current Mac Pro.
The CPU upgrades are not worth it. Spend the money on RAM or disk.
If I install a 9800X2 alongside the 8800GT will OS X boot happily enough with both cards installed, or do I need to take the 9800 out each time?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
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Superb, system ordered! Thank you 
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