[macgeek2005]

AppleInsider | ATI Radeon X2800XT with CrossFire rumored for Apple's next Mac Pro

Wow, technology is really merciless isn't it?

It says at the bottom that the 8-core Mac Pro will be the only mac capable of running this card. Does this mean that my Quad 3.0Ghz Mac Pro won't be able to upgrade to it?

[macgeek2005]

Ahem. Ignore the second thread made. Mine was here first.

[Leonard]

Looks like a great card... can't wait to see comparisons between it and the Geforce 8800GTX

The reason it could require the 8-core Mac Pro could be due to the 8-core Mac Pro having a new motherboard design which may include new power connectors. In one article I read it made mention of new power connectors required for this card.

Otherwise I couldn't see why the current Mac Pro couldn't handle it. It's certainly not the additional cores in the Mac Pro CPU that would make a difference.

I found some additional info on the proposed models, memory, pipelines configs here ATi R600 full series, specs and pricing - http://forums.ocworkbench.com (超网论坛)

[mduell]

A pair of those would be so big they'd cover all the PCIe slots inside the Mac Pro enclosure. They'd also consume over 500W.

Also, I wouldn't put much weight behind AppleInsider's clockrate comparison; the ATi card is expected to have fewer processing units than the 8800GTX does, so it would need the extra clockspeed just to keep up.

[macgeek2005]

I can't believe apple would redesign the motherboard, making my computer already obsolete.....

This means the X1900XT is the fastest card i'll ever be able to have!

[silverflyer]

I want one.


edit: actually, I want two, in my Mac Pro.

[macgeek2005]

I guess it isn't too big a problem for me if I can never upgrade my video card, cause i've sort of stopped gaming, and the X1900XT is more than enough for any other graphic thing i'd need to do, but it just bugs me.....

I'll need a DX10 card at some point!

[mduell]

Originally Posted by macgeek2005 

I can't believe apple would redesign the motherboard, making my computer already obsolete.....

This means the X1900XT is the fastest card i'll ever be able to have!

I don't see anything preventing you from putting the X2800XT in your Mac Pro... same PCIe 16x slot, the case has enough space for a full 12.6" card. Power may be a problem, but someone will probably make an adapter to use one of the molex connectors available.

[Leonard]

Originally Posted by macgeek2005 

I can't believe apple would redesign the motherboard, making my computer already obsolete.....

This means the X1900XT is the fastest card i'll ever be able to have!

Remember this is all rumor and that you have to take it with a bucket of salt. Some of it can be true, some may not be true, and I was making a guess about the motherboard... like mduell says it may be just requires an adapter or something, Power Mac and Mac Pro power supplies are known to be more powerful than PCs.

[brokenjago]

Originally Posted by macgeek2005

Ahem. Ignore the second thread made. Mine was here first.

Damn. Beat me by 3 minutes!

Back on topic, however:

How would you fit two of those in there without dual 16x PCI express lanes?

(Cue mduell)

[mduell]

Originally Posted by Leonard 

Power Mac and Mac Pro power supplies are known to be more powerful than PCs.

This used to be true due to the ADC monitor connection, but these days their power supplies are about average for machines in their class.

Originally Posted by brokenjago 

How would you fit two of those in there without dual 16x PCI express lanes?

(Cue mduell)

*appears as mduell*

Put one in an 8x slot and take the small performance penalty.

[brokenjago]

Put one in an 8x slot and take the small performance penalty.

Hm. Didn't know you could do that. Wonder if a current Mac Pro power supply could do it.

I'm assuming both cards would run an 8x in order to keep in sync in crossfire mode?

[Leonard]

Originally Posted by brokenjago 

Hm. Didn't know you could do that. Wonder if a current Mac Pro power supply could do it.

Depends... I read somewhere that the X2800XT requires 2 power connectors. The Mac Pro ONLY has 2 power connectors for graphics cards... if one card requires 2 power connectors, then no, a Mac Pro couldn't handle 2 X2800XT's.

[arng1]

I know this is a little off topic but has any1 heard that they may redesign the mac pro look as well? I read that they might put in a new cooling system where it vents from the top rather than the back, also theres rumors that they may make it smaller. Heres a link http://www.macrumors.com/2007/02/14/...be-redesigned/

[Big Mac]

Interesting rumor, arng1. Such a cooling design would be reminiscent of the Cube, but I don't know if that would be an optimal choice for the Mac Pro. Perhaps that rumor is really pointing to a Cube II, or a Mac mini tower that so many have asked for.

[arng1]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

Interesting rumor, arng1. Such a cooling design would be reminiscent of the Cube, but I don't know if that would be an optimal choice for the Mac Pro. Perhaps that rumor is really pointing to a Cube II, or a Mac mini tower that so many have asked for.

True, i didnt think of that. A new cube would be pretty cool, or a mid range mac with the ability to upgrade is a good posibility being how so many people want it.

[kronos[pka]]

so when is this Octo Mac supposed to come out (about 3 months, 6 months ?) ?

[CIA]

I think you will see the 8 core machine released in the next 2-3 months. Closer to Leopard and closer to the release of Universal Photoshop.

[Xyrrus]

I'd be really annoyed if I couldn't toss a single card in my Mac Pro. When I bought it, I figured there wasn't anything apple could offer in the next round of updates that I couldn't add myself. The whole point of the Pros is that they're upgradeable.

-Xy

[Abbas]

I'm sure there will be an upgrade version for the X2800 for us current Mac Pro owners. AMD is releasing one for PC's that utilize a 16x PCI-E slot and I dont see why there wont be a Mac version.

-a

[mduell]

Originally Posted by kronos[pka] 

so when is this Octo Mac supposed to come out (about 3 months, 6 months ?) ?

Whenever Apple wants it to. The chips have been available for months.

Originally Posted by Abbas 

I'm sure there will be an upgrade version for the X2800 for us current Mac Pro owners. AMD is releasing one for PC's that utilize a 16x PCI-E slot and I dont see why there wont be a Mac version.

The availability of a video card for PCs does not in any way imply its availability for Macs. Look at what the PowerMac G5 (AGP and PCIe) owners are left with.

[Abbas]

Originally Posted by mduell 

The availability of a video card for PCs does not in any way imply its availability for Macs. Look at what the PowerMac G5 (AGP and PCIe) owners are left with.

If Apple is already planning on these for their "new" Mac Pro, then the technology exists and I dont see why AMD wouldnt like to profit from. Its kinda like when the x1900 was released in a Mac Pro, a retail version for the G5s followed.

-a

[The Ancient One]

Originally Posted by macgeek2005 

I can't believe apple would redesign the motherboard, making my computer already obsolete.....

This means the X1900XT is the fastest card i'll ever be able to have!

I also have the X1900 XT, but I have a different take. I figure my current card is good for a couple of years and, by then, there will probably be an upgrade card available at least as fast as the X2800 or even better. Patience, young Jedi.

[brokenjago]

Agreed!

[paulc]

Let us not forget the "X1900 for G5" was a card for only the last bump of G5's, the quads w/PCIe buses. Wild guess, but that probably represents about 10-15% of all G5's.

[EricTheRed]

Any windows drivers for that new fangled card? Without windows drivers it isn't any good to windows games.

[brokenjago]

Not yet, but the card's not even released, so I don't see why there should be.

[Leonard]

Originally Posted by EricTheRed 

Any windows drivers for that new fangled card? Without windows drivers it isn't any good to windows games.

When it comes out there will most likely be windows drivers for it. There will most likely be a windows version of the card since PCs are the bigger market.

[shabbasuraj]

This card should be a nice upgrade for my system.

errrrr....VAPOUR...WARE

[bleee]

If Apple is going to keep screwing it's customers by not making cards backwards compatible barring any technical issues of course (i.e. you have an AGP slot and you wanna upgrade to PCIe) they should just sell all their macs with onboard video built to spec. I'm really tired of reading about how you can dump this firmware and hack that driver. Mac Pro owners paid an arm and a leg for their machines and they deserve a little better. This is what I miss about the PC world you have literally hundreds of different card makers to choose from don't like Ati No problem go down to you local PC hardware store by the latest and greatest and drop it in. WHY can't it be that simple!

[climber]

Originally Posted by bleee 

If Apple is going to keep screwing it's customers by not making cards backwards compatible barring any technical issues of course (i.e. you have an AGP slot and you wanna upgrade to PCIe) they should just sell all their macs with onboard video built to spec. I'm really tired of reading about how you can dump this firmware and hack that driver. Mac Pro owners paid an arm and a leg for their machines and they deserve a little better. This is what I miss about the PC world you have literally hundreds of different card makers to choose from don't like Ati No problem go down to you local PC hardware store by the latest and greatest and drop it in. WHY can't it be that simple!

I think many of the incompatibilities that you complain about are prevalent the PC world as well right now. Lots of older motherboards are not able to work with the newer hardware.

In this case it sounds like the problem with the video card is a technical/hardware one not a software one. When possible Apple has perviously made upgrade video cards available for their high end machines. What makes you think they would not continue this?

[mduell]

Obviously even in the PC world you can't cram a PCIe card in an AGP slot.

But they make AGP X1950PRO cards for PCs, which are about twice as fast as the top-end X850 XT for PowerMacs. The PC X1950 PRO won't work in a PowerMac merely because of software.