MP 1,1-5,1 Best quiet GPU for High Sierra on a 5,1?

[kdrone]

I have read fully the GPU guide here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/gpu-compatibility-list-for-cmp.2174600/
but I would like some particular user input for my particular situation, hope you can help.

What is the best quiet GPU I can use on a Mac Pro 5,1? I currently have the Radeon 4870 it came with and it's way too noisy. I need to get rid of it.

Would the modest GT 120 work fine? Looks like it has a tiny fan but I feel like I could get something just as quiet and a little bit better performing.

I have a Geforce 7300 around but I think that does not work with High Sierra.

I do not do any graphic-intensive tasks, I just need a responsive UI in the system. But I need it to be quiet.
Would prefer something that gives me a boot screen.

Thank you!

 

[tsialex]

NVIDIA Quadro K2000 or something similar + EnableGop injected to the Mac Pro BootROM, for pre-boot configuration support.

Forget anything earlier like a GT120, while is a decent GPU up to Mavericks, not enough power to run High Sierra UI.

 

[kdrone]

NVIDIA Quadro K2000 or something similar + EnableGop injected to the Mac Pro BootROM, for pre-boot configuration support.

Forget anything earlier like a GT120, while is a decent GPU up to Mavericks, not enough power to run High Sierra UI.

But the machine's current videocard, the 4870, is even worse performance than the GTT 120, according to the compatibility list pointed above. So even that would be fine for me.

I'm just a little bit afraid of messing with the ROM, I don't want to brick the machine, as I have no interest in OpenCore.

 

[tsialex]

But the machine's current videocard, the 4870, is even worse performance than the GTT 120,

Seems you made a mistake, the reference used a RPI that is relative to ATI HD 7970 (GPU used as reference, the 100% GPU), you didn't understood the index, lower scores = weaker performace.

NVIDIA GT120 was the basic GPU for early-2009, ATI Radeon HD 4870 was the top performance model of the same early-2009 Mac Pro.

ATI Radeon HD 4870 performance is around 401% of a GT120. See TechPowerUp charts where is easier to understood the performance:

according to the compatibility list pointed above. So even that would be fine for me.

I'm just a little bit afraid of messing with the ROM, I don't want to brick the machine, as I have no interest in OpenCore.

My BootROM reconstruction service will solve all that issues for you. I'll send you a PM.

 

[kdrone]

Seems you made a mistake, the reference used a RPI that is relative to ATI HD 7970 (GPU used as reference, the 100% GPU), you didn't understood the index, lower scores = weaker performace.

No, I didn't misunderstand how the chart works, I made a mistake on which card I was looking at 😂 you are correct the one I have outperforms the GT 120 a lot.

I'm looking at a card directly after the one I have, the ATI Radeon HD 5770. The fan seems smaller and it requires less power. May this be a good option?

 

[tsialex]

No, I didn't misunderstand how the chart works, I made a mistake on which card I was looking at 😂 you are correct the one I have outperforms the GT 120 a lot.

I'm looking at a card directly after the one I have, the ATI Radeon HD 5770. The fan seems smaller and it requires less power. May this be a good option?

Your intention is to forever use High Sierra, like a what is sometimes called a period machine designed to run High Sierra and it's apps forever?

Even if you do that, a newer GPU will provide more power, have METAL support and you can run Mojave and etc. Personally, even with Macs that the intention is to run some specific macOS and app combo, sometimes is better to have alternatives, a more modern GPU will work with a newer display, newer macOS releases, newer app releases and etc.

Things happen and you better not be trapped into a corner.

 

[kdrone]

Your intention is to forever use High Sierra

Yes, so I don't have any need for a Metal 2 compatible card. I will never install anything past High Sierra.

I am not trapped into a corner, I have other setups I can use for other things. this one is just for High Sierra

 

[tsialex]

Yes, so I don't have any need for a Metal 2 compatible card. I will never install anything past High Sierra.

I am not trapped into a corner, I have other setups I can use for other things. this one is just for High Sierra

Ok, but you have better GPUs options than the ATI Radeon HD 5770. Also this was never considered a quiet GPU, not even when it was brand new, noise wise is very similar to the HD 4870. Imagine nowadays with the fan having worked for 12 to almost 14 years.

A Sapphire AMD Radeon RX 580 does not even have the fans running until you start to push the card hard. Most of the time the fans are completely off.

 

[haralds]

My RX-580 is dead quiet.

 

[nathan_reilly]

My RX-580 never breaks a sweat. Fans kick on when I am playing video screen savers using Aerial on two 30inch displays. They go so slow I can't hear them.

 

[MrScratchHook]

For 2 years my saffire pulse rx 580 hasn't made so much as a peep, never seen the fans spin what-so-ever. no complaints

 

[kdrone]

For 2 years my saffire pulse rx 580 hasn't made so much as a peep, never seen the fans spin what-so-ever. no complaints

My RX-580 is dead quiet.

What about when you boot it? Do the fans spin up like mad?

 

[tsialex]

What about when you boot it? Do the fans spin up like mad?

With a real mid-2010/mid-2012, no fans at all at boot, not from the GPU or from the Mac Pro.

With a cross-flashed early-2009, the MacPro fans ramps up at boot, it's a bug with MacPro4,1 SMC that can't be solved, since Apple never sent a correction and the SMC is not dump-able, so we can't dump the mid-2010/mid-2012 SMC and apply the 1.39f11 mid-2010 SMC firmware to the early-2009.

To solve this you can use AirOut:

AirOut: A solution to the racing fan bug

Introduction The racing fan bug is a well known issue that affects certain cMP systems with upgraded video cards, particularly systems with SMC version 1.39f5. On these systems the PCI, PS, and booster fans spin abnormally fast at idle, causing unnecessary noise. Although the issue appears to...

forums.macrumors.com

 

[kdrone]

I am talking about GPU fans, not system fans.
The 4870 goes on like a jet engine on boot and delays the boot process until it's done doing this nonsense. Noisy and obnoxious

 

[tsialex]

I am talking about GPU fans, not system fans.
The 4870 goes on like a jet engine on boot and delays the boot process until it's done doing this nonsense. Noisy and obnoxious

I've already answered that, no GPU fans at maximum RPM at boot, at least not with Sapphire Pulse and most of the others RX 580 GPU models.

 

[MrScratchHook]

What about when you boot it? Do the fans spin up like mad?

Nope.

 

[flaubert]

I have never heard the fan for my MSI RX560, at boot or during any operation, in my mid-2010 cMP. But I must say that I don't do video editing.