Couple questions

[BigJohno]

Thinking of selling my 2009 i7 iMac for a mac pro. Mainly because I like the upgradeability of the mac pro. I kind of shot my self in the foot buying the iMac at the time. Was blinded by the i7 and all in one package.

Now I am going to mainly using this for Industrial Design work (sketching, Autocad, solid works, and video encoding here and there as well as gaming)

My questions,

I know that the sandy bridge or Ive bridge is just around the corner but a lot of what i am going to be using the computer doesn't really need those chips.

1. Can I install a SB processor in the 2010 mac pros when they come out?

2. Seeing as the 5870 is the best card to buy for the mac pro, Am I safe by buying the mac now and putting in the 68xx or 7xxxx cards when they arrive on the mac? Will the cards fit and will the power supply be enough to handle it?

Thanks everyone.

 

[derbothaus]

1. Can I install a SB processor in the 2010 mac pros when they come out?

No. They use different sockets. You are stuck with top speed of 6-core 3.46GHz if you spring for the "rich sauce" upgrade.

2. Seeing as the 5870 is the best card to buy for the mac pro, Am I safe by buying the mac now and putting in the 68xx or 7xxxx cards when they arrive on the mac? Will the cards fit and will the power supply be enough to handle it?

Should be OK. The PSU's are no slouch but whether Apple requires 2x8-pin on an upgraded card is up in the air. Depends on what 7xxx series needs. A 6870 is not an upgrade to the 5870. The 5870 is faster. You'd want an (equal to) 6950 or 6970 (Better) or 7xxx (hopefully better).

 

[vandersmissenc]

Video Card

I can't speak on the processor part of this question but as of right now, there are a lot of 6XXX series cards that work with the Mac Pro. I have a 2009 4,1 Mac Pro with a 6870 (flashed so the efi boot screen works). I would assume that once the new systems come out, if they have 7XXX series support in the system then we will be able to have these work as well.

tl;dr 6800 series cards work now.

 

[BigJohno]

Right on thanks guys for the responses. I seem to always buy at the end of a product cycle. :/

 

[Umbongo]

Right on thanks guys for the responses. I seem to always buy at the end of a product cycle. :/

Can you not wait a few months?

 

[BigJohno]

Can you not wait a few months?

Im going to try.