Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Dual GTX 680 4GB make my 2010 12-core Fly!

jpine said:
Anyone have any thoughts as to the following from Macvidcards? Most of the benchmarks I see for the below cards are for games. The OP obviously seems to be having great success with the 680, but I don't know if the below apps are used by him. I did read one blog that suggests PS runs better on the 570 and 580 than the 680, but that's just one source which I have not seen replicated. I need to move on this in a couple of weeks, so any input would be appreciated! :) My apps are, in order of importance:

PS CS6
Lighrwave
Vue

Cards under consideration are, in no particular order,

GTX 570 2.5 gig version

GTX 580 3 gig version with internal power

GTX 680 4 gig version

Jerry
Click to expand...
Hi Jerry,

A month or so ago I installed a MVC GTX 580 3 gig version, replacing a fairly new GTX 650 Ti. It runs great on internal power, even running the abominable FurMark benchmark which makes the fans spin up crazy fast on the vid card. Benchmark scores are right on the money.

I got this card to speed up Adobe CUDA-based apps, not for gaming. The 580 does especially well here, owing to its double-precision cores, much faster than a single 680 can. Since then, I've learned that these apps can use all the CUDA cores available on your machine, so I just received my own Booster X5 PSU so I can run both the GTX 580 and the GTX 650. I'll post more once I've completed the install and run some benchmarks.

PM me if you want to see the benchmark scores I've achieved with just the 580.

Mike in Mass
 
MassMacMan said:
Hi Jerry,

A month or so ago I installed a MVC GTX 580 3 gig version, replacing a fairly new GTX 650 Ti. It runs great on internal power, even running the abominable FurMark benchmark which makes the fans spin up crazy fast on the vid card. Benchmark scores are right on the money.

I got this card to speed up Adobe CUDA-based apps, not for gaming. The 580 does especially well here, owing to its double-precision cores, much faster than a single 680 can. Since then, I've learned that these apps can use all the CUDA cores available on your machine, so I just received my own Booster X5 PSU so I can run both the GTX 580 and the GTX 650. I'll post more once I've completed the install and run some benchmarks.

PM me if you want to see the benchmark scores I've achieved with just the 580.

Mike in Mass
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike!!! I was leaning heavily towards the 580 anyway, so this pretty much sealed it. If I remember, I'll have to somehow let PS know that it needs to use the 580's CUDA's to speed things along. Can't wait to use it with Vue too.

Thanks again and congrats to the Red Sox, even if they did beat a Missouri team. :p

Jerry
 
Dual GTX 680 saga

Today I wiped my Windows drive and reinstalled Bootcamp and Windows 8.1.

I can boot into OS 10.9 with both cards in Mac Pro 5,1 with no problem.

I cannot boot into Windows with both cards installed but can with one card.

Even setting the Windows drive as startup disk, just white screen. If I boot and option key for disk choice, just freezes when Windows drive is selected.

Basically, I'm at the same place I was Wednesday evening. I can work in Rhino and Octane with a single card but sure could use the additional power of that second card.

Any more suggestions?

For what its worth, I am attaching screen shot of Mac OS view of the cards.
 

Attachments

  • macView680s.gif
    macView680s.gif
    25.6 KB · Views: 175
Dr. Stealth's 680's Mac or PC cards

Dr. Stealth

Are you running non-Mac edition 680s?
If so, might that be the difference that's causing my Windows boot problem?

Are you using the 10.9 drivers?
 
mristau said:
Dr. Stealth

Are you running non-Mac edition 680s?
If so, might that be the difference that's causing my Windows boot problem?

Are you using the 10.9 drivers?
Click to expand...

Yes, non-mac 680's. It may be your win 8.1 as I'm running win 7 SP1 x64 without any problems with both cards.

On the OS X side, yes, I'm using the drivers included with Mavericks.
 
Durex's 680 Classified

Thanks Dr. Stealth

Spent many hours searching for those FTWs with no luck.
Did find Classifieds though. In thread Durex was about to try with Classified but I find no report of success. Anyone successful with 680 Classified?
 
Dr. Stealth said:
Yes, non-mac 680's. It may be your win 8.1 as I'm running win 7 SP1 x64 without any problems with both cards.

On the OS X side, yes, I'm using the drivers included with Mavericks.
Click to expand...

This info is so helpful. SOOOO helpful.

I will also be running 2 non-Mac 680s and also have the Velocity Solo card. So with that in mind, any thoughts on other ways for me to get the Booster X5 power cable out of my case without any splicing/soldering? I don't mind drilling but electrical work is not my idea of a good time!

Thanks for your help!
 
The FSP Booster comes with a PCI cover thingy for extending the power cable out behind the computer, you don't have to drill anything or am I missing something?
 
I just completed my install of a Booster X5, following Dr. Stealth's lead in attaching the power leads directly to the internal power supply, eliminating the need for an extra power cord leading from the Mac. It took quite a while to dig out the power supply unit, crack it open, solder in the leads, and put everything back together. Now that it's finished, I'm pleased with the results.

I took a different option to passing the PCIe cables from the optical bay, and in so doing, I didn't have to mess with the fans in the Booster unit, installing it normally not inverted backwards. Using the example shown here, I sawed a gap in case lid inner frame, as aligned with the third drive's security lever, using a hacksaw.
 
MassMacMan said:
I just completed my install of a Booster X5, following Dr. Stealth's lead in attaching the power leads directly to the internal power supply, eliminating the need for an extra power cord leading from the Mac. It took quite a while to dig out the power supply unit, crack it open, solder in the leads, and put everything back together. Now that it's finished, I'm pleased with the results.

I took a different option to passing the PCIe cables from the optical bay, and in so doing, I didn't have to mess with the fans in the Booster unit, installing it normally not inverted backwards. Using the example shown here, I sawed a gap in case lid inner frame, as aligned with the third drive's security lever, using a hacksaw.
Click to expand...

Ohhh, interesting on the inner cable routing.

I wonder if I could modify the plate on my Velocity Solo to let the power cable pass through? Wish I had my dad's Air Force soldering skills. Hmmmm...
 
Kristoph said:
Hi Stealth,

Im trying to snake the GPU cables into the lower optical drive like you've shown in one of your pics. I can see – like you say – the metal is very soft and pliable and have bent some of it clearing enough space for the connectors to go through. However my main prob is that the DVD shutter door mechanism is blocking up most of the hole. pic attached...

So Im guessing you removed the door mech to get them through? Ive removed the only visible screw and can't see any screw on the other side. This thing aint budging!

edit – got them through – that was hard work,
Click to expand...

Okay, seriously. How did you guys end up getting those cables through past the DVD door mech? Been trying to get it for hours and can't even get one through there, even with the soft metal snipped away.
 
echoout said:
Okay, seriously. How did you guys end up getting those cables through past the DVD door mech? Been trying to get it for hours and can't even get one through there, even with the soft metal snipped away.
Click to expand...

I ran 24 wires through that spot, basically 4x 6pin. I have the tools to push the wires/pin out of the connectors and just pushed each wire through individually. Connecting each wire back into the plug as to not mix them up.
 
Can be done with something with size of paperclip but harder steel. Just need to push down a tang that stops reverse motion. Can be then reassembled without tool, snaps back in.
 
MacVidCards said:
Can be done with something with size of paperclip but harder steel. Just need to push down a tang that stops reverse motion. Can be then reassembled without tool, snaps back in.
Click to expand...

Man, but even then, even with the bit of metal snipped away, I can't believe you can get all 4 of those fat cables through there! :eek:

I got 2 through without removing the connector pins and there's almost no room to work. Crazy.
 
OrangeSVTguy said:
You can remove the back plate behind the optical drives for more room. I never reinstalled it so it's fine.
Click to expand...

I gave up on trying to get all 4 cables through. I can't imagine how that's possible. I have the 2 to power my Titan but would have loved to have all 4 in case I ever wanted to throw in another.

I'm not sure my optical doors will ever be functional again. The amount of bending to get those cables through proved to be pretty destructive.
 
echoout said:
I gave up on trying to get all 4 cables through. I can't imagine how that's possible. I have the 2 to power my Titan but would have loved to have all 4 in case I ever wanted to throw in another.

I'm not sure my optical doors will ever be functional again. The amount of bending to get those cables through proved to be pretty destructive.
Click to expand...
The stock cables were to thick. I purchased 8 custom length 6 pin cables and had requested the seller keep one side of the connectors off. You can push through one single individual wire at a time and push the pins into the end of the plug.
 
OrangeSVTguy said:
The stock cables were to thick. I purchased 8 custom length 6 pin cables and had requested the seller keep one side of the connectors off. You can push through one single individual wire at a time and push the pins into the end of the plug.
Click to expand...

And getting around the plastic door mechanism was manageable? Could you point me to any cabling resources? Thanks!
 
I feel like I've mangled my case just trying to get this routing to work. Bummer. I'm now running dual Titans and am in the final throes of a monster rendering project. I've resigned myself to be the guy who run's his case open. :(
 
echoout said:
I feel like I've mangled my case just trying to get this routing to work. Bummer. I'm now running dual Titans and am in the final throes of a monster rendering project. I've resigned myself to be the guy who run's his case open. :(
Click to expand...

I think Dual Titans should cover the pain of mangeling a case a bit. That things probably going to render like a monster. I've seen single Titan render times but I'm curious how dual GTX Titans compare to dual GTX 680's or even dual GTX 690's (basically dual 680s in one card if Im not mistaken).
 
nateo200 said:
I think Dual Titans should cover the pain of mangeling a case a bit. That things probably going to render like a monster. I've seen single Titan render times but I'm curious how dual GTX Titans compare to dual GTX 680's or even dual GTX 690's (basically dual 680s in one card if Im not mistaken).
Click to expand...

Yeah, Octane is quite usable now. I'm rendering some BEAUTIFUL, shallow depth of field, ambient occlusion, HDRI-lit animations at about 20 seconds a frame. That makes up for the fact that Octane can't be network rendered out of Cinema 4D. The cherry on top is that I can render After Effects at the same time with no performance hit as it is normally CPU intensive and they're not competing for resources. Pretty cool.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back