GeForce 7800GT Cancelled?

[Thomill]

Hello all,

I was looking forward to buying a quad-PM today, but despite what is listed at Apple.com here http://www.apple.com/powermac/graphics.html, the 7800GT as BTO may not be available it seems. I have been following two fairly active threads over at the Apple forums (http://discussions.info.apple.com/.68bc8090/2 and http://discussions.info.apple.com/.68bc8188/6) on this topic, and there is also some discussion going on over at AppleInsider as well, http://forums.appleinsider.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=58384. To find out what is going on, I called over to 800-MY-APPLE and was told that the ordering web page just has not been updated to reflect the availability of the card. I am not sure whom to believe, really. In any case, I would be disappointed if the 7800 is not available as there appears to be no middle ground between the 6600 and Quadro FX 4500.

T

 

[risc]

Ouch!

 

[cc bcc]

As I posted in another thread, I called the dutch Apple Store (business store) and they told me that the 7800GT wasn't coming to the G5 at all. Not later, not ever.

 

[Nermal]

Apple has information on the card, so surely it's coming. Maybe there's just a manufacturing delay or something (I haven't looked at the linked pages).

 

[cc bcc]

Well, the guy in the AI forum had the exact same response from the Apple Store as I got. No 7800GT card, it was canceled by nVidia, but the website didn't yet reflect those changes.
I wonder what went wrong. I guess nVidia would rather sell someone a quadro.

 

[paulypants]

F*** Thats the card I was going to get, now I'm not sure if I will place my order just yet...

 

[ravenvii]

I think Apple builds the cards, not nVidia. nVidia just gives Apple the reference board, and Apple builds the cards themselves. ATI on the other hand actually builds cards themselves for Macs. Notice how you can buy Mac edition ATI cards retail, but now nVidia cards?

 

[ipacmm]

I didn't even know that card was going to be an option, wish I knew that before I placed my order...

 

[chucknorris]

I didn't even know that card was going to be an option, wish I knew that before I placed my order...

Did you go too high or too low?

 

[ipacmm]

Did you go too high or too low?

I went too low...there was no way I was going to spend $1,600 on a graphics card...but if this one was only a few hundred more, I would have upgraded.

 

[Thomill]

It may not be!

I didn't even know that card was going to be an option, wish I knew that before I placed my order...

Indeed, it may not be! When I spoke to the Apple CSR today, I was told that for folks who placed an order or who had inquired about the new PM's card options, Apple had "released a statement" about the 7800GT matter. I wish I would have asked about this further as I am not sure what the rep meant. To his credit though, when I told him that I would purchase the system as soon as the 7800 was available, he told me Apple would call me back when this is the case. If true, that is pretty good customer service.

Looking at some more folks who have posted to the various threads I listed above, it looks like there are many conflicting accounts from what will actually be available in the short term.

T

 

[fklehman]

Man that sucks...

 

[solvs]

I'm sure there will be a new high end card. ATI has one coming out soon. Maybe it just won't be the 7800GT. Last I checked, it was still on the graphics page, so we may get it yet.

 

[bodeh6]

According to Tom's Hardware, the ATI X1800 XT is coming out on the 5 of November. Hopefully we get a version of that card instead of the Nvidia 7800.

 

[Epicurus]

According to Tom's Hardware, the ATI X1800 XT is coming out on the 5 of November. Hopefully we get a version of that card instead of the Nvidia 7800.

A few quick questions about the X1800 XT:

1) Does it take one or two PCIe slots?
2) Would it be able to power two 30" ACDs?
3) How much cheaper than the Quadra would be probably be (estimates of course)?
4) It comes with 256MB, 512MB or either?

There has to be something cheaper than the Quadra coming sooner or later. There is simply too large of a gap between the 6600 and Quadra!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I agree with physics_gopher; the current BTO video cards are a weird pair - Ferrari or Ford, but nothing in-between.

Obviously most of us who are willing to get a $500 card like the X850XT are going to balk a the $1700 Apple is asking for the Quadro.

Ideally Apple will offer BTO something more representative of ATI and NVIDIA's full range of GPUs, all at the same time. Right now there's a temporary gap in the supply of new cards as new releases show up, but I have to admit that the 6600GT is a little lightweight and the Quadro is crazy overkill for most (at least in cost).

Fortunately the 6800GT and X800 are still available from the Apple Store. At 1/3 the cost of the Quadro they are at least somewhat affordable.

 

[rickvanr]

Out of interest, how does the 6600 compare to the 6800 Ultra?

 

[cube]

Fortunately the 6800GT and X800 are still available from the Apple Store. At 1/3 the cost of the Quadro they are at least somewhat affordable.

But those two are AGP.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

But those two are AGP.

Ah, true.

Which puts a prospective G5 buyer in an odd position. Obviously Apple committed resources to getting the expensive Quadro into production, which used up resources otherwise available for the 7800GT. Apple didn't want to increase the cost of the G5 by making that card standard (wouldn't that be cool), so they went with the cheaper and easier to make 6600.

Too bad Apple didn't just bring out a PCI-E 6800GT and make it the standard card....

But having only a $200 or $1700 video card available is not the best idea long term, so I'm guessing it's only temporary.

On the ATI side though, I'd expect ATI's newest cards to be available soon, possibly even a simultaneous PC/Mac release (crosses fingers).

 

[paulypants]

I spoke to someone at Apple on the phone, he said that he definitely expected the 7800 to be an option at some point, but doesn't know when...

He probably knows no more than we do though.

 

[RobHague]

Question...

The 6600 series support SLI dont they? Could you stick another 6600 (mac version) in the 8x PCIe below it and link them together??

On the mac site it says you can have upto 4 graphics cards in the systems... but where exactley do we buy the other 3????

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Question...

The 6600 series support SLI dont they? Could you stick another 6600 (mac version) in the 8x PCIe below it and link them together??

On the mac site it says you can have upto 4 graphics cards in the systems... but where exactley do we buy the other 3????

Power Macs have only a single PCI-E (or AGP for the previous generation)video card slot, so it would be impossible to install two SLI cards. Plus, Apple manufactures all Mac-compatible NVIDIA cards so I doubt that they included the necessary SLI hardware and I'm positive that no work of any kind has been done to release SLI software for Mac. So nope. I doubt we'll see SLI on the Mac for a looooong time, if ever.

As far as having up to 4 graphics cards...Apple is doubtless referring to using a single PCI-E card and filling the 3 PCI slots with PCI video cards. Currently the only Mac PCI card available new is the Radeon 9200, which is available from Apple and retailers.

 

[ChrisFromCanada]

Power Macs have only a single PCI-E (or AGP for the previous generation)video card slot, so it would be impossible to install two SLI cards. Plus, Apple manufactures all Mac-compatible NVIDIA cards so I doubt that they included the necessary SLI hardware and I'm positive that no work of any kind has been done to release SLI software for Mac. So nope. I doubt we'll see SLI on the Mac for a looooong time, if ever.

As far as having up to 4 graphics cards...Apple is doubtless referring to using a single PCI-E card and filling the 3 PCI slots with PCI video cards. Currently the only Mac PCI card available new is the Radeon 9200, which is available from Apple and retailers.

This would suggest otherwise. it seems Apple has completely phased out PCI-X in favor of a total of 4 PCI express slots one 16x for main graphics and then others at 8x and 4x.

In addition to the 16-lane graphics slot, the Power Mac G5 features three PCI Express expansion slots: two four-lane slots and one eight-lane slot. Each slot uses a standard connector that can accommodate a card of any size. This means you can install a PCI Express graphics card in any PCI Express slot — enabling a single Power Mac G5 to support four, six, or even eight displays.

 

[RobHague]

Power Macs have only a single PCI-E (or AGP for the previous generation)video card slot, so it would be impossible to install two SLI cards. Plus, Apple manufactures all Mac-compatible NVIDIA cards so I doubt that they included the necessary SLI hardware and I'm positive that no work of any kind has been done to release SLI software for Mac. So nope. I doubt we'll see SLI on the Mac for a looooong time, if ever.

As far as having up to 4 graphics cards...Apple is doubtless referring to using a single PCI-E card and filling the 3 PCI slots with PCI video cards. Currently the only Mac PCI card available new is the Radeon 9200, which is available from Apple and retailers.

Eh what.

What ChrisFromCanada just said. The PowerMac's have not PCI-X slots. They have one 16x, one 8x and two 4x. ALL PCIe.

So in light of that, adding a graphics card to the 8x slot wouldnt be bad - but i want to know where i could get another 6600 from??? Does the one in the new PowerMac even have support for SLI??

 

[Eevee]

Fortunately the 6800GT and X800 are still available from the Apple Store. At 1/3 the cost of the Quadro they are at least somewhat affordable.

Just visited the Apple website, but can't seem to find the 6800GT and X800 for a G5 BTO. I also called Apple, who also doesn't know what happened to them. Is it only avaliable AT the store and not online?