GeForce 7800GT Cancelled?

[Mr. Anderson]

Well, to make things official - you can still see reference to the 7800GT on Apple's website, but the recent Apple Developers Connection email had this:

Apple Unveils New Power Mac G5 Desktop Line
Now with dual-core processors and workstation graphics

Apple recently announced its new Power Mac G5 desktop line, featuring the Power Mac G5 Quad. With two 2.5 GHz dual-core PowerPC G5 processors, the Power Mac G5 Quad delivers breakthrough performance on applications used by creative professionals and scientists. In addition, all Power Mac G5 models now feature dual-core processors, a new PCI Express architecture, and higher performance graphics options.

The new Power Mac G5 comes standard with either the NVIDIA GeForce 6600 LE or the NVIDIA GeForce 6660 and both provide support for dual-displays and Apple's 30-inch Cinema HD Display. The build-to-order graphics option, Quadro FX 4500, can drive up to two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays and includes a stereo 3D port to connect goggles for stereo-in-a-window applications.

As you can see, no mention of any other options - hmm, standard card or $1650 extra.....

They're going to have to have another option - its just a matter of time, and I'm guessing we'll se it come out in a month or so.

D

 

[bodeh6]

Here is a nice review of the X1300, X1600, and X1800 from Toms hardware.
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20051006/index.html

 

[carlos700]

The NVIDIA GeForce 6600 256MB PCI-E graphics card is available (MA271Z/A) at the Apple Store for $199. You can put four of these in a new Power Mac.

 

[Epicurus]

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??

The spacing of the PCIe slots is weird (they're all right next to each other like normal, but...). There's the main x16 slot, then an x4, an x8, and another x4. If I put in two Quadra cards (that take two slots each), this makes a little sense, since the second slot occupied by the first card is only an x4, with the second card going into the x8 slot. This begs the question: What sort of performance hit would I expect by moving from the main x16 slot to the x8 slot?

In responce to your supply question, Apple sells the PCIe GeForce 6600 from their online Apple Store. Just search for it or look under the Display accessories section. Its at the bottom when sorted by "top selling".

One last thing, right now you can only run a maximum of four 30" displays at one time (either with two Quadra cards occupying all the slots or with four 6600 cards with one monitor per card). The 6600 option leaves the door open to running another four 23" displays at the same time. So if Apple would release a single slot graphics card capable of powering two 30" displays, would that mean I could power eight 30" displays simultaneously?? So theoretically I could redecorate and have a wall literally convered in 30" displays all powered by one PowerMac. Man I love Apple...

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Whoops. I leave town for a few days and Apple makes all my Power Mac knowledge obsolete...

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??

They don't mention SLI anywhere on Apple's website, so I highly doubt there is any kind of SLI support at all.

You're better off waiting for the 7800 or X1800 to show up anyway, since their performance will handily beat twin 6600s. In fact a single X800XT, X850XT or 6800GT will out-perform the 6600GT SLI enough of the time to make the twin cards not worth the cash. Right now the best graphics cards for Mac gaming are still AGP.

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?

Again, my bad. The 6800GT and X800 are still available from the Apple store - but they are AGP cards and thus will only work in the pre dual-core G5s.

 

[Thomill]

Updated Apply Graphics Page

Hello all,

It looks like Apple has updated their PM graphics page to reflect some potentially good news. http://www.apple.com/powermac/graphics.html now indicates that the 7800GT will be "available soon". If true, that is certainly good to hear! What is not known, of course, is when, for how much, if BTO or add-on, and what about orders already placed. Stay iTuned....

T

 

[bodeh6]

The 7800GT looks like the card to get. But Apple cannot charge more then $400-$500 as an upgrade.

 

[ipacmm]

I hope that I can still buy the card since I already ordered my PM.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Hello all,

It looks like Apple has updated their PM graphics page to reflect some potentially good news. http://www.apple.com/powermac/graphics.html now indicates that the 7800GT will be "available soon". If true, that is certainly good to hear! What is not known, of course, is when, for how much, if BTO or add-on, and what about orders already placed. Stay iTuned....

T

That's great - I'm just curious to see what the price is - also, what's soon?

D

 

[Lord Blackadder]

That's great - I'm just curious to see what the price is - also, what's soon?

D

I'm guessing about $500-600 and optimistically available (to order, that is ) by christmas.

But by the time this is available it is entirely possible that the new ATI X1xxx-class cards will be announced for Mac.

 

[Zoowatch]

if i were to order the PM Quad which comes with 6600 as standard
and i decide to upgrade that to the 7800GT

how much, do u think, apple will charge me for that?

 

[rickvanr]

I was just checking the Apple Store, and the 7800 GT showed up for me. On ADC it's a $336 CDN upgrade. If I remember correctly, that is less then the Ultra cost me a few months ago.

$350 US with no discounts.

 

[bodeh6]

Yep it is out on the US store now.

On the Dual Core 2.0GHz it is a $400 option and on the dual 2.3/quad 2.5 it is a $350 option since they begin with a better card then the 2.0.

 

[morrisond]

It changes the shipping date though from 3-4 weeks to 6-8 weeks, which means no 7800's for Christmas.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

It changes the shipping date though from 3-4 weeks to 6-8 weeks, which means no 7800's for Christmas.

Or just for Christmas - but it probably won't be available in quantity until January....bleh

D