MP 1,1-5,1 GPU Compatibility List for cMP

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Good idea.
Do you know any of them?

At time of writing I believe it is like this...

Geforce - all are 8 bit color, no 10 bit support. No native HDR support, only 8 bit dithered HDR.

Quadro - please check if the macOS driver has 10 bit support. No native HDR support, only 8 bit dithered HDR.

Radeon - from 7000 series upward support 10 bit color. From Polaris upward support native HDR.

For all choices, display monitor must also support HDR.

 

[ActionableMango]

@Pentaxer, I suggest you rename this thread to something more clear like "Mac Pro GPU Compatibility List", or maybe "GPU Compatibility List for cMP". You have done an enormous amount of work collecting very valuable information, and I worry people might miss it because the subject is unclear or sounds like a rant or something.

Also, I'd propose to make this a sticky at the top of the forum, but I don't know who/how to ask.

 

[crjackson2134]

"GPU Compatibility List for cMP"

Gets my vote...

Not intended to be excessively critical, but the title (as is) REALLY needs to be changed.

 

[ActionableMango]

I should mention how to change the title (if you agree/decide to do so). Click the gear icon near the top, right-hand side of the thread.

 

[Pentaxer]

Thanks fot the advice. The topic was renamed.

Have just add the information on 1070, 1070 ti, 1080 ti, on color depth compability.

 

[Accrok]

Thanks fot the advice. The topic was renamed.

Have just add the information on 1070, 1070 ti, 1080 ti, on color depth compability.

Thanks a lot @Pentaxer

 

[millypede]

Hi All

After trying to see if anyone can explain a few things or has experience with a few graphics cards I have spotted this evening, could anyone suggest that these would or wouldn't work with a Mac Pro 4,1 flashed to 5,1?

https://www.box.co.uk/ROG-STRIX-RX5...-570-4GB-ROG-STRIX-OC-_2140560.html#DetailTop

https://www.box.co.uk/EX-RX570-O4G-...piry=1565650015&source=webgains&siteid=116019

 

[Pentaxer]

Those cards must work.

But. The cards in your links are overclocked versions. In theory they can bring "fan nuances" to your system (high fan speed and so on).
I recommend non-overclocked reference Vega 56 or RX 580. Look at it at ebay. I, for example, bought used Vega 56 for ~200 USD. There are used RX 580 for 150 USD (in my region).

 

[ActionableMango]

This thread is a sticky now, up at the top where it belongs. Yay!

Thanks Pentaxer for your hard work making the original post.

Thanks everyone who contributed.

Thanks Arn for making it a sticky.

 

[Objectivist-C]

Great thread, OP.

Just to confirm, installing two two-slot cards would mean the other two PCIe slots would be blocked, leaving no room for other cards (e.g. an m.2 adapter or USB3 add-in)?

 

[Pentaxer]

Great thread, OP.

Just to confirm, installing two two-slot cards would mean the other two PCIe slots would be blocked, leaving no room for other cards (e.g. an m.2 adapter or USB3 add-in)?

cMPs 4.1 - 5.1 have 4 PCIE slots but there is a "free space" between two of them. The first (nearest) GPU occupys one PCIE and that "free space". The second GPU occupys the second slot and block the third. So the fourth slot can be used.

The additional info.

 

[startergo]

cMPs 4.1 - 5.1 have 4 PCIE slots but there is a "free space" between two of them. The first (nearest) GPU occupys one PCIE and that "free space". The second GPU occupys the second slot and block the third. So the fourth slot can be used.

The additional info.

that is only if the second card is exactly 2 slots wide. There are 2.2 or even 2.5 slots wide cards. Those do not permit or restrict the installation of another PCIE device in the next slot.

 

[Objectivist-C]

Any specific recommendations for a 2x6—>8-pin adaptor? I have a 780 on the way (though I’m waffling on downgrading to a 680 so I can get bootscreen support without dealing with MVC).

 

[Pentaxer]

Any specific recommendations for a 2x6—>8-pin adaptor?

1. Buy 2xmicro6->8 cable. Not adapter.

2. Use 6+2 not 8.

I.e. don’t use “two micro 6 to 6” + “dual 6 to 8”. Use “two micro 6 to 6+2”.

 

[Objectivist-C]

OK, I bought this cable, but it seems to have been the wrong one for this GTX 780. I have the six pin cable from the previous card, what other cable do I need?

I just a message to connect the PCIE power cables if I connect only the six-pin connector, only the dual-six-to-eight, or both with only one of the dual leads connected.

 

[Pentaxer]

OK, I bought this cable, but it seems to have been the wrong one for this GTX 780.

Why do you think it is wrong?

I just a message to connect the PCIE power cables if I connect only the six-pin connector, only the dual-six-to-eight, or both with only one of the dual leads connected.

I don't understand.

 

[Objectivist-C]

Unless I just consistently failed to seat the connectors properly, nothing I tried with that cable or the stock cable resulted in a booting card, just a message to connect PCIE power cables.

The first thing I tried was connecting the Amazon cable to the two six-pin connectors on the backplane and the eight-pin connection on the video card.

Then I tried just the six-pin cable from the stock video card.

The last thing I tried was the stock video card cable plus the Amazon cable with only one of the six pin cables connected to the backplane.

 

[h9826790]

I just a message to connect the PCIE power cables if I connect only the six-pin connector, only the dual-six-to-eight, or both with only one of the dual leads connected.

That's the card's protection. You can't power it up until all pins are connected.

If you already have a "dual mini 6pin to single 8pin", you can get another "single 8pin FEMALE to DUAL 6+2pin". So that you can use them in combination to power your GTX780.

 

[Pedrith]

Hi. I have a quick question. I have a mac pro 5.1 12 core 64 gb ram with the stock video card. I was wondering if it was possible to add a second newer card. The reason I am asking is that I still need the boot screen which my current card has, but would like to update my card for gaming in windows eight which I currently run via bootcamp. I'm running high sierra and was wondering if this was possible?

 

[Pentaxer]

It is better not to use two different GPU in cMP at once.
Advice:
1) use one GTX 680 or HD 7970 (280x) - they have the BootScreen and are much powerful then stock one;
2) use GPU witout the BootScreen for gaming. Insert the stock GPU when you need the BootScreen.
PS: there is no need in BootScreen to reboot between OSes.

 

[h9826790]

Hi. I have a quick question. I have a mac pro 5.1 12 core 64 gb ram with the stock video card. I was wondering if it was possible to add a second newer card. The reason I am asking is that I still need the boot screen which my current card has, but would like to update my card for gaming in windows eight which I currently run via bootcamp. I'm running high sierra and was wondering if this was possible?

Possible, but need boot screen for what purpose? Most daily usage doesn't really need boot screen.

 

[Pedrith]

Hi. Thanks for your reply. I switch between windows 8 and high sierra to play video games and to access the national geographic library rather frequently. Most of the games that I play run fine with the card I have but I can only play Elite Dangerous on the basic mode as my card doesn't support newer versions of the game. Would parallels be an option? I hear it can run both mac and windows at the same time? I'm not very tech savvy when it comes to these things so I appreciate the help.

Pentaxer would you mind clarifying what you mean by "there is no need in BootScreen to reboot between OSes." as I don't understand.

Thanks for all your help.

David

 

[h9826790]

Pentaxer would you mind clarifying what you mean by "there is no need in BootScreen to reboot between OSes." as I don't understand.

In macOS, select Windows from system preference -> Startup Disk

In Windows, select macOS in Boot Camp apps.

 

[Pentaxer]

Would parallels be an option? I hear it can run both mac and windows at the same time?

You can run modern games using Parallels Desktop. But you'll have big performance drop.

 

[Pedrith]

Hi Pentaxer. Thanks for telling me about the performance drop in parallels. That rather sucks. I'm currently in windows 8 via boot camp but cannot find any boot camp apps or the screen that H9826790 posted. I tried searching and came up with nothing. Again I'm not very tech savvy so if you have time would you mind going step by step on how to find them?

Thanks,

David