MacPro 3.1 GPU help needed

[macprouser777]

Hi! I have Macpro 3.1 with El Capitan 10.11 OSX. My Asus 8800GT PC card died yesterday. Need quickly buy a new card. Already ordered 640GT flashed card on macvidcards. But untill waiting for delivery i need to work on mac and want to buy additional 100% working PC card with no boot screen. Please, advise fully working non EFI videocard for MP 3.1 and OSX El Capitan.

 

[ActionableMango]

My Asus 8800GT PC card died yesterday.

Well I don't think you can just run in to Best Buy and get a new card. The current Nvidias on sale will require installation of drivers beforehand, but you can't do that. The current AMDs require Sierra and you can't do that either.

So unless you have local computer stores that keep really old stock around, I think you are stuck looking for a used card on Craigslist or something. There are many, many cards that would work. Ideally pick one that has a Mac equivalent model because you know those will be compatible with the drivers in ElCap (GT120, 8800GT, HD5770, HD5870, 7950, GTX680, etc.).

This FAQ can show you some other options:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...out-nvidia-pc-non-efi-graphics-cards.1440150/

 

[macprouser777]

yeah, thanks. will look for a GT120 card

 

[nigelbb]

Goodness knows why you would pay the MVC tax on a GTX640. You should have bought a used GTX680 & flashed it yourself.

 

[fendersrule]

I'm thinking about upgrading my 4870 for my 3,1, but I don't have access to a PC, nor do I really care to install Windows 10 (I'd have to buy it first). Seems like there's quite a bit of markup on a flashed GTX 680.

 

[kwikdeth]

craigslist. something like this happened a while back and i found a guy selling a nice and clean 9800GT for $20.

btw 9800GT is basically just a 8800 rebrand. lots of the 9x00 series cards are like that.

 

[wallydavid]

Hi! I have Macpro 3.1 with El Capitan 10.11 OSX. My Asus 8800GT PC card died yesterday. Need quickly buy a new card. Already ordered 640GT flashed card on macvidcards. But untill waiting for delivery i need to work on mac and want to buy additional 100% working PC card with no boot screen. Please, advise fully working non EFI videocard for MP 3.1 and OSX El Capitan.

I have a 3.1 - an evga nvidia ti750 boots with no drivers out of the box - just no boot screen, got it from best buy. any nvidia 600-900 whatever should boot out of the box with zero drivers installed. Just after it boots, go to nvidia and install the web drivers and the cuda control panel or it will run like crap. none of the 1000x series will boot though without the beta drivers installed beforehand though. in that machine the 980ti is pretty much the top your going to do without a bunch of fiddling with experimental drivers..

 

[macprouser777]

bought gigabyte nvidia GTX 750ti and card did not boot on El Capitan. On Yosemite I know it would boot but not on El Capitan. So i have returned it =(

 

[Fl0r!an]

That's not true, Apple still ships OS X without Maxwell or Pascal drivers, so the fastest "100% OOB" GPU is a GTX 780 (or the original Titan). All more recent GPUs (e.g. GTX 750Ti) need additional drivers to work.

 

[raymanster]

bought gigabyte nvidia GTX 750ti and card did not boot on El Capitan. On Yosemite I know it would boot but not on El Capitan. So i have returned it =(

I had an EVGA GTX 750ti in my 3,1 and it booted fine in El Cap. Maybe try one by EVGA.

 

[G4DPII]

the 750 ti will only boot if you have the web driver installed. Does not work with the built in drivers. It's a Maxell based card. There is no native support in the OS.