When I considered the new jet-engine style MacPro, it was to replace my old tower of power MacPro 1,1.
The main reason I did so, was due in part to the dual GPU configuration. From what I knew of the graphics card industry, bridging both cards to drive a single display is not a new thing. Most here are well aware of AMDs CrossFire™ technology, and given the MacPro had two identical AMD cards, it was reasonable to expect this solution was integrated into Apple’s new King-Kong workstation.
With specs that described an ability to drive multiple 4K displays simultaneously, I was confident this new investment would take me to a new level with ease — given I only used a single monitor at a humble 1080P resolution.
To my surprise, I found that loading this new MacPro with typical GPU tasks wasn’t so effortless. Running Rhino 3D required me to hide most of the objects in my small project, just so I could reasonably navigate my 3D workspace. Work aside, playing was just as limited — The remastered versions of Homeword 2 exhibited similar issues, cutting back rendering features to allow smooth gameplay.
At first I attributed this failing as a teething issue, waiting for the next instalment of OS X to enable the last critical pieces of the puzzle and unlock the brutal power of this system. Unfortunately, neither El Capitan nor Sierra resolved this issue.
I began reading about how some video cards didn't turn on the ‘supercharger’ unless it detected a retina display. Things like this made me wonder about my system: Why is it that no matter what work I do, the machine doesn't seem to generate any heat. The massive fan inside turns at a leisurely rate — almost inaudible. The same is true of any graphics task I throw at it, as though it was waiting for real work to come along.
The questions I have are as follows:
The main reason I did so, was due in part to the dual GPU configuration. From what I knew of the graphics card industry, bridging both cards to drive a single display is not a new thing. Most here are well aware of AMDs CrossFire™ technology, and given the MacPro had two identical AMD cards, it was reasonable to expect this solution was integrated into Apple’s new King-Kong workstation.
With specs that described an ability to drive multiple 4K displays simultaneously, I was confident this new investment would take me to a new level with ease — given I only used a single monitor at a humble 1080P resolution.
To my surprise, I found that loading this new MacPro with typical GPU tasks wasn’t so effortless. Running Rhino 3D required me to hide most of the objects in my small project, just so I could reasonably navigate my 3D workspace. Work aside, playing was just as limited — The remastered versions of Homeword 2 exhibited similar issues, cutting back rendering features to allow smooth gameplay.
At first I attributed this failing as a teething issue, waiting for the next instalment of OS X to enable the last critical pieces of the puzzle and unlock the brutal power of this system. Unfortunately, neither El Capitan nor Sierra resolved this issue.
I began reading about how some video cards didn't turn on the ‘supercharger’ unless it detected a retina display. Things like this made me wonder about my system: Why is it that no matter what work I do, the machine doesn't seem to generate any heat. The massive fan inside turns at a leisurely rate — almost inaudible. The same is true of any graphics task I throw at it, as though it was waiting for real work to come along.
The questions I have are as follows:
- Is there something I’ve completely missed about owning one of these machines?
- Is there a kext or mod everyone is using that I’ve somehow missed?
- Is the MacPro 6,1 without CrossFire™, and I’ve been using only one video card all this time?
- And lastly, is it to be my realization that a 5K iMac (being a cheaper alternative) with only one video card, is far more powerful than two video cards from the more expensive MacPro?
classic Homeworld will always have a special place in my heart though.
