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Need Help! Need Upgrade on Video Card. (Mac Pro Early 2009)

2

266QuadCore

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 6, 2011
10
0
I was at the apple store today, and I was shocked they weren't any help finding an upgrade for me. Also, did some searching online and came up with 2 options, but I wanted to make sure this is the right buy.

My system
Early 2009 Mac Pro
Version 10.5.8
2.66 quad core
16gig ram
Currently using the GeForce 512 MB card.

Yesterday I purchased:
Link to the product: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121374

Product Desription: ASUS EAH5870/2DIS/1GD5/V2 Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

Did I buy the wrong card!?
 
Last edited:
ActionableMango said:
Apple 5870:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC743ZM/A?mco=MTg3MjE3NTU

Apple 5770:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC742ZM/A?mco=MTY3ODQ5OTY

I've run WOW in OS X with the 5770 at 1920x1200. Most settings on max, but a couple of things have to be turned off. I can't remember their exact names, but it's something to do with the sunlight and the water.

WOW in Windows with the 5770 is fine with everything set to max.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the fast response. I was hoping to "future proof" my computer, hence the 16gigs ram, so was considering that 2gb video card.

I noticed prices are a little high on apple.com, are there any other retailers that you can recommend for the 5870 1gb or 2gb?

Thanks
 
The Apple store cards are plug and play, and work perfectly out of the box. Any other ATI cards you buy will probably work with a little fiddling and 10.6.7 and may or may not continue working in the future.

If the price of the Apple cards isn't too much to bear it's the easy way to go.
 
For the ATI 5770 or 5870 you'll have to update to Snow Leopard (imho 10.6.4 at least), Leopard doesn't support them.
 
AngryRedTicTac said:
The Apple store cards are plug and play, and work perfectly out of the box. Any other ATI cards you buy will probably work with a little fiddling and 10.6.7 and may or may not continue working in the future.

If the price of the Apple cards isn't too much to bear it's the easy way to go.
Click to expand...

Ok, so I bought the ASUS 5780 from NewEgg.com, but you're saying I'll have to upgrade to Snow Leopard before using it and then "fiddle" with it? What do you mean by that?

I've not built a computer since we were overclocking 333Mhz celeron processors years ago. haha


Link to the product: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121374

Product Desription: ASUS EAH5870/2DIS/1GD5/V2 Radeon HD 5870 (Cypress XT) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity
 
In order to work in your Mac Pro, the card needs to have Apple-supported firmware installed which is the main reason that you can't just go out and buy a Windows PC card and put it in a Mac Pro. It just won't be recognised. As Cindori pointed out, there is a guide to flashing the firmware so that it will (mainly) work. In addition, you need Snow Leopard ($29) to even use the official Apple 5870 card.
 
DanielCoffey said:
In order to work in your Mac Pro, the card needs to have Apple-supported firmware installed which is the main reason that you can't just go out and buy a Windows PC card and put it in a Mac Pro. It just won't be recognised. As Cindori pointed out, there is a guide to flashing the firmware so that it will (mainly) work. In addition, you need Snow Leopard ($29) to even use the official Apple 5870 card.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by "mainly work", is there any kind of performance difference between an apple approved/sold 5780 card, and a flash'd 5780?
 
266QuadCore said:
Ok, so I bought the ASUS 5780 from NewEgg.com, but you're saying I'll have to upgrade to Snow Leopard before using it and then "fiddle" with it? What do you mean by that?
Click to expand...

You didn't buy a Mac card. You're going to do some hacking to get it working like a Mac card.

Macs and PCs use different graphics cards (for now.) You can't just buy a PC card and stick it into a Mac.
 
266QuadCore said:
What do you mean by "mainly work", is there any kind of performance difference between an apple approved/sold 5780 card, and a flash'd 5780?
Click to expand...

With a non-Apple card:
You'll have to solve the power cable mismatch. You'll have to flash the firmware with an Apple firmware. All of the output ports won't work right. The fans might operate differently. Future OS X updates may break compatibility with your card at any time. The screen is not active until the login screen; no boot screen means you can't see: verbose mode, firmware update progress bar, the boot drive selection to boot from a CD or an alternate OS, and maybe other things I've forgotten.

With an Apple card:
You pay more.

Either way:
You have to get Snow Leopard.

BTW - you overpaid for a non-Apple 5870. Here's one for $210 or $180 after MIR.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125316&cm_re=5870-_-14-125-316-_-Product
 
Last edited:
ActionableMango said:
With a non-Apple card:
You'll have to solve the power cable mismatch. You'll have to flash the firmware with an Apple firmware. All of the output ports won't work right. The fans might operate differently. Future OS X updates may break compatibility with your card at any time. The screen is not active until the login screen; no boot screen means you can't see: verbose mode, firmware update progress bar, the boot drive selection to boot from a CD or an alternate OS, and maybe other things I've forgotten.

With an Apple card:
You pay more.

Either way:
You have to get Snow Leopard.

BTW - you overpaid for a non-Apple 5870. Here's one for $210 or $180 after MIR.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125316&cm_re=5870-_-14-125-316-_-Product
Click to expand...

I returned the PC ASUS 5870 and bought the one from Apple.com at the hefty price tag of $480 after tax. :eek:

I saw that card in the link you provided but I had never heard of it. All the reviews I found for the the ATI Raideon 5870 for regular use or overclocking said to stick with ASUS or Sapphire, and that other brands were on the unreliable side. :(
 
The Flash method works but needs effort.

I flashed a Sapphire HD 5870 1 GB Vapor-X card using info from Netkas.org, it works very well other than not showing the boot screen till the log in window appears, and not supporting MDP ports. I don't care only 1 screen and that is DVI.

Much cheaper than an Apple one but you do need Snow Leopard and to modify the ROM as instructed.

Here is a 2nd hand one for cheaper: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ATI-Radeon-Sapphire-HD-5870-Vapour-X-1GB-HDMI-/170621835486?pt=UK_Computing_Computer_Components_Graphics_Video_TV_Cards_TW&hash=item27b9da98de

Alternatively wait till Lion is properly released and see how 6870s are placed in the Apple firmament.

Even cheaper:http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RADEON-HD-6870-VAPOR-X-PCI-1GB-EXPRESS-VIDEO-CARD-/270719585699?pt=UK_Computing_Computer_Components_Graphics_Video_TV_Cards_TW&hash=item3f08250da3

I love the Vapor-X ones as they are cooler and quieter than standard cards.
 
Ok, so I bought the ASUS 5780 from NewEgg.com, but you're saying I'll have to upgrade to Snow Leopard before using it and then "fiddle" with it? What do you mean by that?
Click to expand...

In addition to a firmware flash, you need Snow Leopard (with the proper system updates) to make any 5770/5870 work because Leopard lacks the necessary drivers for the cards.

But the upgrade to Snow Leopard from Leopard is only $29; not a significant expense.
 
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