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Ultimate Thread: 4890 in Mac Pro

Zepharus - I would love some core benchmarks. Specifically looking for Pro App performance. I am really new to the technical side of things, but looking for a card to improve Mudbox/Maya performance on my Mac Pro. So if by some long shot you have a good way of benchmarking that I would love to see it.

Grim
 
zepharus said:
Just an update :

I returned 2 Sapphire vapor -X 4890. Neither worked obviously so ill save others the pain. I reordered a XFX 4890 ZDFC which some new egg comments mentions has a 6 x 8 pin. This is incorrect. Mine came with 2 6 pins and red DVI ports. XFX fired up immediately and works AWESOME.

Great quality card and ZERO coil whine on this one. Time for some benchies... any requests?
Click to expand...

Great, so we have two confirmed cases of the 2x6pin now on the XFX ZDFC.

And great news it just works! Argh! If I only had a way to power mine (parts on order from Mouser).
 
Thoughts on these scores with an Early 2009 2.66 6GB RAM an a XFX 4890 ?


Solid consistency @ 2560 x 1600 it seems...
 
Local Apple Stores ain't working here in Holland. They hardly got anything different from the normal Apple Store.
Apple ain't as big here as it is in the USA.

Another example is the GTX 285. Still can't buy it here. Well, I saw one last night for 620 Euro's and a +10 day delivery on it.

US people can call them selves lucky!
"Surface of the Earth" to someone from the US usually means the US as US people rarely can think outside their own borders.
Ask them anything outside it and they are surprised there is anything outside it.
 
tezro said:
Local Apple Stores ain't working here in Holland. They hardly got anything different from the normal Apple Store.
Apple ain't as big here as it is in the USA.

Another example is the GTX 285. Still can't buy it here. Well, I saw one last night for 620 Euro's and a +10 day delivery on it.

US people can call them selves lucky!
"Surface of the Earth" to someone from the US usually means the US as US people rarely can think outside their own borders.
Ask them anything outside it and they are surprised there is anything outside it.
Click to expand...

I live in Sweden. When I tried to order the cable, the answer was

"you want to order a cable to power the motherboard?"

Nooo, I said, I want a cable to power my graphic card from the motherboard

They guy had no clue what I was talking about and told me they did not sell those kind of stuff. I convinced him they did and so he called HQ or something and got the product number and was able to order it.

BTW the cables is not found on Apple Store website.
 
Sounds to me that in Sweden the Apple Store ppl are as much idiots as they are here....
 
tezro said:
If you don't care about using the EFI to do some stuff, then by all means go ahead. You don't need to flash the ROM.

On the XFX, I ain't sure. Safest bet is the Sapphire still imo.
Click to expand...

What would I need EFI for? Would it be easier and safer to go with the 4870 instead as it's kinda already supported by Apple?
 
pr33tz said:
What would I need EFI for? Would it be easier and safer to go with the 4870 instead as it's kinda already supported by Apple?
Click to expand...

Well, in case of problems you can't enter the EFI to do diagnostics for example.
And *I think* that when you want to do a re-installation of the OS you will need the Apple videocard (whichever model you have laying around).

On the other hand, it will hardly ever be a problem imo.

If you don't want to mess around with kext and other obscure software, then yes a Apple card is safer.
If you cba or like the thrill, do it differently :)
 
tezro said:
Well, in case of problems you can't enter the EFI to do diagnostics for example.
And *I think* that when you want to do a re-installation of the OS you will need the Apple videocard (whichever model you have laying around).

On the other hand, it will hardly ever be a problem imo.

If you don't want to mess around with kext and other obscure software, then yes a Apple card is safer.
If you cba or like the thrill, do it differently :)
Click to expand...

Apple card is not an option to be honest. I don't game much and the 8800GT has been fine for my needs but I feel like a change! :D

I was thinking of the PC 4870 and flashing it. I assume this is the closest I'd get to an actual Mac Edition 4870?

I want to stick the card in there and not worry about updates/OSX reinstall screwing things up.
 
pr33tz said:
Apple card is not an option to be honest. I don't game much and the 8800GT has been fine for my needs but I feel like a change! :D

I was thinking of the PC 4870 and flashing it. I assume this is the closest I'd get to an actual Mac Edition 4870?

I want to stick the card in there and not worry about updates/OSX reinstall screwing things up.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that would then be your safest option indeed.
Even more safe is buying the original Apple card because of warranty stuff of course...
 
zepharus said:
Just an update :

I returned 2 Sapphire vapor -X 4890. Neither worked obviously so ill save others the pain. I reordered a XFX 4890 ZDFC which some new egg comments mentions has a 6 x 8 pin. This is incorrect. Mine came with 2 6 pins and red DVI ports. XFX fired up immediately and works AWESOME.

Great quality card and ZERO coil whine on this one. Time for some benchies... any requests?
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for the update!! Strange though, about some people getting 6 and 8 pin.. Hopefully they have changed back to 6 pin. As the red DVI ports is apparently an update as well (from silver).
 
TheStrudel said:
The 6 and 8 pin problem can be resolved by buying the PCIe Y-splitter I mentioned. Plug the ATI cable into the logic board, then plug the Y-splitter into the other end. They make Y-splitters that go out to 8-pin connections. Shouldn't be an issue.
Click to expand...

Ok, so to clarify.

I ordered 2xATI cables for the x1900 as suggested.

Do I also need the splitters? And can I see both the ones for the 6pinx2 and the 8pinx1, 6pinx1?


The other question I had was, if I'm powering this via the logic board, is it going to be a problem having the following all in my computer for the default MacPro (bought in early 07) PSU:

x1900 (for re-install and 2nd monitor)
HD 4890
4 750gig HD's
2 superdrives
Extra firewire PCI card

What is the wattage of Apple's PSU anyway?
 
nathanpinard said:
Ok, so to clarify.

I ordered 2xATI cables for the x1900 as suggested.

Do I also need the splitters? And can I see both the ones for the 6pinx2 and the 8pinx1, 6pinx1?


The other question I had was, if I'm powering this via the logic board, is it going to be a problem having the following all in my computer for the default MacPro (bought in early 07) PSU:

x1900 (for re-install and 2nd monitor)
HD 4890
4 750gig HD's
2 superdrives
Extra firewire PCI card

What is the wattage of Apple's PSU anyway?
Click to expand...

flash 4890 and get rid of x1900
 
nathanpinard said:
is it going to be a problem having the following all in my computer for the default MacPro (bought in early 07) PSU:

x1900 (for re-install and 2nd monitor)
HD 4890
4 750gig HD's
2 superdrives
Extra firewire PCI card
Click to expand...

You would have nowhere to draw power for your x1900 with that setup.
4890 uses all motherboard slots, only other option is to use the superdrive power.

The PSU itself would handle it. The 06-07 models carry 960w PSU's.
 
Cindori said:
You would have nowhere to draw power for your x1900 with that setup.
4890 uses all motherboard slots, only other option is to use the superdrive power.

The PSU itself would handle it. The 06-07 models carry 960w PSU's.
Click to expand...

The x1900 I don't think has any power going to it, but I could be wrong.

I guess no dual DVI support then for now. I have another 20" I wanted to keep using, but it's not THAT necessary.
 
The Rominator said:
Have a look at the "EFI ROM for the 490"

(ues, he's missing a digit in name but ROM works so whaddya want?)
Click to expand...

Thanks, I see the post on his site.

Is there a more detailed guilde on how to flash ROM's somewhere? I personally don't know all the details on how to do this.
 
nathanpinard said:
Thanks, I see the post on his site.

Is there a more detailed guilde on how to flash ROM's somewhere? I personally don't know all the details on how to do this.
Click to expand...

Check the topic mentioned. On of the first replies is by me where I post a link.
 
hey netkas, so if I flash my 4890, then where do I go to delete the injectors on my hackintosh, core i7? I have been using digital dreamers script. Or when you flash a card, does OSX automatically take the flash over injectors? Also, when you flash a card, it will still work in Windows?
 
The only question I have now, is how often is it easy to brick a video card doing all the correct steps?

Has anyone done this yet with an XFX 4890?
 
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