Video Card Upgrade

[Toneboat923]

I am looking to install this : http://tinyurl.com/c4mq8tb
but I have been made aware that I need a mac specific version of this card. I have no idea if this one is or not and I understand if it isnt it can be "flashed".

Now I have 0 experience with installing a video card let alone flashing one so is there any alternatives or pre-flashed cards that can be purchased? I found an apple specific version of the card on amazon but the price is significantly higher. I kinda want this modle as it is currently in the newest generation of the pros so it makes the most sense unless anyone has any cheaper or better alternatives?

 

[robbie12345]

apple on there website sells that card for 200 i think so it would be better to get it straight from apple

 

[minifridge1138]

The apple card is $250 from apple.

That's definitely the safest way, but also the most expensive.

Some people on ebay sell pre-flashed cards. I don't know anything about them, so I don't endorse them; i just know of them.

The installation is pretty easy. Just go slowly and carefully.
There are some pretty good installation guides on the internet (even videos on youtube).

 

[Neodym]

If you are running 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or 10.7.x (Lion) you can also use off-the-shelf cards from the PC world. Currently the sweet spot for cost/price is probably the 6870. However you need to give more information about your system for a really usable advice...

 

[Toneboat923]

I am running 10.7.2 Lion. Would that work with off the shelf stuff like the link I posted?

 

[Neodym]

I don't know whether a "PC" 5770 would work out of the box or whether you would need to flash it. I seem to remember that someone on this forums once said he would have used a 5770 without flash, but don't know where i read it.

I can confirm that the 6870 works out of the box in a MP1,1, though without bootscreen (i have a helper card for this). The problem with DVD player and Steam games crashing can be mitigated by using Netkas' ATY_init, the missing bootscreen requires flashing (which - for a 6870 - requires at least a MP3,1 due to being 64bit only currently).

For more details search these forums here or check out the latest information e.g. in the forums over at Netkas.org. Cindori also has additional information on his homepage (groths.org).