What gfx card for an early 2008 Mac Pro?

[mikeboss]

AFAIK the 7300GT is 32bit EFI, so it's compatible with MacPro1,1 & 2,1 only. if I were you, I'd get an Apple/AMD 5770 (a real one, not a flashed PC version) used or new doesn't matter. for your work, this card should be enough and it works in every Mac Pro with almost any OS.

 

[pullman]

AFAIK the 7300GT is 32bit EFI, so it's compatible with MacPro1,1 & 2,1 only. if I were you, I'd get an Apple/AMD 5770 (a real one, not a flashed PC version) used or new doesn't matter. for your work, this card should be enough and it works in every Mac Pro with almost any OS.

Ah ok, that is really useful to know. Thank you.

5770 is interesting. It seems pretty competent actually, see this comparison at Barefeats. But I am confused about how to identify the Mac version of it - am I right that no. 7 in this list is the Mac version?

 

[mikeboss]

nope, this isn't a real Apple OEM! needs to have two mini Display Port connectors. search for "MC742ZM/A" and you'll find the right card.

 

[pullman]

nope, this isn't a real Apple OEM! needs to have two mini Display Port connectors. search for "MC742ZM/A" and you'll find the right card.

Thanks Mike. I have actually found a new Mac 5770 here in NL but I am really wondering if it is worth paying 330€ for something that costs something like half that if bought as a PC version. I'd get a pretty competent PC card for that money.

A few follow-up questions:

Will all the cards, whether Mac or PC, need to be put in a full-length slot, or will some fit in the shorter slots?

What are the electrical limitations of the short and long slots?

If I put a PC card in my remaining full-length slot I want to avoid burning the computer. In this case, I'd like to put a Mac card in there too but it would need to be in one of the shorter slots (I have a Sonnet Tempo in the other full-length slot).

Many thanks for any insights on this
Philip

 

[MacVidCards]

Thanks Mike. I have actually found a new Mac 5770 here in NL but I am really wondering if it is worth paying 330€ for something that costs something like half that if bought as a PC version. I'd get a pretty competent PC card for that money.

A few follow-up questions:

Will all the cards, whether Mac or PC, need to be put in a full-length slot, or will some fit in the shorter slots?

What are the electrical limitations of the short and long slots?

If I put a PC card in my remaining full-length slot I want to avoid burning the computer. In this case, I'd like to put a Mac card in there too but it would need to be in one of the shorter slots (I have a Sonnet Tempo in the other full-length slot).

Many thanks for any insights on this
Philip

330 Euros?

Insane.

The slots are all the same length, some have more bandwidth than the others.

Find a used Apple 5770, you should get several for 330 Euros. (That's like $500 , yes?)

 

[ShawnF]

Thanks Mike. I have actually found a new Mac 5770 here in NL but I am really wondering if it is worth paying 330€ for something that costs something like half that if bought as a PC version. I'd get a pretty competent PC card for that money.

A few follow-up questions:

Will all the cards, whether Mac or PC, need to be put in a full-length slot, or will some fit in the shorter slots?

What are the electrical limitations of the short and long slots?

If I put a PC card in my remaining full-length slot I want to avoid burning the computer. In this case, I'd like to put a Mac card in there too but it would need to be in one of the shorter slots (I have a Sonnet Tempo in the other full-length slot).

Many thanks for any insights on this
Philip

I have a used ATI 5870 lying around still in perfect working condition - I replaced it with a GTX 660 Ti because it was much quieter. Would be willing to let it go for USD$100. Of course I stay in Singapore so shipping costs will be a bit higher. PM me if you are interested.

 

[pullman]

Insane.

It's about 380USD. The new 7950 costs 519€ which is about 650USD.

I haven't found any used Mac 5770s at the ebay stores here (I linked to the German one above and here's the UK one).

Good to know about the slots. So I can put a Mac card in of my free top slots to get the boot screen (which I need) - say I find a reasonably-priced 8800GT, would it be strangled in the top slots?

----------

I have a used ATI 5870 lying around still in perfect working condition - I replaced it with a GTX 660 Ti because it was much quieter. Would be willing to let it go for USD$100. Of course I stay in Singapore so shipping costs will be a bit higher. PM me if you are interested.

Thanks Shawn. PM sent.

 

[ShawnF]

It's about 380USD. The new 7950 costs 519€ which is about 650USD.

I haven't found any used Mac 5770s at the ebay stores here (I linked to the German one above and here's the UK one).

Good to know about the slots. So I can put a Mac card in of my free top slots to get the boot screen (which I need) - say I find a reasonably-priced 8800GT, would it be strangled in the top slots?

----------



Thanks Shawn. PM sent.

OK I PM you back - hope you get my reply.

 

[Gav Mack]

No, but google does.

And I have posted here multiple times about it. I was not alone. Search and you shall find. For your purposes, the fact that it is a mac card is immaterial, it is for all intents and purposes, identical to a PC card. It is a 8800GT and it requires a good BAKE

I'm sure both yours and my recipe for the 8800 bakewell tart is here somewhere in this forum.

Other option is a PC reference 2 or 4Gb Nvidia GTX 680 and flash the card. I paid £195 for my EVGA model identical to the Mac edition bar one sticker barely used on ebay a year or so back and registered the warranty with EVGA for it. PCIe power cables were £6 each off ebay also.

Once flashed in bootcamp it's a genuine clone of the EVGA Mac card which costs over twice as much. I would imagine used GTX 680's have gotten cheaper by now, just buy one with a short return option and give it a good cooking with furmark for stress testing.

 

[roobarb!]

Other option is a PC reference 2 or 4Gb Nvidia GTX 680 and flash the card. I paid £195 for my EVGA model identical to the Mac edition bar one sticker barely used on ebay a year or so back and registered the warranty with EVGA for it. PCIe power cables were £6 each off ebay also.

Once flashed in bootcamp it's a genuine clone of the EVGA Mac card which costs over twice as much. I would imagine used GTX 680's have gotten cheaper by now, just buy one with a short return option and give it a good cooking with furmark for stress testing.

Thumbs up to this option; the GTX 680 is an awesome card. Have run an EVGA GTX 680 SuperClocked in my MacPro5,1 perfectly for quite some time now. Boot screens and all.

Hehe, in fact, depending on how the GTX 980 pans out I might be selling!

 

[Gav Mack]

Thumbs up to this option; the GTX 680 is an awesome card. Have run an EVGA GTX 680 SuperClocked in my MacPro5,1 perfectly for quite some time now. Boot screens and all.

Hehe, in fact, depending on how the GTX 980 pans out I might be selling!

More than happy with its performance at 1920x1200 with the apps I use and I'm no cuda monster. it will be transplanted into a dual socket 5,1 along with all my other goodies when one crosses my path cheap