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Whats the best videocard you can put into a Mac Pro right now?
- Thread starter omfgninja
- Start date
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either the x1900 or the Quadro FX 4500. I don't think their is anything better....another question what is the cheapest video card that will work with the x1900 as apparently you can't put ATI stuff with Nvidia stuff.
You could stick 2 x 7300's in SLI mode which may be cheaper than a single x1900, but I still prefer the quality of the Radeons over the nVidia cards and I'm very happy with my x1900 with the games I play.
SLI doesn't work in OS X and 2 7300s would still be slower than an x1900.
With special drivers, you can run NVidia 7950's, but I don't know if I'd trust it.
X1900 availability
I can't seem to get my hands on an x1900. I've tried 2 distributors and the apple site won't guarantee a delivery date on a purchase.
Im wondering if they are planning on opening up the video card to other manufacturers, since they've switched to the pci express.
I think Im going to wait and see before I spend any money on the x1900 (not that I can find one anyways).
I can't seem to get my hands on an x1900. I've tried 2 distributors and the apple site won't guarantee a delivery date on a purchase.
Im wondering if they are planning on opening up the video card to other manufacturers, since they've switched to the pci express.
I think Im going to wait and see before I spend any money on the x1900 (not that I can find one anyways).
If you can wait two more weeks till MWSF. Now that the innards of a Mac is more standard and Ati and Nvidea are bringing out better cards, Apple might be updating faster then before.
got my 1900 last week...
I had no problem mail ordering a 1900 from apple last week.. got here overnight. So of course now I worry from the rest of the threads if something newer/better is coming out and I got the last one {smile}
I am thrilled, as are my sons, with the 1900. They max out all the game settings and it still flies.
One thing I will add that might be obvious to most, if you get a top of the line video card you need a top of the line monitor. The MacPro it went into originally had a DVI off the shelf PC type monitor and while the frame rates were better, the picture still was not what I hoped for. Specifically the colors seemed flat as compared to the old Apple 20 inch ADC monitor on my g5. We swapped the monitors (yes had to buy a ADC to DVI adapter), and WOW! NOW the graphics board really rocked.
Moral of the story, an expensive graphics board and a cheap monitor looks cheap.
Apple's monitors cost more because they are better.
EDIT: Oh, it occurs to me... Apple is rumored to be coming out with new monitors at MWSF next week. maybe thats why the video board supply is drying up? In which case I still recommend grabbing a 1900 if you can for your 'older' monitor. It really does work great.
I had no problem mail ordering a 1900 from apple last week.. got here overnight. So of course now I worry from the rest of the threads if something newer/better is coming out and I got the last one {smile}
I am thrilled, as are my sons, with the 1900. They max out all the game settings and it still flies.
One thing I will add that might be obvious to most, if you get a top of the line video card you need a top of the line monitor. The MacPro it went into originally had a DVI off the shelf PC type monitor and while the frame rates were better, the picture still was not what I hoped for. Specifically the colors seemed flat as compared to the old Apple 20 inch ADC monitor on my g5. We swapped the monitors (yes had to buy a ADC to DVI adapter), and WOW! NOW the graphics board really rocked.
Moral of the story, an expensive graphics board and a cheap monitor looks cheap.
Apple's monitors cost more because they are better.
EDIT: Oh, it occurs to me... Apple is rumored to be coming out with new monitors at MWSF next week. maybe thats why the video board supply is drying up? In which case I still recommend grabbing a 1900 if you can for your 'older' monitor. It really does work great.
