Radeon HD4870 shipping?

[MyRumors]

Hi,

i ordered an 4870 card for my mac pro about the time it got out, march 3rd.
Shipping date was set to april 21st. on that date it jumped to may 19th.
anyone got their cards, or got an earlier shipping date?
i live in norway btw. maybe that has something to do with it.

[aibo]

I ordered mine on March 4th and was given an April 22 ship date. As of today it's still saying April 22, but still "not yet shipped". Well, I guess the day isn't over so there's still a chance. But I have a feeling it won't actually ship until 10.5.7 is released.

[pprior]

Checked my order status last night - it said due to ship 4/28.

FWIW. It's really freaking annoying these things are not shipped - apple just needs to update a simple DRIVER.

[aibo]

just got this e-mail:
Due to an unexpected delay, we now anticipate shipping the following
item(s) as follows:


MB999ZM/A, ATI RADEON HD 4870 512MB-ZML
Ships by 7- 10 business days
Delivers by May 5 - May 12

We regret any inconvenience this delay may cause.

[Chunk72]

Just got my delay notification today.

Ships by May 14th with delivery by May 18th.

Sucks. :(

[nanofrog]

Checked my order status last night - it said due to ship 4/28.

FWIW. It's really freaking annoying these things are not shipped - apple just needs to update a simple DRIVER.
They likely didn't receive them when expected from the OEM/ODM vendor(s). :eek: :rolleyes:

There's more than just drivers as well. EFI firmware has to be developed. As the architecture of the GPU isn't identical to the 3870, it's at least close to beginning from scratch. Once completed (initial revision, but perhaps not what will ship), then drivers can be tested, problems diagnosed,... (perhaps some back-and-forth between drivers/firmware) in order to get it operational enough to ship (not necessarily perfect). It takes time. ;) :p

[Dr.Pants]

Maybe they found out what specifically was wrong in the MiniDisplayPort interface, and are finally fixing it :D

[DualShock]

Maybe they found out what specifically was wrong in the MiniDisplayPort interface, and are finally fixing it :D

In other words, they're replacing it with a DVI port. :D

[nanofrog]

Maybe they found out what specifically was wrong in the MiniDisplayPort interface, and are finally fixing it :D
Perhaps, but I wouldn't bet on it. ;) They'll attempt any fix (drivers) afterwards. Simply put, Apple wants to ship them so they can get paid. :D
In other words, they're replacing it with a DVI port. :D
It would be nice, but it's not going to happen. It's a custom card for Apple, and the Mini DisplayPort is part of the specifications.

If ATI was developing this independently of Apple, it would be another story. :D

[OddThomas]

Apple site now says the 4870 ships in 7-10 days.

Have any of your orders been updated today to a sooner ship/delivery date?

[dvince2]

I ordered mine on the 6th and got it on the 14th (keep in mind here in Canada, both the 10th and the 12th were holidays), so I got mine in 6 business days.

[OddThomas]

I ordered mine on the 6th and got it on the 14th (keep in mind here in Canada, both the 10th and the 12th were holidays), so I got mine in 6 business days.

So, is it wonderful? everything moves ubber fast now.. can you see the future? seems like are reports are positive, is quiet and fast.

[pprior]

I ordered mine on the 6th and got it on the 14th (keep in mind here in Canada, both the 10th and the 12th were holidays), so I got mine in 6 business days.

I call BS unless I see a picture. I ordered mine WAY before that, an nobody else has reported getting one yet.

[iHateMacs]

Is this the same 4870 they are shipping with the Mac Pro 09? They don't seem to have any trouble supplying those.

I am confused.

[aibo]

Is this the same 4870 they are shipping with the Mac Pro 09? They don't seem to have any trouble supplying those.

I am confused.

It's not a supply issue. Apple's waiting on the 10.5.7 update which includes the 4870 driver. The Mac Pro 09 comes with the driver installed.

[The Rominator]

I call BS unless I see a picture. I ordered mine WAY before that, an nobody else has reported getting one yet.


I seem to recall that ATI was based in Canada...makes sense they would ship from there first.

[iHateMacs]

The Mac Pro 09 comes with the driver installed.

Does it? Where is that then? I got my MP09 on Friday and the first thing I did was partition my boot drive and reinstall the OS (omitting all the cr@p) from the included 10.5.6 DVD. Is that DVD a special one? My 4870 seems to be fully working.

[aibo]

Does it? Where is that then? I got my MP09 on Friday and the first thing I did was partition my boot drive and reinstall the OS (omitting all the cr@p) from the included 10.5.6 DVD. Is that DVD a special one? My 4870 seems to be fully working.

The 10.5.6 shipping with the 09 Mac Pro comes with the driver. For the rest of us we have to wait for 10.5.7 or download it...a nehalem mac pro owner posted it in one of the 4870 threads a while back (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=7473867&postcount=886).

[Kurfer]

This card has been out for almost a year now and we still have delays from Apple releasing it.

Are these high end machines or what? There is no excuse for this crap.

[Pressure]

I seem to recall that ATI was based in Canada...makes sense they would ship from there first.

Uhm yeah but they are a fabless semiconductor. Their chips are processed at TSMC which is located in Taiwan.

[Topper]

This card has been out for almost a year now and we still have delays from Apple releasing it.

Are these high end machines or what? There is no excuse for this crap.

http://homepage.mac.com/ctopper/.Pictures/rotf.gif

And it doesn't even rank in the top ten of the most powerful consumer video cards.

[Tallest Skil]

This card has been out for almost a year now and we still have delays from Apple releasing it.

Are these high end machines or what? There is no excuse for this crap.

So vote with your wallet.

[turtlebud]

seems like the ship time is down from 4-5 weeks to 7-10 days! 10.5.7 release is probably imminent and 4870's should be following shortly.

[OddThomas]

Hopefully will get 10.5.7 before this arrives (i assume i will). According to Barefeats the MiniPort does not work with the 10.5.6 and 2008 MPs (if i am remembering his comments correctly) So, I assume this will work in 10.5.7. Either way will get a DVI splitter and hang it off the DVI port for may 2 monitors.

ATI RADEON HD 4870 512MB-ZML MB999ZM/A $349.00 1 $349.00
Ships: 7- 10 business days
Delivers: May 7 - May 14

[aibo]

seems like the ship time is down from 4-5 weeks to 7-10 days! 10.5.7 release is probably imminent and 4870's should be following shortly.
The wait time went to 7-10 days right after the original April 22 date passed. I think they're narrowing it now that the 10.5.7 release is in sight. :)

[OddThomas]

just got email that my 4870 is shipping today, will be here (Grapevine, TX) 4/30. Yeah baby. i ordered it yesterday... i think they have worked out the problems with delays.. i predict 10.5.7 will release tonight.

[aibo]

just got email that my 4870 is shipping today, will be here (Grapevine, TX) 4/30. Yeah baby. i ordered it yesterday... i think they have worked out the problems with delays.. i predict 10.5.7 will release tonight.

Mine just changed to "Prepared for shipment" too :)

[turtlebud]

great news!

[MyRumors]

Mine still says May 19th :/
i guess you u.s people get it before europe.

[Tom Sawyer]

Looks like mine shipped today and I'll have it tomorrow! WOOT! :D

[pprior]

Product / Part No.
Qty

ATI RADEON HD 4870 512MB-ZML
MB999ZM/A


1

Ships: Apr 28
Delivers: May 1


Hopefully mine will be here soon as well, FINALLY!!!

[Tom Sawyer]

Product / Part No.
Qty

ATI RADEON HD 4870 512MB-ZML
MB999ZM/A


1

Ships: Apr 28
Delivers: May 1


Hopefully mine will be here soon as well, FINALLY!!!

No doubt! Monday was my birthday so this is a nice present for myself!!

Curious, anyone know if there is a mini display port to display port cable in existence yet?

[pprior]

It looks like yours actually shipped whereas mine says "ships: Apr 28" - did you get a tracking number?

[Tom Sawyer]

It looks like yours actually shipped whereas mine says "ships: Apr 28" - did you get a tracking number?

I did get a tracking number, yes. When I track it on FedEx it is showing delivery tomorrow. Now it shipped from Memphis and I live in Nashville so 1 day transit, but definitely shipped today and tracks fine.

[evilyankeefan]

Great news for all that are getting them soon. I ordered April 20 and still slated for a May 26 ship date. :(

[pprior]

I would bet once they start shipping they will clear all orders pretty fast. I find it unlikely that it's a hardware shortage.

[OddThomas]

yup i have a fedx tracking number as well.. is in Memphis. need to get a Minidisply to DVI to connect both my DVI 22" and 24" monitors. or i suppose a splitter from the dual link DVI would work as well.

Now where is 10.5.7??

[KevinPlusPlus]

I ordered mine about a month ago and just got the shipment notification, scheduled to deliver on Thursday.

[OddThomas]

it is clear that some road block has been cleared. i'd like to hear everyones experience in OSX, Win7_64, games, Aperture, iMovie, Final Cut??

am downloading AMD's new catalyst drivers for w7x64 on game.amd.com tonight.

[Cynicalone]

Mine was ordered at the end of March, still has a ship date of May 11th. With the RAID card and Radeon 4870.

[matthew.russo]

mine was ordered 4th March, made a change a few days after to get 2 cards. Though now delayed.

MB999ZM/A, ATI RADEON HD 4870 512MB-ZML
will now ship on or before 20/05/2009 and deliver on or before
22/05/2009

Good to hear others are shipping, will see if mine changes in Australia.

[sparkie7]

mine was ordered 4th March, made a change a few days after to get 2 cards. Though now delayed.

MB999ZM/A, ATI RADEON HD 4870 512MB-ZML
will now ship on or before 20/05/2009 and deliver on or before
22/05/2009

Good to hear others are shipping, will see if mine changes in Australia.

did you order yours online with Apple store australia?

[matthew.russo]

did you order yours online with Apple store australia?

yes

[sparkie7]

you ordered two 4870s?

the price in Oz is pricey compared to the US and the UK :rolleyes:

also wonder if the flicker problem some people have reported with the mini display to DL DVI adapter has been resolved :confused:

[matthew.russo]

you ordered two 4870s?

the price in Oz is pricey compared to the US and the UK :rolleyes:

also wonder if the flicker problem some people have reported with the mini display to DL DVI adapter has been resolved :confused:

Don't remind me.... :p Each card is $700! (got mine on edu discount $629) like that is much better. Just annoyed about the delay more than anything..the apple online store staff have been more than useless in providing any information.

[sparkie7]

Don't remind me.... :p Each card is $700! (got mine on edu discount $629) like that is much better. Just annoyed about the delay more than anything..the apple online store staff have been more than useless in providing any information.

i was thinking of picking one up in london a month from now. but might just get it here though apple business. probably same price as you ie 10% disc. still Pri$EY!

[matthew.russo]

i was thinking of picking one up in london a month from now. but might just get it here though apple business. probably same price as you ie 10% disc. still Pri$EY!

I guess that works out to about $580 aud which is better than the current aud price.

[sparkie7]

its about $505 AUD if you claim back the 15% VAT on exit at the airport. Of course 10% on entry into AUS but it doesn't matter as I'll claim back the GST :D But still for the hassle I might just get it here :)

[aibo]

Mine will be here tomorrow (4/30) http://images.macrumors.com/vb/images/editor/smilie.gif
$314 US -- thanks edu discount http://images.macrumors.com/vb/images/editor/smilie.gif

[MyRumors]

Mine will be here tomorrow (4/30) http://images.macrumors.com/vb/images/editor/smilie.gif
$314 US -- thanks edu discount http://images.macrumors.com/vb/images/editor/smilie.gif

CRAP! i always for get to order with edu discount on these "cheep" things!
i could reorder but then i have to wait longer arrgh

[evilyankeefan]

Great news for all that are getting them soon. I ordered April 20 and still slated for a May 26 ship date. :(

An hour later I get a shipping notification. Getting it today!! :)

[JollyRogers]

Mine will be here today! wow. just checked it yesterday and it said May 26. I use work email and never checked it... So I will have something to play with tonight.:D

[evilyankeefan]

Though I am curious what will happen with the install since we are thinking we need 10.5.7 for the driver.

...or maybe this message will spur the release of 10.5.7 in about an hour just like my original post of the card being shipped in late May then today.

One can hope, right?

[MyRumors]

i assume the card will work just fine without any new drivers. but it will probably preform much better with new once. so i dont think 10.5.7 is needed , or that the delay had anything to do with 10.5.7

[aibo]

i assume the card will work just fine without any new drivers. but it will probably preform much better with new once. so i dont think 10.5.7 is needed , or that the delay had anything to do with 10.5.7

Perhaps it comes with a CD? When the Apple Store first listed the 4870 upgrade kit, it had 10.5.7 as a requirement. Then a whole bunch of articles (http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/03/apple-set-to-release-radeon-4870-upgrade-for-older-mac-pros.ars) and threads (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=660964) popped up about the 10.5.7 thing, and Apple quickly changed it to 10.5.6.

[evilyankeefan]

Just got my "Graphics Card Upgrade". No CD in the box. Will install in the next hour or so.

[JollyRogers]

Just got my "Graphics Card Upgrade". No CD in the box. Will install in the next hour or so.

Please keep us posted. Mine is on the truck for delivery and will be installing tonight. Need to know if anything special needs to happen. Thinking that the OS will detect the 4870 and there will be a download for the correct driver... already have catalyst driver d/l'd for the windows side.

[OddThomas]

yes please do keep us posted. also if you have dual monitors let us know which route you went for that. i just got back from Frys where i bought a DVI splitter for the 1 dual link dvi port. 24" and 22" monitor.

[evilyankeefan]

Just got done installing in a 2008 MP. Getting the power connectors plugged into the system board seemed to be the hardest thing to do. I had to take out the drives to do this and not sure if that was the proper way or not.

Upon startup the fans are LOUD, then it gets quiet. Did a software update and no new drivers were shown. Started WOW and it crashed. Reset my preferences and it still won't start due to "Unable to start 3D acceleration". So I'm guessing a driver s needed. :( Haven't messed around with anything else yet but I'm guessing if you want to game you need the drivers. Maybe I'll track the ones down people posted from the 2009 MP.

Only using the 4870 now as I haven't put the 2600 back in. So I'm just running on one monitor for now. Haven't bought the mini-dvi adapter so for now dual monitors is two cards.

[evilyankeefan]

Definitely need the official drivers I think. Took the ones earlier in the thread and while they work, WOW gameplay is just poor. Some stutter at 1920x1200 w/ all the effects down. Anything higher at stuttering more pronounced.

As I type this I see some delays as well so I think it is overall I driver issue. Bummer but hopefully 10.5.7 is soon.

[JollyRogers]

Definitely need the official drivers I think. Took the ones earlier in the thread and while they work, WOW gameplay is just poor. Some stutter at 1920x1200 w/ all the effects down. Anything higher at stuttering more pronounced.

As I type this I see some delays as well so I think it is overall I driver issue. Bummer but hopefully 10.5.7 is soon.

Well just got mine in my Early08 MP and Quartz Extreme is not supported w/ 10.5.6. Guess we need 10.5.7 for "official" support. No cd included, and nothing avail other then using the posted driver... I Certainly woul think :apple: would release 10.5.7 tonight or VERY soon :confused:

Wow I just called Apple Support and was treated like sheet. All I wanted to know was what I could do now to get Quartz Extreme working...

[Tom Sawyer]

... in a quandary on whether to install or not with the 10.5.7 requirement. Kind of a bummer.... I guess it will 'work' and can use the system in non-accelerated mode but still...

Well, here are some pics anyway, will post more later...

[evilyankeefan]

... in a quandary on whether to install or not with the 10.5.7 requirement. Kind of a bummer.... I guess it will 'work' and can use the system in non-accelerated mode but still...

Well, here are some pics anyway, will post more later...

I paid enough for it so it stays. I know it will be temporary.

[Tom Sawyer]

I paid enough for it so it stays. I know it will be temporary.

Absolutely.... was really just trying to decide if I should wait for the 10.5.7 update to come out before installing but... I gave in. :D

The update has to come soon since these are making it into our hands today.

Leopard is definitely usable, I was worried it would be crawling but I can live with this until the update. The thing sure does roar on first power up eh???! :eek:

[OddThomas]

guys you know the drivers are out there right??? i will find the link.. no wait i will attach them. or you can mroogle this forum and find them.

thanks for the info everyone.

[OddThomas]

guys you know the drivers are out there right??? i will find the link.. no wait i will attach them. or you can mroogle this forum and find them.

thanks for the info everyone.

sorry won't upload pkg.. i guess it needs to be zipped?? i will just find the location.. standby.

[OddThomas]

guys you know the drivers are out there right??? i will find the link.. no wait i will attach them. or you can mroogle this forum and find them.

thanks for the info everyone.

ok here ya go.. to much searching hurt my head.. need a drink now.

this is from the dump the 4870 rom thread on this forum. the drivers are here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/gvsi12

[Tom Sawyer]

ok here ya go.. to much searching hurt my head.. need a drink now.

this is from the dump the 4870 rom thread on this forum. the drivers are here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/gvsi12

Well those worked like a champ! Thanks!!! :D

[OddThomas]

guys you know the drivers are out there right??? i will find the link.. no wait i will attach them. or you can mroogle this forum and find them.

thanks for the info everyone.

More... how is the card??? fast?? what? come one??? i have 2 days till i get mine.. need something to live on :)

[sparkie7]

LOL yeah we need something to live for :D:D

[Tom Sawyer]

More... how is the card??? fast?? what? come one??? i have 2 days till i get mine.. need something to live on :)

Once I installed the driver, the GUI in OS X is very fast, I notice a much quicker response in Aperture when doing things like tiling pictures etc.

I booted up into windows 7 and got the drivers installed and fired up UT 3 and everything fully cranked up it is smooth as butter. I have not run any windows benchmarks as of yet, but I have a feeling once the official 10.5.7 comes out those drivers will be better than the ones we are using now. My xbench numbers were not that different from my 8800GT numbers.

I wish I could find a mini display port to display port cable (or adapter). Would be nice to use that connector on my LCD rather than DVI.

[OddThomas]

that's good feedback. i use Aperture a lot. mine should be delivered today.

i think those drivers are the ones from the 09 mp. not sure if the 10.5.7 ones will be much diffnt. i guess we will see, if it ever releases.

[flyingscott]

I'm trying to decide on getting one (4870 that is)... I have an early 2008 mac pro, 8gb ram, 8800 GT and been having lots of redraw issues in PS CS4 and aperture is choking a bit on the images from my 5D Mark II... Usable, just a bit laggy.

I also run a 30" ACD, so I know I am pushing the limits with that amount of pixels...

Anyone upgrade from the 8800 and notice a big improvement (on large display)?

[aibo]

I'm trying to decide on getting one (4870 that is)... I have an early 2008 mac pro, 8gb ram, 8800 GT and been having lots of redraw issues in PS CS4 and aperture is choking a bit on the images from my 5D Mark II... Usable, just a bit laggy.

I also run a 30" ACD, so I know I am pushing the limits with that amount of pixels...

Anyone upgrade from the 8800 and notice a big improvement (on large display)?
My 4870 just arrived and I'm currently on an 8800GT with a 30" display... but I was going to wait for 10.5.7 before I installed from the reports so far.

[flyingscott]

... I was going to wait for 10.5.7 before I installed from the reports so far.

I don't blame you, I would want it working fully before I installed as well. Apparently the package is out there... (thanks to OddThomas above)

I will be interested to see how the card works out for you.

What apps are you running that led you to upgrade?

[mcvaughan]

See my other thread regarding my experience, but I did install the drivers from above and they work perfectly. No need to wait for 10.5.7. Install and enjoy! :D

[red9]

Couple of questions for you guys who got them installed so far-

How's the noise while working with OS X in general (non-gaming)? If you had the stock radeon 2600xt and could compare it to that, that would be great. Also, how is the noise while gaming/pushing the card?

Also, not sure if there are any super-enthusiasts out there who may have flashed a pc radeon 4870, but I kept reading about link speeds and one guy who got the official apple radeon 4870 said it runs at 5, but I guess the pc versions are running at a lower speed? Any word on what that might mean in terms of performance and whether that would be fixed with a later driver update? (just trying to justify the ridiculous price premium of the 'official' card from apple vs a normal flashed pc one -- $350 for a 512mb vs $170 for a 1gig card). Thanks!

[nxfxcom]

Hmmm.... not happy with the new card so far ;)

[OddThomas]

do you have the drivers? look on page 2 or 3 of this thread for a link.

[JollyRogers]

Couple of questions for you guys who got them installed so far-

How's the noise while working with OS X in general (non-gaming)? If you had the stock radeon 2600xt and could compare it to that, that would be great. Also, how is the noise while gaming/pushing the card?

Also, not sure if there are any super-enthusiasts out there who may have flashed a pc radeon 4870, but I kept reading about link speeds and one guy who got the official apple radeon 4870 said it runs at 5, but I guess the pc versions are running at a lower speed? Any word on what that might mean in terms of performance and whether that would be fixed with a later driver update? (just trying to justify the ridiculous price premium of the 'official' card from apple vs a normal flashed pc one -- $350 for a 512mb vs $170 for a 1gig card). Thanks!

It is louder then my 2600xt was and also louder then my 8800GT was non gaming. I have noticed no real increase in noise pushing the card. In windows, the temps are avrg 50C and under load 70C. Fan is not increasing all that much at those temps. I have no idea under OSX as no VGA temp monitoring I can find.

Yes the link speed is 5GT/S with the card from Apple. Not sure if it makes a difference or not.

[Ctrl2k]

It is louder then my 2600xt was and also louder then my 8800GT was non gaming. I have noticed no real increase in noise pushing the card. In windows, the temps are avrg 50C and under load 70C. Fan is not increasing all that much at those temps. I have no idea under OSX as no VGA temp monitoring I can find.

Yes the link speed is 5GT/S with the card from Apple. Not sure if it makes a difference or not.

I agree it's a little louder than the 8800GT at idle/non-gaming, but doesn't seem to ramp up at all when it's under stress either. Which is nice. It's definitely quieter than the X1900 was...

[pprior]

Got mine today. BF2142 speeds WAY up from 8800, GOODBYE NVIDIA!

No problems with dual monitors (dual DVI, using 1 mini DP to DVI adaptor), I just installed driver above and then shut down, installed card and rebooted.

Overall pretty quiet, can't say I note a difference from 8800 noise.

[aibo]

Like others have said, It's louder than the 8800GT at idle. If it bothers me too much later on I guess I can always install a passive cooler. Link speed says 5.0 GT/s. I'll do some gaming tonight and see if I notice any improvements.

I had to reset my PRAM after the install, otherwise the mac wouldn't boot. It would go to a screen informing me there was no boot drive, then freeze. Weird. Now everything's fine.

[OddThomas]

just installed mine tonight. very nice card. had a little trouble plugging in the 2 power plugs, but once i removed my 2nd harddrive was no problem.

not sure what you guys are hearing at idle, it is completely quiet. Installed halo2 on win7, just played 5 minutes, but no ramp in fan.

opened Aperture in osx and opened my 10meg RAW file picts instantly. the 2600 did not take long, but there was a delay.

i bought a dvi splitter which did not work.. though need to retest now that i installed the driver in osx. will try after exiting w7.

the beta win7 64bit catalyst drivers work well in w7.

[OddThomas]

dvi splitter does not work at all.. maybe it was not intended to do what i thought. will go by apple store tomorrow and get ministupidport to dvi adaptor.

[nxfxcom]

Just got a call from apple, they apologized for shipping the card to early, and told me the drivers will be available VERY SHORTLY

Hmm.. cant wait

[OddThomas]

hahaha that is funny. just download the drivers that are posted on this thread. they are the ones provided to 09 MPs.

does that mean we are all gonna get calls?

anyway i just got back for the A store and bought a $30 minidisplayprot to dvi and i am back in 2 monitor goodness. the adaptor works well, no issues.

[JollyRogers]

Just got a call from apple, they apologized for shipping the card to early, and told me the drivers will be available VERY SHORTLY

Hmm.. cant wait

funny. wife just texted me that apple called and said the drivers will be available shortly... They should have apologized for the arse at apple care I dealt with instead.

[lannister80]

Also, not sure if there are any super-enthusiasts out there who may have flashed a pc radeon 4870, but I kept reading about link speeds and one guy who got the official apple radeon 4870 said it runs at 5, but I guess the pc versions are running at a lower speed? Any word on what that might mean in terms of performance and whether that would be fixed with a later driver update?
So far all the flashed 4870s are linked at 2.5GT/s, as opposed to the Apple-supplied cards which link at 5.0GT/s. No one is sure if this is something that will be fixed by 10.5.7 when it comes out, or not. If you're thinking about flashing a card (it's really not that hard), wait until 10.5.7 is out and there will be a much more stable environment to work with.

Also, I'd like to see a side-by-side comparison of 2.5GT/s and 5.0GT/s. I wonder if there even a real difference, or if people are just freaking out about one number being smaller than another. :)

BTW, there are also ways to use a PC 4870 (or 4890!) in a Mac without flashing it. You will, however, need to leave in your current Apple-provided card otherwise the machine can't boot.

[RebootD]

Anyone have luck with a HDMI (without a DVI port) monitor with the 4870? I want to buy one (the GT120 refused to see my LCD as monitor just a TV) but I'd like to know someone got it to work first.

I'm using a DVI to HDMI cable.

[pprior]

Woman called from apple today, told me that My card was shipped without necessary software and that it should be released "soon."

I pressed "when", she said she was sorry but she didn't know.

I didn't volunteer I'd already downloaded the drivers as noted above.

Anyone else get a phone call?


EDIT: Oops, didn't see the above posts that people had same calls. It's got to be costing Apple quite a bit of money to pay people to make all these phone calls. Somebody screwed up here - they should have held the cards until drivers were available.

[JollyRogers]

Woman called from apple today, told me that My card was shipped without necessary software and that it should be released "soon."

I pressed "when", she said she was sorry but she didn't know.

I didn't volunteer I'd already downloaded the drivers as noted above.

Anyone else get a phone call?

yep

[OddThomas]

while i agree with that, i am happy to have my card now since someone has posted the MP09 drivers.

they called me also and actually almost caused me some trouble because i did not tell my wife i made that particular expenditure:o luckily the phone connection when the apple person called was really bad, so they could not explain to her what they were calling about and she just gave them my cell.. what a mess :) the things i get myself in to.

[OddThomas]

oh forgot. Crysis runs pretty darn good with all settings at High in W7 with the 4870.

[pprior]

while i agree with that, i am happy to have my card now since someone has posted the MP09 drivers.

they called me also and actually almost caused me some trouble because i did not tell my wife i made that particular expenditure:o

:D:D:D

Honesty always the best policy :p

[Tom Sawyer]

I've RMA'd my 4870 and sending her back. With the GTX 285 out in a month, the more I think about it the more I just can't justify spending the same money for a card that is an older chip set and cost the same as what the 285 will cost give or take. Even with the restocking fee, I'll still get back more than if I sold it here or put it on eBay.

My 8800GT will do just fine until the GTX285 is available. :D

[OddThomas]

since you have the 8800 it should be not problem to wait, am actually wondering why 8800 owners would buy the 4870 for just a little improvement in speed.. and maybe none at all with games. those of us upgrading from the 2600 have more a "need". :)

to pprior, yes i know honesty is the best policy.. was just feeling a bit sneaky and it's hard to explain the "need" for a new video card to a non computer person. darn that apple for almost blowing my cover.

[Tom Sawyer]

since you have the 8800 it should be not problem to wait, am actually wondering why 8800 owners would buy the 4870 for just a little improvement in speed.. and maybe none at all with games. those of us upgrading from the 2600 have more a "need". :)

to pprior, yes i know honesty is the best policy.. was just feeling a bit sneaky and it's hard to explain the "need" for a new video card to a non computer person. darn that apple for almost blowing my cover.

True that, as per usual I got caught up in the Apple upgrade bug. :rolleyes:

[flyingscott]

... 8800 owners would buy the 4870 for just a little improvement in speed.. and maybe none at all with games...

The 8800 does not cut it in Aperture or Photoshop... At least not the stuff I work with. I've just seen the 4870 in action on a 30" display, and it is worth the upgrade.

My experience with the 8800 in the past year is that is was laggy and buggy... the 4870 is a worthwhile upgrade for pro app users, and I will run with it until a new app comes along that can't take it.

I have also come to realize that pushing 1920x1200 vs 2560x1600 is a BIG difference. I also have noted that no Nvidia cards have worked well in my mac(s). I was always a fan when I built PC's and such, I kind of looked at Radeon and scoffed. But this one really completes my system.

As for gaming... don't really care about those benchmarks, so it may fall short.

[red9]

I've read a lot of people complaining about the 8800GT having rather poor quality/buggy drivers under OS X. It's kind of surprising to me to see people in this thread and the other Geforce GTX285 thread(s) talk about waiting for that one/canceling 4870 pre-orders. While I do think that Apple charging $349.99 for what is basically a ~$160-170 card at this point to be completely uncalled for and borderline nauseating, what makes people think that the drivers for the GTX285 are going to be any better than the poor quality ones for the 8800gt?

I'm really on the fence about keeping the Apple 4870 I got (have not opened it yet), waiting for the GTX 285, buying and flashing a cheap PC 4870, or just building a gaming pc that I can overclock and upgrade at will without being chained to overpriced & late video card offerings (I priced out a full Core i7 build w/ a 1GB 4890 that came to around $1200 with all premium parts, vs almost $400 just for the Apple 512mb 4870).

While yes, the GTX 285 seems to be a bit better than the 4870 in the benchmarks I've seen, based on the current/past performance of drivers for the 8800GT, I honestly don't see why there is so much excitement about it. Anyone care to explain? What good is a videocard that has poor driver support?

And from what I gather, the GTX 285 isn't even 'officially' endorsed by Apple like the 8800gt since it will be an EVGA part, so wouldn't that bode even more poorly for the real world OS X performance of the card?

Just some thoughts, hope it helps add to the discussion.

[-js-]

I've read a lot of people complaining about the 8800GT having rather poor quality/buggy drivers under OS X. It's kind of surprising to me to see people in this thread and the other Geforce GTX285 thread(s) talk about waiting for that one/canceling 4870 pre-orders. While I do think that Apple charging $349.99 for what is basically a ~$160-170 card at this point to be completely uncalled for and borderline nauseating, what makes people think that the drivers for the GTX285 are going to be any better than the poor quality ones for the 8800gt?.

. . .

I was wondering this same thing. Is it just hopeful thinking, or is there some reason why we should expect more in the case of the GTX285?

Another question: will the "official" drivers for the 4870 native to 10.5.7 be the same as the ones people are downloading and installing, mentioned above?

Also, is there a thread about 4870 performance / drivers / general goodness on the Mac Pro? I have the 2600 and would really like to upgrade, but only if it is to something stable, non-buggy, and well supported and received. Otherwise, I'll just wait until such a thing exists . . . because while the 2600 isn't the best video card, it's definitely not buggy at all on my MP. And that's something. Still . . .

[Tom Sawyer]

Strange, I've not experienced any problems with my 8800GT on my MP... been rock solid. I know it does not perform as one would hope for many of the acceleration functions in pro apps though, that's pretty well documented.

I guess what got me regretting the 4870 was really just the bloated price. We all know what the hardware is WORTH as they sell all day long for at least 1/2 the price. If I don't go for the 285 (I do game here and there), then I'll probably just go the route of flashing a 4870 and be done with it assuming a flashed 4870 will run at the same speed as the Apple card. Have not shipped the Apple 4870 back yet but it's boxed up and ready to go.

[OddThomas]

The 8800 does not cut it in Aperture or Photoshop... At least not the stuff I work with. I've just seen the 4870 in action on a 30" display, and it is worth the upgrade.

My experience with the 8800 in the past year is that is was laggy and buggy... the 4870 is a worthwhile upgrade for pro app users, and I will run with it until a new app comes along that can't take it.

I have also come to realize that pushing 1920x1200 vs 2560x1600 is a BIG difference. I also have noted that no Nvidia cards have worked well in my mac(s). I was always a fan when I built PC's and such, I kind of looked at Radeon and scoffed. But this one really completes my system.

As for gaming... don't really care about those benchmarks, so it may fall short.

I heard the 8800 had issues, but no experience with it.. Red9 makes some good points about buggy drivers as well. I am very happy with the 4870 with Aperture and iMovie/Final Cut Express; which i use a lot. also general UI stuff is more fluid especially with Hyperspaces and iTunes. Can't complain and i am glad i bought the over priced 4870. I am long time PC guy (converted 2yrs ago) and have made peace with the crazy priced video cards and other peripherals. Also i have nothing else to upgrade.. really! well SSD drive soon.. maybe

Interesting comment about 2570 vs 1920. i am sure there is a big diff that is a lot of real estate.

If anyone wants me to test something with the 4870 let me know. The main thing for me with this card is, IT IS QUIET! blows some hot air out the back though. as all big cards do.

[OddThomas]

JS: i would recommend the 4870 over the 2600. that is what i upgraded from and love it... no buggy driver issues so far. life is good. of course only if you "neeeeed" it. :)

[turtlebud]

I'm glad to see people that are using similar apps to me cause your experience will help me out. For those that are using the 4870 now, what kind of things in aperture and/or final cut express are you seeing improvements on now that were lagging or less workable before (with either the 2600xt or the 8800gt)? I'm wondering cause so far, I haven't noticed much "slowness" even with the 2600xt card. (of course i'm sure it's in part because the Mac Pro is loads faster than the dual 2.0Ghz G5 I upgraded from). Where will I see improvement by going to the 4870 (or potentially the GTX 285)?

[matthew.russo]

Has anyone outside of the US received their 4870's?

[netkas]

I'm glad to see people that are using similar apps to me cause your experience will help me out. For those that are using the 4870 now, what kind of things in aperture and/or final cut express are you seeing improvements on now that were lagging or less workable before (with either the 2600xt or the 8800gt)? I'm wondering cause so far, I haven't noticed much "slowness" even with the 2600xt card. (of course i'm sure it's in part because the Mac Pro is loads faster than the dual 2.0Ghz G5 I upgraded from). Where will I see improvement by going to the 4870 (or potentially the GTX 285)?

mostly games.

[OddThomas]

I'm glad to see people that are using similar apps to me cause your experience will help me out. For those that are using the 4870 now, what kind of things in aperture and/or final cut express are you seeing improvements on now that were lagging or less workable before (with either the 2600xt or the 8800gt)? I'm wondering cause so far, I haven't noticed much "slowness" even with the 2600xt card. (of course i'm sure it's in part because the Mac Pro is loads faster than the dual 2.0Ghz G5 I upgraded from). Where will I see improvement by going to the 4870 (or potentially the GTX 285)?

The 2600 did do a good job with those apps, but what i started to notice is a general choppiness when i had aperture, FCE, Live Type and iMovie all open at the same time. switching from screen to screen was not smooth. and now with the 4870 i have them all open at the same time and there is no choppiness or other slowness in the UI.

If you shoot in RAW mode with your DSLR then those files are huge. Aprture takes almost no time bringing those files into focus now. with the 2600 you would get the spinning wheel for about 1-2 sec.

[Tom Sawyer]

The 2600 did do a good job with those apps, but what i started to notice is a general choppiness when i had aperture, FCE, Live Type and iMovie all open at the same time. switching from screen to screen was not smooth. and now with the 4870 i have them all open at the same time and there is no choppiness or other slowness in the UI.

If you shoot in RAW mode with your DSLR then those files are huge. Aprture takes almost no time bringing those files into focus now. with the 2600 you would get the spinning wheel for about 1-2 sec.

True, I did notice even with the driver posted here a speed increase in aperture. This was even with just high res jpegs from my D700. RAW would be even more pronounced no doubt.

At this point, if there were a mini display port to full size display port adapter (or cable) I might just change my mind on it. The fact that the Apple 4870 runs at full speed versus the flashed versions as well as both ports working properly is worth something too.

I wonder if the 285 is going to be dual DVI or have a display port connector on it (or mini)...

So nothing much better to do on a rainy Sunday so decided to do some comparisons... ran some benches with the 8800gt and then (re)installed the 4870 and ran against it. Naturally these are with the drivers posted earlier in this thread. I know Xbench is not always the most trusted benchmarking app, but here are the results on just the graphics tests:

8800GT:

http://www.octomac.com/stuff/8800GT.png

Radeon 4870:

http://www.octomac.com/stuff/Radeon4870.png

[OddThomas]

here's my 4870 xbench. wonder why you User Interface test is so much higher than mine.

can you try the OpenMark benchmark? http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/15242

final score: 33685

[Tom Sawyer]

here's my 4870 xbench. wonder why you User Interface test is so much higher than mine.

Not sure on that, other than Xbench not always being consistent.

I am running a dual quad (8 core) 2.8ghz MP with 8gb ram. Other than that, standard stuff....

[matthew.russo]

Here are all the base results I can get for the 8800GT. You can base your comparison with the 4870 of this.

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/9430/benchmarkscopy.jpg

[Tom Sawyer]

can you try the OpenMark benchmark? http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/15242

final score: 33685

Sure, no problem... pulled it down with these results:

Some quick in game benches for those interested:

OS X: Quake 3 (ioquake 1.36)

demo1: 8800GT - 346 4870: 390.3

ucguide1: 8800GT - 199.2 4870: 214.5

ucguide2: 8000GT - 121 4870: 128.2


Quake 4 in Windows 7:

8800GT: 152.00
4870: 98.00

Was pretty surprised to see the significantly lower number in Q4

[VirtualRain]

Here are my results (4870 running on a 2.93GHz Nehalem Mac Pro Quad). Given we all have the same card, there must be some system related factor at work with these rather large variations in scores.

[-js-]

JS: i would recommend the 4870 over the 2600. that is what i upgraded from and love it... no buggy driver issues so far. life is good. of course only if you "neeeeed" it. :)

Thanks for the recommendation! And, of course I NEED it! If by "need" we mean "want badly". hehe.

Back to the driver question:

Where did the drivers linked to in THIS thread come from? Are they taken from a new Nehalem MP? Or somewhere else?

Will the drivers in 10.5.7 be equal to or better than them?

. . . The main thing for me with this card is, IT IS QUIET! blows some hot air out the back though. as all big cards do.

This is really great! I thought I had read reports of this card being somewhat noisy. Or at least, not quiet. My early 2008 MP with the 2600 is really quiet, and I like that. I was assuming that the 4870 would bump up the noise level quite a bit, but I guess I was wrong. That's really good news!

[Cynicalone]

Here are my results (4870 running on a 2.93GHz Nehalem Mac Pro Quad). Given we all have the same card, there must be some system related factor at work with these rather large variations in scores.

It could be because you are running a different build of OS 10.5.6?

[aibo]

This is really great! I thought I had read reports of this card being somewhat noisy. Or at least, not quiet. My early 2008 MP with the 2600 is really quiet, and I like that. I was assuming that the 4870 would bump up the noise level quite a bit, but I guess I was wrong. That's really good news!

I'm not sure how it compares to the 2600, but my apple 4870 is noticeably louder than the GeForce 8800 it replaced. It's not loud enough to bother me, though... and I sleep 5 feet away from the machine.

[OddThomas]

I'm not sure how it compares to the 2600, but my apple 4870 is noticeably louder than the GeForce 8800 it replaced. It's not loud enough to bother me, though... and I sleep 5 feet away from the machine.

Well, if you use your MP as a pillow i concede that it may be a little noisey.. I really did not realize that the 8800 was so quiet. i heard so many complaints about that card. maybe i confused those complaints with the noisey ati3470.

[Tom Sawyer]

Sure, no problem... pulled it down with these results:

So here are the results in the same app with the 8800GT back in. Not really regretting sending the 4870 back today. I know benchmarks are not the whole story, but I would have expected the numbers to be higher across the board, the 4870 is a considerably newer chip than the 8800GT.

[-js-]

So, to answer my own question earlier, yes the drivers linked to in this thread were taken from a 10.5.6 build for a new MP with 4870 installed. So 10.5.7 will have those drivers, or an even newer, more stable revision of them.

[matthew.russo]

I have a question in regard to dual link on these cards.

If I were to connect 2 monitors to one card using DVI only, can I use the normal DVI port and the second output with minidisplay port to DVI cable (http://store.apple.com/au/product/MB570Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MjkyNjI0MQ)to connect both monitors?

Also, can 2 cards be used to run 3 monitors in OSX?

[red9]

Well I couldn't stand waiting for 10.5.7 anymore so I opened and installed the 4870 and the drivers previously linked.

I do have one question, however. From netkas' instructions in the PC 4870 flashing thread, he said to:

"after installing pkg remove /System/Library/Extensions/Natit.kext"

Is that something that only needs to be done for PC flashed 4870s, or what? I removed that file, but I'm not sure if I was supposed to or not :o Thanks for the help!

[pprior]

I think that's pc flashed only.

I just installed the drivers and that was that.

[JollyRogers]

Well I couldn't stand waiting for 10.5.7 anymore so I opened and installed the 4870 and the drivers previously linked.

I do have one question, however. From netkas' instructions in the PC 4870 flashing thread, he said to:

"after installing pkg remove /System/Library/Extensions/Natit.kext"

Is that something that only needs to be done for PC flashed 4870s, or what? I removed that file, but I'm not sure if I was supposed to or not :o Thanks for the help!

You are fine removing natit.kext. As pointed out above, that is only needed for hackintosh.

[-js-]

I have a question in regard to dual link on these cards.

If I were to connect 2 monitors to one card using DVI only, can I use the normal DVI port and the second output with minidisplay port to DVI cable (http://store.apple.com/au/product/MB570Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MjkyNjI0MQ)to connect both monitors?

Yes.

Also, can 2 cards be used to run 3 monitors in OSX?

Yes. Or 4 monitors. But there is a maximum total power draw for the PCIe cards. There are some threads around here about two 4870's, but I've never read them and don't know if it's possible or not. But, certainly, a 4870 and a 2600 will work.

[red9]

You are fine removing natit.kext. As pointed out above, that is only needed for hackintosh.

So what exactly does removing vs not removing that file do if you have the official Apple 4870? Would it in any way result in decreased performance if it's removed and you have the official card?

Also, there shouldn't be any need to somehow uninstall or remove the overall installed drivers once 10.5.7 is released, right? It should all update properly with what I assume are different/improved drivers, at least for non-2009 mac pros? Thanks!

[aibo]

So what exactly does removing vs not removing that file do if you have the official Apple 4870?
nothing. but having unnecessary/unused third party kernal extensions is never advisable because they can potentially cause conflicts.
Would it in any way result in decreased performance if it's removed and you have the official card?
no
Also, there shouldn't be any need to somehow uninstall or remove the overall installed drivers once 10.5.7 is released, right?
right
It should all update properly with what I assume are different/improved drivers, at least for non-2009 mac pros?
if there's updated versions with 10.5.7 they'll just overwrite the existing ones. but I very much doubt that non-2009 mac pros and 2009 mac pros will be using different drivers, since the drivers shipping with the 2009 mac pro work just fine on older mac pros too.

[matthew.russo]

They listed on the Apple Store site again now that it requires 10.5.7
Compatibility:


Requires Mac Pro (Early 2009 with 1066MHz DDR3 memory) or Mac Pro (Early 2008 with 800MHz DDR2 FB-DIMM memory) with PCI Express 2.0 slot

Mac OS X v10.5.7 or later

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB999ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=NDE4NDMxOA

Also, has anyone outside of the US received their cards?

[sparkie7]

At this point, if there were a mini display port to full size display port adapter (or cable) I might just change my mind on it.

thats what this is for isnt it? http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB571Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MjkyNjI0Mg

The fact that the Apple 4870 runs at full speed versus the flashed versions as well as both ports working properly is worth something too.

is this true? i thought that flashed PC 4870's were working identical to the Mac 4870 (except of course of the 2x DVI ports as opposed to 1x MDP + 1X DVI)

[Tom Sawyer]

thats what this is for isnt it? http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB571Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MjkyNjI0Mg



is this true? i thought that flashed PC 4870's were working identical to the Mac 4870 (except of course of the 2x DVI ports as opposed to 1x MDP + 1X DVI)

From what I have read, the card is running at a reduced transfer (pcie?) speed but the core and memory are running at full speed. Perhaps others can confirm that...

Well, was really referring to a cable that would allow me to hook up a standard display port type display to the mini display port on the card. Have not been able to find an adapter/cable to do that as of yet...

[matthew.russo]

Yay! Order finally changed to Prepared for shipment.

[hugodrax]

Will the Apple card work on the Mac PRo 1,1 (2006) I know folks are running the flashed ones but I would rather just order the one from Apple and just stick it in and reboot. I have 10.5.7 installed.

[RebootD]

Anyone here who suffered from 10.5.6 + 4870 card breaking the connection with their NEC displays get a fix with 10.5.7 update? I very much want to buy this card but not if the 2490/2460 are still unable to hold calibration.

[evilyankeefan]

Anyone know if a newer driver was included with 10.5.7?

[jeanlain]

Will the Apple card work on the Mac PRo 1,1 (2006) I know folks are running the flashed ones but I would rather just order the one from Apple and just stick it in and reboot. I have 10.5.7 installed.
Reports say that the Apple card will work on Mac Pros 1.1. Ask Rominator.

[turtlebud]

so I originally pre-ordered the 4870, then cancelled the pre-order when the GT 285 was announced. i've heard mixed reviews about nvidia cards in the meantime and am contemplating getting the 4870 again.

how is the 4870 working for you guys now that the 10.5.7 update came out? better than before when you were running the un-official drivers? any complaints?

[-js-]

Does anyone know why there are still no reviews of the 4870 in the apple store? Do they hold off posting them after a certain time has elapsed or what? Or maybe no one has bothered to write a review at the apple store, I guess.

[matthew.russo]

Does anyone know why there are still no reviews of the 4870 in the apple store? Do they hold off posting them after a certain time has elapsed or what? Or maybe no one has bothered to write a review at the apple store, I guess.

No idea...maybe they are ashamed?

Here are some side by side results from my 8800GT to the 4870.

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=f8aea6aefec3baef24a64199ac7f73e5e04e75f6e8ebb871

[irishgrizzly]

Here are some side by side results from my 8800GT to the 4870.So where the games tested in bootcamp and everything else in OS X?

[matthew.russo]

So where the games tested in bootcamp and everything else in OS X?

Yep, as per the spreadsheet, there are 2 seperate tables.

[-js-]

OK. Can someone who owns a 4870 and a 2008MP give a quick review? Any issues? Improved performance? Anything?

I don't understand why there are still no reviews of the 4870 in the apple store. You'd think by now there would be.

I noticed that SL won't have open CL support for the graphics card in my 2008 MP. It's an ATI 2600? Or is it a 1900? I can't remember. Either way, though, if I want open CL I need to upgrade, and a 4870 is on the list of support cards. So it's looking even more attractive to me at this point. But, I'd love to hear something from current 4870 / 2008MP owners if they have a moment.

[lannister80]

OK. Can someone who owns a 4870 and a 2008MP give a quick review? Any issues? Improved performance? Anything?

I don't understand why there are still no reviews of the 4870 in the apple store. You'd think by now there would be.

I noticed that SL won't have open CL support for the graphics card in my 2008 MP. It's an ATI 2600? Or is it a 1900? I can't remember. Either way, though, if I want open CL I need to upgrade, and a 4870 is on the list of support cards. So it's looking even more attractive to me at this point. But, I'd love to hear something from current 4870 / 2008MP owners if they have a moment.
I bought the 1GB PC version and flashed it (in my 08MP), and it's amazing. Really, REALLY improves game performance, especially on the BootCamp (WinXP32) side of things.

[nxfxcom]

I bought mine from the Apple Store, had the 8800GT before, and to be honest i do not see a big difference, COD4 is minimal improvement and in realflow, i can see less particles in the viewport then i could with my 8800GT, its great, but no huge improvements for me, hope that changes with Snow Leopard!


Ben

[-js-]

Thanks guys!

Honestly, mostly I am more concerned with negatives than positives vs. 8800. I don't have an 8800 right now, so I will see a significant improvement, but my concern was with the drivers and bugginess and other issues, like freezing, or not being able to drive a 2nd DVI display using the MDP to DVI adaptor, and etc. Short of issues like that being too common, I'm definitely going to upgrade my graphics card to one the SL can take advantage of--open CL support, IOW. Just so long as I don't see a lot of one or two star reviews about cards dying and needing to be replaced twice in a row and stuff like that.

[mmccaskill]

See I have the 8800GT in my '08 Octo. I've been on the fence between getting the 4870 and the GTX 285. I might just fork over the extra $100 for the 285.