Video Card replacement

[oldmanmax]

I have a late 2004 dual 2.0 PPC , running with 7 GB ram, with a GeForce FX 5200 video card, "original" which I fear is on its way out. Looking for a replacement which might be a little bit better. I am not a gamer, but dabble a little bit in photography and some low end graphics like Hash Animation, and some photoshop. Went to a local mac store which has been around since late 80's and they say there is nothing out there, please tell me they are wrong. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[orestes1984]

The newest card you will get for an AGP G5 from Apple without flashing is the ATi Radeon X850XT or Nvidia 6800GT. If you want more performance you can also run a flashed 7800GS. Any of these options will be a fine upgrade from where you are. Anything will be better than where you are now, search eBay, Radeon 9800 Mac editions are a common but slower option.

 

[666sheep]

If you're capable of flashing cards, there's a freakin' bargain right now on eBay (IDK the seller): http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-HP-ATI-...620?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item2c69150e4c

It's quite easy to flash and it offers very good performance and DL DVI.

 

[orestes1984]

For what the thread starter wants to do, that is a fine option if he is capable of flashing a card and a Fire GL or Quadro would be a little better for what he wants though not as common.

 

[666sheep]

^^^Only Quadro compatible with AGP G5 is FX4000, that needs to be flashed with 6800 ROM, so it will become a 6800 since then and it will use 6800 rendering engine. That same is with FGL - once flashed with X800 ROM it becomes X800 and uses X800 OGL engine.

 

[orestes1984]

^^^Only Quadro compatible with AGP G5 is FX4000, that needs to be flashed with 6800 ROM, so it will become a 6800 since then. That same is with FGL - once flashed with X800 ROM it becomes X800 and uses X800 OGL engine.

Hmm, no huge benefit other than price then, but at $20 that is cheap.

 

[666sheep]

^^^In case of FGL there's another benefit: 2x DVI vs DVI + ADC. OFC if the OP does not use ADC display.

 

[Hrududu]

If you just want a good card for cheap that'll still be a great upgrade from the 5200, I would personally recommend the ATI Radeon 9600XT. I upgraded my dual 2.0 G5 with one and I found it to be a much better card well under $50. It was an eBay find BTW.

 

[orestes1984]

Yes Radeon 9600 and 9800s are common/cheap and a significant upgrade from the Geforce 5200, the Gefore 5 series was terrible by every definition of the word terrible and perhaps the worst card Nvidia ever made was the Geforce 5200. In a machine this old anything will be better and if the thread starter wants something common this is the option.

 

[oldmanmax]

Thanks for the info

Just lost out on a Apple Power Mac G5 AGP 128MB ATI Radeon 9600XT Dual Display ADC/DVI Video Card on Ebay. Guess who ever else wanted it had a automated bidding set up. Oh well, will keep looking. Thanks for the info and now I know what to look for. Again thanks.

 

[magilla]

Yes Radeon 9600 and 9800s are common/cheap and a significant upgrade from the Geforce 5200, the Gefore 5 series was terrible by every definition of the word terrible and perhaps the worst card Nvidia ever made was the Geforce 5200. In a machine this old anything will be better and if the thread starter wants something common this is the option.

Was just browsing thru this tread and noticed the input for the ATI Radeon 9600XT card. Do you happen to know if a GEforce 5200 installed in an older iMac G5 can be user replaced and if so, how hard it might be to do the swap out?

 

[Zotaccian]

Was just browsing thru this tread and noticed the input for the ATI Radeon 9600XT card. Do you happen to know if a GEforce 5200 installed in an older iMac G5 can be user replaced and if so, how hard it might be to do the swap out?

iMac G5 has the chip soldered so it cannot be upgraded.