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3870x2 Available for 2008 Mac Pro?

I've seen a mention of a "red" one, but I don't know anything more about it I'm afraid. :eek:

Going by cost alone, I'd stick with OWC. Not only cheaper, but you have the ability to return it if needed. ;)
 
nanofrog said:
I've seen a mention of a "red" one, but I don't know anything more about it I'm afraid. :eek:

Going by cost alone, I'd stick with OWC. Not only cheaper, but you have the ability to return it if needed. ;)
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So far, I do like OWC. I ordered 8GB of ram and have had no issues so far. What I don't like about the blue version though is the way the fan is setup, it just blows the heat right back into the case. The red one, on the other hand, has the dual slot design to exhaust heat out the back and I like that.
 
digitalfrog said:
But it does not mean it won't work on a Mac Pro right ?
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The 3870x2 will not work on a Mac Pro. I'm sure some people have Flashed the cards or done other hacks to make it work but bottom line is the Mac Pro supports a very limited number of video cards and this is not one of them. This has been a hard fact to get used to after switching from Windows :( The 3870 and 8800GT are about the best cards you can get for a Mac Pro right now, though many speculate the the 4800 series will soon be available as well. Unfortunately, not only are the 3870 and 8800GT well behind current Windows offerings but they're prices are marked up about $100 more than pc versions of the same cards.
 
AdiosVista said:
One other question slightly related: while I was browsing for the lowest price on a 3870, I came across this one that is double wide and red, compared to the one at OWC which is single slot and blue. Are these the same cards? Why two versions? One newer or preferred over the other?
Click to expand...

There are always multiple versions of these video cards... manufacturers repackage things for different markets. That card has been "out" for years.

As far as I know, ATI just makes ONE mac compatible version of the 3870 card. It's prominently labeled as the "mac" card at OWC and everywhere else. I'd never buy a 3870 that _wasn't_ that version. There are firmware and driver modifications that make it compatible with the mac architecture. Sure, it's not "the" cutting edge card. No PC gamer guy is ever gonna buy one at this point. Haha. Now, in the years that card has been on the market if they made a red or purple or green PC-only version with one or two or three or twenty seven fans or slots or whatever, it doesn't really matter. As someone else pointed out later in the thread, if you are buying a mac pro (unfortunately) you have a limited choice in compatible peripherals. You will pay more and have fewer options. On the bright side, you should have more support and reliability, and certainly more long term resale value. Look at CL. I still see folks selling old G5 mac pro towers for what I think are seriously silly resale values. I am never gonna sell my (2008) mac pro, it's the best computer I've ever owned, and I've had a lot. :D
 
Anyone know for sure what the difference is between the red and blue version of the 3870? I found another red one on Amazon, same price as blue from OWC. I like the dual slot design on the red better because it will exhaust the heat out of the case rather than inside. I'm curious to know if the red will work in the latest 2008 Mac Pros though.

http://www.amazon.com/ATI-100-43592..._2?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1226179587&sr=8-2
 
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That's not the Mac Edition. As far as I know, the 3870 ROM has not been successfully extracted for flashing other cards with. You could replace the stock cooler with a third part one, as the Mac edition is physically the same as the PC versions.
 
m1stake said:
That's not the Mac Edition. As far as I know, the 3870 ROM has not been successfully extracted for flashing other cards with. You could replace the stock cooler with a third part one, as the Mac edition is physically the same as the PC versions.
Click to expand...

The product description says:

Radeon 3870 Mac and PC Edition RoHS 512Mb

Also, I've seen this red version on other sites and they specifically say for Mac and PC.
 
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