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Apple 5870 upgrade card killed even before it's released?

D

DualShock

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 29, 2008
570
124
I certainly hope this isn't the case but:

I was just perusing Google looking for MC743ZM/A, the model number for the 5870 upgrade card.

I noticed the following:

1) CDW says "product discontinued as of Sept 23, 2010"
http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=2192747

2) Amazon says "We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock."
http://www.amazon.com/Apple-ATI-5870-Standalone-MC743ZM/dp/B003Z6QH6W/

3) Tekserve.com used to list the item, now it disappeared.

Yes, I am aware that Apple's online store still lists the item, though it's still "unavailable". But I just found it odd that the 3rd party merchants I mentioned above seem to indicate it's been discontinued even before it was released.
 
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Two full months since Apple first put them on the store and still no real news about them. I suppose it wouldn't surprise me if it was quietly cancelled.
 
I called Apple's online customer service over the phone and as the representative tried to place my order, he said that the product (the upgrade kit) seems not be in production or some sort like that. I really hope it isn't the case. I also emailed ATI/AMD to see if they had any idea on the issue of the production line of this card and they responded with this:

"Apple will be able to confirm the expected release date of their retail version of the chipset, this is an Apple OEM product not a built by AMD retail boxed product."

So it seems that Apple is the only people who know for sure when they release it... that is if they do... :confused:
 
I'd email Steve Jobs if I thought I'd get a better response than "When it's ready" or something worse.

Maybe the best thing to do is find someone in the market for a 2010 Mac Pro, get them to get a 5870, then buy them a 5770 and cover the price difference :mad:

Or I guess buy a PC card and flash it... time to check in on how that scene is doing...
 
Extremely extremely unlikely the card has been canceled.

Apple would, at the very least, need to provide it as an after purchase upgrade option for the 2010 Mac Pro.

Third party retailers are fickle. They could have delisted it after waiting for a bit. I believe the Amazon listing also has always said that.

The only other thing I'd possibly believe is that Apple is about to pull a 6870 out of their hat or something.
 
Not sure if this is related, or a possible confusion in your 5870 search, but it looks like the 4870 is no longer on the US and Canadian apple stores.
 
At a minimum they should have them as replacements for failures on the 2010 models until something better comes along.
 
goMac said:
The only other thing I'd possibly believe is that Apple is about to pull a 6870 out of their hat or something.
Click to expand...

Ahem... and you do not think... that is extremely extremely unlikely...?
 
goMac said:
Haha, well, more likely than the chance that Apple would sell a graphics card for $450 for the next year...
Click to expand...

Oh really? How much do you want to bet on that? There is no reason for them to drop the price, and there is no reason for them to discontinue it. At least not until they have a card to replace it. Just look at the 4870, up until recently they were still selling that for a lot of money, way more than it should cost.

Apple isn't known to stop selling or drop the price on something just because it's old.
 
ovrlrd said:
Oh really? How much do you want to bet on that? There is no reason for them to drop the price, and there is no reason for them to discontinue it. At least not until they have a card to replace it. Just look at the 4870, up until recently they were still selling that for a lot of money, way more than it should cost.

Apple isn't known to stop selling or drop the price on something just because it's old.
Click to expand...

I didn't say they'd drop the price... I meant, I don't see Apple passing up the chance to sell a graphics card for $450 over the next year, even when the graphics card gets down to $100 on Newegg.
 
goMac said:
I didn't say they'd drop the price... I meant, I don't see Apple passing up the chance to sell a graphics card for $450 over the next year, even when the graphics card gets down to $100 on Newegg.
Click to expand...

Ah okay, we are on the same page. All good! :)
 
That's what I don't understand. If you can order one with a new Mac Pro, why can't we order the 5870 kit. Just doesn't make sense.
 
Doors6767 said:
That's what I don't understand. If you can order one with a new Mac Pro, why can't we order the 5870 kit. Just doesn't make sense.
Click to expand...

Likely there is a 5870 shortage.

There is also a chance that Apple is holding until they can clear some of these initial firmware issues.
 
Whatever the reason may be that these cards aren't on the market yet, I don't think we will be Serling them sold as an upgrade kit for some time yet...
 
ooohhh, i'd love to know whats going on with the 5870. it'd be really exciting if apple plans to offer a more powerful card in its place...but that's really being too hopeful. i'd be shocked if apple got an ATI exclusive and actually threw in a 6000 series. i'd be even more shocked if the the Nvidia Quadro FX 4000 Fermi becomes available for the mac in general...i work in 3D and would love that graphics card so i can actually harness the full power of Maya for mac.
 
apple gets ati exclusive? ridicolous considering apple is probably <1% of ati graphics

quadro 4000 fermi is already announced
 
Apple loves scarcity at certain times, particularly at product launch...it creates demand. Most new Apple products that come to market go through an initial few months where they are harder to acquire.

I think this is partly just Apple controlling their stock and making sure the folks who get the best GPU's are the ones spending the most money on Apple hardware.
 
Gomff said:
I think this is partly just Apple controlling their stock and making sure the folks who get the best GPU's are the ones spending the most money on Apple hardware.
Click to expand...

This is really the only reason that makes any logical sense. It is obvious that supply for this card is sort of hard to come by, and so Apple is just giving priority. Eventually when sales slow down they will make it available. I honestly feel like they will make it available sometime in October, things should be a bit more stable by then.
 
you39 said:
Ahem... and you do not think... that is extremely extremely unlikely...?
Click to expand...

Not really, AMDs 6xxx line is to be announced on October 12th. Not really that far away. Could be possible they did an early discontinue in preparation for the 6000s.
 
DesmoPilot said:
Not really, AMDs 6xxx line is to be announced on October 12th. Not really that far away. Could be possible they did an early discontinue in preparation for the 6000s.
Click to expand...

It's admittedly a long long shot, but if the engineering time wasn't significant, Apple could be releasing a 6000 series upgrade kit, or ATI could be selling their own version of the card.
 
I want to get 5770 for the extra OpenCL features and power for my 1.1 macpro. 5870 is almost double the price.
 
seems like PCConnectionExpress.com has taking their listing for the 5870 down...
 
xispec said:
seems like PCConnectionExpress.com has taking their listing for the 5870 down...
Click to expand...

Just noticed that too.

Still doesn't mean anything really. Seems like everyone is getting tired of waiting for Apple to do anything. I can't blame people who are impatient, but I am still waiting because as long as they keep selling the 5870 as an option on new Mac Pros there is no reason that they would not start selling them as an upgrade kit at some point.
 
I can't believe this...
If Apple has canceled the 5870,
I'm really going to hold a grudge against Apple...

Looking at this trailer for L4D, looks like its coming out in Oct 5th. (It says OSX at the endind)
And I still have a HD2600XT that came with my Mac 2008!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyxq8rv3o8c


Come one Apple!
Do you wanna make us all buy the new Mac Pro 2010 to get hold the 5870?!?!
This is lame...
 
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