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You would use too much power, if they were all running at once, that and they would run slower.

Are you guessing or do you know this for sure? I thought that they had improved crossfire to be cumulative and not run at the speed of the slowest component now?

As for power, is that a PSU issue or a connector issue and is it solvable? My PC gaming rig has a smaller PSU than my MacPro and happily runs more power hungry SLI combos than a 4870+3870 would draw.
 
The issue with running one or two 4870s is that they each require two (2) 6-Pin PCIe Power Connectors.

The Mac Pro only has two on the motherboard, so you'd have to route the molex power cables with an adapter or work some sort of splitter off of the motherboard.

My question is, if you are only gaming in Windows, why bother with a 3870, the 4850 or 4870 greatly out perform it and the 2600 would be enough for general OS X usage.

Tracer
 
It's the rest of the computer that sucks up most of the juice. FB-DIMMs are very power hungry, in addition to 2 quad core processors (also power hungry) and a board (uses power :p). You are however able to install 2 3870s without having problems with not enough power.
 
The issue with running one or two 4870s is that they each require two (2) 6-Pin PCIe Power Connectors.

The Mac Pro only has two on the motherboard, so you'd have to route the molex power cables with an adapter or work some sort of splitter off of the motherboard.

My question is, if you are only gaming in Windows, why bother with a 3870, the 4850 or 4870 greatly out perform it and the 2600 would be enough for general OS X usage.

Tracer



you would have to get the drivers and I dont think there compatible with mac. and you would have to take it out when bootnig into mac (I think)
 
Of course the PC cards won't work in Mac, but you'll boot into OS X fine with your monitor hooked up to the 2600XT. (With the cards still in there)

Tracer
 
It's the rest of the computer that sucks up most of the juice. FB-DIMMs are very power hungry, in addition to 2 quad core processors (also power hungry) and a board (uses power :p). You are however able to install 2 3870s without having problems with not enough power.

It's not that bad. The PSU is a 1kW power supply, last I checked, a stock Mac Pro uses less than 300W from the wall at max load.
 
Also available on the Canadian Site

http://www.shopati.ca/product.asp?sku=3857975

$219 CAD

UPDATE:

While it is listed on the web store, there is still no stock...sorry.

I also wanted to make people aware that they can trade in their old graphics card and receive a rebate of $80 CAD ($50 USD). Here are the terms and conditions from ATI's web site http://shop.ati.com/tradeupfaq.asp

Trade-up Terms and Conditions:

* The ATI Trade-up Program is available only to owners of an ATI or other manufactures graphics card who reside in the United States of America or Canada

* Participating customers must return their old graphics board to ATI within 20 business days of ordering the new trade-up board.

* Once ShopATI's Customer Service receives the old graphics board, you should allow ten business days for the security deposit credit to be applied to their credit card

* The customer is responsible for the shipping costs of the Trade-Up credit package to ATI.

* Allow 5 business days for the Trade-Up credit to be applied to your credit card.

* The online order form must be completed in full. Incomplete forms will not be processed.

* The online order form is to be completed in full to prevent any delays. If a form is incomplete, ATI cannot guarantee the prompt processing of your trade-up order

* Instructions on how to and where to return your old graphics board for the trade-up security deposit credit will be provided by email, once your initial trade-up order is placed

* All information and graphics card provided to ATI becomes property of ATI Technologies Inc. Trade-Up credit values are subject to change without notice. The ATI Trade-Up Program is subject to change or cancellation, by ATI, at any time without notice. ATI reserves the right to refuse any requests for the Trade-Up Program. Fraudulent submissions are subject to prosecution.

* The ATI Trade-up program cannot be combined with any other discounts or coupons
 
http://www.shopati.ca/product.asp?sku=3857975

$219 CAD

UPDATE:

While it is listed on the web store, there is still no stock...sorry.

I also wanted to make people aware that they can trade in their old graphics card and receive a rebate of $80 CAD ($50 USD). Here are the terms and conditions from ATI's web site http://shop.ati.com/tradeupfaq.asp

Trade-up Terms and Conditions:

* The ATI Trade-up Program is available only to owners of an ATI or other manufactures graphics card who reside in the United States of America or Canada

* Participating customers must return their old graphics board to ATI within 20 business days of ordering the new trade-up board.

* Once ShopATI's Customer Service receives the old graphics board, you should allow ten business days for the security deposit credit to be applied to their credit card

* The customer is responsible for the shipping costs of the Trade-Up credit package to ATI.

* Allow 5 business days for the Trade-Up credit to be applied to your credit card.

* The online order form must be completed in full. Incomplete forms will not be processed.

* The online order form is to be completed in full to prevent any delays. If a form is incomplete, ATI cannot guarantee the prompt processing of your trade-up order

* Instructions on how to and where to return your old graphics board for the trade-up security deposit credit will be provided by email, once your initial trade-up order is placed

* All information and graphics card provided to ATI becomes property of ATI Technologies Inc. Trade-Up credit values are subject to change without notice. The ATI Trade-Up Program is subject to change or cancellation, by ATI, at any time without notice. ATI reserves the right to refuse any requests for the Trade-Up Program. Fraudulent submissions are subject to prosecution.

* The ATI Trade-up program cannot be combined with any other discounts or coupons

Can I send in my Nvidia 7300GT and get 80 dollars back?
 
Can I send in my Nvidia 7300GT and get 80 dollars back?

It looks like it.

I'd love to be able to buy a working 7300 card used for that price, if it's an Apple part. I don't know if you are comfortable with eBay, I'd much rather Mac parts like that stay in use rather than prematurely scrapped out.
 
hey guys I ordered my 3870 from the us store friday and it says it still hasnt been shipped out yet, how long has it taken your guys' to ship out?
 
It looks like it.

I'd love to be able to buy a working 7300 card used for that price, if it's an Apple part. I don't know if you are comfortable with eBay, I'd much rather Mac parts like that stay in use rather than prematurely scrapped out.

ive got two of them actually, one i will be selling/donating for the exchange thing, the other im going to check if it will work in my sisters sony vaio desktop. ill just give her that since shes still running her comp on the onboard gfx card.
 
I ordered the 3870 for mac on last thursday from the AMD online store.

It has not shipped yet, account has not changed since I ordered it.

Also OWC macsales.com just reset there countdown till they get stock from 3 days to 10 more days.

Not one person has posted pics or videos.

This card is not available yet.
 
I would cancel and order from ATI. I ordered mine FedEx next day and received it last Thursday (so I could enjoy it over the long weekend). I took some blurry pics with my iPhone, but they are pretty anti-climactic. It's just a plain 'ol single slot video card.
 
Ahh... missed your second part... The ATI site never updated its tracking information. It just showed up FedEx... I was thinking the same as you until it actually arrived.
 
I ordered the 3870 for mac on last thursday from the AMD online store.

It has not shipped yet, account has not changed since I ordered it.

Also OWC macsales.com just reset there countdown till they get stock from 3 days to 10 more days.

Not one person has posted pics or videos.

This card is not available yet.

*smiles* you might want to check your mail box. we must have been ordering at the same time, and my tracking never changed either... customer service told me that often lags..

BUT

for a card that does not exist.. there is something looking awfully suspicious like a 3870 at home. I called. It has arrived. Maybe yours has too?
 
I'm pissed off !


I ordered from OWC, the day they listed it for pre-sale.


I have still not received my card and they keep upping the ship time.


WTF !!!
 
I'm pissed off !


I ordered from OWC, the day they listed it for pre-sale.


I have still not received my card and they keep upping the ship time.


WTF !!!

well, might not be OWC's fault.. they have to get it from AMD... I ordered directly from AMD...
 
Just called the ATI online store 1-888-9SHOPATI and talked to a representative named Chauncey he said my order has NOT shipped.

He said they have not got the stock in yet. :mad:

He said I would be notified by e-mail when it is available to ship.

I ordered it from the USA ATI store last Thursday and the website clearly said it was in stock then and all weekend.

This blows I could flash a PC card faster than this.
 
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