Frequently Asked Questions About NVIDIA PC (non-EFI) Graphics Cards

[pastrychef]

The GTX 680 is very popular among Mac Pro owners because:

1. They can be easily flashed with Mac EFI firmware by users. There are two threads on this forum with directions to flash the 2GB version and the 4GB version.
2. It's a very good performing card.
3. Unless overclocked, it fits within the power requirements of Mac Pros.
4. Works with built-in drivers of OS X. Therefore, the Nvidia web drivers are entirely optional. This is a big advantage when doing OS X updates.
5. Works with 4K monitors.

 

[Messy]

So... where are the links to flash the 680's?

 

[orph]

there is no need to flash the gtx680.

 

[carpsafari]

I totally agree, waste of money, as for the 780

 

[flowrider]

So... where are the links to flash the 680's?

Here:

http://forum.netkas.org/index.php/topic,5709.0.html

Lou

 

[Messy]

there is no need to flash the gtx680.

So you'll get bootscreens without flashing? I'm led to believe if you want bootscreens etc. you need to flash it.

 

[pastrychef]

No, you won't get boot screen without flashing.

I see no downsides to flashing. In a worse case scenario, you can always flash it back with original firmware.

 

[toke lahti]

Do you guys think that there will ever be new GPU card with officially supported EFI for osx?

 

[fiatlux]

Do you guys think that there will ever be new GPU card with officially supported EFI for osx?

I guess you mean a new PCIe card for the classic Mac Pro?

Highly unlikely IMO, but I did not think nvidia would maintain their web driver for so long either, so what do I know?

 

[orph]

yep sorry you wont get boot screens but i dont relay see a need for them, iv not had boot screens for 3 years and have no problem with that.
with the older cards like the gtx 680/770 you can still boot from a osx install partition or install windows no problems it's only with the newer cards you can have problems because you need to run the nvidia drivers.

you can change boot drive with system prefs and use the boot to windows thing if you need to boot in to windows often.

there is always ati cards

 

[toke lahti]

I guess you mean a new PCIe card for the classic Mac Pro?

Highly unlikely IMO, but I did not think nvidia would maintain their web driver for so long either, so what do I know?

There are people using eGPU configs with TB and I'd think it will get more common with TB3...

 

[Mac Hammer Fan]

There is a software update for Yosemite: Remote Desktop Client Update 3.8.5.1. I am using a GTX 980. Do I need a new nVidia driver?

 

[pastrychef]

I agree. I don't think there will ever be any more official video cards released with EFI, unless, of course, if Apple reverses courses and starts selling Macs with PCI-e ports again...

As for Nvidia web drivers, I think those are there to also support the hackintosh community.

 

[scott.n]

No, you won't get boot screen without flashing.

I see no downsides to flashing. In a worse case scenario, you can always flash it back with original firmware.

One downside, if I understand things correctly, is that you might lose a factory overclock.

 

[pastrychef]

You can adjust the clocks in Windows.

 

[orph]

well as long as apple keeps using ATI cards ATI will have better support.
if they ever start using nvidia agen then the driver's will turn up in osx.

 

[ActionableMango]

Historically speaking Apple has gone back and forth. There was a time when ATI was the predominant GPU in Macs. There was a time when Nvidia was. Now it's ATI again (AMD).

I too have preferred one or the other at different times, and thus have switched back and forth according to my needs and according to whichever was on top at the time.

As a Battlestar Galactica fan, here is my thought:

 

[toke lahti]

Are EFI cards getting more common in windows world?

 

[pastrychef]

Windows uses UEFI.

 

[toke lahti]

Any sign that Apple would adopt UEFI any decade now? UEFI has been standardized 9 years ago...

 

[ActionableMango]

Any sign that Apple would adopt UEFI any decade now? UEFI has been standardized 9 years ago...

Apple is still using EFI 1.10 or older in their new models?

 

[davros1984]

Hello Asgorath,

the GTX 570 works very well, under 10.7.4 and 10.8.1

The GTX 570 PNY works fine for me in a Mac Pro 3.1 as well

 

[frou]

I note that the new uber performance monster the GTX 1080 consumes max 180W power

 

[h9826790]

I note that the new uber performance monster the GTX 1080 consumes max 180W power

Yes, and the reference card only need a single 8pin, which perfect fit the cMP.

It's amassing that how Apple look so forward in 10 years ago, and produce a Mac that perfectly fit the 2016 GPU's power envelope

 

[Synchro3]

Currently certified only DisplayPort 1.2 ….. DP 1.3 /1.4 will follow.