I'm considering buying a 24" iMac for my home. My current home PC has a NVidia 6600GT card. How does this card compare to the HD 2600 PRO?
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iMac's HD 2600 PRO - Comparison
- Thread starter mmccaskill
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don't buy an iMac yet
my mom's waiting to buy an iMac, and she's waiting 'til for the next release cycle which should be very soon. 🙂
my mom's waiting to buy an iMac, and she's waiting 'til for the next release cycle which should be very soon. 🙂
CWallace
macrumors G5
Depends on what you are doing.
The 3DMark06 (v1.0.2) HDR/SM3.0 Score for the ATI card is about triple that for the nVidia (2218 vs. 753).
Doom 3 Timedemo1 (1600x1200x32, 4x AA, 8x AF, Ultra Quality) is 33fps for the ATI and 5 for the nVidia.
If by soon you mean June/July, then yeah. If Apple waits until Montevina it will likely go down in June or July.
Well there are really two reasons for me buying this:
1) I can work from home when I want/need since my MacPro is at work.
2) I play Star Wars: Galaxies. Looks like the iMac could handle that.
1) I can work from home when I want/need since my MacPro is at work.
2) I play Star Wars: Galaxies. Looks like the iMac could handle that.
I am not even sure any reasonable alternatives to the 2600/8600 exists. For my next computer I would expect something better, but I just had a look around and there does not seem to be anything with a power consumption in par with those 2.
anyone know?
mreg376
macrumors 65816
Muncher
macrumors 65816
It's not a 2600 Pro, but an underclocked 2600 xt mobile; the xt is faster than the pro. But xt or not, it still beats your 6600 over the head with a baseball bat. IMO, the card in the iMac is way underrated, especially when you re-clock it back to its original speed. Plays FSX medium high at about 30 fps, usually more, underclocked. In short, it's good.
C'mon, there's no need for that. It is a perfectly good card. Just because it chokes compared to your 8800 GTS, that doesn't mean it's trash.
bluedoggiant
macrumors 68030
If not a different card for the iMac "Pro" (unlikely), i bet you there is a high chance there will be a 512MB version.
Ah that's the kind of information I am looking for. Thanks.
I take it a simple google search will reveal how one can re-clock it? Any heat issues with the re-clock?
SaSaSushi
macrumors 601
Despite the prevailing wisdom among most users here and the MR Buyers Guide I believe the next iMac revision actually won't come until September. I think we're looking at another 5 months with the current line. Of course it could come next week and then I'll look like an idiot. At any rate I don't think you will see anything beyond a Penryn (or Montevina if it comes later) processor and perhaps a bigger HD and more RAM by default. There won't be a major redesign this year.
It's possible the GPU might be changed or they could add a BTO option but what would the alternative be? The 2600XT in the current iMacs is quite a nice part. No matter what they do it will be a mobile card, obviously.
And yes, it will handle the game you want to play quite adequately.
SaSaSushi
macrumors 601
OK, well I do hope you get what you're wishing for and that does sound like a logical procession. I still have this feeling the iMac updates are a long way off yet. 🙁
Muncher
macrumors 65816
Yeah, a google search or even just using the macrumors guides should give you the info on overclocking. If things get hot 😛, download smcfancontrol and crank up the fans. They spin about ~1000 rpm default, but they go up to 5600 if you let them. I keep my fans at 1500 rpm during every day use, and I use my 2200 rpm setting for gaming.
Good luck! 😀