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Mac Pro (the most configurable mac or not...)
- Thread starter jmggs
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I'll research it and see if it's compatible with my happy 2006 Mac Pro.
Thanks!
Doesn't exist. Don't even bother looking it up. The cards they put in iMacs are not the same as the ones they put in real desktops.
Here's what the 7600GT card looks like from the iMac: http://www.welovemacs.com/6614180.html Haha!
Well. . . there you go. Appreciate the info, Mr. TheSpaz.
With regards to the "Haha!". Gotta love humor!
In a "gaming machine" (and keep in mind that in my opinion a computer it's a gaming machine no more, and I switched to consoles years ago) you basically need a decent cpu, the right amount of memory and the best vga card you can afford.
A workstation is made for ..... well ... work
So you need some "extras" that go beyond the simple performance, like reliability and accessibility ...
A Mac pro is definitely a workstation, not a gamestation, although you can play on a mac pro maybe better than on a dedicated computer (for a while)
So I got to thinking...
I wonder if the 2008 Mac Pro has the same fate as the 2006 Mac Pro. In 3 more years, is it going to be compatible with the latest graphics cards? The newest Mac OS? I wonder if Apple just goes and makes their computers obsolete on purpose after X amount of years.
It'll be funny... a few years from now, the people who bought 2008 Mac Pros are going to be in the same boat we're in right now. They're going to wonder why the latest graphics cards are listed as 2010-2012 Mac Pros only.
I'm pissed that Apple had to go and switch to Mini Displayport because that seriously limited the compatibility for buying an Apple branded display for my computer. Yeah, I wanted the new 24" LED display really bad and I was saving for one... then my ATI 4870 broke after only 6 months and Apple refused to replace it because I was using it in a Mac Pro that wasn't certified for the ATI 4870 (with the Mini Displayport). There go my dreams of getting an LED display. If I really wanted one, I'd have have to spend $400 on a new 4870 and then $900 on the display and even then, there's no guarantee that the 4870 will last for more than 6 months. I don't want to have to keep on buying 4870's every time they die just so that I can use my LED display.
I wonder if the 2008 Mac Pro has the same fate as the 2006 Mac Pro. In 3 more years, is it going to be compatible with the latest graphics cards? The newest Mac OS? I wonder if Apple just goes and makes their computers obsolete on purpose after X amount of years.
It'll be funny... a few years from now, the people who bought 2008 Mac Pros are going to be in the same boat we're in right now. They're going to wonder why the latest graphics cards are listed as 2010-2012 Mac Pros only.
I'm pissed that Apple had to go and switch to Mini Displayport because that seriously limited the compatibility for buying an Apple branded display for my computer. Yeah, I wanted the new 24" LED display really bad and I was saving for one... then my ATI 4870 broke after only 6 months and Apple refused to replace it because I was using it in a Mac Pro that wasn't certified for the ATI 4870 (with the Mini Displayport). There go my dreams of getting an LED display. If I really wanted one, I'd have have to spend $400 on a new 4870 and then $900 on the display and even then, there's no guarantee that the 4870 will last for more than 6 months. I don't want to have to keep on buying 4870's every time they die just so that I can use my LED display.
In a "gaming machine" (and keep in mind that in my opinion a computer it's a gaming machine no more, and I switched to consoles years ago) you basically need a decent cpu, the right amount of memory and the best vga card you can afford.
A workstation is made for ..... well ... work
So you need some "extras" that go beyond the simple performance, like reliability and accessibility ...
A Mac pro is definitely a workstation, not a gamestation, although you can play on a mac pro maybe better than on a dedicated computer (for a while)
What is your deal? I didn't buy my Mac Pro for a dedicated gaming machine. I bought the Mac Pro because it can double as a powerful workstation AND to get the Maximum game performance. I HATE low framerates. My MacBook Pro 13" sucks for playing 3D games on like Call of Duty and Left for Dead... it's so choppy I can hardly stand playing on it. My Mac Pro however, is smooth as silk (just as long as I'm playing in Windows 7).
So there you have it. It's a Mac, it's a PC, it's a workstation, it's a gamestation. It's EVERYTHING and it's the ONLY Mac to get if you're into hardcore gaming (with high FPS). If I bought an iMac today, after a couple of years, the newest games would run like crap on it because I can't swap out the video card, but with a Mac Pro I CAN change the video card to keep up with the new games.
Also, I love having a separate monitor from the computer (and don't even say anything about the Mac Mini, those will not run games any better than a MacBook).
Possible, as they could:
1. Go with 128bit firmware in say 2011 (at the earliest, as the 2010's will be EFI64)
2. Firmware specification may change (i.e. swap to UEFI 2.1 for example)
That said, it's expected the EFI64 will continue for a bit longer. But who knows...
Too bad it doesn't work.
As the 7300GT (that you have) is the standard video card that Apple put into iMacs. I assumed there would be a 7600GT Mac Pro version, too.
Here's a thread that recommends the 8800GT to put into your Mac Pro:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/666976/
In a "gaming machine" (and keep in mind that in my opinion a computer it's a gaming machine no more, and I switched to consoles years ago) you basically need a decent cpu, the right amount of memory and the best vga card you can afford.
A workstation is made for ..... well ... work
So you need some "extras" that go beyond the simple performance, like reliability and accessibility ...
A Mac pro is definitely a workstation, not a gamestation, although you can play on a mac pro maybe better than on a dedicated computer (for a while)
The Mac Pro has not only a decent, but a great CPU, you can load it with RAM, and you can put a good video card into it.
I have the impression that a good workstation is ranked above, not below, a good gaming machine.
So a Mac Pro should be find for those who want to play games.
But those who buy a Mac Pro usually buy it for photography, design, video editing, graphics work, etc.
I would suppose that a software like 3ds max is more demanding on a computer than any game.
Generally speaking, this is the case. Particularly with PC's. But it's a bit different with MP's, as there's few cards that can work in an EFI environment, and those are consumer cards, some of which are gaming units.
The Quadro 4800 Mac Ed. is usable in the EFI64 based systems, occured in spite of Apple since it was developed by a 3rd party (not a custom design for Apple).
You can't compare a computer to a car in terms of years, but only in terms of a generation. So if you wanted to compare to a car, then you'd need to look at a car that's 4 generations old and the answer would be yes it's old.
What a difference 9 months makes!
The postings on the thread provided here are from March, 2009. I read the thread and followed that links on it to research the 8800GT video card. None of the links work. When I searched the 8800 GT at the Other World Computer web site, the search came up blank.
It's almost as if that 9 months is like 9 centuries in the computer world. What was once a choice of purchase with video cards in March is now obsolete in December.
I could live with the 3+ year old video card in my Mac Pro 1,1. It works. But (and this is a big "butt" in my mind). . . BUT what happens if/when this video card burns out as some do??? Do I purchase a new freakin' computer?? Mac Pros ain't cheap! (And I like my Mac Pro with its expandability, and despite the inability to put in a new video card.)
Thank you, Nostromo, for helping. Seriously. Your time and effort is sincerely appreciated.
Hint... look directly above your post
Your post hadn't appeared when I was composing mine!
absolutely correct !
A good workstation is waaay above a gaming machine, but not necessarily for the performance.
At the moment of the purchase it surely is.
The problem is that in a couple of year it could be an ideal gaming machine no more, but it can still be a very good workstation.
DO you understand what I mean ?
Possible, but not necessarily.
It's not the software itself, but the project you're working on it.
What a difference 9 months makes!
The postings on the thread provided here are from March, 2009. I read the thread and followed that links on it to research the 8800GT video card. None of the links work. When I searched the 8800 GT at the Other World Computer web site, the search came up blank.
It's almost as if that 9 months is like 9 centuries in the computer world. What was once a choice of purchase with video cards in March is now obsolete in December.
I could live with the 3+ year old video card in my Mac Pro 1,1. It works. But (and this is a big "butt" in my mind). . . BUT what happens if/when this video card burns out as some do??? Do I purchase a new freakin' computer?? Mac Pros ain't cheap! (And I like my Mac Pro with its expandability, and despite the inability to put in a new video card.)
Thank you, Nostromo, for helping. Seriously. Your time and effort is sincerely appreciated.
You are welcome, and I wish you luck with your video card search.
There must be a solution.
Ask at the Apple "Genius" bar.
I usually don't like eBay, but it's a good way to get "older" stuff, sometimes at a very good price.
Here is a link to an online place I found googling. There may be others, and better ones.
http://www.dvwarehouse.com/Mac-Pro-...4.html&pltid=3c5d0821a1399ec8a1a254e073019add
I don't have the exact specification of your Mac Pro, but take a look.