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Upgrading old Mac Pro to 8800 GT graphics?

Disappointing Xbench results

Just got my card and installed it straight away. Fired up Xplane and noticed an improvement but was a bit disappointed that it still couldn't handle the extreme graphics mode (even with turning off anti-aliasing). I was quite surprised by this. Then I thought I'd run Xbench and got almost identical graphics performance stats as with the 7300!!! In particular, I got an Open GL Grapics Test score of 179.84 with the 8800 compared to 178.17 with the 7300!! I got also got identical results with the other Xbench graphics tests. I'm a bit perplexed by this. Either there's something wrong with something or I've misunderstood what Xbench is supposed to be measuring. I'm running OS 10.5.2 with all the above mentioned updates and testing using Xbench v1.3
 
StructAural said:
Mine shipped yesterday :)

Unfortunately (as I'm afraid to say the first thing I was going to test with it was COD4), my windows partition has stopped working, the keyboard and mouse won't work all of a sudden. Damn it, got a night of windows installing :(
Click to expand...

same, but fusion is fine from that partition...
 
CrossOver for Games.

This is off the subject for this thread, but has anyone used CrossOver to play PC games on the MAC? Or can anyone recommend a "WINE" like application, doesn't have to be WINE. I'm trying to avoid WINDOZE as much as possible. Any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

This thread rocks!!!!

http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxgames/
 
lloyd709 said:
Just got my card and installed it straight away. Fired up Xplane and noticed an improvement but was a bit disappointed that it still couldn't handle the extreme graphics mode (even with turning off anti-aliasing). I was quite surprised by this. Then I thought I'd run Xbench and got almost identical graphics performance stats as with the 7300!!! In particular, I got an Open GL Grapics Test score of 179.84 with the 8800 compared to 178.17 with the 7300!! I got also got identical results with the other Xbench graphics tests. I'm a bit perplexed by this. Either there's something wrong with something or I've misunderstood what Xbench is supposed to be measuring. I'm running OS 10.5.2 with all the above mentioned updates and testing using Xbench v1.3
Click to expand...

Thats better than my 168 and measly 213 fps that Xbench came back to me with the 8800 on a 2.66 quad. My 2.33 core2duo Mac Mini scored 346 and 439 fps. There is no way that the mini gpu would be faster than 8800 let. Even a 7300 should be better than the integrated gpu the mini has.
 
giantrobot said:
Thats better than my 168 and measly 213 fps that Xbench came back to me with the 8800 on a 2.66 quad. My 2.33 core2duo Mac Mini scored 346 and 439 fps. There is no way that the mini gpu would be faster than 8800 let. Even a 7300 should be better than the integrated gpu the mini has.
Click to expand...

So can I assume that Xbench graphic stats are a load of rubbish?
 
lloyd709 said:
So can I assume that Xbench graphic stats are a load of rubbish?
Click to expand...

I would think the GPU tests are not very thorough. On the other hand, the drivers in these Mac Pros may actually be causing it to underperform in some areas. Xbench is a fascinating tool and I was able to raise my score quite a bit overall by unplugging my external hd.

In any case - I have taken this a step further and did a benchmark between the XP bootcamp and my homebuilt PC with the 3870. The PC has recently been updated to a core2duo 2.2 4500...a decent chip but not exactly a barnburner. It has 4gb of ram (though it only shows 3.5). I used 3dmark which is a pretty decent benchmark for cards.

The bad news is that the benchmark did not recognize the card and simply listed unknown VGA. I would think with proper drivers, it may have done better.

The good news is that the 8800 in bootcamp convincingly won the contest posting 40-60 fps in general compared to 3870 30 to 50 fps. The bootcamp also won the overall contest being placed in the middle of the road. The real benchmark to beat apparantly a core2duo extreme system using a 3870x2.

My final thought. Event though the 8800 performed better, I still feel the rendering and speed were better on the 3870. Maybe proper drivers will fix this.
 
So we get the card and people [I still don't have mine, I hate Joe at Apple] are not so pleased with it's performance. So I'm guessing our next rant will be for Apple to update their firmware. :D
 
Colossus said:
So we get the card and people [I still don't have mine, I hate Joe at Apple] are not so pleased with it's performance. So I'm guessing our next rant will be for Apple to update their firmware. :D
Click to expand...

Well, my Halo timedemo average fps went from 87.73 fps with the Radeon x1900xt to 100.87fps with my new Geforce 880gt under OS X so I'm plenty happy and don't know what all the bitching is all about.

Douglas
 
AdeptRapier said:
Well, my Halo timedemo average fps went from 87.73 fps with the Radeon x1900xt to 100.87fps with my new Geforce 880gt under OS X so I'm plenty happy and don't know what all the bitching is all about.

Douglas
Click to expand...

You might call it 'bitching' others call it a discussion - thanks for your results though. I only have xplane and don't know how to measure the frame rate - so as I mentioned, I tried Xbench and got some bizarre results and wondered how others were finding the card (and Xbench)!
 
I call the whole gig a blatant disappointment. After reading some of the posts, I feel as if I'm downgrading. I have read very good thing about this cards performance in Linux. This is the biggest reason I wanted this so called upgrade. That makes me happy, but Linux and Windoz only get about 10%
of my computer time. I love OS X, and performance here is first on my list.
I thought I would be thrilled like a kid at Christmas when I opened the shipping
conformation today on my .mac account.......No thrill...May not even open the box!!!!! I'm not bitching, more like crying LOL

This really sucks!!!!! :mad:
 
This guy got a bonner with the card:

This card is a huge improvement over the stock ATI card that came with my Mac Pro. Everything is faster. Safari and Finder load …Read moremuch faster. Iwork and Office 2008 are much snappier and more responsive. Noticeable improvement in scrolls in long Word 2008 docs. I run a 23" and a 20" display and this card handles both superbly. Text seems sharper. The entire effect is a substantially noticeable speed increase for all aspects of using the machine. I think the much ballyhooed barefeats scores are fairly meaningless in real world use. My experience indicates that this card is a great value and huge improvement, to heck with artificial benchmarks (yes I use aperture). In fact, the more I use this card, the more I am amazed that I put up with what is now shown to be very marginal performance from the stock ATI card. I highly recommend this card without reservation. PS -- I have noticed no additional noise after the card swap.

Pros: Huge improvement in speed of all applications in day to day use. Big improvement in game speed. Better text rendering.

Cons: None (although you do have to connect a supplemental power cord when you install and that requires a little care, but is not difficult.

I would buy another fast ati card if it worked with all 3 os's, give Apple a year, and maybe it will work with next years mac pro
 
This Card and Mac Pro 2006/07 under OS X a big ****

Mac Pro 2.0, 8GB

Prey
------

1920x1200 Settings High AF8x

X1900XT 58 FPS
8800GT 59 FPS

2560x1600 Settings High AF8x

X1900XT 41 FPS
8800GT 52 FPS


Halo
------

1920x1200 Setting High

X1900XT 97 FPS
8800GT 100 FPS



UT2004 (noch besser)
---------

Setting Max -- Botmatch

D-Antalus 1920x1200

1900XT -- 63
8800GT -- 71

D-Antalus 2560x1600

1900XT -- 60
8800GT -- 75

D-Antalus 1280x800

1900XT -- 71
8800GT -- 71

D-Inferno 2560x1600

1900XT -- 63
8800GT -- 72

D-Inferno 1920x1200

1900XT -- 75
8800GT -- 77

Flyby Settings- MAX

1920x12000

1900XT -- 169
8800GT -- 214

2560x1600

1900XT -- 118
8800GT -- 144


Windows XP SP2
-------------------

Crysis 1.2.1
DX9 High

1280x1024

1900XT -- 17 FPS
8800GT -- 38 FPS
 
Thats all fine and dandy if one is a windoz gamer. Anyone hear any rumors about driver updates for this card. Seems like the beta windoz driver is all good. I've searched far and wide........nothing on OS X updated drivers. Just checked my tracking # Fri. or Sat. I install or wait and see. Can this be sent back if u open the box and install it. I do have Apple care for 2 more years....
 
For those of you changing cards I would suggest not getting rid of the old one in case you have to reinstall OS X . I believe the 8800 only works with 10.5."2"

By the way I got mine yesterday, installed it but will keep my X1900 just in case
 
I don't have a x1900. I'll stay with the 8800. I just got the 8800 in this morning and I'll put it in tonight. My luck AMD will come out with a better card about the same price.
 
Installed mine last night (came on Monday but was too busy to install).

Runs nearly silently. Much quieter than the X1900XT that fried itself 6 months ago. OS X's eye candy (gene effect, dock stacks/grid, etc.) are nice and silky smooth.

Quake 4 Demo (OS X) ran at 1920x1200 with everything cranked up to highest detail and was smooth as can be. Unreal Tournament 3 Demo (Win XP) also ran at highest settings and the card didn't even rev up its fans after a full hour of game play. Must buy UT3... very cool. UT2004 for OS X at 1920x1200 plus a dozen bots of course was no challenge for the card whatsoever.

Using the latest ForceWare XP drivers for the card under Windows XP, downloaded from guru3D.com. No problems under Windows so far, either.

I don't run any Apple pro-apps (have Aperture 1.5.x but no longer use it), so I can't speak for performance here, but otherwise the card seems to be quite happy - and so am I.

Worthy upgrade.
 
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