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Wasted Video Card?

J

jasone6

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 9, 2008
94
0
I asked this question in this post, but it seems to have been overshadowed by my other question, so I'd like to ask it again:

If I buy the Mac Pro now with the standard (Radeon 2600) video card (so it will arrive sooner) and upgrade to the GeForce 8800 GT once it arrives, will the Radeon 2600 be useful at all to me, or will it become basically worthless?

FYI, I plan on running 2 Apple Cinema Displays (23"), and I'd love to have the option of eventually outputting to a 46" Samsung HDTV (LCD). I also plan to get into HD Graphics (Motion) and Video Editing (Final Cut).

My Mac Pro is in my shopping cart, my finger is on the trigger, and I'm anxiously awaiting feedback... :)

-J
 
I'd be useful for running additional displays or you can sell it to recoup some money.

You're going to want to keep it to run all those displays. Remember the HD 2600 XT does have two dual link DVI ports. Put Motion and Final Cut on the 8800GT and your Samsung on the 2600. I don't think you needed to make a new thread for this. *shrug*
 
I think only you can really answer this question at the moment. Nobody seems to really know whether the current crop of Graphics cards will work in older Macs so your 2600 may be no good to anyone else if you plan to sell it.

Anyone with a 2008 Mac Pro will either already have one or have a better one.

I have just ordered a new Mac Pro with the 8800GT as a BTO. Although the wait is just killing me I think, for me anyway, it was the best way to go.

Besides, I have read posts elsewhere in the threads which suggest that there are some people who have ordered standard setups with 2-3 day delivery times still having to wait.

Just order what you really want and sit back with your feet up!
 
Eidorian said:
I'd be useful for running additional displays or you can sell it to recoup some money.

You're going to want to keep it to run all those displays. Remember the HD 2600 XT does have two dual link DVI ports. I don't think you needed to make a new thread for this. *shrug*
Click to expand...

Touché... (and happy to delete this thread once I get my answers)

If I had both the 8800 and the 2600, how would I best use them together?
- the 8800 with both ACDs?
- the 2600 with the HDTV?

It seems like everyone is so-so on the 2600, which makes me wonder about its usefullness. If the 2600 was dedicated to just the TV, would I notice its inferiorness, so-to-speak?
 
jasone6 said:
If I had both the 8800 and the 2600, how would I best use them together?
- the 8800 with both ACDs?
- the 2600 with the HDTV?
Click to expand...
This looks great. The 8800GT handles the hard work in Final Cut Studio and the HD 2600 XT works for your secondary display options.

jasone6 said:
It seems like everyone is so-so on the 2600, which makes me wonder about its usefullness. If the 2600 was dedicated to just the TV, would I notice its inferiorness, so-to-speak?
Click to expand...
The HD 2600 XT along with the NVIDIA 8600 GT were both lackluster midrange video cards of their generation. Neither of them really were a significant improvement over their predecessors (X1600/1650 and 7600GT) This is more then likely where they get their flak from. They're good video cards but they didn't offer the midrange DirectX 10 performance people were expecting like with the current crop of the Radeon 3850/70 and 8800GT.
 
It'd be good to have as a back-up in case the 8800 ever fails or needs to be serviced. Unlike PC video cards, you can't just go into any Computers 'R' Us and purchase a graphics unit for the Mac Pro.

That, or you could ebay it.

I still have my original 7300GT sitting in the closet. I keep it as insurance should the X1900 ever die.
 
Order the 8800GT... Be patient and you will be glad you waited. ;)

The 8800GT is gonna be a classic... don't waste your time with the HD 2600XT
 
Mixing Brands

I could be wrong but I don't think you can use both an ATI and an Nvidia in a Mac Pro. Maybe the new Mac Pro with 10.5 is different but it was not possible under 10.4.x on the old Mac Pro.

Either all ATI or all Nvidia, no mixing them.
 
Madhawk said:
Order the 8800GT... Be patient and you will be glad you waited. ;)

The 8800GT is gonna be a classic... don't waste your time with the HD 2600XT
Click to expand...

I've taken your advice and placed my order (standard 2.8 config, single 1-terabyte drive, 8800), but damn -- it's hard to wait! I'm suffering under the oppressive lag of my 4-year old G4 PowerBook, and I'm dying for speeeeeed! :) Haha!

Psyched about my new rig though... :cool:
 
I responded to the original thread that was referrenced in this post. I also ordered a Mac Pro and went the 2600 XT route so now have it. My question and it seems hard to find this information out, can you put both a 2600 XT and a 8800 GT in the same Mac Pro? I know with older Mac Pro's it didn't work. Also when you hook up to a monitor then do you want to use a Dual Link DVI cable or should use use a Single Link DVI Cable? Looking at the cable that came with my monitor it appears it's a DVI-D but Single Link. Should I get a better cable or would this mean that's all I can use with my monitor (a Samsung 226BW)
 
I ordered my Mac Pro with the ATI and 8800GT as a separate add-on. Costs me about an extra $154 (ADC), but I think its worth it. Like other posters have said, people can either keep it as a just-in-case, use it for monitors 3 & 4, or eBay it. Or you can just wait for the 8800gt to start shipping...
 
I can almost guarantee that the 2600 XT and a 8800 GT will not work together in the latest Mac Pro. That is because if that is possible, Apple would have allowed us to choose a combination of graphic cards in the Mac Pro custom build page. But instead, we are only allowed to choose either 1-4 2600 XT, or an 8800 GT or Quadro FX 5600.
 
I was on the phone with Apple technical support on the subject of using both 2600 XT and Geforce 8800 at the same time. He will call me back soon on the compatibility issue.

I'll update you guys.
 
So this is the deal:-

The tech guy says the two graphic cards MIGHT work together. BUT Apple does not guarantee it, and he mentioned there will be a 5-7weeks wait for the 8800 GT card BTO, which means the shipping date is somewhere in late Feb/early March.

Typing while on the go is not safe. So I'm going off now!
 
orpheus: I don't see why the 8800 GT and HD2600 XT wouldn't work together, when the latter works with a 7300 GT in 2006 Mac Pros.
 
Mackilroy said:
orpheus: I don't see why the 8800 GT and HD2600 XT wouldn't work together, when the latter works with a 7300 GT in 2006 Mac Pros.
Click to expand...

I get your point, but still it's highly debatable since we have yet tested these 2 cards together. Logically it should work, which is why I called to confirm. Sadly not even one single 2nd-tiered Apple engineer can give me a definite answer to that.

IIRC, there are several threads over here and over at Apple discussions on this subject. Needless to say they were filled with speculation and no concrete answer.

Isn't it sad that Apple has not come forward in explaining these pending issues the old and new MP users are facing?
 
I have been watching this closely and hoping for an answer. I know part of it is since no one has an 8800GT it's hard to know if it will work yet. I would think that at some point Apple has done this testing and knows but when calling AppleCare but had no luck. Apple actually initially said no and the guy said after checking with the other CSR's they all told him to tell me to contact the manufacturer of the graphics card I purchase to find out if it works in the Mac Pro. Of course I told him I'm buying the card from Apple. He just said whatever I get make sure it has SLI and needs SLI to work with others cards in the Mac Pro and from what I have read the Mac Pro doesn't support SLI. Obviously the phone call didn't help.
I have since been told my best option is to call an Apple store or go into one and ask an Apple Genius, they'll know more. I am hoping to get an 8800GT and for now am simply holding off waiting for it to come out and see customer feedback. For now I can do fine with just the one ATI card. I am just hoping for an official response from Apple. I am willing to get one if that is the case but don't want to get one if it's going to cause possible problems.
 
Mixing card is always possible, apple knows it and they say its possible with the 7300 nvidia and the ati 1900, so I don't see why they wouldn't let you mix the 2600 and 8800.
 
Eidorian said:
This looks great. The 8800GT handles the hard work in Final Cut Studio and the HD 2600 XT works for your secondary display options.

The HD 2600 XT along with the NVIDIA 8600 GT were both lackluster midrange video cards of their generation. Neither of them really were a significant improvement over their predecessors (X1600/1650 and 7600GT) This is more then likely where they get their flak from. They're good video cards but they didn't offer the midrange DirectX 10 performance people were expecting like with the current crop of the Radeon 3850/70 and 8800GT.
Click to expand...

Actually, you may be better off having the HD 2600 XT do your Final Cut Studio work instead of the 8800:

see: http://www.barefeats.com/harper10.html

According to this article the 8800 smokes the 2600 on 3D gaming graphics but the 2600 XT can hold it's own rendering frames with the "pro" applications.

I currently have the 2600 XT and my 8800 GT isn't scheduled to ship until Apr 2nd. I bought the 8800 GT for games only so I shouldn't be disapointed with the 8800. But if I spent most of my time in FCP and other pro apps, maybe the 2600 XT or a pair of 2600 XTs is a better deal.

Man, the PS3 that I just bought seems awful cheap by comparison to the Mac Pro gaming rig these days :)
 
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