I am switching to Mac Pro and Final Cut Studio (from PC and Adobe Pro). I'll order a 2.8 x 8 with 8800; will have about 10-12GB RAM and RAID 5. The system will be used to edit videos (not play video games). In fact, I'll be getting a 32" or 37" 1080P LCD TV as my monitor. Just wondering - will the 8800 make any difference in my case?
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Why 8800?
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Save your money. Check out Barefeats. http://barefeats.com/harper10.html
8800 better for games, 2600 better for "pro apps". If you don't believe Barefeats, check out the latest issue of Outdoor Photographer.
That is true "for now," but expect an update of the firmware and for the nvidia 8800gt to just sky rocket past in terms of speed past the hd 2600xt. 
I hadn't seen that BareFeats test. Thanks for posting the link. I'm planning on buying a MacPro in a few months (I'm probably going to be moving and I'm waiting until after the move). Anyway, I've been researching the various options and I was getting tired of reading reviews or threads where they would omit the real world applications, only talk about game performance and then say "for only $200 you might as well buy the better card" without addressing apps other than games.
There are a lot of us who do not play graphics intensive games and we need to know how to spend our money. Just because you can afford $3000 does not mean that you want to spend more than you need to.
There are a lot of us who do not play graphics intensive games and we need to know how to spend our money. Just because you can afford $3000 does not mean that you want to spend more than you need to.
Color does not support 10/12/16-bit rendering with nvidias.
If you want a system for professional use, it might be wise for not to rely on future updates that might never happen.
That is true "for now," but expect an update of the firmware and for the nvidia 8800gt to just sky rocket past in terms of speed past the hd 2600xt.
I think you mean a driver update. Firmware generally has nothing to do with the performance of the device.
But I wouldn't hold my breath for Apple or Nvidia to come up with an updated graphic card driver for the Geforce 8800 GT.
MacMall has a 2.8 / 2600XT set up for 2,598 (assuming a rebate of $150 and no sales tax). That beats Apples academic price of $2,599. The net saving for me will be about $225. If I use the saving toward the 8800GT (assuming I will need one), it will be another $90 or so. Thus, it makes sense to get from MacMall. Have never bought from them, but hoping they are trustworthy like Newegg. Are there any other deals going on? Which other sites would you trust? As I said earlier, I am a PC person - knowledge of Apple products is zero.
That is true "for now," but expect an update of the firmware and for the nvidia 8800gt to just sky rocket past in terms of speed past the hd 2600xt.
Regardless of driver improvements helping GPU benchmarks, video editing isn't very GPU-intensive. Core Image and Core Animation make use of the GPU, but not so much that it will make a big difference between the 2600 and the 8800. You might get a few fps better while doing previews, actual rendering of video is completely GPU-independent. It doesn't matter what GPU you are using when doing the actual compression (H.264, MPEG-4, or MPEG-2.)
what a big discussion about that card! I order my mac some weeks ago and pass a lot time thinking in what card choose! I want games but Iam graphic designer so... the barefats say that so Iam think in hold my $200 for the 8800gt but at the end I choose the 8800gt, I dont if I take a bad decision... my mac still dont arrive, the next week...
that about drivers can will make better the card ??? I expect that if its true!!
that about drivers can will make better the card ??? I expect that if its true!!
I don't think anyone would argue against it being a generally better card, they may argue that it's not going to be notably better in certain areas though, perhaps worse even in some cases.
$200 gets you an additional 4GB of RAM, if the 8800 is of bugger all use for my needs I know where I'd rather spend it.
This is the kind of comment that doesn't really help. What are you basing this on? Game play? A lot of us don't play games (or at least not a significant amount), so that shouldn't be the main factor for everyone. There is real evidence out there that the 8800 is NOT a better card for most professional applications, yet there are still people who go "for only $200 more, you might as well buy the 8800". What makes you so sure this is a better card? And what makes it a better card for everyone?
And what do you base your opinion on? Gut feeling? Better card at what? "At what" is the key. At some things yes, at other things no. Give us some hard data to back up your opinion. Just as Barefeats had done.
http://barefeats.com/harper10.html
I am so glad that I asked this question. Based on earlier reads, it seemed like everyone was waiting for the 8800 card. Yes, a whole bunch of us are buying or switching to Mac not to play games, but to do some art work - video work, photo work, or whatever. Thank you guys for giving real reasons why we don't have to spend that extra $200.
I would like one more request. For us, the PC users, the Mac world is very unfamiliar. Case in point - a highly admired Samsung Spinpoint Drive gets not so good reviews by the PC users (see Newegg). So, if someone can list some reliable vendors (of Newegg type) for Mac parts / accessories, I (and many others) would really appreciate. Thanks.
I would like one more request. For us, the PC users, the Mac world is very unfamiliar. Case in point - a highly admired Samsung Spinpoint Drive gets not so good reviews by the PC users (see Newegg). So, if someone can list some reliable vendors (of Newegg type) for Mac parts / accessories, I (and many others) would really appreciate. Thanks.
It depends on what you mean by better
If you don't plan on playing games or doing much of anything that uses the extra horsepower, then it's a waste of power and money to get the 8800 over the 2600.I bought the 8800 because I do play games but my Mac Pro is plenty fast doing everything else using the 2600 XT and according to the barefeats benchmarks, it's faster for the "pro" applications.
the current situation with the 2600 being faster with "pro" apps is a temporary one.
in every measurable technical way, the 8800 is considerably faster. it has a faster fill rate, a faster bus speed, more bus width, faster memory, faster gpu speed, more memory, and better on-board coprocessing for video.
the video features aren't currently being used by apple, but they are on the PC side, and they unload lots of things off of the CPU. there's no reason for apple to skip out on that stuff in the future, so expect support to come eventually.
there WILL be an updated driver for the 8800 that will address the speed issue wrt pro apps.
it is just a matter of time. of course, there will be a new 8800 for older mac pros, as well, and that's just a matter of time, too.
you never know with apple when they are just blowing smoke...
in every measurable technical way, the 8800 is considerably faster. it has a faster fill rate, a faster bus speed, more bus width, faster memory, faster gpu speed, more memory, and better on-board coprocessing for video.
the video features aren't currently being used by apple, but they are on the PC side, and they unload lots of things off of the CPU. there's no reason for apple to skip out on that stuff in the future, so expect support to come eventually.
there WILL be an updated driver for the 8800 that will address the speed issue wrt pro apps.
it is just a matter of time. of course, there will be a new 8800 for older mac pros, as well, and that's just a matter of time, too.
you never know with apple when they are just blowing smoke...