Will Apple begin selling different video cards?

[ildondeigiocchi]

I read an article somewhere saying that Apple might be releasing an ATI 3870 Mac Edition card in May. With the iMac having received an 8800GS as an option I believe Apple has gotten the message right and is trying to attract gamers which is great. Do you think that for WWDC, they will start selling many different video cards to attract more people? Perhaps they want to offer their customers who adore their products better graphics cards like the 9800 GTX or GX2, ATI 3870 X2. If Apple does this it will be great. I personally use my Mac Pro with the 8800 GT for gaming and would love another card to be futureproof. I think that if Apple enters the business of selling many different graphic cards they will benefit and we all will too.

 

[Tallest Skil]

I'd safely bet that these are the cards you'll have until Nehalem in January '09. There will be no GX2 for the Mac Pro, there is no need. It's called Windows. Apple enjoys power management.

Nehalem Mac Pro cards: (you heard it here first)

Base: 3870 (NOT x2. Never.) or newest synonym
Mid: 9900 GT
Stupidly expensive and 10% better than Mid: Tesla, maybe?

 

[ildondeigiocchi]

I'd safely bet that these are the cards you'll have until Nehalem in January '09. There will be no GX2 for the Mac Pro, there is no need. It's called Windows. Apple enjoys power management.

Nehalem Mac Pro cards: (you heard it here first)

Base: 3870 (NOT x2. Never.) or newest synonym
Mid: 9900 GT
Stupidly expensive and 10% better than Mid: Tesla, maybe?

I don't know about that because lots of people ran to Apple to buy the Mac Pro when they heard it had the 8800 GT and I'm sure alot of those owners like myself use it to game in windows and would RUN to get another great video card for the current Mac Pro. The Nehalem one is far away so let's live day by day and worry aboutt the current Mac Pro.

 

[Tallest Skil]

...let's live day by day and worry aboutt the current Mac Pro.

I want to do that. I would do that if it was at all possible. As it stands, however, Apple will more than likely leave the Penryn Mac Pro to flop in the boat until it runs out of air and then cut its throat the minute Nehalem is released. I don't like it any more than you do, but if the first Mac Pro and last rev G5 PowerMac are any indicators, we get little in the way of love for the previous models once the new ones are out.

WWDC will bring whatever software update for the Mac Pro is needed to support HDCP and they'll add a Blu-ray drive BTO option for $500. That's it for the Mac Pro until MacWorld '09.

 

[ildondeigiocchi]

I'm sure a lot of people would love to be offered a graphics card which will be future proof in windows games.

 

[ildondeigiocchi]

Do you think the 9900's might come out soon.

 

[Mercuric Oxide]

Do you think the 9900's might come out soon.

They're out in July, and look like they'll be monsters. The 9900 GTX will have 1 GB mem (512 bit interface) and a billion transistors ::drool::

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1299854

 

[ildondeigiocchi]

To have a 9900 GX2 in my Mac Pro when it comes out will be truly great. Can't wait to see with what NVIDIA will surprise us next. Hopefully Apple will make a 9900 GX2 Mac Version.

 

[krye]

My 8800GT should be good enough for the next few years. By the time I'll be looking for a new card, I'll probably be looking at the "new" Mac Pro anyway.