Would a GTX 480 fit in a Mac Pro?

[MythicFrost]

Hi,

I know the GTX 480 wouldn't run OSX since it doesn't have the kexts (drivers), but it would work in Windows. Would the GTX 480 fit inside the current generation Mac Pro?
If so, does it also have the correct cables to connect to PSU?

How hot would it get? My Mac Pro runs very cool even with a GTX 285... what do you guys think?

 

[Pressure]

Yes, it fits.

Please use the search function next time

It requires an 6-pin and an 8-pin power connector, so you will most likely have to route the 8-pin power cable from the optical bay and use one of the 6-pin power cables supplied with the Geforce GTX 285.

AnandTech pecks the Geforce GTX 480 at 51° Celsius idle and 94° Celcius under load using Crysis.

The Geforce GTX 285 in the same test idles at 44° Celsius and 82° Celsius under load.

I suppose you will use it for gaming.

 

[MythicFrost]

Thanks for your reply,
Does the GTX 470 require a six pin and an eight pin connector as well? Or does it require only two six pin connectors?

AnandTech pecks the Geforce GTX 480 at 51° Celsius idle and 94° Celcius under load using Crysis.

The Geforce GTX 285 in the same test idles at 44° Celsius and 82° Celsius under load.

I suppose you will use it for gaming.

It would be, although this was more for my curiosity.

Please use the search function next time

I'd say yes, but the likeliness of that happening is... unlikely. I hate searching, unless I think it's a question that will be easy to find, this might have been, I just didn't think of it

 

[10THzMac]

A discussion of a 480/470 in a Pro is already up on the thread at

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/886056/

You really should search for things before creating new threads - these posts were at worst on page 2 at the time of your post.

 

[nanofrog]

If you want more than the GT120 for OS X (or other card that needs more than the power provided by the PCIe slot alone = 75W max), then you would want to run a second PSU for a 2x card system (one per OS). This will allow you to get around the power limitations via the logic board connectors (power is carried via traces to the mini graphics card connectors, and is only meant for 6 pin ratings at max). If you try to pull more power than they'er rate for, you're going to damage the logic board (traces will overheat, melt the solder that covers them, and short out), and possibly the PSU as well.

There is a type designed for graphics cards that fits in a single 5.25" drive bay (example). It has 2x 6 pin and 2x [6 + 2 pin] connectors. The unit linked is also inexpensive as well.

You can also use a standard PSU if you short the green and black wires (allows it to turn on). There is further information on this if you need it (via a search).

 

[MythicFrost]

A discussion of a 480/470 in a Pro is already up on the thread at

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/886056/

You really should search for things before creating new threads - these posts were at worst on page 2 at the time of your post.[/QUOTE
Thanks for the link, still I only search if I think my answer will be easy to find, I don't like reading through huge threads to find the answer, I often find posting more informative.

If you want more than the GT120 for OS X (or other card that needs more than the power provided by the PCIe slot alone = 75W max), then you would want to run a second PSU for a 2x card system (one per OS). This will allow you to get around the power limitations via the logic board connectors (power is carried via traces to the mini graphics card connectors, and is only meant for 6 pin ratings at max). If you try to pull more power than they'er rate for, you're going to damage the logic board (traces will overheat, melt the solder that covers them, and short out), and possibly the PSU as well.

There is a type designed for graphics cards that fits in a single 5.25" drive bay (example). It has 2x 6 pin and 2x [6 + 2 pin] connectors. The unit linked is also inexpensive as well.

You can also use a standard PSU if you short the green and black wires (allows it to turn on). There is further information on this if you need it (via a search).

Thanks, I have the 08 Mac Pro. I don't intend to have any other GPU in there, so this would only run Windows (this is theoretical though).

Lol, would it be possible to clone the kexts from my GTX 285 and put them on the GeForce 480 ?

 

[nanofrog]

Lol, would it be possible to clone the kexts from my GTX 285 and put them on the GeForce 480 ?

Unfortunately, it won't be that easy, as it's a different GPU.

Someone may be able to successfully Flash one, if Apple or a 3rd party such as EVGA releases a 480 Mac edition.

 

[MythicFrost]

Aww, won't the GTX 480 just think it's a GTX 285 in OSX? :/ lol.. I don't mind if it's confused. I do hope we get a 470/480.

 

[nanofrog]

Aww, won't the GTX 480 just think it's a GTX 285 in OSX? :/ lol.. I don't mind if it's confused. I do hope we get a 470/480.

Forget the drivers though, as it won't do anything without EFI firmware under OS X (unless someone finds a solution, such as Flash or injectors).

 

[MythicFrost]

Forget the drivers though, as it won't do anything without EFI firmware under OS X (unless someone finds a solution, such as Flash or injectors).

Oh so it needs EFI firmware to work under OSX , good to know.

 

[nanofrog]

Oh so it needs EFI firmware to work under OSX , good to know.

If you want it to boot OTB, Yes.

There are those that have successfully flashed cards when there's a Mac edition for the same card, and there's also an injector method (available if you search). But it takes time for these solutions to become available, if it's possible (there are those that try as soon as possible), as by the time the Mac edition comes out, the PC variants have typically come down in price (making it an attractive alternative to buying the Mac editions).

But if you don't want to mess around with this, then you're stuck with a Mac edition card, which will contain firmware that will boot under OS X (BIOS Emulation in the system's firmware is what allows the Mac edition cards to function under Windows). But the emulation does NOT work both ways, and why a PC card won't work under OS X without some sort of modifications to allow it.

 

[MythicFrost]

I see, interesting... btw what's OTB?

 

[nanofrog]

I see, interesting... btw what's OTB?

I knew I should have left that in there.... (deleted it).

Anyway, OTB = Out of The Box.

 

[MythicFrost]

Haha ok, thanks.

 

[10THzMac]

Aww, won't the GTX 480 just think it's a GTX 285 in OSX? :/ lol.. I don't mind if it's confused. I do hope we get a 470/480.

EFI is not necessary if you have booted with another Nvidia card like an 8800 or 285. The problem (apart from power) really is the absence of software drivers. The 480 does not emulate a 285 at all, and just crashes if you try an injector under 10.6.3.

A proper bootable Mac 470/80 would be expected to have BOTH the extended ROM supporting EFI and some software drivers the latter of which we might expect to migrate to the standard OS - this is what happened with the Q4800 and GTX 285. Once the drivers were out there we where then able to properly try the injection of PC 2xx cards. There is some skepticism in other threads about the likelihood of getting a Fermi Mac card soon - my guess is a Quadro level card first, as before.

 

[MythicFrost]

Ah thanks, interesting... I've seen the term Fermi floating around a lot, what does it actually mean?
I hope we get both the workstation and consumer graphics cards at the same time, Apple has had enough time.

 

[JesterJJZ]

Don't mind the thread police. Post away!

 

[nanofrog]

Ah thanks, interesting... I've seen the term Fermi floating around a lot, what does it actually mean?
I hope we get both the workstation and consumer graphics cards at the same time, Apple has had enough time.

Fermi is the architecture.

There's a decent article available on Anantech's site (here).