Graphics Card for Intel Mac

KED

I am considering giving up my iMac for a Mac Pro, so I get to choose a new graphics card. I do not, and in all likelihood never will, do 3D, video, animation, etc. so I can reduce my options down to the ATI Radeon X1900 or NVIDIA 7300 GT, the latter of which, for whatever reason, can be installed up to 4X. I am not considering dual monitors at this time but the ATI gives me that option in the future. Apart from that is there a reason to prefer or avoid one or the other?

SloYerRoll

I'm a die hard Nvidia fan. Every video card I've owned was Nvidia and it's been a rock solid performer.
I have a G5, but it's not Intel based so I can't make a decision about that. But I'm just chiming in about my happiness w/ Nvidia.

Cheers,
-Jon

KED

SloYerRoll wrote:

I'm a die hard Nvidia fan. Every video card I've owned was Nvidia and it's been a rock solid performer.
I have a G5, but it's not Intel based so I can't make a decision about that. But I'm just chiming in about my happiness w/ Nvidia.

Cheers,
-Jon

Just when I was about to pull the trigger on the ATI, Nvidia gets unanimous support in this thread!

SloYerRoll

They're both good video cards companies. Kind of like the whole Nikon/Canon thing. Depends on your taste to a certain extent.

I have an advantage since my main machine is a PC and I run the 8800 GTX. vs the 7 series.

Pull the trigger if your gonna friend! I just wanted to pipe in about my mini sucess story.

Cheers,

CatOne

KED wrote:

I am considering giving up my iMac for a Mac Pro, so I get to choose a new graphics card. I do not, and in all likelihood never will, do 3D, video, animation, etc. so I can reduce my options down to the ATI Radeon X1900 or NVIDIA 7300 GT, the latter of which, for whatever reason, can be installed up to 4X. I am not considering dual monitors at this time but the ATI gives me that option in the future. Apart from that is there a reason to prefer or avoid one or the other?

Both cards will support 2 monitors. But the ATI will support dual 30" monitors... the NVIDIA will only go to a 30" and a 23". If you would eventually consider 2x23", both will handle it.

The ATI is a lot faster card than the NVIDIA for 3D. If you're thinking about ever playing games, you'd want that card (the 7300 is a very base level card). Also there are some apps that will really benefit from a faster 3D card... Apple's Aperture and Motion products, for example.

KED

CatOne wrote:

Both cards will support 2 monitors. But the ATI will support dual 30" monitors... the NVIDIA will only go to a 30" and a 23". If you would eventually consider 2x23", both will handle it.

The ATI is a lot faster card than the NVIDIA for 3D. If you're thinking about ever playing games, you'd want that card (the 7300 is a very base level card). Also there are some apps that will really benefit from a faster 3D card... Apple's Aperture and Motion products, for example.

i pulled the trigger on the ATI for the optionality of dual 30" monitors way down the road. First, I'd have to get a bigger desk! I'm weaning myself off Aperture in favor of Lightroom (LR doesn't support dual monitors at this time), but assume that there will be some incremental dividends there as well (not to mention 4GB of RAM, up from 1GB right now!)

CatOne

LP16

KED wrote:

i pulled the trigger on the ATI for the optionality of dual 30" monitors way down the road. First, I'd have to get a bigger desk! I'm weaning myself off Aperture in favor of Lightroom (LR doesn't support dual monitors at this time), but assume that there will be some incremental dividends there as well (not to mention 4GB of RAM, up from 1GB right now!)

Im upgrading my memory with Crucial memory instead of apple. Its cheaper and the same thing and was tested by Apple. They are a very good and reliable company from all i've heard and just look at the price in comparison. http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Mac%20Pro%20%284-core%29 $355 for 4 gb. And Installing is very simple and the Mac manual shows you how. Plus, It will NOT void any warranty you have so why not try!

KED

LP16 wrote:

Plus, It will NOT void any warranty you have so why not try!

The only reason is that my MacPro is on a Fedex truck or plane heading from the west coast to the east -- stocked with plenty of OEM RAM (4GB). I can't imagine needing more than that (who ever can?), but I'll keep Crucial in mind if I do. Thanks! PS $355 for 4 GB is ridiculous -- maybe I'll up the ante to 8 GB just because!

LP16

KED wrote:

The only reason is that my MacPro is on a Fedex truck or plane heading from the west coast to the east -- stocked with plenty of OEM RAM (4GB). I can't imagine needing more than that (who ever can?), but I'll keep Crucial in mind if I do. Thanks!

Yeah, i wanted to let you know just incase you hadn't pre-order it with the memory. Its a good way to go for anyone looking into an upgrade in memory and well worth the price! Alot of places have the same memory but not with the specially designed heat sinks that apple uses to keep fan noise to a minimum.

KED

LP16 wrote:

Yeah, i wanted to let you know just incase you hadn't pre-order it with the memory.

Even if I had known, I probably would have paid the extra couple hundred to let Apple do it rather than start mucking around inside the box on Day 1. i don't trust myself in there!

BTW, I assume you have been following your LR vs Aperture thread, and I have made a discovery about nesting folders in LR that removes one more chit from the Aperture side of the equation. I'm feeling like a total geek right now, but am really excited! You should do the experiment anyway.

LP16

KED wrote:

Even if I had known, I probably would have paid the extra couple hundred to let Apple do it rather than start mucking around inside the box on Day 1. i don't trust myself in there!

BTW, I assume you have been following your LR vs Aperture thread, and I have made a discovery about nesting folders in LR that removes one more chit from the Aperture side of the equation. I'm feeling like a total geek right now, but am really excited! You should do the experiment anyway.

Yeah, I can see that and totally understand not wanting to take things apart the first day. I did see that as well and its nice to know. I still plan to but that was a great find.

LP16

The X1900 is a great card but i wished The MacPro had more video card options. So far, thats my only complaint with my switch over. Im sure soon they will do something, or maybe just hopeful thinking.

CatOne

LP16 wrote:

Im upgrading my memory with Crucial memory instead of apple. Its cheaper and the same thing and was tested by Apple. They are a very good and reliable company from all i've heard and just look at the price in comparison. http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Mac%20Pro%20%284-core%29 $355 for 4 gb. And Installing is very simple and the Mac manual shows you how. Plus, It will NOT void any warranty you have so why not try!

It won't void your warranty but Apple *will* have you remove any and all 3rd party RAM (and hard drives) should you have issues and contact AppleCare. This is for troubleshooting purposes... to see how things behaved as new. 3rd party RAM is by far the #1 cause of system instability... Apple's specifications are VERY tight on tolerances and many 3rd party RAM vendors don't always meet the same standards. Plus, the RAM wasn't tested in the box to start with.

Anyway, that said, Crucial makes good RAM (they're a consumer arm of Micron, and Apple does use RAM from Micron in some of their machines) and I've never had any problems with it.

KED

LP16 wrote:

The X1900 is a great card but i wished The MacPro had more video card options. So far, thats my only complaint with my switch over. Im sure soon they will do something, or maybe just hopeful thinking.

I don't WANT them to do anything -- I don't want my machine to need upgrading until, like, forever!

LP16

KED wrote:

I don't WANT them to do anything -- I don't want my machine to need upgrading until, like, forever!

Hahaha Yeah my same reason for buying the Mac Pro i didn't want to have to upgrade for a very long time. and at least i can put an insane amount of memory in 6 years down the line to keep it as current as possible.

KED

LP16 wrote:

Hahaha Yeah my same reason for buying the Mac Pro i didn't want to have to upgrade for a very long time. and at least i can put an insane amount of memory in 6 years down the line to keep it as current as possible.

More memory, more hard drives, another monitor . . . endless possibilities with that machine. I SWEAR it's my last computer for at least 5 years, hopefully even longer. I will reserve my hardware envy for camera gear!

LP16

KED wrote:

More memory, more hard drives, another monitor . . . endless possibilities with that machine. I SWEAR it's my last computer for at least 5 years, hopefully even longer. I will reserve my hardware envy for camera gear!

Thats what I planed. Got 4 years on my last computer hoping to get around 6 on this, which shouldn't be a problem. This machine should be able to do it.:D