128MB Video Cards ....

Hi,
I know for best results you really should have a 256MB video card, but for right now i need a temporary solution until i want to upgrade to a macpro. I'm debating between 2 G5s. I have the choice between a G5 with a 9600, or a newer G5 with a 6600.
Which would give me better results? I've read some distressing things about the 6600 in the 'late 2005 G5', but would it still perform better than the older Radeon 9600 card in the 'Early 2005 G5' model?
Both are 128MB cards. Both are dual 2ghz, However the newer G5 is a dual core....not sure how much better performance that will give.

Rui,
Unfortunately i cannot comment on the 9600 card, but i occasionally do on the 6600 :->
It is a waste of time in Aperture and would not advise getting a dual-core with it installed. Double trouble because you cannot get an upgrade either. So if you want a dual-core i'd suggest ebay and wait for 7800 configs, there were a few in the uk recently.
Barefeats do benchmarking of varying mixes see this to see how bad the 6600 is from the 7800. You will also see a comparison to a dual 2,7 & 9650 which is slower than the 6600 (there is something i never thought i'd say!)
http://www.barefeats.com/quad03.html
Perhaps if your going dual-proc you'd want a better card. Seems PCI-X G5's have the indulgent luxury of choices in video cards, but i'm no expert in these machines.
On dual-core vs dual-proc, i think the dual-cores work out marginally faster and remember the dual 2 is 2 x 2GHz of juice whereas a 2GHz dual-core = 2x2x2GHz of total juice so more horses under the bonnet. Critically you have identified the critical Aperture-centric hardware - graphic card. Good luck. Are you waiting for clovertowns on the MP ?

Similar Messages

Can I replace an ATI RADEON 9800 PRO-(256MB)-MAC EDITION with Mac ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128mb Video Card For G4/G5

Hi,
I am trying to help a friend whose graphics card has bust.
The old one was an ATI RADEON 9800 PRO-(256MB)-MAC EDITION.
I've been looking on ebay and it seems a lot cheaper to get a Mac ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128mb Video Card For G4/G5.
Can I just swap them over? The connectors are not identical according to the photographs.
Thanks.

I'd like to thank everyone for all the really useful information in this thread. It helped me solve a similar problem, which I'll describe here briefly in case it helps someone else.
I have a 2004/5 dual 2 Ghz PowerPC G5 and an Apple Cinema HD display linked, as I later found out, with the now defunct ADC connector. The display suddenly started to look like that scene in The Matrix, when code falls like rain down the screen, and I worked out I needed to replace my Radeon 9800 pro video card (I discovered the board was blue when I removed a thick layer of dust).
I took japamac's excellent advice and bought a Geforce 6800 Ultra from the linked eBay seller in Hong Kong, who delivered it extremely quickly, along with the cables to plug it into the DVD drive power source and a CD with installation instructions. It was only then that I realised the card had two DVI connectors and my display needed ADC (I hadn't understood the difference).
eBay came to the rescue again with a seller who had a secondhand DVI to ADC adapter, which Apple produced when it phased out ADC about six years ago but no longer sells. It has its own power supply and looks like a large version of the Mac laptop power cables - and has added signifcantly to the pile of spaghetti under my desk.
Installing the Geforce 6800 Ultra is fiddly, and a bit scary if you're not used to delving into the insides of a Mac, but the instructions were clear and illustrated with useful photos. The video cable has four connectors. Two fit into the end of the card, the other two (linked in a Y shape) form a bridge between the DVD/superdrive and its power cable. You have to remove the DVD drive, unplug it, and then plug one of the two Y video card connectors into the DVD power cable and the other into the DVD drive itself. Then you replace the DVD drive, plug the two remaining cable connectors to the video card and ease it into the old card's AGP slot.
Finally, with the G5 reassembled, plug the adapter's DVI connection into the back of the card, plug the Cinema Display ADC cable into the adapter block, plug the adapter's USB cable into the G5 (this enables the the USB ports on the back of the display to work), and power up.
At the time of writing, the display has been up and running for a couple of hours and all seems fine.
Thanks again everyone for all your help and advice. If it wasn't for communities like this, it would be virtually impossible to solve problems with old but still serviceable Macs.

Parallels and 128MB Video Card

So I have a brand new 15" MBP with the 128MB video card and when I boot up XP in Parallels, I am told that the drivers aren't up to date for the card to be used in XP. Nvidia has no drivers for a 32bit version of XP which is making things a bit difficult for me. Anyone have this problem or know how I can over come it?

You don't need drivers for an operating system inside Parallels.
This is provided by the Parallels tools installation. You don't need to install any NVidia or ATI drivers inside Windows XP.
If you are trying to get 3D Acceleration to work- note that it doesn't support Direct X 9.1 (despite Parallel's claim it does) and performance is dismal at best.
-SC

Can I use an ATI Radeon 9000 Pro Mac Edition 128MB Video Card in a Mac Min

Looking to buy a Mac mini.
In 2004 I upgraded the graphics card in my dual processor 450 MHz G4 desktop with an ATI Radeon 9000 Pro Mac Edition 128MB Video Card to run a 20-inch Cinema Display.
Now my G4 has died (probably the power supply and I'm being told it's not worth it to fix---buy a Mac mini!)
But I've read that the graphics card in the Mac mini is not stellar and I'm wondering if I could reuse the ATI Radeon 9000 Pro Mac Edition 128MB Video Card in the Mac mini. Would this be a good thing to do?
Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers,

There are people that claim to have hooked up a PCI-e 1x card (yes, the Mini uses PCI-e). But that requires some serious hardware modifications including soldering, a PC power supply, and so on. But that card is an old AGP card so even that wouldn't even work for what you've got.

Macbook Pro with 128Mb video card and gaming

Everyone is saying that the Macbook is no good for gaming. Ok, I can see that. But how does the base model Macbook Pro do with games ? I'm in the market for a new notebook and it's either going to be a black macbook with 2Gb or a macbook pro 2.16Ghz with 128Mb video and 2Gb RAM. I can't afford a more expensive macbook pro with 256Mb of video ram since I'll already be stretching my budget with the 2.16 pro. I'm not a hardcore gamer (used to be, though) but I definitely enjoy gaming from time to time. I don't want to be able to play the lastest games at super high resolutions but I would expect a 2006/2007 computer to be able to run a two year old game like c&c generals without a hitch (which the macbook doesn't, even with the universal binary patch). Anyone have the baseline macbook pro ? How does it do with games (OS X, I'm not planning on forking out for a copy of Windows XP).

I'll second blamb327. I am playing World of Warcraft on my MBP C2D, 128MB video ram, 1.5GB ram. It runs extremely well, in full screen or windowed mode. I prefer to use windowed mode so I can see IMs coming in or email notifications. But it runs really well. It certainly heats up though, usually the high 140s, sometimes into 150. The fans run constantly at about 4000-6000rpm. It still runs cooler than it does when ripping cds or making iMovies. I may put a small desk fan on it for really long sessions, just to keep things running nice and cool.

128MB vs. 256MB Video Card for External Monitor?

I may want to run an external monitor for Final Cut Pro HD. Will getting the 2.16 Processor with its 256MB Video Card drive an external monitor any better than the 1.83 w/ 128MB Video Card? TIA
BTW, I won't be "gaming" at all. Just doing a little FCP HD...
20 G5 iMac/2 GB RAM/250 GB HD Mac OS X (10.4.2)

Randy, I believe you have great technical knowledge
(much more than me) and your math is unobjectionable.
But in my opinion 16% of the graphic card's capacity
just to light up the monitors is not a low figure.
Actually, for generic 2D stuff that doesn't involve OpenGL, Randy has it correct. You'll find that VRAM makes absolutely no difference to Photoshop, for instance. A couple of big screens will happily run on 64MB VRAM.
Once you start running pro applications on those
monitors, and expect real-time responsiveness and
lower and lower rendering times; you might come to
realize that 128MB of VRAM is enough, it's a lot...
but not excessive.
You only need the extra VRAM for apps that specifically use the graphic card, through OpenGL, Core Image, Core Video or similar. Of course, there are more and more apps which leverage the graphics card this way, so 256MB is going to be more future-proof, and is what I went for.

What type of video card should I upgrade to?

I want to upgrade to Bryce 6.0... it has new features I want, plus, it is designed to fully utilize the dual processors in my G5.
But it requires a 128MB video card with OpenGL capability. My G5 came with (and still has) a 64MB GeForce FX 5200.
1) So what type of video card should I get?
And I'm also concerned about the heat (and, to a lesser degree, the noise from a fan)... I've been checking out the ATI website, and a lot of their video cards require a 300 watt power supply.
2) Have any of you experienced problems with with heat from a video card? My loft is fine this time of year, but it gets a little warm in the summer months, even with the breezes off of Lake Michigan.
Also, are there any other benefit to having a high-end video card?
I am open to all suggestions, criticisms, tips, recommendations and ideas. I have no brand loyalty when it comes to video cards. Just don't try talking me out of upgrading to Bryce 6.0.
Thanks!
Power Mac G5 Dual 1.8GHz Mac OS X (10.4.8) 2GB RAM, Barracuda HD

If you don't need anyting high-end, check into the ATI RADEON 9600 XT with 128MB DDR SDRAM. ATI's 800XT is a very popular card for AGP-equipped PM G5s like yours, but more costly.

How can I know the temperature of my video card

Dear all,
I have a Crucial Radeon 9800 Pro (128MB) video card in my computer. May I know whether the board contains a sensor that can tell me the temperature of my card?
If there is a sensor, what software can I use to know the temperature?
If there is not a senor, what is the best way to know the temperature of the card?
Many thanks.

Kingfisher,
I don’t know if your Radeon 9800 Pro has a built in thermal sensor or not, I’m
responding to “If there is not a sensor, what is the best way to know the
temperature of your card”.
If you want to monitor your temps on various components i.e. GPUs, CPUs,
RAM, HDDs, PSU, etc, etc, you can use “Comp-U-Nurses”, “Matrix Orbitals”
or “Digital Doc’s”. I use them and they all work great, the least expensive
units are the Comp-U-Nurse’s, their around $5.00 to $6.00 U.S. Many of
the PC aftermarket companies are starting to make more and more thermal
monitoring equipment, I just recently seen one made by Enermax.
Some of the nice features of the Comp-U-Nurses are their cost and you don’t
need the PSU to power them, plus you can monitor your temps on whatever
component you choose, even when your rig is powered off.
All three units come with vary small thermal resistors, and can be mounted
virtually any were you want. I would think this type of thermal monitoring
is more accurate than that of BIOS related programs, because their just like
using a digital multimeter.
Here are some of the places I believe sell those products:
Matrix Orbital – http://www.matrixorbital.com
Comp-U-Nurses – http://www.highspeedpc.com - http://www.Bestbyte.net
Digital Doc – http://www.newegg.com or http://www.Directron.com or
http://www.Tigerdirect.com or http://www.zipzoomfly.com
Take care,
The H20 Guru
If You Build The Circuit, The Electrons Will Come, You Hope!
Enermax 550 v1.2 EG651P-VE PSU
+3.3V=36A / +5V=36A / +12V=36A
+5V & +3.3V = 200 Watts
Nvidia MB Chipset Drivers v3.13
Nvidia VGA Drivers v56.72

Performance Problems with GeForce FX 5600 256mb Video Card

I recently purchased the GeForce FX 5600 VTD 256mb video card to replace my old ATi Radeon 8500 64mb card. I'm running an AMD 2800XP+ on an MSI K7N2 Delta-L, with 1gb of PC 2100 on Windows XP Pro.
I installed the latest drivers (from the EGA site) and ran 3DMark 2001 SE. My score for the old card (a 64mb card) was about 9200. My score for the new 256mb card is only 8700. My roommate has a GeForce 4 TI4600 128mb video card. We put his card in my computer, and I scored 11117. According to PCStats.com, the FX 5600 128mb version scored about 11000.
I've tried everything I can think of to ensure my video card is working properly, but I still get low scores. I don't know if I'm missing something somwhere, but there has to be a way to get more performance out of the video card. Can anyone help me out here?

Yeah, I've ran the driver cleaner after changing each driver. And I've tried several drivers with the new card. I've even changed the clock settings a bit, which has helped bring the scores up to around 9000. Still way off from the GeForce 4 or the 128mb version of the 5600.

How to install video card?

I have just received a *Mac nVidia GeForce 4 Ti 4600/Ti4600 128MB Video Card for G4* I ordered on eBay, and am seeking advice before installing.
No instructions or CD came with this item, so do I just remove the card that's in my MDD and install this one? Any slot preferred? Any drivers or firmware to update?
Also, I've read that a 300w power supply is recommended for use with this card, but I am unable to locate specs. for my machine. I assume its present power supply will suffice.
thanks

so do I just remove the card that's in my MDD and install this one?
Yes.
Any slot preferred?
Use only the AGP slot.
Any drivers or firmware to update?
Remains to be seen, but OS X should support it.
I assume its present power supply will suffice.
You have either a 360w or 400w PSU in the MDD.

Which Video Card for MDD - Nvidia or ATi Radeon?

Mac nVidia GeForce 4 Ti 4600/Ti4600 128MB Video Card G4
BRAND NEW
I saw this item on eBay, and it looks like a good deal, but elsewhere on this forum someone said the ATI Radeon 9800 Pro was preferred for the Mirror Drive Door model.
The NVidia seems to have the best price. Assuming either are compatible (need AGP) which would be recommended, and why?
My present card is 64MB. I would hope that one with 128MB would improve performance with my Final Cut Express and 3D programs, such as Carrara and SketchUp, and give better results with an LCD monitor (and the card supports dual monitors, I think)
many thanks,
K.

Hi Keith-
The biggest problem with the Geforce4 Ti is lack of Core Image support. This is of major importance in OS X, important to some graphics/video editing applications and is indicative of a GPU that is more powerful than the cards that don't support Core Image.
The Radeon 9800 Pro is a card that supports Core Image, and does so with ease.
For applications, Quartz Extreme is a given, but Open GL is also of concern. The Radeon 9800 Pro scores higher in Open GL benchmarks than the Geforce4 Ti.
As for 3D, shaders are of importance. The Radeon cards often offer better shader support than the Geforce cards. This is true when comparing the Geforce4 Ti and the Radeon 9800 Pro.
Not only is the architecture of the Radeon 9800 Pro better, 8 pixel pipelines vs. 4, but the drivers for the Radeon are superior. In fact, it is a gamers secret in some applications, to use Radeon shader drivers to get better performance out of their Geforce cards.
Not to be overlooked, but the amount of VRAM is not as important as the GPU clock speed, and the memory (VRAM) speed. The Geforce4 Ti has a GPU of 300mhz, and DDR VRAM at 325mhz (effective 650mhz).
The Radeon 9800 Pro has a GPU clocked at 378mhz, and DDR VRAM clocked at 337.5mhz (effective 675mhz).
Again, the Radeon 9800 Pro is superior in architecture.
Both cards can support dual displays, both having a DVI and a VGA port. A big difference is if you use OS X Leopard. Again, the Radeon card stands supreme, with many OS 9, or "legacy" Geforce cards loosing dual display ability in Leopard. This problem is often reported here.
If, however, the majority of your work is in OS 9, the Geforce4 Ti is a better card, with better native support +in OS 9+. The Radeon 9800 Pro came much later than the last OS 9.2.2, so it doesn't have the benefit of native 3D drivers. It works fine as a basic graphics card in OS 9, but doesn't support accelerated 3D as well as the Geforce4 Ti.
As for price, since we're comparing flashed cards, the Radeon 9800 Pro costs the same (as the Geforce4 Ti) from a very competent, reliable seller, though you have an extra $10 in shipping.

KT3 Ultra: AGP vs. PCI Video Cards

I am running an ATI Radeon 7000 AGP 64Mb video card on a KT3 ultra. I want to upgrade to a 128Mb video card. The KT3's AGP slot only goes up 4X. Most cards I have looked at are 8X only. Is it possible to run a 128Mb PCI video card. The MSI tech web page is lacking...please help.

any new agp card will work in it
a x 8 card will just run at x4
but as thats just a few percent slower who cares

Looking for Video Card for Power Mac G5 August 2005

I have a Power Mac G5 built August of 2005. My ATI Radeon X850 XT G5 Mac Edition 256MB Video Card is toast. Is it an AGP card? I need to replace it. Will the Apple G5 PowerMac ATi Radeon 9600 XT 128MB Video Card ADC DVI Graphics work on my G5?

The 9600 XT will work, but you won't be impressed after life with a X850.
The occasional X800XT OEM can still be found.
This trusted seller has OEM X800XT cards available.
Might get a bargain in this auction.
X850XT cards are dear when available.
IMO, the performance difference between X800 and X850 doesn't really justify $100...
http://www.barefeats.com/radx800.html
If you don't need the ADC port, a flashed FireGL X3 makes a nice dual DVI X800XT .
The Geforce 6800 Ultra DDL is always a performance value.

AGP Video card upgrade

I fear the answer will cost me $400, but here we go:
I have a dual processor Power Mac G5 tower.
There's an AGP 9800 128mb video card in there I want to upgrade.
I have an ATI X800 AGP 256mb card from a PC that's not being used anymore. I can install the card and use a Y connector off the optical drive to get power to the card, but when I boot the system I get no video.
Just as a test, I removed the card and booted the mac with no video card, it acted the same as when the X800 was in: System appears to be booting, no error beeps or anything, I just don't see anything on the screen.
I fear the answer is "Buy a Mac Edition card" but really, the only feasible option is the X800XT MacEd which is a ~$400 card after shipping costs.
Now, is there a bios upgrade that I need to make the card work? Do I need to reset the PRAM to make it be recognized? Does anyone know a card with 256mb RAM that will outperform the 9800 I have now, but not cost me an arm and a leg?
I only run two applications on this computer: Firefox and World of Warcraft. I guess if this card won't work, I'll just ebay it and spend $100 on another gig of ram and wait for the X800 video cards price to drop.
Any help the can be offered, I greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance.
G5 Power Mac Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Check with Mike over at Accelerate Your Mac, he should know how to flash that card to get it to work with a Mac.
It' probably best to sell it and buy a Mac card, than take a chance.
The X800xt is your best choice and I would choose soon because AMD bought ATI and the future is a little uncertain. Certainly AGP cards will be running out and getting more powerful ones even harder.
You should also run the latest ATI updater before installing the new card.
also
http://www.barefeats.com/radx850.html

[VIA] MSI KT3 Ultra-ARU and a MSI FX5900XT 128MB DDR Video Card

Does any body out there know if a MSI KT3 Ultra-ARU and a MSI FX5900XT 128MB DDR Video Card will work well together?

like the grayone say, is true. for more ensure, try and search the graphic cards support list for your board at MSI (Sorry cause i don,t no is where the site located)
in my opinion, most is compability for your card, when is a AGP slot.
Except the new one like the AGP slot, call AGR( Accelaration Graphic Riser slot) that really need to find a compatibility graphic cards.....

128MB Video Cards ....

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