where can I buy the new NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT for my existing Mac Pro?

The Article on MSI if anyone is interested:

http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/01/19/msi-efi

It isn't just Mac, Intel, MS, HP and Dell plan x64 systems post Vista SP1 that have UEFI 2.x

That IS good news. 🙂

What disturbs me is when you go to the Mac store and look at the 8800 upgrade why doesn't it mention that it is NOT compatible with the older MPs?

Why don't they change that?

T

They did add "Compatibility: * Requires Mac Pro with PCI-Express 2.0" which does rule out older Mac Pro models.

I'm sorry...but is anybody else getting a bit unpatient about this whole matter?

i am really asking myself what is so hard that it takes ages to offer a grpahics-card update for pre 2008-mac-PRO-users. this is so poor, apple....

apple would rather you update the entire computer. I don't have any expectation of the 8800 ever coming out for our current MacPro machines. I'll be happy when it does, but the only thing we have is a third party quoting a PR person ⚠ from nVidia and total silence after that. It is far, far from a sure thing. I doubt that writing the drivers is that big of a thing, but testing it and integrating it in terms of ensuring real compatibility with various levels of system software, quicktime, etc may be an interesting chore. I remain hopeful but very skeptical about ever seeing an upgrade. I've consistently said that anyone buying a MacPro should assume the original vid cards will be the only cards ever available. Time will tell.

i don't understand why apple doesn't make a statement regarding this issue. what is so hard to communicate with people who are so called pro-users?

Hello there Eureka 2,

I'm also from Portugal and i also have a mac pro.
Did you get your 8800 graphic card?
I bought my mac pro on 22 june 2007. Does anyone know if it will work?

Thanks

so most of you people gave up on this or did anything happen i missed?

Not given up here - just waiting any kind of news on it.

I let my order stand and my 8800 upgrade card came today...

Installed it and blank, black screens... and it does say pcie 2.0 slot required, so I guess they haven't updated it.

Oh well, nice card, a LOT smaller than the 1900... sigh

Still looking for a solution!

I was pestering a couple of Apple guys at Macworld about this and they referred me up the chain of command to a guy who said, "Expect the patch in a couple of months." I replied something about how it seems kind of a sucky way to treat recent customers who aren't able to afford a new pro machine every 6 months.

Well, it's March now Apple. Please release the darn thing.

After Barefeats lastest test I wouldn't be in a rush to get the 8800...

This is not a patch issue. It's a ROM issue -- a ROM too small to contain the EFI drivers required to boot both 2008 Mac Pros and 2006/2007 Mac Pros. There are two ways to fix it:
1) retrofit a bigger ROM and code in both drivers, or
2) produce a "legacy" version of the GeForce 8800 GT for 2006/2007 Mac Pros.

The later solution is the one Apple and nVIDIA have agreed to pursue, inefficient as it may be. The biggest problem with this solution is that if you decide to sell your 2006 Mac Pro to buy a 2008 Mac Pro, you can't take your GeForce 8800 GT with you. You'll have to buy another.