ATI Radeon 4870 vs NVIDIA GT 120 - which best for video editing?

Hi-

The GT 120 (G96 chip) is a rebranded 9500GT, which is an undercover 8600GT. As a point of comparison, the 9500GT (and 8600GT) are less powerful than the 8800GT (G92 chip).
As one can see, the 9500GT just doesn't cut it as compared to the 8800 card:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17970815

As tested in the 2008 Mac Pro:
http://www.barefeats.com/harper8.html

The powerful 8800GTX holds well, but can't compete with the ATI 4870:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17894022&highlight=8800gtx

This test suite with the ATI 4870 is most telling:
http://www.barefeats.com/harper19.html

Whatever Apple chooses next for an optional GPU, we hope it's an ATI Radeon card. Why? Because ATI has optimized their Mac Edition drivers and firmware for the Radeon 2600 XT and 3870 so that they run Core Image effects much faster than comparable nVidia cards including the GeForce 8800 GT and Quadro FX 5600. Unless there's a breakthrough on the nVidia side, the ATI Radeon cards will continue to be superior for getting GPU intensive work done on Pro Apps like FCP, Motion, Aperture, etc.

For GPU aware applications, the ATI 4870 will have a lot more horsepower available for use than the GT 120.
For GPU aware applications, I would think there will be a measurable difference.

This has begged the question for me:

Wouldn't then the 8800GT for the 2008 Mac Pro be an option? and of course, will it work in a 2009 case?

I really expected to see GTX 200 series like 9800GTX+ but 55nm or smaller. But then, I also thought "has to be time to uppe the watts from 300 to 450" too, to deal with today's graphics requjirements and technology. Like Nvidia Quadro CX to replace the FX5600. Maybe that's for 2010 😟

All in all, the graphics options are an enigma.

The choice of a mid-line, lack luster standard card. There are better choices.

Add to that, the new connector. What's up?
I guess the engineers/marketers didn't think that the generally negative attitude towards the ADC connector was a lesson in disguise(?)

Let's sell monitors on their own merits, rather than "I have to because of the d * mini display port.
At least, they do have adapters to convert to DVI/Dual Link DVI.....
But, they forgot (?) to make a DVI to mini display port adapter, which would help to sell more of the LED monitors. :-/

But then, I also thought "has to be time to uppe the watts from 300 to 450" too, to deal with today's graphics requjirements and technology.

What about SLI? Yeah, the PCIe slots are limited in power (again) so you couldn't take advantage of two ATI 4870's even if SLI was supported......

Wouldn't then the 8800GT for the 2008 Mac Pro be an option? and of course, will it work in a 2009 case?

Seems to me that it should. Maybe a flashed 8800GTX.....
As soon as someone gets there hands on one of these machines, I am sure this question, and the myriad of others, will be answered.
I have no doubt that there will be some flashed alternatives, very soon.

But, with all the sweet spots in this Apple, the graphics are a bit disappointing (though the ATI card is definitely worth waiting for).

I was doing my AM reading and came on a review of the GTS 250, with comparisons to 4870 and other cards.... And under load, a 4870 can hit 280W! Hello, Apple Pro RAID? another video card? Highpoint?

We are hearing rumblings of a price drop for the Radeon HD 4870 512MB to $150

http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=3523

Add (or subract the fact) the GT150 is more likely a sub-$100 card as well.

Oh, and "one more thing" we / I keep forgetting that there is the Radeon 3870 out there today, and it should work fine, and fall in-between, or while waiting for 4870s.

With the release of 10.5.7 can you just drop in one of the many 4870 cards from Newegg for $150? I understand that there will be no display port but since 10.5.7 supports the 4870 will this work?

Nope. And Apple edited the article to change ".7" to ".6" but of course they still have nearly two months out.

Your video card needs EFI. Past Macs used Open Firmware. Anything used during early boot and for video (and storage controllers, esp. boot drive) need to have Mac compatible firmware. Even memory needs SPD that is Mac compatible.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB999ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=NDE4NDMxOA

And AMD/ATI recently announced a price drop on the 4870 to $150:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/ATI-Radeon-Price-Cut,7141.html

Why oh why we mac users get hand me down technology from pc's at a higher cost? Must be that mini displayport that added an unnecessary $200 to the pricetag...

Thanks for the information. I just called and changed my order to the 4870 card.

marokero wrote:
Why oh why we mac users get hand me down technology from pc's at a higher cost? Must be that mini displayport that added an unnecessary $200 to the pricetag...

I also don't understand it. Just because we drive a Cadillac we are charged double the price? I'm really starting to get irritated with the way we're treated as customers.

What a great thread... i'm currently running an 8870 in my early 2008 mac pro. Can also add the 4870 to the machine? Or do i have to remove the 8870? From what i read here... the only real reason to do so is so i can use one of the new apple monitors, right?

Just curious, but why is it that when configuring a MP on the Store will it not allow both the 4870 AND the GT 120 to be added? It's one or the other. Is this simply based on the underpowered PCI slots? "Pro"?

Is this simply based on the underpowered PCI slots?

Apple says either the 4870, or up to 4 GT 120's.
One of each is not "officially" supported.

Most likely because of the underpowered PCI slots.........

This is unbelievable.