Which video card to get for my late 2005 Dual 2.0 G5

Question

Which video card to get for my late 2005 Dual 2.0 G5

Sorry if this has been answered in others posts. I have been a bit confused on what card I should be getting for my G5.

I have a late 2005 model (last generation of the PPC) and it came with a 6600LE PCIe 128mb card.

I would like to get a better video card (256 or 512) but I don't want to break the bank. I read about the ATI x1900 but I wasn't sure what the differences were between the two versions. There seems to be an x1900 MAC edition and an x1900 XT. Can someone let me know which card I need and whether or not there are other choices that might be cheaper.

Thanks.

MacBook Pro, G5 PPC, MacMini, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Mar 12, 2009 4:29 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 12, 2009 5:22 PM in response to dvdflashbacks

If you get the X1900, it must be the Mac edition (aka X1900GT). The X1900XT for the Mac will only work in a Mac Pro.

You can also find flashed nVidia 7800 series cards on eBay. Sometimes you'll also find an OEM 7800GT, but they can be expensive as they're usually only sold as service parts.

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Answer 2

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Mar 13, 2009 5:07 AM in response to dvdflashbacks

Hi-

Here's a flashed 7800GT.

Here is a X1900 GT.

The "grand daddy" of the G5 PCIe cards, the 7800 GTX.

Not to be forgotten, the Quadro 4500 FX.

Check these Performance tests.

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Answer 3

DPArt

Level 3

604 points

Mar 13, 2009 8:49 PM in response to japamac

As you are in LA, you may want to contact the EBay seller of item # 260374565466

He is in LA as well and usually has some 7800's for sale.

Could save you some shipping & time.

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Answer 4

Mar 13, 2009 9:19 PM in response to DPArt

I recently purchased an ATI Radeon 9600 Pro PC & Mac edition and installed it in a PowerMac G5 2.0 DP to power a 30" Apple Display ... installed easily and worked perfectly. It was $186.98 at Amazon, but is currently unavailable there; $204.99 at Small Dog. Here is the detailed description:

+"Maximize your creative potential and gaming experiences with ATI's Radeon 9600 PRO PC & Mac Edition, the first hybrid 256 MB, ultra-high resolution graphics card for both Power Mac and PC users.The Radeon 9600 PRO PC & Mac Edition is a perfect upgrade for design professionals and gamers who demand exceptional graphics performance. The Radeon 9600 PRO PC & Mac Edition delivers stunning 3D capabilities at an incredible price for both Mac OS X and Windows XP users with AGP-based systems.The Radeon 9600 PRO PC & Mac Edition provides the most up-to-date display support, powering the market's latest, digital flat panel monitors and dual-link DVI ultra high-resolution flat panel monitors, including Apple's 30-inch Cinema HD Display (2560 X 1600 resolution). Equipped with ATI's breakthrough dual-link DVI output and support, the Radeon 9600 PRO PC & Mac Edition offers Power Mac and PC users the output capability and performance needed to maximize their design and gaming experiences."+

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Answer 5

DPArt

Level 3

604 points

Mar 14, 2009 1:05 AM in response to Karen95835

This would be wonderful advice if he had an AGP G5.

He has a PCIE G5so a 9600 will be of no use.

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Answer 6

Mar 14, 2009 7:23 AM in response to DPArt

Oops, sorry about that ... I had forgotten the whole AGP vs. PCI issue ... I just searched for a replacement for the one that burned out on me and was able to bypass that whole issue ...

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Answer 7

Ezzyme

Level 1

145 points

Apr 1, 2009 9:37 PM in response to japamac

Hi,

Does the GeForce 7800 GTX need to be Mac specific or will any GeForce 7800 GTX work?

Thanks!

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Answer 8

japamac

Level 7

24,400 points

Apr 1, 2009 10:08 PM in response to Ezzyme

Does the GeForce 7800 GTX need to be Mac specific or will any GeForce 7800 GTX work?

It must be flashed to Mac ROM to work in a Mac.
Sellers of the card will state "Mac" in the title or description. Otherwise, it is PCWindows, and would need to be flashed.

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