1st Gen Mac Pro vs. EVGA GeForce GTX 285

Question

Level 1

35 points

1st Gen Mac Pro vs. EVGA GeForce GTX 285

The EVGA GeForce GTX 285 is now listed on both the Apple Store and at EVGA's website. If anyone tests this graphics card in a 1st generation MacPro, could they please report back here?

http://store.apple.com/us/product/TW387ZM/A
http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=01G-P3-1080-TR&family=Geforce%20200 %20Series%20Family

Although this has been discussed before, this Nvidia card is unlikely to include the 32-bit EFI to run on older model MacPros. However, the EVGA webpage makes no mention of system requirements, other than a 550 Watt power supply. In light of the recent revelation that the ATI 4870 runs on 1st generation MacPros, but is not officially supported, I am still holding out hope.

2.66 MHz MacPro (2007) , ATI Radeon 3870 , Asus DX2 Sound Card, Mac OS X (10.5.7), 4 GB Memory

Posted on Jun 8, 2009 9:01 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Jun 8, 2009 9:42 PM in response to H00NER

If the card truly requires 550 watts, then it shouldn't be usable in the first gen. MPs which only provide a maximum of 300 watts to the PCIe slots.

Apple's information does not say the card is compatible with a first gen. MP.

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Answer 2

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Jun 9, 2009 4:56 AM in response to Kappy

Such watt requirements ALWAYS refer to the total system watt usage.

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Jun 9, 2009 12:31 PM in response to The hatter

No, not always. They typically refer to the card's requirements. My 7300 card requires 50 watts. I seriously doubt that refers to total system watt usage.

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Answer 4

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Jun 9, 2009 1:00 PM in response to Kappy

In the PC reviews. Apple and you may refer to the card's watt requirement, but the listed specs are for total PSU.

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Answer 5

Nadav

Level 3

566 points

Jun 9, 2009 5:06 PM in response to H00NER

I am very surprised Apple didn't mod the card to include support for mini-display ports. Oh, well my new 24 inch cinema display is on the way along with my new 4870 I just ordered.

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Answer 6

mikecorp

Level 1

8 points

Jun 9, 2009 10:40 PM in response to H00NER

yeah what happened to most upgradable mac?

I have 1st gen too, with basic graphic card Gforce 7300. What are mine options to get from apple store?

What is or was the best graphic card for the 1st gen. MP. IS there going to be an upgrade for the 1st gen? I just don't have money to buy mac pro 09.

thnx

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Answer 7

Nadav

Level 3

566 points

Jun 9, 2009 11:07 PM in response to mikecorp

Hello!

According to Other World Computing and numerous websites, the Apple version of the ATI Radeon 4870 is known to work in the 1st gen mac pros. Do a search on line and you will see that the 4870 will work.. both mini-display port and DVI.

I am also confident that the Nvidia GT120 will also work as well.

Hope this helps.. Yeah, it kinda blows when you bought a nice mac pro you thought you could grow with. Though, you could do a trade up for the harpertown version of the mac pro which has a lot of power though is matched by the Nehalem.

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Answer 8

KevinAGI

Level 1

11 points

Jun 10, 2009 6:50 AM in response to H00NER

I also have the first Gen with the 7300. I ment to upgrade to the 8800 when it was available, but didn't have the cash. Now there are no options except too buy a new MAC, or build a Hack. Neither of which apeals to me. Come on apple I thought you were changing your ways. No more disposable macs's. That was the reason I came back to apple.

Kevin

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Answer 9

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Jun 10, 2009 7:06 AM in response to KevinAGI

GT120s only work in 2008+ model. Your confidence is misplaced.

ATI is still your best bet. and oddly enough Apple is still trying to sell the Radeon X1900, and for the same price as it did 3 yrs ago 😟

If you want a new Mac, Apple Specials. Or use a flashed PC card.

But the Radeon 3870 is $219 option and should be fine.

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Answer 10

Jun 10, 2009 1:25 PM in response to H00NER

Yeah if anyone gets the chance to try one of the GTX 285's I'd love to know if they work. Otherwise I might have to get the HD4870.

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Answer 11

Nadav

Level 3

566 points

Jun 10, 2009 1:31 PM in response to PistolPeet

I seriously doubt that the GTX 285 will work in 2006-2007 mac pros as Nvidia has gone forward with EFI64 over EFI32. I know, it blows.. since I had to trade up my 2006 mac pro for a 2008 mac pro(couldn't see myself getting a 2009 for what I use my computer for).

Your best bet is the ATI Radeon 4870 HD from Apple. At least you will be able to power the mini-display port with a 24 inch cinema display.

One thing I was hoping Apple would have done was to have Nvidia mod the card to use the mini-display port.

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Answer 12

Jun 10, 2009 3:35 PM in response to Nadav

Yeah this really ***** ... i've bought me a Quad G5 and apple made the Inetel switch ... so I sold it after a year and bought me an Intel Mac so that all the future stuff would fit ... and now??? 2 years later... men ... we dont have no iMacs or something like this - dont we???

my solution is the hack version by now ... get the PC Version of the HD 4870 1GB for 160 bucks and get it working in the Xeons... i dont believe that the new nVidia will ever fit in the Mac 1,1 ... if so the full power cant be used because of PCIe 1.0 ... so what shall we do???

the fact is so importing because of opencl coming in leopard 10.6 ... and I know that the ATI HD 4870 512 has about 1 terraflop opencl... that sounds amazing ... but we "2006ers" will never be able to use the full power

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Answer 13

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Jun 10, 2009 4:14 PM in response to firemarten

you have some misunderstanding going on. The 285 fits, same as the X1900 did, and uses 2 rather than 1, of the aux power connectors. Has zilch to do with PCI 1.1 vs 2.0 except total bandwidth.

but you would not get video out until the ROM injector loads.

And the 4890 may be better bet anyway.

there is more marketing buzz than reality going on for now.

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Answer 14

H00NER Author

Level 1

35 points

Jun 10, 2009 4:38 PM in response to The hatter

I contacted EVGA's support about this question, and they have confirmed that the GeForce GTX 285 requires 64-bit EFI. In short, it will not work on earlier Mac Pros.

This is a real disappointment since I bought my Mac Pro, as opposed to an iMac, back in 2007 since I wanted to get out of the cycle of having to purchase a new desktop system every two years. I am surprised that EVGA would not include 32-bit support. This effectively reduces the user base for this card to a mere fraction of what otherwise would have been a much larger market.

For more my own idle curiosity, what exactly is the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit here? Is it a ROM/firmware on the motherboard? Is this something that could possibly be patched/updated by Apple (though I seriously doubt they will)?

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Answer 15

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Jun 10, 2009 5:10 PM in response to H00NER

Apple takes baby steps, slow and gradual evoltion. EFI64 seems to be part of the full 64-bit support.

early Mac Pros don't have official support for even 64-bit Windows.

ATI knows how to do univeral EFI. It is possible to load a working ROM - after the system is up and running.

You are right. 7300s are gone, 8800GTs are gone. X1900 or other ATI works. Only one dual slot and only that as 16x, and even then putting two high end cards, there should be 4 aux connectors, not just two.

There isn't much real difference between a Mac and a PC. For what I do. Except the Windows hardware; and the software I use runs better with Windows 7. And built a Core i7 PC for $1400 with 4-core Nehalem (and it does accept Xeon cpu).

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