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User profile for user: rosindabow
rosindabow Author
User level: Level 2
152 points

Mac Pro mid 2012 graphics card upgrade to 4K display

I asked this question in another post: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250034259 but I was unclear in defining what I truly needed. Here is a (I hope) a better attempt.

I need a new graphics card, one that will run at least 4K on my older mid 2012 Mac Pro. I am trying to have the same visual real estate that I have now spread across two 30" displays on one larger display and at the same size and clarity. Right now I am running an Apple Cinema HD Display (2560 x 1600) and an HP ZR30w (2560 x 1600). This new monitor needs to be able to display all the same graphics, mixing board, editing window, transport window, playback controls ... everything that one of my professional DAWs - Avid's Pro Tools, Apple's Logic Pro, and MOTU's Digital Performer - run. The display needs a have a fast refresh rate as well as being sharp and clear - and sizable. It needs to be quiet as the Mac Pro Is situated in a recording studio -- the computer is in the room. I know that a regular TV will do me nothing. The card in my computer is presently an ATI Radeon HD 5870.

Is there anything out there that I can upgrade to? I looked at the "Mojave list" and I think that there must be some others that would work. Any recommendations? Anyone else do this successfully? Thanks!

Posted on Dec 23, 2018 2:28 PM

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4 replies
User profile for user: lllaass
lllaass
User level: Level 10
210,459 points

Dec 23, 2018 3:08 PM in response to rosindabow

See:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-pro-5-1-recommendations-for-gpu-upgrade-4k.2063752/

If you do not want Mojave, then there are a lot of PC Nvidia cards that will work since Nvidia had what they call WebDrivers that allow a lot of PC cards to work. However, you will not get a boot screen.

Also see:

https://blog.greggant.com/posts/2018/03/29/installing-geforce-gtx-1060-1070-1080-on-mac-pro-2010-2012.html

The GPU section of:

https://blog.greggant.com/posts/2018/05/07/definitive-mac-pro-upgrade-guide.html#gpuupgrades

The Nvidia GTX 1050 support 4K and works. I have used a 1060 with no problems you. do need the nVidia webdrivers and you do not get a boot screen.

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User profile for user: rosindabow
rosindabow Author
User level: Level 2
152 points

Dec 23, 2018 6:25 PM in response to lllaass

Hi - this is a wealth of information - thanks! I do have to go through it all to make sure I am doing the right thing.


My big question is - does this physically occupy more than one PCIe slot? I run a composing and producing music studio and presently am using all 3 PCIe slots for other things. One is for USB3 card; another is for my DAW interface, an Apogee Symphony 64 cards and finally; a UAD-2-Octo PCIe card. They are all necessary to my set up. Does the Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 580 take up more physical space - block one of the PCIe slots or is there still room to keep all three cards installed? If not, are there any other cards that do not take up the room? Thanks!

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Mac Pro mid 2012 graphics card upgrade to 4K display

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