New graphics card for Mac Pro late 2013.

Question

New graphics card for Mac Pro late 2013.

Hello,

I have experienced nothing but problems with my defective Mac Pro since I purchased it in 2013. It took me a while to learn the problem was actually a manufacturing defect on its factory-installed graphics card (AMD Firepro D300). I have exhausted my attempts to have Apple fix the problem it has created and have given up on it. The computer cost $5,000 and I don't feel like spending yet another $6,000 or more on the new Mac Pro.

With the above in mind does anyone know where I can purchase a new AMD Firepro D300 graphics card so I can try to get my computer to work properly? Is there a big difference between models D300, D500 and D700? I have found D500 and D700 for prices that are lower than the price of the D300. Is this normal considering both the D500 and D700 were offered as upgrades?

Thank you in advance.

Mac Pro

Posted on Aug 6, 2020 1:51 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 6, 2020 10:20 PM in response to HWTech

Hello HWTech,

Thank you for your help and for your detailed reply to my post.

I understand the points you make and was concerned about investing even more money beyond what I have already paid as well as investing the effort to replace these cards only to find in the end that it was just a waste of time.

Given what you have shared here and other reports I have found on the Internet I think my only option is to completely retire this Mac Pro. It crashes and freezes every single day and has caused me to loose important files.

Since repairing the Mac Pro is not an option I believe the only choice I have is to consider the purchase of a new Mac Pro and pray it won't be another similar fiasco.

Thank you again for your help.

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Answer 2

HWTech

Level 9

60,332 points

Aug 6, 2020 9:28 PM in response to apple_customer

First of all there are two "GPUs" in this Mac Pro. So you will need to purchase the pair.

Second, the whole computer will need to be disassembled. It is a very tricky thing to do for a multiple of reasons. One thing is the top & base are round with the middle being somewhat prism like in form. Also many of the places you tight screws is extremely soft metal so it is very easy to strip the threads.

Third, as far as I can tell all of the different model GPUs for this Mac have issues and not just a small number of certain ones as was covered by the free Apple GPU repair program for the Mac Pro 2013. Our organization has a number of these systems and almost all of them ended up having Kernel Panics from time to time related to GPU issues with some systems having quite frequent panics. The free repair program replaced both GPU cards, but if a system did not qualify for the program Apple would only replace one card at a time. Since the failures were intermittent Apple could never be sure the correct part was replaced (of course it wasn't the correct part). After that fiasco and expense we decided to just move those systems to less critical jobs since just remoting into one of these Mac Pros would cause a GPU panic.

Personally after what I've seen with these 2013 Macs I would not spend any money on them whatsoever if the GPU is involved.

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

245,189 points

Aug 8, 2020 2:31 PM in response to apple_customer

You just have to do general google searches.

No idea what the cause if this could be, but scary...

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251666148

Of course we see the complaints & don't see millions of happy customers, but I'm scared to buy any newer Mac than 2011/2012, but what stands out to me...

Laptops, Overheating mainly.

iMacs, slower than 10 hear old iMacs.

Mac Pros. too many varied problems for the expense.

And then, they only run the Latest OS which is steps backwards for my purposes.

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Answer 4

Johnb-one

Level 6

9,180 points

Aug 6, 2020 5:43 PM in response to apple_customer

Hi, apple_customer, maybe i can help you a little bit.

here is a link to the difference between the D300,500 and700.

https://architosh.com/2013/10/the-mac-pro-so-whats-a-d300-d500-and-d700-anyway-we-have-answers/

as for where to get it, that’s a mighty tough one. Those cards were custom made for Apple for the Mac Pro 6,1( the cylinder model), so they are not available off the shelf. So either thru apple authorized service provider or maybe ebay. Your cylinder mac pro should also support an eGPU. The last recall for that model of mac pro ended may 30, 2018.so your options are limited. There should be a mail in service to fix those cards, which might be about $ 400 or so. The repair could be warranteed for 180 days which is quite the gamble,imo. You must replace both cards

john b

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Answer 5

Aug 6, 2020 8:25 PM in response to Johnb-one

Hello Johne-one,

Thank you for your detailed reply and for your help.

I have located a D500 card reasonably priced but am a bit confused with this situation. Is the replacement of the card a complex process and one that may not work? The tutorials I have watched on the replacement of the graphics card give the impression it is a simple process but I am not sure if there is something else I am missing.

Is there any chance I might replace the card and my computer may still not perform properly? What do you mean by 'You must replace both card'? I was under the impression the Mac Pro only had one graphics card.

Thank you again for you help.

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Answer 6

Aug 7, 2020 11:43 AM in response to BDAqua

Hello BDAqua,

Can you make suggestions on where I can do this research? Do you have any knowledge about the impressions and experiences of owners of the new Mac Pro? Apple's record lately and particularly after the passing of Steve Jobs hasn't been very good. Any suggestions on how to avoid giving Apple yet another $6K or more for what amounts to be a very expensive door stop will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

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