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Level 1

48 points

Video Card upgrade for early 2008 MacPro II

I want to upgrade my two cards, (both ATI Radeon HD 2600 ) in my Mac Pro 3.1 (spec posted below) and found this thread, https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4816633?answerId=24010822022#24010822022 so rather than start a new one, I initially posted there, but on advice from The Hatter, I have created a seperate post too

I watch the occassional Photoshop instructional video, but really use the Apple TV for any real films .

Don't play any games, so guess I do not need all the fancy 2D renderiing cards??? or do I. That is totally unknown to me if better 3D perfromance specs make any difference to Photo editing performance.

Main use is with Lightroom 4 and Photoshop CS6..very occassionally (like 3 or 4 times a year) iMovie or Final Cut

Having read here that some cards don't display on boot..I don't want that . I would like full compatibility, even if that means not getting the latest and greaest card..any improvement would be good.

From what I read, I just have PCIe 1 is that correct?

Does it make any difference if my 'Main' work sreen runs off Slot 1 or Slot2

I see links about requiring extra power leads...does my Mac Pro have extra leads on the PSU that just need an adapter..or is soldering of new connectors needed...either way no issue, just never looked at my PSU for so long. How the machine is positioned..it is a major job to get the side off.

Thanks

Here is the system spec

Model Name: Mac Pro

Model Identifier: MacPro3,1

Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Xeon

Processor Speed: 3 GHz

Number Of Processors: 2

Total Number Of Cores: 8

L2 Cache (per processor): 12 MB

Memory: 18 GB

Bus Speed: 1.6 GHz

Boot ROM Version: MP31.006C.B05

SMC Version (system): 1.25f4

Chipset Model: ATI Radeon HD 2600

Type: GPU

Bus: PCIe

Slot: Slot-2

PCIe Lane Width: x16

VRAM (Total): 256 MB

Vendor: ATI (0x1002)

Device ID: 0x9588

Revision ID: 0x0000

ROM Revision: 113-B1480A-252

EFI Driver Version: 01.00.252

Displays:

PANASONIC-TV:

Resolution: 1600 x 900 @ 60 Hz

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Philips 170B4:

Resolution: 1280 x 1024 @ 60 Hz

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Chipset Model: ATI Radeon HD 2600

Type: GPU

Bus: PCIe

Slot: Slot-1

PCIe Lane Width: x16

VRAM (Total): 256 MB

Vendor: ATI (0x1002)

Device ID: 0x9588

Revision ID: 0x0000

ROM Revision: 113-B1480A-252

EFI Driver Version: 01.00.252

Displays:

SyncMaster:

Resolution: 1920 x 1200 @ 60 Hz

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

HP L1950:

Resolution: 1280 x 1024 @ 60 Hz

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Posted on Dec 4, 2013 7:23 AM

41 replies

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Dec 7, 2013 1:05 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

only two displays..but that is OK, ...or not? Is having one of the ATI HD2600 Xt's goin gto being the speed of the other card down to its level? is that what you are implying?

Dec 7, 2013 1:28 PM in response to Neil Paisnel

Not implying anything, trying to solve your four-displays problem with only two aux power cords.

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Dec 7, 2013 1:45 PM in response to Neil Paisnel

Well, still at the bottom of the food chain.

http://community.futuremark.com/hardware/gpu/NVIDIA+GeForce+GT+520/review

And the GTX 570 is more than popular for the type of work you wanted help with, and the 2.5GB VRAM has been found to have a significant impact with CS5.5+

the difference to the 520 is more than 10:1

Nvidia GTX 570 2.5 GB for Apple Mac Pro DUAL DVI Version

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/GeForce-GTX-570-vs-GeForce-GT-520-PCI

Or the 560TI

Nvidia GTX 560Ti for Apple Mac Pro 2GB with Dual DVI and HDMI

Some just to drool over too!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ssn=macvidcards&_sac=1&_sop=3

The GTX 680 Mac Edition $599 is a 'significant' upgrade over the 5780.

http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-DisplayPort-Graphics-02G-P4-3682-KR/dp/B00C88 RHUS/

And keep one 2600XT.

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Dec 7, 2013 1:40 PM in response to The hatter

umm yes nice..

ben lookin gat big uns lik ethat..but out of he price range for now

but surely the 520 ..even for now is an upgrade on the 2600 ? or not

Power cord issue not a great one, the greater issue is if I make up some pwer spliters, is if the PSU has enough power to supply 4 aux power cords..but not an issue for the moment.

From the pics I have seen , the 520 does not have aux poer anyway..and as for my old 2600's no idea

I can get the 520 for zero money...if it is no imporovement, then I won't bother what do you reckon? even for a few months?

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Dec 7, 2013 1:49 PM in response to Neil Paisnel

Google

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-2600-XT-Mac-vs-GeForce-GT-740M

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/GeForce-GTX-570-vs-GeForce-GT-520-PCI

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Dec 7, 2013 2:20 PM in response to The hatter

Useful site

the two actual cards..amazing to see that a 256mb card out performs a 1gb card..interesting..blows my ieas out of the water.

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-2600-XT-Mac-vs-GeForce-GT-520M

Well 10pm here..been trying to clone a laptop 600gb SATA HDD for the past three hours, but what ever I try fails.so off to bed ...good night thanks for all your help...

Dec 7, 2013 3:45 PM in response to Neil Paisnel

I think you have inadvertantly picked up the GT520M, where M is for the Mobility (built-into a low power laptop) version.

This comparison may be more fair, but is about a tie:

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-2600-XT-Mac-vs-GeForce-GT-520

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Dec 8, 2013 1:37 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I am guessing the actual card I have here is not listed on that site. same chip, different card.

But either way, not worth the effort

The GT520 they have, has 2gb RAM, where as the one I have has 1GB ..same as the 520M

Manufacturer thing..this is a PNY card

I do need more HDD space, what ever I do. I can't afford new machine, so upgrade is the option.

Trouble is SSD drives don't give enough space..not for areasonable budget..which is why moving the boot drive would to PCIe SATA SSD would have been nice...freeing up Drive 0 for another storage drive. But since The Hatter does not think that is a good option...umm bit stuck really.

maybe just a PCIe SATA x2 SSD unit. one for the Lightroom library and one for scratch.

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Dec 8, 2013 2:07 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

This is interesting

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?9412-How-to-FLASH-a-PC-NVIDIA-8800-G T-to-WORK-on-MAC-PRO-08

and I do have one of these cards..Thanks for the heads up earlier about flashing gpu cards..never considered it before..

have read bad reports about failures with these cards, but ..it is here, free and will only take time..which I have plenty of at the moment

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Dec 8, 2013 2:27 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

Also got a ATI Radeon HD4870. but noen of these cards are Mac..will have to look at flashing this one too..Guess I have todays jobs sorted out..got 'guests' coming for lunch though 😟

it appears my 8800 is not goin gto work..it is a blue PCB..whihc this site says is not compatible

http://www.hardmac.com/articles/78/

Neil Paisnel Author

Level 1

48 points

Dec 29, 2013 2:03 AM in response to Neil Paisnel

Well

Just to update the thread. I finally mamaged to flash the HD4870 to Mac EFI

Strangely one of the original 2600 cards, no longer works, even after re flashing back with the original firmware. It still works fine with bootcamp and in Windows machines but just does not come up with OS-X.

But all the opening and closing of the machine, cleaning it out, removing memory etc to blow the dust out...I now only show 6 memory slots occupied, when there used to be 8 ...the RAm is still there but not being recognised.

back to the old addage...screw with something long enough and you wll soon screw it up!!

Video Card upgrade for early 2008 MacPro II