NVIDIA rolls out Quadro FX 4800 graphics card for Mac Pro users

Been itching to add an $1,800 graphics card to your shiny new Mac Pro? Then you're in luck, as NVIDIA has now finally made its high-end Quadro FX 4800 graphics card available to Mac users, just a few short months after PC folk first got their hands on it. Of course the core specs of the card remain unchanged, and include a 1.5GB frame buffer with memory bandwidth up to 76.8 GB/sec, a pair of dual-link DVI connectors with some added support for 3D stereo glasses, 192 stream processors, a maximum power consumption of 150W, and some Boot Camp support right out of the gate. You'll still have to wait a tiny bit longer to check out all that for yourself, however, as the first cards apparently won't be available until some time next month.

[Nick Bradshaw @ Apr 20th 2009 6:10PM]

awesome

[loocas @ Apr 20th 2009 6:31PM]

Awesome? You're kidding me? You Appies are really going to be satisfied with anything "for Apple", even seriously crippled, right?

What about the "PC version" with a 30bit data output?! WTF?! Man, why would you need an FX4800 if you didn't need the 30bit display output?! It's just an overpriced game-card (yes, I own both, GeForce 285 and a FX4800), if it wasn't for the 30bit display output I wouldn't even bother looking at the specs!

I totally don't understand you, Appies, really...

[TMM @ Apr 20th 2009 6:36PM]

Another rip off by NVIDIA.
On any platform.

Just different video drivers. That's all you apparently get.

[DirtyVegas @ Apr 20th 2009 6:36PM]

@ loocas

Calm down.

[loocas @ Apr 20th 2009 6:41PM]

@ DirtyVegas

I'm perfectly calm, I just can't cease to be amazed by the whole "holy Apple" thing. This is a clear rip-off (not by Apple in this case) and the Apple fanboys are actually HAPPY about it?! WTF?!

I don't get it, please, explain...

[Nick Bradshaw @ Apr 20th 2009 6:49PM]

Haha I could care less either way. I'm an equal oppertunist. I refuse to deem either Apple or Microsoft as the better Software provider. And PC stuffs fine as far as I'm concerned ^_^ with competition brings progress.

[Brian @ Apr 20th 2009 7:22PM]

some pc users just get so defensive.. use whatever you want, if someone thinks this is awesome, let them think this is awesome, whatever dude.

[hemmy @ Apr 20th 2009 8:03PM]

@nick

You mean "couldn't care less".

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Apr 20th 2009 8:08PM]

loocas,

Did it ever cross your mind that maybe he was just saying "awesome, that's a seriously pimp video card?" Nice mental gymnastics in turning a simple 1-word comment into some kind of holy war.

[loocas @ Apr 20th 2009 8:22PM]

"Did it ever cross your mind that maybe he was just saying "awesome, that's a seriously pimp video card?" Nice mental gymnastics in turning a simple 1-word comment into some kind of holy war."

No, it didn't, here's why:

1) FX4800 has been around for a few weeks (months?) on PC

2) The PC version is seriously "pimped-up" in comparison to this "crippled" version

3) This is strictly a Mac only peripheral

[zfurie @ Apr 20th 2009 9:19PM]

Sounds like someone didnt get laid last night.

[loocas @ Apr 20th 2009 9:23PM]

@ zfurie

How did you know?! o_O

STOP STALKING ME!

[Hiptrigger @ Apr 20th 2009 9:28PM]

@loco ...exactly how is this card crippled? Your accusatory statements about Mac users settling for anything Apple even if crippled is inflammatory. Sometimes the smaller player in the market has fewer options, fact of life you deal with. What do you care besides taking a shot?
Everyone knows the card selection for the one box that apple sells that has slots for removable cards is severly limited because of the way they constructed the architecture, one the other hand there is no 'driver hell' under OS X, etc. ...and now there is one more video card choice. That is the news for a few folks who actually use this machine.
Right now - are you even doing anything creative with your setup (whatever it is) ... define crippled - what exactly are you doing with a 1.5 Gb / 76 Gb throughput graf/x card ...besides gaming? Unless you are running SolidWorks or Pro/e or something really pushing some triangles around ...what in the hell are doing with a equivalent $1800 PC card?

[Nick Bradshaw @ Apr 20th 2009 9:33PM]

Lolz just ignore him if its bothering u guyz. He's just a trolling. Let him have his opinion. It's no biggie. =)

[loosely_coupled @ Apr 20th 2009 10:05PM]

@Loocas

What are you talking about with this "30 bit output"? Like 10 bits per color channel? what is that even used for?

You ask why someone would need this without it.... Obviously anyone that uses pro 3d work and needs the OpenGL enhanced and more importantly the certified Quadro drivers for software support.

[David @ Apr 20th 2009 10:37PM]

I'm avoiding nvidia at all costs. I'm sick of the crap they pull.

[loocas @ Apr 21st 2009 1:50AM]

loosely_coupled, anyone who works in 3D is very much fine with a GeForce card (believe me, I run on it...), but FX4800 has the only advantage of outputting 30bit color information (yes, 10bits/channler), which is an amazing advantage (and the only one to be honest) over GeForce cards.

So, releasing an overpriced GeForce 280 with more ram to Apple users without this feature is, in my opinion, a rip off...

[Mike @ Apr 21st 2009 1:59AM]

awesome indeed, will get one. its not a rip-off

[RoboDan @ Apr 21st 2009 2:07AM]

APPLE TA...

oh, what's the use

[Peter @ Apr 21st 2009 9:54AM]

A good number of graphic designers use Macs and have always used Macs because to be quite honest, Macs have always had the upper hand for people in graphic design. The card is geared towards those people (and to those with two grand burning a hole in their pocket and don't know what else to do, I can be contacted through my website).

If I was in the graphic design business and played some video games on the side, I'd be all over this card. It's got some Boot Camp compatibility built in so hopefully it'll make life a bit easier. (Most folks I know who use Macs use the Windows side of things primarily for video games that aren't released on the Mac). Otherwise, the Leopard OS (or Ocelot, or whatever animal they're using now) is always included in the release of any major graphical design program.

I'm a PC, and I support Macs.

[Eric @ Apr 21st 2009 11:05AM]

It never occurred to the bozo loocas that maybe OS X apps that require this card don't need that extra bit of stuff from NVIDIA because OS X can do it natively?

[vdex34 @ Apr 20th 2009 6:12PM]

they should use these for the graphics in The Hobbit movie, unless they got sumthing better

[David Hildreth @ Apr 20th 2009 6:25PM]

wat?

[Ethan @ Apr 20th 2009 7:27PM]

Guillermo del Toro should be totally up for making it Machinima.

[Thunda Chunky @ Apr 20th 2009 6:12PM]

$1800? Why not just buy two Macs? Then you could be a REAL douche...

[Dafrety @ Apr 20th 2009 6:14PM]

That's only about enough for 3/4 of a Mac Pro.

[Zak @ Apr 20th 2009 6:37PM]

Because two Macs do the same thing as a Quadro card? Is that the logic you're using with that question?

No, what I find really funny is that when these Mac Pros were released without a Quadro option, there were 20 pages of Apple haters commenting about how Macs suck because there was no Quadro card option. Now there is a Quadro card option (just like there has been for every Mac tower for the last few years at least, anybody who isn't a moron knew this card was coming), and Apple haters are bitching again.

You bitch when there's no Quadro card, you bitch when there is a Quadro card. There's just no pleasing you guys, is there? What does Apple have to do, make it so that there is both a Quadro card and no Quadro card at the same time? Will that stop the bitching?

[Thunda Chunky @ Apr 20th 2009 6:42PM]

It was a joke homie... I didn't know Engadget was being monitored by the Apple Hater Watchdog Committee. My bad.

[rcarm @ Apr 20th 2009 6:43PM]

Whoa dude, chill.

[roach @ Apr 20th 2009 9:22PM]

@ZAK

The problem is when any of the GPU manufacturer releases the "the next best" GPU, it is automatically available on the pc. Whereas Apple requires to ok (and pick their nose) on a very few selected GPU. It's the reason Macs will always be behind in hardware performance. Sure, Apple forces hardware companies to have exclusive intro rights to new hardware, but its just marketing "bullshit" to cover Apple lack of keeping up PC hardware. Apple adapts PC hardware (intel cpu, gaming gpu, etc), and realized it can't keep up with the Jones.

[Zak @ Apr 21st 2009 12:34AM]

roach: Actually, the answer is none of the above. The reason Macs need a different card is this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensible_Firmware_Interface

PCs use a vastly inferior legacy BIOS. As soon as PCs in general and MS more fully supports EFI, card makers will start making EFI-based cards by default, which of course will be fully Mac compatible.

[roach @ Apr 21st 2009 4:14AM]

@Zak
Yes, and blue ray is vastly superior and yet nobody seems to care. But the end result is PC hardware, using old bios, has more vastly superior hardware than Mac. Who knows, maybe there's something better than EFI that PC world will adapt and which in turn will quietly be adapted by Apple.

And in regards to you not believing Apple 3D user not using Windows, under bootcamp, to run 3D on a Mac? You should check out CGtalk forum and check out the number of people requesting information on running Windows using bootcamp. I know, it's something Mac user don't like to admit.

[superhobo @ Apr 21st 2009 6:45AM]

It may be old but BIOS>EFI. Unnecessary complications.

But it's all good, as it gets in the way of Mac adoption.

[Zak @ Apr 21st 2009 12:19PM]

roach: And the fact remains that none of your previous "reasons" such as Apple picking its nose are even slightly correct. I mean not even a tiny little bit. Regardless of what you seem to believe regarding EFI, it is superior to legacy BIOS. Period. That's what's called a "fact", you should look that up in a dictionary. It's not really Apple's fault that card manufacturers aren't making EFI-based cards in larger volumes, is it?

No, that would be Microsoft's fault for continuing to push that ancient BIOS instead of pushing EFI like they should be doing. Apple is already way ahead of Microsoft in this regard. Sorry, but the truth hurts.

[Jeff @ Apr 20th 2009 6:16PM]

microsoft's "Computer Hunters" aren't gonna like this.

[bernie16wb @ Apr 20th 2009 6:19PM]

Why? Didn't you read that this has been available to Windows users for a few months? I don't think "we get the same hardware as PCs...months later" is a very convincing rebuttal to the Computer Hunter ads.

[Makavre @ Apr 20th 2009 6:18PM]

so what's the point of this card ... ??

Adobe doesn't even support the CS4 suite optimizations

[David Hildreth @ Apr 20th 2009 6:34PM]

3D modeling and animation, CAD, medical imaging... lots of stuff. Adobe isn't the only company that writes software ya know.

[Makavre @ Apr 20th 2009 6:38PM]

who seriously does 3D modeling and animation, CAD, medical imaging on a MAC ??????????

[Cunthor @ Apr 20th 2009 6:51PM]

Pixar does. Don't think medical software and CAD is even mac compatible, although I might be wrong... I just don't imagine dad types blasting away on a mac for their heating and ventilation systems blueprints.

[Zak @ Apr 20th 2009 6:54PM]

Um... yes, there is medical software and CAD software for Macs.

[M. @ Apr 20th 2009 7:27PM]

there's a lot of CAD + 3D apps available for the Mac, think about Maya, Cinema4D, Zbrush, Houdini, TurboCAD, VectorWorks etc.

[roach @ Apr 20th 2009 10:50PM]

I think this is just for Apple graphic designers, who thinks they're power user. Sorry dude, but 3D on a Mac is a joke. The one who actually do 3D on a Mac machine uses PC via bootcamp.

[Zak @ Apr 21st 2009 12:35AM]

roach: And you'd be wrong. Mostly because you're a dumbass.

[superhobo @ Apr 21st 2009 6:55AM]

Zak: and you're a dumbass. Mostly because you're a dumbass.

[Sabi @ Apr 21st 2009 8:15AM]

They are getting ready For Sn0w Le0pard as well, OpenCL will take good advantage of this card. I'd rather wait for someone to hack the drivers to make gtx260/280 to work and then use that

[Sabi @ Apr 21st 2009 8:17AM]

They are getting ready For Sn0w Le0pard as well, OpenCL will take good advantage of this card. I'd rather wait for someone to hack the drivers to make gtx260/280 to work and then use that
and yeah there's a large community of animators and film makers that use Macintosh and its splendid compared to using the same software on Windows, imo. There are some advantages to Windows too

[Sabi @ Apr 21st 2009 8:19AM]

shit double post....my bad, that was wierd, wtf? Engadget make better commenting lol...

[Mark Anderson @ Apr 20th 2009 6:19PM]

Good news for Mac Pro users. The previous GPU offerings were, frankly, underwhelming.

[GeekPI @ Apr 20th 2009 6:28PM]

So are these available when spec'ing out a new mac, or do you have to order a crap card (GeForece GT 120), throw it away and buy this one separately?

I'm still waiting for Apple to retail any SAS 15k hard drives or SSD's for the Mac Pro- they took a big step forward in the processor and RAM department, but two steps back in the other main components. Having 8 cores doesn't do much if the processors are waiting for data from the relatively slow 7,200 hard drives.