NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 285 coming to Macs in June
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted April 29th 2009 5:37PM
posted April 29th 2009 5:37PM
posted April 29th 2009 5:37PM
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Well.. i don't like expensive killers
and well look at that, theres still no games for mac. (or linux saub saub)
*Waits for "I can play Civ IV" and "I can put Windows on a Mac"*
I can play Chrysis on my iMac
Games like most 90% of all software made aren't available for Macs. But hey that Macs minimize and maximize windows using that cool jeannie in a bottle effect!!!!
They got CoD 4 also.
This makes sense for apple to do ASAP for one important reason: GPGPU with OpenCL.
OpenCL is going to make all the mac-sters start talking about how all their newfangled apps are leveraging the GPU for computing power, which is arguably a really neat thing. The downside is that all those really mediocre GPUs that apple's been putting in everything from the old Mac Books (although the 9400 and 9600 aren't that great either, sadly) to the Mac Pros is going to catch up pretty fast.
That said, I'd be stoked if OpenCL turned out to be another killer framework for OS X, so much so that I'd even consider jumping ship. Running OS X on my hackintosh mini 9 has changed my sentiments towards OS X of late.
No but all of the packaging for your PC games were created on a mac.
Evo/
>OpenCL is going to make all the mac-sters start talking about how all their newfangled apps are leveraging the GPU for computing power
DirectX 11 has GPGPU functionality similar to OpenCL.
@CelebLover
Q: And that is important because?
A: ______
"you can expect two things here: it's killer... and it's expensive" So it's got ONE thing in common with macs... I'll give you a hint which one: $$ ;)
I always find it ironic when mac guys boast that their macs can run windows, but when I talk about cool new games they're always like /whine "that doesn't run on a mac". I don't like windows but I still multi-boot it for the sake of running software that is winblows only.
Anyways, maybe this means we'll start seeing more improvement in the OpenGL libraries. Users have this tendency to think that DirectX is the only thing that can achieve good visuals, but it's all just code, there's no magic going on behind the scenes here. There's no reason OpenGL can't rival or surpass DirectX's features. And it would if more companies supported it. OpenGL is far superior in design (open, multiplatform) but not in functionality... yet.
Did you put "Mac" and "gaming rig" in the same sentence?
Yeah, they did. But not in a way that would mean a Mac was a gaming machine...
I mean.. everyone knows that I'm no Mac guy; but if you put Vista or XP on an quad or 8-Core Mac Pro with this video card, and you'll be playing whatever you want on whatever settings it could possibly take. Trust.
@Level 5: Or you could build a great real gaming rig, with tri channel memory and manufacture parts of your choosing for a grand, get the same performance and not feel like an idiot for having to put a different operating system on your computer just to play a game
@Level5: and pay 2-3x the price as a comparable PC that could play the same game.
The Walrus: Or you could have a Mac that you use to do almost everything on, and dual boot into Windows if you want to play games. That's more like having two computers for the price of one, which is cheaper than having one computer for the price of one. I know, math is hard.
@Zak: "Math is hard"- Especially for you. Since when is a $1000 home built better than a $3000 Mac? What are all these magical things Macs can do than PCs cant?
But Zak, a Mac doesn't give you the neon lights and sweet spiders and dragons on a ghetto-looking case like The Walrus has on his LAN-party-buddy-impressing rig he built with his dad.
WE MAC USERS FAIL AT LAMER AWESOMENESS. :(
And then you can turn your PC rig into a hackintosh if you really want to. Is there any compelling "must-have" software on Macs that isn't available for either Windows or Linux systems? (Leave Boxee out of this for the moment). For the creative types, Adobe CS4 is available on Windows as well, what advantage would a Mac offer?
The Walrus: The same thing as a Mac for $1000? Okay, go ahead and build a PC using two quad core Xeon 5500s plus everything else you get with a Mac Pro including an entirely aluminum case, four RAID-style HDD bays, completely silent operation, all the various ports the Pro has etc. for under $1000. No go ahead, do it. I'll wait.
When you fail horribly, maybe then you'll understand why a Mac Pro is cheaper than a comparable PC due to the ability to dual boot. OS X alone is a good reason to get a Mac, and then there's the iLife suite which is free with a Mac and vastly, VASTLY better than any of the crapware you'll ever get on a PC, and then there's the pro level programs like Final Cut, Logic, Aperture, Shake, etc.
I think a desktop with a couple of Nehalem processors and a few GTX 285s would make a killer gaming computer. But custom-built PCs usually get the better parts first (and sometimes only).
Snow Leopard is getting multi-GPU support, right?
hey Zak, the good thing about PCs is the variety. Few of us really need full blown Xeons. But many of us want desktop processors in our desktops. So I guess if you're comparing workstations, then go ahead and compare the Mac Pro to whatever other workstations are out there. But, those of us who want desktop power without workstation pricing will have to go elsewhere than Apple's wares.
wait wait wait-- OSX doesn't even support multi GPU's?!!! why would you want to render anything on a mac (with photoshop, final cut, or anything like that)?!!!! it's much cheaper to get two cards with with lesser performance that together can equal or beat a top of the line card.
@Walrus
Bad day at work scramble your cognizance? If you would BUY a Mac Pro strictly as gaming rig, that's a fail. And if you learn to read things in the way they're written, you'll realize all I said was, putting a GTX 285 in a Mac Pro would allow you to play games at a fast rate in XP or Vista. That's all. Nothing about the Mac Pro being just a gaming rig. I've built MANY PCs, and coupled with the fact that I'm not a fucking idiot, I know that if all I want to do is play PC games, within Windows, the last machine I'd want is a Mac Pro. Reading, learn it.
Everyone knows you can build a PC to play games much cheaper than a Mac Pro. And like I said if you bought one only to play games, you're obviously a couple of screws loose.
Why not try reading what's actually there, dickweed.
Hey sweet, we still have idiots who think you can build a Mac Pro equivalent from NewEgg for $1000. I bet they also have something clever and original to say about one-button mice.
Claiming that your Mac is good for gaming because you've got Windows isn't really as scorching a zinger as you think it is.
What idiot buys a Mac Pro for gaming? It's not like the fact that the processors are Xeons with slower ECC memory (omgsoamazingrite??!!!1) help with everyday tasks.
@The Walrus
You build me a pc with the same specs and quality parts and I will buy it from you. Because I build PCs for a living and I can't do it.
@maveric101 - GPUs don't affect rendering performance. FYI.
@ wizzle
O RLY?
@ wizzle - Maybe you should quickly read up on that and report back.
Meh.
This will go great for all the graphically stunning Mac games out ther-
Oh wait.
If you buy a Mac for gaming, your an idiot. If you buy a PC for gaming, your either rich or again, an idiot.
Go buy a console for gaming. You will spend one tenth of what you did for that SUPER PC which lasts you a year and then you need to upgrade for another $300.
Also, I don't know about you, but 60" of high definition glory with my Xbox 360 is awesome, 24" high def of my monitor sucks balls (in comparison).
Save all that money you were going to use to buy that "top end" or build that "top end" PC and buy a 50" 1080p LED TV and buy an Xbox 360 that comes with Halo 3 and Fable II, I guarantee it will be the best money spent.
staaaaaaaaar craft!
twoooooooooooooo
"your an idiot" Ah, irony.
Anyway, I agree to a point. The only computer game I ever really played was Flight Simulator. I have an X-Box for gaming.
@Brian
Please go enjoy the 12 year olds on XBL. I'll be playing on the many servers out there for PC games that have a) a community and b) admins who are competent and ban immature hackers.
Oh, and I'll enjoy my games natively rendered in the proper resolution. GL with your upscaled whatever. I've got out of the box support for 4:3, 16:9, and 16:10. I can also run damn near any app I please. Try running Firefox without installing Linux on your console. Oh wait, you can't.
As far as the TV comment goes, you do realize you can hook up a PC to a television? Most TVs have either a VGA or DVI connection. If you're at a loss you can always use a DVI to HDMI adapter. I know one guy who plays WoW on his big screen with a wireless keyboard and mouse. Most people don't, but then again not every console owner has a HDTV. Your console of choice supports 480i because of that.
1) This is an excellent card for DCC/3D modeling/CAD/CAM users who don't need the software certification and support that comes with the $1500-$3000 Pro Quadro cards.
2) This is also an excellent card for Mac Pro users who dual-boot XP or Vista for gaming.
Anyways, I'm glad to see at some SOME macs finally getting decent GPUs. The 4850 is in the iMac, the 4870 in the Mac Pro, and now the GTX285 in the Mac Pro.
They aren't the dual-chip SLI cards, but are plenty powerful for 95% of people.
@tuaamin13
Game consoles do not upscale. The reason that they are so cheap is because they dont need as many/expensive components because they are not running a more demanding OS like Mac OS X or Windows. They are not doing regular computing tasks like computers do while running games.
Also: 12 year olds are not the only ones playing on Xbox Live and Playstation Network. They are just voiced more often which makes it seem like they are the only ones on. And only a few, one, or none are in each party/match, so that means there are plenty of older gamers on these networks.
And another thing: The Xbox 360 and PS3 have support for all those aspect ratios. So, game consoles not only are able to connect to TVs but monitors also. And even though PCs can run applications, not all PCs can run games. Instead of buying a graphics card for 200-300 bucks, get a console. When you have a console, you will never be wondering if games will be able to run on it, how high the frame rate will be, or how much anti-aliasing you can set it on.
Game consoles are cheaper and are guaranteed to play ALL of the games available for said console. Game consoles are more practical.
Brianjoy77
The 360 can't even play Halo 3 at 720p. Screw that.
"Also, I don't know about you, but 60" of high definition glory with my Xbox 360 is awesome, 24" high def of my monitor sucks balls (in comparison)."
lol high definition with an xbox 360
now i've read it all
They couldn't just put out a mac driver? WTF?!
It's all about EFI brutha.
I love playing games on my mac. Wait. I don't have a mac and there aren't any games either.
... ...
Wow.
Only good games are for macs everyone knows that
wow people are soo stupid
P.S PCs SUCK!!! ALOT!!!
Sadly my mac suck compare with my cheaper generic dell pc... no kidding. I mostly use FCP on it but even that, I prefer using Vegas under windows.
I want the 99$ Ati HD 4770!!
Dude, we're having a LAN this weekend. Bring your mac, we'll be playing photoshop and iTunes.
I agree. I use vegas on my pc. A friend of mine has a mac and always raves about final cut. He has yet to show me something that I can't do with vegas.