Best Graphic Cards for Mac Pro 3.1 OS 10.11.6 ?

Question

Best Graphic Cards for Mac Pro 3.1 OS 10.11.6 ?

Hi there,

I need to replace my ATI Radeon HD 5770 on my old Mac Pro, as it seems the 2 Mini DisplayPorts are dead. Only the DVI port is still working, connected to my Apple Cinema Display.

What would be the best Graphic Cards for to install on this Mac Pro 3.1 running OS 10.11.6 ?

How about :

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 Mac Edition
NVIDIA Quadro K5000
AMD Radeon HD 7950 Mac Edition

Apple Support recommandations are :

Mac Pro 3,1 (early 2008)

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT (référence 630-9191 ou 630-9897)*
NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600
ATI Radeon HD 4870, update kit

Thank you for your advices.

Cheers,

Olivier

Posted on Sep 22, 2024 7:42 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 22, 2024 8:40 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

MiniDisplay ports were connected to iiYama monitors, and they kept shutting down, or having erratic blackout for months, until no signal at all. I thought my iiYama monitors were dead and I bought a new Samsung... to find out it didn't work neither. I then hooked up the Samsung to the MiniDisplay port of my MacBook Pro... and it worked fine, as did my iiYama monitors. I'm not a tech, but I can assume MiniDisplay ports are defectuous on my ATI Radeon HD 5770.

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Answer 2

Sep 22, 2024 11:05 AM in response to den.thed

Yes, I have been using a Mini-DisplayPort to VGA adaptor, with a VGA to DVI cable to connect to the iiYama. It worked fine for ages, and still works flawlessly when I connect this same adaptor and cable on the Mini-DisplayPort of my MacBook Pro. This why I assume something went wrong with the Mini Display Ports of my ATI Radeon HD 5770 on the Mac Pro.

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

82,060 points

Sep 22, 2024 11:09 AM in response to Olivier Lliboutry

I'm guessing the conversion from analog VGA to digital DVI is stressing out the VGA adapters or perhaps the GPU.

What I would do, is test a single Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter and a DVI to DVI cable first.

for examples, see > mini displayport to dvi adapter

Then if that works, I would spring for another Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter for the second monitor.

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Answer 4

OldGoat67

Level 2

488 points

Sep 22, 2024 1:13 PM in response to Olivier Lliboutry

Bonjour , Olivier Lliboutry

pour une meilleure carte video , je recommande une Radeon 7950. On peut utilizer une carte < Mac native> ou, une carte < flashed to work in a Mac Pro , possiblement un Mac Pro 3,1>

John B

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Answer 5

Sep 22, 2024 8:13 AM in response to Olivier Lliboutry

How did you decide those ports are dead? were they ever in daily use?

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Answer 6

den.thed

Level 10

82,060 points

Sep 22, 2024 8:26 AM in response to Olivier Lliboutry

What are to trying to connect to those Mini DisplayPort's...?

About the only thing relevant, is a Mini DisplayPort to DVD or Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter for a second monitor.

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Answer 7

Sep 22, 2024 8:44 AM in response to den.thed

I have a 3 monitors set up, with an Apple Cinema HD Display connected to the DVI port and 2 iiYama monitors connected to the MDPs. See details in my above response to Grant.

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Answer 8

Sep 22, 2024 8:58 AM in response to Olivier Lliboutry

do these monitors have DIRECT Mini-DisplayPort inputs, or are you using adapters? if so what adapters?

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Answer 9

Sep 22, 2024 9:20 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I have been using a Mini-DisplayPort to VGA adaptor, with a VGA to DVI cable to connect to the iiYama. Worked fine for ages !

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