Radeon HD 7950: Mac Edition only?
source link: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/radeon-hd-7950-mac-edition-only.1603142/
Go to the source link to view the article. You can view the picture content, updated content and better typesetting reading experience. If the link is broken, please click the button below to view the snapshot at that time.
Radeon HD 7950: Mac Edition only?
Dec 26, 2012
What exactly is the difference between this card (Radeon HD 7950) and this one (Radeon HD 7950, "Mac Edition")?
If I tried to use the non Mac edition in my 5.1 Mac Pro (mid2010) would it not function at all? Is it really $135 extra just to work with OS X vs. Windows?
Thanks.
Reactions: sd70mac
DanielCoffey
macrumors 65816
The first issue can be got round relatively easily by flashing a Mac EFI bios onto the card and there are instructions at Netkas.org. You are stuck with the second issue (unless you purchase a card from MacVidCards who can modify the card for you).
I have a Sapphire PC 7950 3Gb Flex with Boost in my Mac Pro right now and I did the bios flash after some reading here and at netkas. I get the boot screen but not the PCIE 2.0 speeds.
Reactions: sd70mac
Dec 26, 2012
I think I'd be ok with using that Bootchamp I've read about on these forums here, or trying the EFI bios flashing, but is there a noticeable performance hit due to the smaller PCIE bandwidth?
This would mostly be to enhance gaming. Any opinion on whether its worth the additional money for the EVGA GeForce GTX 680 instead?
Reactions: sd70mac
DanielCoffey
macrumors 65816
Consider the 7950 as equivalent to the 670 rather than the 680.
For gaming you will rarely notice the PCI 1.0 limitation. The 7950 is very fast and excellent value for money.
BootChamp is an excellent tool and I use it regularly but I must admit it is very nice to have the boot screen.
If you get the exact same 7950 as I have (11196-17-40G) then I can PM you a copy of the original ROM and the EFI-modified ROM. You do still have the dual BIOS switch for an emergency fallback if you mess it up. I used ATIWINFLASH to do the flashing.
Reactions: sd70mac
Dec 26, 2012
Reactions: sd70mac
Inconsequential
macrumors 68000
Sep 12, 2007
1,975
It is easy, compared to soldering on a new chip like the nVidia cards!!
x2, you can get 2.0 Speeds by removing a resistor on the card, however the performance in games is like 1-2 FPS, so not worth it unless you know how to solder\take the risk to remove the resistor.You have to chip off a resistor on the 7950 to get 5GT/s
It is easy, compared to soldering on a new chip like the nVidia cards!!
Reactions: sd70mac
snarfquest
macrumors regular
Jun 7, 2013
Reactions: sd70mac
7970 is of course even better.
Reactions: sd70mac
Dec 26, 2012
I've seen several references to macvidcards on here. A google search provides one website where there doesn't seem to be a way to purchase anything, and then a seller of modified GPU cards on ebay. I assume everyone is talking about the latter?I went the route of buying an ATI 7970 3GB ddr5 from macvidcards and am very pleased with it. Best of both worlds IMO. Cheaper cost for a EFI card with boot screens and a better card!
The cards he's offering on ebay aren't even remotely competitive. For example he's offering a flashed PC version of the 7950 for Mac Pro for $440. The thing is even used. I could get the official Sapphire 7950 Mac Edition from Amazon brand new and shipped for less. What am I missing here?
----------
Thanks, more good news.For gaming purposes it's certainly better to get PC version of 7950 with boost. Sapphire Mac Edition runs with GPU clock 800 MHz, while PC boost versions run @925 MHz. And they could be overclocked quite easily, if you're don't afraid of Hex editor and ROM flashing.
7970 is of course even better.
Reactions: sd70mac
derbothaus
macrumors 601
Jul 17, 2010
4,092
I don't know if caring about competitive pricing matters as some of these cards are not available anywhere else for the end user that does not want to hack it themselves. You are paying a little more for you (or I) not messing up the cards. Removing transistors and flashing and voltage tweaks to keep them in the power envelope of the Mac Pro PSU seems to be work worth a bit more money to me. Things like the 7970 for $490.00. Better deal by far. Way faster. Slightly more $ for the convenience is a normal thing in the market place. You are paying an individual not a corporation with deep stock.I've seen several references to macvidcards on here. A google search provides one website where there doesn't seem to be a way to purchase anything, and then a seller of modified GPU cards on ebay. I assume everyone is talking about the latter?
The cards he's offering on ebay aren't even remotely competitive. For example he's offering a flashed PC version of the 7950 for Mac Pro for $440. The thing is even used. I could get the official Sapphire 7950 Mac Edition from Amazon brand new and shipped for less. What am I missing here?
Reactions: sd70mac
snarfquest
macrumors regular
Jun 7, 2013
We have a winner. Exactly.I don't know if caring about competitive pricing matters as some of these cards are not available anywhere else for the end user that does not want to hack it themselves. You are paying a little more for you (or I) not messing up the cards. Removing transistors and flashing and voltage tweaks to keep them in the power envelope of the Mac Pro PSU seems to be work worth a bit more money to me. Things like the 7970 for $490.00. Better deal by far. Way faster. Slightly more $ for the convenience is a normal thing in the market place. You are paying an individual not a corporation with deep stock.
Reactions: sd70mac
leucomax
macrumors newbie
Sep 20, 2013
I´m just new to this forum as a registered user - but have been around for quite a long time.
I own exactly the same card as you and I´m very interested in those rom-files.
Could you please be so kind to send it to me?
regards from Austria
Wolfgang
Reactions: sd70mac
DanielCoffey
macrumors 65816
PM sent.
Reactions: sd70mac
adarsh100
macrumors newbie
Jan 5, 2018
Sorry to necrobump, but I have the same card. Can you send me the efi files?Thanks, Wolfgang - I am glad the advice has been useful.
PM sent.
Reactions: sd70mac
You’re hoping that he might still have the files or the card 4 years later?Sorry to necrobump, but I have the same card. Can you send me the efi files?
Necro
Reactions: sd70mac
You can make your own MAC EFI Rom.Sorry to necrobump, but I have the same card. Can you send me the efi files?
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/help-overclocking-12-core-mac-pro.1762165/#post-19497121
This is a better way to do it rather than randomly flash a ROM that may be incompatible to your card.
Reactions: sd70mac
haralds
macrumors 68020
I have a 7970 purchased from MacVidCards. Could not be happier - flawless in all aspects AND they use Radeon drivers on BootCamp (not Apple's old drivers.)The PC version will work fine in your 5,1 under 10.8.3 with two caveats... you will not get the grey boot screen allowing easy swapping of boot drives and it will only work at PCIE 1.0 2.5GT/s instead of the full PCIE 2.0 5GT/s.
The first issue can be got round relatively easily by flashing a Mac EFI bios onto the card and there are instructions at Netkas.org. You are stuck with the second issue (unless you purchase a card from MacVidCards who can modify the card for you).
I have a Sapphire PC 7950 3Gb Flex with Boost in my Mac Pro right now and I did the bios flash after some reading here and at netkas. I get the boot screen but not the PCIE 2.0 speeds.
It is actually a Gigabyte GV-R797OC-3GD - slightly overclocked. Runs cools with big fans, unless you are using it in a game. Then you can hear the fans spin up a little.
Reactions: sd70mac
It is perfect for my needs and not too power hungry.
Some people claim that the 5.0 GT/s mod yields negible results but I run X-Plane 10 & 11 and the whole experience is smoother, faster, slicker.
I did the mod with a 5h lead pencil on this card and also on an HD 5870.
Look at my "Post #199" for the 5.0 GT/s mod and on Netkas for MAKING the ROM.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-and-nvidia-card.1547340/page-8#post-24856990
PM me if you get stuck
Reactions: sd70mac and ActionableMango
newtomac13
macrumors newbie
Apr 11, 2022
I am new to mac and was looking to if I buy a regular Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 to upgrade my mac pro 4,1 (converted to mac pro 5,1 using this https://thehouseofmoth.com/turning-a-2009-41-mac-pro-into-a-2010-2012-51-mac-pro-2021-edition/ ) ,
how do I flash the regular card Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 for upgrade my mac pro to mojave. I dont really care too much about PCIe speed as I am not using that system for too much graphics intensive apps.
If someone could give me the links for procedure to flash this for apple boot screen , would be great. I know some information has been already shared but with some links I got lost
startergo
macrumors 68040
Sep 20, 2018
3,802
1,722
Hi community
I am new to mac and was looking to if I buy a regular Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 to upgrade my mac pro 4,1 (converted to mac pro 5,1 using this https://thehouseofmoth.com/turning-a-2009-41-mac-pro-into-a-2010-2012-51-mac-pro-2021-edition/ ) ,
how do I flash the regular card Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 for upgrade my mac pro to mojave. I dont really care too much about PCIe speed as I am not using that system for too much graphics intensive apps.
If someone could give me the links for procedure to flash this for apple boot screen , would be great. I know some information has been already shared but with some links I got lost
Flashing R9 280X for boot screens/PCI System Information
forums.macrumors.com
newtomac13
macrumors newbie
Apr 11, 2022
Excellent , thank you for summarizing this very clearly. I downloaded those and just waiting for my card to arriveFlashing R9 280X for boot screens/PCI System Information
1) download and install in windows - https://www.techpowerup.com/download/ati-winflash/ 2) save your rom in file 3) download bundle.zip 4) for flash r9 280x need in macosx native terminal: find your 4 digit deviceid (if its 697a1002, then obviously you need only 697a, since 1002 is ATI vendor...forums.macrumors.com
Very excited , just one more question , as I look at the makerom.sh and fixrom.py , what version of python and java I should have installed on mac pro running 10.13.6 ?
newtomac13
macrumors newbie
Apr 11, 2022
Recommend
About Joyk
Aggregate valuable and interesting links.
Joyk means Joy of geeK