Mac Desktop and Notebook Video/Graphics Card related Reviews/Tips/Repairs
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Graphics Cards | Media Players/TV/Capture/Scanners/Cameras | Displays DVD/Video Utils/Players | Coolers, Tips & Tweaking | Misc. Articles | |
(later articles first. For video card coolers see below) | |
| (Apr. 4, 2013) Mac GeForce GTX 680 with 2GB GDDR5, PCIe 2.0. See Press release and product page. (Update: As of late April, my site sponsor has EVGA GTX 680 Mac Edition listed.) | |
| (Mar. 4, 2013) Sapphire shows their AMD 7950 Mac Edition card (3GB GDDR5, PCIe 3.0) at CeBit. (Update: As of early April, my site sponsor has Sapphire HD 7950 Mac Edition available.) | |
| (Mar 2013-Oct 2012) Coverage of Late 2012 Mac Mini HDMI display dropouts/intermittent black screens/video noise ("snow") and info from Intel's own forum on HD4000 'intermittent flicker' issues. [Includes Info on Apple's EFI Update to fix HDMI Flicker and notes on OS X 10.8.3.] Also has my own tests with a Late 2012 Mac Mini using an HDMI Samsung LCD Monitor (1920x1200) and an LG LM7600 (1080P) HDTV tested with a direct HDMI connection and via an A/V Receiver. Unlike many others, no HDMI/video issues so far. (Tested OK w/MDP 27in Cinema Display too.) Included are tips for common problems like washed-out displays, an EDID patch script to force RGB mode on ext. displays and notes on HDCP issues. (Also updated to include info on DIY Shielding of 2012 Mini's internal Bluetooth module to reduce interference from USB 3.0 devices and other issues related to late-2012 mac mini.) | |
Mac Pro (OS X 10.8.1) w/Benchmarks vs 8800GT |
(Sept 11, 2012) Article from a 2008 Mac Pro owner (running OS X 10.8.1 Mountain Lion) on an Nvidia GTX-570 video card upgrade (bought at auction site) that replaced an Nvidia 8800GT card. Report includes benchmarks vs the previous 8800GT card including LuxMark 2.0, smallluxGPU, OpenGL, Cinebench, NovaBench and FPS. |
for Mac Pro |
(Sept 7, 2012) Link is to Nvidia's product page for the Mac Quadro K5000. (Historically Quadro cards in OS X have often been expensive disappointments as far as performance for the cost.) |
| (Aug 2012) Report from an affected 15in Mid-2010 MacBook Pro owner on multiple motherboard replacements to fix Video/GPU problems. Includes links/notes on apple's updated article on the topic that (as of 7/31/2012) extends the warranty repair for this problem to 3 years from date of purchase, with a note in the doc on 'extensions as necessary'. (Also includes links to previous posts here on Mid-2010 MacBook Pro 15" (w/Nvidia GT330M) video problems going back to fall 2011, the evolving apple support document on the problem and apple's previously posted Video/OS updates for 15" 2010 MacBook Pros (OS X Lion & Snow Leopard) which may not fix the problem so they added the extended repair service for affected models.) | |
| (July 2012) Notes/links from owners of MacBook Pros with w/Nvidia GT320M graphics about problems/failures they have seen and/or had repaired. Includes links to threads on this problem with screenshots (checkerboard patterns, etc) and repair/replacement reports. Like some others, a reader was offered a replacement motherboard but is concerned about a repeat of the problem over time. (FYI: See above for info on similar problems with 15in (GT330M) Mid-2010 MacBook Pros which have an apple doc/repair extension program but not seen one for the 13in/320M models so far.) | |
| (Aug 2012-Jul 2008) Our original article from July 2008 (updated 100+ times) on flawed Nvidia GPU/Failures including the 8600M used in some series of MacBook Pros. Includes Apple's doc on the issue that notes affected MacBook Pro model production ranges and a warranty extension, Tips for affected model owners, and many reader reports (good and bad) on their experience with the extended repair program. (FYI: Apple doc on this updated to note the repair program ended Dec. 7th, 2012.) | |
Oven-Bake/Solder Reflow Tip (Feedback) |
(Apr 2012) A few more positive reports on the "Oven Bake"/solder reflow fix (example youtube video) for some Nvidia 8800GT card problems in Apple's Mac Pro forums. Some earlier/older threads on Nvidia 8800GT card problems have updated posts (here and here) on the oven-bake fix. As always, YMMV. (Some MP owners had also tried older tips on removing dust buildup, redoing thermal paste, SMCfanControl to boost case fan speeds for better cooling, etc.) I was skeptical when I first heard about it but oven baking posts in Nvidia's forums go back to 2010. |
| (Late Feb 2012) Per Apple's Download page, for Late 2008 15in MacBook Pros and said to fix a graphics issue that may cause internal display flicker. | |
| (Late Feb 2012) Nvidia posted drivers/CUDA update for OS X Lion - said to work with non-Mac ROM cards, including GTX-580. If any reader tries these drivers let me know if you see any pros or cons and your GPU/system details. Thanks. (Note: a reader said 10.7.3 has a later revision but more limited GPU support.) | |
| (Dec 2011) Replies to a reader request for Mac 5870 user feedback from longer term use. (i.e. any app or OS issues seen over time, would they buy again, etc). Also includes some owner's notes on flashed models (including 6870s) as well as comparison of 5870 vs 6870 hardware features and clock rates. | |
| (Nov 2011) 2008 Mac Pro owner notes on using a flashed PC Radeon 6870 video card in his Mac Pro running OS X Lion. (Using unofficial 64bit EFI rom noted earlier.) | |
(to fix intermittent black screen/no video/freezes) |
(Oct. 2011) Hopefully a fix for this issue (intermittent freezes/black screen, no video) noted here on 10/13/2011. Initially the updater was only for Lion, but Apple later posted an updater for 10.6.8 users. (BTW: The Apple doc has a note that if symptoms persist after the update, Apple service is reqd. They also note an extended service period (beyond the std warranty) for this issue.) |
| (Aug 2011) Post regarding a 64bit EFI ROM for flashing PC Radeon 6870s for use in Mac Pro 2008 and later. (EFI64 models, Mac Pro 3,1 and later models.) | |
| (Mar 2011) Posts regarding ATI drivers (kext) from early 2011 MacBook Pro's 10.6.6 build's working with reference (std/PC) Radeon 6870 cards (less boot screen). Also said to work with PC/ref 5870s as well. | |
| (Feb 2011) Apple has posted a doc with info on certain S/N ATI 2600 with Distorted Video issues that they're offering to replace with a 'version 2' of the card. (Or provide a refund if you purchased a replacement card due to this defect previously. Per a report the amount was capped at $250.) (FYI: Apple doc on this was updated Dec. 7th, 2012 to note this repair program has ended.) | |
| (Sept 2010) Apple has posted a doc with info on certain S/N ATI X1900 XT's with Distorted Video issues that they're (finally) offering to replace (with Nvidia 8800GTs reportedly as X1900's are no longer available). The doc also notes a refund is possible if you previously paid for a replacement for one of the affected (S/N) X1900 XTs. (Several readers have sent feedback on the replacement/refund program as well.) | |
| (April 2010) Comments from a 2009 Mac Pro owner on using both an Nvidia GTX-285 and an ATI 4870 graphics card. (By using Y adapters off the Mac Pros 2 Aux Power Connectors, since each card requires 2 power connections.) I know in the past some Mac Pro owners had used ext PS or adapters off the PATA Optical drive connections in pre-09 Mac Pros. And yes, he knows that apple lists 300W Max for the PCIe cards in the manual. | |
| (July 2009) Reader notes/links on flashing a PC XFX brand Radeon 4870/1MB vram for use in his (PCIe 1.0) Mac Pro. | |
Mac Edition Review (vs ATI 4870 and GT120) |
(June 2009) Review/comparisons of EVGA's Nvidia GeForce GTX 285 Mac edition vs the Mac ATI 4870 and the base Geforce GT120 card, tested in a 2009 Mac Pro 8-core 2.66GHz system. Includes pages on apps/game tests, power (watts) usage, benchmarks and Bootcamp/Vista use. (Including EVGA's Precision utility that supports the Logitech G15 keyboard's LCD display for realtime FPS, GPU temperature and clock speed reporting.) |
(vs Nvidia 8800GT & ATI X1900) |
(June 2008) Review of the ATO Radeon HD 3870 Mac/PC Edition PCI-Express 2.0 card (backward compatible with PCI-Express 1.0 Mac Pro Systems). Includes tests in OS X Leopard and Windows Vista vs Mac Nvida 8800GT and ATI X1900XT cards in a 2008 Mac Pro (PCIe 2.0) as well as previous PCIe 1.0 Mac Pro (2007/2006) models. |
USB-to-DVI adapter |
Mac Mini owner review of the EVGA UV16 Plus USB-to-DVI adapter to drive a 2nd monitor (or TV) via a Displaylink Mac driver. Also includes link to Feb 2007 report from a Mini owner on the Matrox DualHead2Go. |
| A page of 2008 Mac Pro owner experiences on the Mac ATI 2600XT firmware update (from Mar. 10th, 2008). Most feedback so far was not good - and some that had problems are getting new cards from Apple support... | |
| 2008 Mac Pro owner notes/tips/links/info on flashing a PC 8800GT card (with large enough eprom) with the OEM Mac 8800GT ROM. Includes notes/links on making a bootable (DOS) USB flash drive and more. | |
| Mac Pro/X1900 XT owner feedback on the Oct. 16th, 2007 release of an ATI X1900 XT firmware update (and EFI driver update). Includes notes/links to examples of issues not fixed some readers said (such as display artifacts - although some said it helped.) Also includes links to previous articles on X1900 XT cooling mods, tips, overheating/display artifact issues, etc. | |
| More reader notes, tips, screenshots, etc on ATI X1900 XT display artifacts (from overheating). Included are more comments on card cooler swaps, using SMCfancontrol to increase Mac Pro bay fan speeds and card revisions. | |
| ATI X1900 XT display artifacts (from overheating) caused by clogged heatsink fins on the card. Worth checking if you've used one of these cards for any period of time, especially in a dusty enviroment. | |
| Mac Mini owner notes on using Matrox DualHead2Go to run dual (analog) monitors with a Mac Mini under OS X. (We're still looking for OS X tweak to enable dual monitors on Mini w/DVI Splitter cable only - it works in Windows XP on intel-cpu Minis) | |
| Mac Pro owner's Unreal Tournament 2004 (flyby and botmatch) and Quake4 performance tests his Mac ATI X1900 XT at stock clock speeds and overclocked. (Game tests at various quality settings, SMP enabled/disabled, etc.) | |
| Mac Pro owner Quake4 performance tests of his original OEM 7300GT card vs a Mac ATI X1900 XT at stock clock speeds and overclocked. | |
| April 24th, 2006 news page item on iBook G3 graphics problem repair (where BGA chip solder joints break). Includes notes it may not be a permanent repair. | |
(No Video at boot w/some Macs) | Notes/Info from OWC and ATI on the new tech note from April 2006 that no longer lists the Digital Audio and Quicksilver models as compatible with the card. (Includes links to past posts on the no video at startup issue with some macs.) |
| Notes, photos and screenshots on a Flashed PC Nvidia FX5200 PCI card in a B&W G3 showing OS X Tiger core image and quartz extreme support without any hacks. | |
| Comments and screenshots on Mac 7800 GT PCI Express card OpenGL feature support. (And question on only 4 texture units and no multisample AA support listed in 10.4.3) | |
| Reader article with photos on mods to an OEM G5 Nvidia Geforce FX5200 card to enable it to be used in a 4x AGP tower (Digital Audio, QS, etc.) | |
| Owner reports from users of the ATI Mac X800 XT graphics cards. (Includes reports from some LCD display owners on video corruption on wake from sleep and how to sign up for a beta test program.) | |
| Detailed review of the X800 XT graphics card for G5s. Review compares the X800 to an ATI 9800 Pro and Nvidia 6800 Ultra DDL in the same G5 tower. Includes pages on 2d/video, 3d, games and the ATI control panel features. | |
| Mac 6800 owners reports, issues and tips on the Nvidia Geforce 6800 Ultra DDL card. (Notes on fan noise, tips for making system/boot CDs to address the kernal panic issue when booting from disks with pre-10.3.5 OS installed and more.) | |
| Review includes photos, install info, 2D/Video (Motion, DVD, Image quality, resolutions list, etc.) and 3D/Game tests. Test system is a Dual 2GHz G5 with comparisons to the OEM ATI 9800 Pro card. | |
| Dual 2.5GHz G5 w/6800 Ultra card owner report including performance tests and some comparisons to a Dual 2GHz G5 w/OEM 9800 Pro 128MB graphics card. (Not the 9800XT model.) | |
| Reports on using the ATIcellerator II dynamic (on the fly) Overclocking utility from owners of Desktop and Powerbook/iBook ATI onboard graphics users. Some reports include performance tests of stock GPU/memory clock speeds vs OC'd speeds. | |
| Reader reports on a firmware mod (unsupported by apple) to enable dual display support for (powerPC) iBooks w/Radeon Mobility chip, eMacs w/ATI graphics and iMac G4/G5s. (Does not work with Mac Mini and some other later models, nor older iBook/iMac models that had older graphics chips.) | |
| First reader feedback/tests on the 128MB Mac Radeon 9200 PCI Card. Includes tests with Call of Duty, Quake3, Jedi Knight II and Halo. | |
| A Quicksilver 2002 Dual 1GHz owner sent a few test comparisons of the 9800 Pro vs 8500 AGP cards. | |
vs BTO/OEM 9800 (tests in Dual G5 system) | Performance tests comparing the Retail ATI 9800 Pro to the BTO/OEM 9800 Pro card in a Dual G5 System. (See below for a previous article with 9600 vs 9800 tests.) |
| First tests with a Dual G5 2GHz system with 9600 Radeon vs 9800 Radeon (retail) graphics card vs a Mirror Drive Door Dual G4/1.25GHz with Radeon 9800 card. Includes game tests (UT2003, Quake3, RTCW, UT X PR3) and a few apps tests and benchmarks. Also includes notes on installing the retail 9800 Pro card in a G5. | |
(vs Geforce 4Ti, Geforce 3, Radeon 9000, Radeon 8500) | My first tests with the OEM ATI Radeon 9700 Pro graphics card tested in a MDD dual 1GHz G4. Comparison tests vs. the ATI Radeon 9000, 8500, Nvidia Geforce 4Ti and Geforce 3 cards. |
Flashing for Cubes | Reader info on how he flashed and underclocked the Mac ROM into a PC Geforce 2MX card. (For use in a Cube w/o a fan on the card. Mac GF2MX fanless cards are rare now and often expensive.) |
8500 Radeon Card | Reader Photos/Info on how he modified his Cube (moving the Power Supply board) to be able to install a Radeon 8500 AGP card. (Note - 80mm case fan also installed for cooling.) |
on PCI Radeons |
Reader feedback on the hack to enable Quartz Extreme support for PCI Radeons in OS X 10.2/Jaguar and later. (Note the pros and cons in the reports.) |
| A first look and performance tests of the Mac GeForce 4 Titanium 128MB, dual output AGP graphics card. (Performance tests vs GeForce 4MX, GeForce 3, Geforce 2MX, etc.) | |
| (Updated to include link to July 2002 driver update) Download links, info and reader reports on the ATI driver update (for OS 9.2 and OS X 10.1.0-10.1.5) released on June 24th, 2002. | |
| Comparing the Radeon 8500 AGP Mac edition to the BTO ATI Radeon 7500, Nvidia Geforce 4MX, GeForce 3, Geforce 2MX, and Radeon AGP in a Dual 1GHz G4 system. OS 9 and OS X tests, 2d, scrolling, 3d and game tests as well as comments on DVD playback. Includes a photo of the 8500 card and lists of resolutions available with a Sony FW900 widescreen monitor in OS 9 and OS X. | |
vs Radeon 7500 Tested in Dual 1GHz G4 | Comparing the BTO ATI Radeon 7500 vs Nvidia Geforce 4MX in a Dual 1GHz G4 system. OS 9 and OS X tests, 2d, scrolling, 3d and game tests as well as comments on DVD playback. Also includes photos of each card and lists of resolutions available with a Sony FW900 widescreen monitor. |
| I sent a long series of questions to ATI about their new graphics cards for Macs. (Including the new Radeon 8500 AGP 64MB DDR retail graphics card), as well as a few questions about driver updates for previous Mac ATI graphics cards like the original Radeon and VR128. | |
Owner Comments (dual monitor card) | A page listing owner reports on the PCI Radeon 7000 Mac Edition graphics card w/Dual Monitor outputs. Includes comments on use in OS X and from both older Mac owners and those with modern Macs. |
a Mfg Mistake? | Reader comments on Cube Radeon graphics cards with no fan on the heatsink (the original model had a fan for cooling). |
for use in Macs |
Reader comments on flashing PC GeForce 3 cards for use in Macs. Also see this related article. (Geforce 3Ti models are not compatible with mac firmware) |
for use in Macs |
Reader comments on flashing PC Geforce 2MX cards for use in Macs. (No reports on PCI models working) |
(in 4xAGP and 2xAGP Mac) | Comments and Performance tests on a G4/733 system with Nivida GeForce 3 AGP graphics card. Updated to include results of tests in a Gigabit G4/500 DP 2xAGP slot system (Apple notes the GeForce 3 requires a 4xAGP mac, so this is not a supported system with the GeForce 3 card.) |
| Read the detailed review of the first official Mac retail 3dfx card - the dual chip, 64MB Voodoo5 5500 PCI graphics card. Includes tests in 2d, 3d, games and pages on software controls and the card design/features. | |
| Reader Mark Anthony reviews the single chip/32MB version of the Voodoo5, which retails for about $180. Includes tests in 2d, 3d, games and pages on software controls. | |
| Compare the Voodoo3 2000 PCI (with Mac beta drivers) against the Voodoo2 (single card and SLI mode), Game Rocket and Rage128 Orion in games like Quake2, Q3test, Unreal and Falcon 4. Performance results, compatibility info and tests in Macbench 5, Lightwave 3D OpenGL as well. |
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| (Mar 2010) After years of putting it off, I finally did my own AppleTV Hard Drive Upgrade, using a better method (IMHO) that avoids ripping off the entire bottom rubber cover. See the linked guide for info/pictures, ATVcloner freeware, take-apart notes and more. | |
| (2010-2011) Mac/OS X user feedback from WD TV Live and Asus O!Play Media Player owners. Includes tips, pros and cons and notes on 3rd party software and firmware. (Bottom of page has WD TV Live related reference pages, FAQ, supported devices listing, supported disk formats, WDTV Live related Forums (WD's and others), B-RAD's homebrew WDTV Live firmware page and his Inside look at the Live's hardware and firmware/design.) | |
| Catch-all page with iPhone owner notes and tips on converting DVD/Videos for use on the iPhone. (Includes notes/links on software like Handbrake and VisualHub as well as using Quicktime Pro.) | |
| Reader tests of ElGato's Turbo.264 USB 2.0 Hardware Encoder vs standard Quicktime H.264 export speed with an iBook G4, Quad G5, Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro and iMac Core Duo. | |
| Catch-all page of Apple TV user reports, tips, issues, mods/hacks, drive upgrades and listing of over 40 Apple docs on Apple TV setup, networking and troubleshooting. | |
| EyeTV 200 comparison (vs EyeTV 200) with encoding tests (G5 tower and iBook), notes on exporting to iDVD, iMovie and more. | |
| A reader's writeup on his Sawtooth (1999 model) G4 Tower Media Center Project. | |
| A PowerBook G4 owner report on using the USB EyeTV/Plextor ConvertX. Includes comments on MPEG video quality and more. | |
| Reader's mini review of the ElGato USB TV Wonder (based on the PC ATI TV Wonder). | |
| Reader reviews and tips on the Alchemy TV tuner and (optional) Digital Video Recorder PCI card. (As of Jan 2009 still no update for OS X 10.5 support.) | |
| Reader reviews and driver update links/info on El Gato's line of EyeTV USB and Firewire DVR/TV Tuner devices. | |
| (From 2005) Sources and comments/tips on OS X drivers for PCI TV Tuner cards (TurboTV, Formac ProTV, Haupage WinTV, PCTV Rave). Also updated for USB TV Tuner reports from portable mac users. | |
Canon N1220U USB Scanners | Reader report comparing these two popular scanners. Includes important information for those needing to scan 3d objects, not just flat originals. |
| (Oct. 2011) One of several reports from (adapted) ADC Display users that had problems with screen flicker/flashing after the OS X 10.7.2 update. This reader said after getting a case number Apple called him back to confirm they had replicated the problem and were working on a fix in a future update. | |
| (Feb. 2009) A page of user reviews (notes/tips/issues) on the 24in LED Cinema Display for Unibody MacBook/MacBook Pros. | |
| (Jan. 2009) Several OS X Leopard user reports on the (under $300) Dell SP2309W (2048 x 1152 native res) with built-in webcam and dual microphones. Includes notes on use with iChat, Skype, etc. | |
| 2007 iMac owner comments on the new model's display having less viewing angle, washed out color (custom profile can help) and some noted screen variations (darker top/brigher bottom). Not all had complaints however. | |
| Reader reports and tips on connecting Macs to HDTVs (LCD, Plasma, CRT). | |
| Reader reports and tips on VGA to Component Video/HDTV converters. | |
| Norman Shutler sent an article he titles "The last Pismo Upgrade" with comments on replacing the old backlight in his Pismo along with Brightness Enhancement & Anti-Reflective/Anti-Glare Display Films. | |
| This page has copies of all the Aluminum (20, 23 and 30in) DVI Apple Cinema display owner reports including some (but not all) noting color consistency problems (pink tint, etc.) - also includes a reader's theory on what is causing the problem. | |
| A lucky reader wrote up a short review of the Apple 30in Cinema LCD Display. | |
| Reader review of the 17-inch Apple LCD display announced in spring 2001. | |
Review | Reader review of the 22-inch Apple LCD display. (Original DVI connector model.) |
Graphics Card Support | Reader comments on support of widescreen modes with the Sony display. Includes comments from owners of Mac Geforce 2MX and Radeon graphics cards. *Updated* to include comments on modes supported by OS 9.2.2, GeForce 3, and OS X modes supported by Geforce 4MX and ATI Radeon 7500. |
| (Jan. 2010) Reader notes on using freeware VLC player and MakeMKV to playback BR movies in OS X. | |
| Reader tests of ElGato's Turbo.264 USB 2.0 Hardware Encoder vs standard Quicktime H.264 export speed with an iBook G4, Quad G5, Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro and iMac Core Duo. | |
Roxio Popcorn (DVD copy/compression app.) | Reader reports and tips on Roxio's Popcorn for Mac (released late 2004). |
| Links and notes on Mplayer and VLC/Videolan DVD software that doesn't require a Rage128 or later graphics chip like Apple's DVD Player. | |
(PCI DVD Decoder) | Tired of the sugglish software DVD player? Want TV out? Read this review of the Wiredinc.com Wired4DVD decoder card which features hardware DVD decoding, TV/Audio out and more. (NOTE: no longer in production and for pre-OS X use only.) |
SM-1212 6X/32X IDE DVD ROM Drive | The Toshiba DVD ROM drive worked Plug and Play in my Beige G3 and should as well in B&W G3s. Bootable and worked great with the Apple CD/DVD extension (OS 9.04 tested). Impressive Macbench performance as well compared to the stock Apple 24x drive. |
(later posted items first) | |
| Short article w/photos from a G5 Tower owner on using an Accelero S1 Rev 2 cooler (passive) on his ATI X800 card - with mods to G5 tower's air deflector required to clear the S1 R2's heatsink. | |
| Short article w/photos from a Mac Pro owner on using an Accelero S1 Rev 2 cooler (passive) on his 8800GT. (Updated with temperature tests (Fanless) vs stock cooler and notes on adding a fan to this cooler.) | |
| Short article w/photos from a Mac Pro owner on using a Thermalright V2 cooler (w/fan) on his 8800GT and previous ATI X1900. (replied to the earlier article on the HR-03 Plus model). | |
(not recommended w/o fan) |
Info, photos and notes/warning from a Mac Pro owner that swapped the stock 8800GT cooler for the (passive) HR-03 Plus. (Did not use a fan option on the IDE03, which Thermalright recommends.) Update - see later article with notes/temp tests of HR-03 with Added Fan.) |
| Info and Photos from a G5 Tower owner on installing the TMG AT2 cooler on his Mac X1900 G5 Edition after seeing some signs of overheating. Includes notes that the G5 clear plastic cover could not be used due to the width of the AT2 heatsink. | |
| Older cards need cooling too - a G4 Tower owner with OEM Nvidia Geforce4 Ti 4600 card wrote with notes and photos on installing a Zalman VF700 cooler after the stock fan showed signs of failing. | |
| Info and Photos from a Mac Pro owner on installing the Zalman VF-1000 cooler that lowered temperatures and noise on his Mac X1900 XT. | |
| Info and Photos from a Mac Pro owner on installing a quieter Thermaltake TMG-AT1 cooler on his Mac X1900 XT cards. | |
| Info with Tips and Photos from a G5 tower owner on mods to install a Quiet Zalman VF900 CU cooler on his (noisy fan) Mac Radeon 9800 Special Edition. Includes info on retainer mods, fan speed controller wiring, etc. | |
| Comments, Notes and Photos from a Mac Pro owner on quieting his X1900 XT card using an Arctic Cooling Accelero S1. (Includes notes on fit problems with the Revoltec Graphics Freezer Pro in the Mac Pro, although he's using it in a PC on a X1950 card.) | |
| Comments and Photos from Quad G5 owner on quieting his Nvidia 7800GT card using an Arctic Cooling NV Silencer 5 (Fan/heatsink swap). | |
| Comments and Photos from Quad G5 owner on quieting his Nvidia 7800GT card using a Zalman VF-900cu Cooler (Fan/heatsink swap). | |
| A Mac Pro owner notes how he quieted his Mac ATI X1900 XT card with an under $25 Arctic Cooling Accelero X2 (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) cooler. | |
| A reader article on installing the low cost/radial copper heatsink on his Mac 6800 Ultra. | |
| In an effort to reduce fan noise, a reader replaced the stock Mac 6800Ultra heatsink/fan with Arctic Cooling's NV Silencer 5 with positive results he said. | |
| Illustrated guide on mods to install a VGA Silencer on an OEM 9800 Pro card for the G5. (Mods required to backside clamp since the area in the G5 is too small to fit with the stock clamp.) | |
| Review and install guide on the (very quiet but expensive) Verax G03 cooler for the ATI 9800 Pro. | |
| Reports on using the ATIcellerator II dynamic (on the fly) Overclocking utility from owners of Desktop and Powerbook/iBook ATI onboard graphics users. Some reports include performance tests of stock GPU/memory clock speeds vs OC'd speeds. | |
| Reader reports on a firmware mod (unsupported by apple) to enable dual display support for iBook's w/Radeon Mobility chip, eMacs w/ATI graphics and iMac G4/G5s. (Does not work with Mac Mini and some other later models, nor older iBook/iMac models that had older graphics chips.) | |
| (From 2005) A reader's writeup on his Sawtooth (1999 model) G4 Tower Media Center Project. | |
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