2006-07 Mac Pro Video problem

My mac pro video cuts off occasionally, usually in web games( Runescape,, boggle etc) but 1 or 2 times when demoing lightroom 4. sound still works and all fans continue. speaking to a local Mac store agrees that it is must likely the video card going bad. They suggested either the Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT or the NVidia Quadro FX 4500. Any thoughts of which is better and any possible issues to be aware of. Thanks!

Mac Pro 2006/07
2x 2.66 Dual Core Xeon
4 gb ram
currently using ATI Radeon X1900XT

daeod said:

They suggested either the Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT or the NVidia Quadro FX 4500. Any thoughts of which is better and any possible issues to be aware of. Thanks!

Mac Pro 2006/07
2x 2.66 Dual Core Xeon
4 gb ram
currently using ATI Radeon X1900XT

Click to expand...

This is the exact same setup I had when I had this model Mac Pro (I also had the X1900 video card). My understanding is…the x1900 video cards did have overheating/cooling problems. I bought my Mac Pro used…and the guy that I bought it from said that he had his original X1900 video card replaced. So when I got it…it was on it's 2nd X1900 card (I believe it had a bigger fan…or something like that).

I don't know a whole bunch about the 8800 card…but I think that it's reasonably fast from what I've read. The Quatro 4500 card originally was a $1000+ video card (probably a lot cheaper now…used…on e-Bay). But I don't really know if the price meant that it was SUPER fast.

If it were me…I would go with a Radeon 5770 (about $250):

http://store.apple.com/us/product/M...2010)?fnode=53&fs=m.productKind=graphic_cards
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Apple/6615718/

Apple says that the 5770 is only compatible with 2010 Mac Pro's…but according to OWC (2nd link)…the 5770 is compatible with just about all the Mac Pro ever released.

HTH,

- Nick

Thanks Nick!