Behold, graphics and chip news:
The Wall Street Journal: Apple recently hired Raja Koduri, who was formerly the chief technology officer of the graphics products group at chip maker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. Mr. Koduri started at Apple this week, following in the footsteps of Bob Drebin, who had held the same title at AMD and is also now working for Apple.
HardMac: Another possibility also tempting us is that Bob Drebin is there to help Apple optimize the drivers of graphics cards that the company has always had some difficulty. Even though one understands that they are not interested in games, the optimization of these drivers will become a key aspect with Open CL and the GPGPU.
AppleInsider: …the GTX 285 will be made by third-party firm EVGA, a company already well-established in making NVIDIA-based cards for Windows PCs. Like the Quadro FX 4800, though, it will forgo Apple’s preferred Mini DisplayPort in favor of two dual-link DVI video ports. Both 2008 and 2009 Mac Pros will be supported.
Chip designers are likely for future iPhone based products with a desire to make the hardware smaller, faster, more power efficient.
As for the GTX285, we’re long overdue a GPU update for Mac OS X. One of my PC using mates almost wet himself when he heard I was still using an 8800GT for gaming. As there is no Mini DisplayPort, maybe this will mean the GTX285 will be similarly priced to the PC version? The HD4870 by AMD is nearly twice the price compared to the PC model. Is the inclusion of Mini DisplayPort that much more? Maybe driver development costs? Profit margins? I’d guess that the price difference is down to Apple. No wonder a PC 4870 has been flashed for OS X.
Interestingly, Apple Insider also say:
[NVIDIA] does say that, unlike some cards converted for the Mac, the GTX 285 will have the same performance as its Windows counterpart.
Which, if true, is bloody marvellous.
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