Recently, I have been suffering some screen re-draw issues on my Pro Tools computer - a Mid 2010 Mac Pro which had an ATI Radeon HD5770 1024MB graphics card in it. So I had a chat with Rich at Create Pro to see if upgrading my graphics card might help and he recommended an AMD R9 280X 3GB card which they do a special Mac compatible version of with a custom flashed ROM. 

AMD R9 280X 3GB Graphics Card Spec

• Powerful Mac GPU with OpenCL acceleration

• 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x DisplayPort outputs

• Compatble with 2008/2009/2010/2012 Mac Pro systems.

• Compatible with OS X 10.9 and newer.

• RAM Flashed by Create Pro to work with Apple Mac Pro computers

I did the deed and bought the card from Create Pro and then got bogged down with a load of work and so it sat in its box on the side for a month.

3 Into 2 Won't Go

Then last week I decided the job needed doing and so I opened up my Mac Pro and started to do the job and found two additional power leads came with the card, but here was my problem, there are only two additional power sockets on the Mac Pro motherboard and one of them is taken up with my Avid HDX card. So a quick call to Create Pro produced the solution, I needed a splitter lead. Tom at Create Pro sent me the appropriate lead by UK Special Delivery so it would arrive the next day...

Installation

Next day, with my Mac Pro on its side, I was able to remove the old graphics card, and then to make it easier to get my hands inside, I also took out the Avid HDX card. I fitted the splitter lead and then added the new graphics card. It was a little tricky to get the card into the slot but all seemed well.

I reconnected everything and put it all back together and powered it up and nothing, my screens were black. So I shut it down, took the cover off the Mac Pro, and pulled everything out again and had another go. This time I was even more careful to seat the graphics card in the slot and then with the Mac Pro still open and on its side and booted it up and hey presto pictures. 

After shutting it down, next I put the Avid HDX card back in and tried it again - good news - still had pictures. 

I shut it down again and put everything back, the card retainer plate, the card support unit and put the Mac Pro back in the computer cupboard before booting it up one more time. All was well.

Conclusions

It's early days yet but already everything feels more agile and the colours look better too. 

Top marks to Tom and Rich at Create Pro for great advice and support.