Apple M9020LL/A Technology Overview - Page 16

Technology Overview 16 Power Mac G5 16-lane PCI Express The 16-lane PCI Express graphics interface provides throughput of up to 4 GBps, almost double that of the AGP 8X standard. And by supplying up to 150 watts of power to the primary graphics processing unit, the new Power Mac G5 provides the headroom for high-performance, next-generation graphics processors and applications-enabling even higher resolutions for stunning realism. NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 If industrial-strength 3D design work, stereo 3D visualization, or using two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays is at the top of your wish list, you can configure your Power Mac G5 with the NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500.7 One of the most sophisticated graphics cards available, the Quadro FX 4500 is an ideal choice for advanced design and visualization. It features: • An integrated stereo 3D port, so scientists can use goggles for stereo-in-a-window visualization applications6 • Hardware support for anti-aliased points and lines, accelerated clip planes, and two-sided lighting • Two dual-link DVI ports for connecting two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays, delivering the largest workspace available using a single graphics card Graphics card specifications GeForce 6600 LE Card interface 16-lane PCI Express Memory interface 128-bit Frame bu∂er memory 128MB GDDR SDRAM Memory bandwidth 6.4 GBps Vertices per second 225 million Fill rate (texels per second) 1.2 billion Ports One single-link DVI and one dual-link DVI Slots occupied One GeForce 6600 16-lane PCI Express 128-bit 256MB GDDR SDRAM 8 GBps 225 million 2.4 billion One single-link DVI and one dual-link DVI One GeForce 7800 GT Quadro FX 4500 16-lane PCI Express 16-lane PCI Express 256-bit 256-bit 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM 512MB GDDR3 SDRAM 32 GBps 33.6 GBps 700 million 181 million triangles 8 billion 10.8 billion One single-link DVI and one dual-link DVI One Two dual-link DVI and one stereo port Two Choosing a graphics card Which card is right for you? More powerful graphics processors and faster, larger frame bu∂ers perform 2D and 3D operations more quickly. When selecting a graphics card, consider your primary uses, along with the following: • Memory bandwidth determines how fast images and textures can be accessed by the graphics processor from its own memory. The higher the bandwidth, the more capable the card is of supporting real-time, complex 3D images. • Vertices are the key building blocks for 3D images in the OpenGL graphics environment in Mac OS X. More vertices means greater complexity, resulting in more realism onscreen. • After a 3D object is assembled from the vertices, it must be filled. Each 3D object can contain many pixels, each with a di∂erent appearance based on the texture, lighting, and color being applied. The higher the fill rate, the more lifelike an object appears. • Frame bu∂er memory, or video memory, stores the information being used by the graphics processor to create onscreen images. The faster the memory, the more capable the graphics card is of generating lifelike, complex 3D screens in real time. For best performance, choose GDDR3 memory, developed by the graphics industry for intensive 3D applications. Note that larger frame bu∂ers also improve support for a multiple-display configuration in which large, complex screens are created for both displays.