3 ms·

Actually, graphics drivers provide the OpenGL interface, just like they provide the rendering backend to DirectX. People are going to install graphics drivers a

by Zr40 13y ago

Actually, graphics drivers provide the OpenGL interface, just like they provide the rendering backend to DirectX. People are going to install graphics drivers anyway if they're going to do GPU stuff.

DigitalJack 13y ago
Are there graphics drivers to install? I've just assumed in stuck with whatever apple provides. does nvidia publish third party osx drivers?
- xaritas 13y ago
  Yep: http://www.nvidia.com/object/macosx-313.01.02f01-driver.html http://www.nvidia.com/object/macosx-313.01.02f01-driver.html Nominally these are to support higher end cards for things like CUDA and OpenCL. Interestingly, though, the official drivers contained in updates from Apple have evolved support for pretty much every nVidia card since 2010, and recently starting gaining support for the AMD 7xxx series. For example I run a hackintosh with a fully enabled GTX 470. In Snow Leopard days I had use the nVidia supplied drivers for their workstation cards, these days it Just Works.
- Samuel_Michon 13y ago
  > I've just assumed [graphics drivers are included] with whatever apple provides. That’s correct. When you buy a Mac, you don’t need to download extra drivers. Only if you buy a Mac Pro and later install a different (or additional) PCI graphics card, you may need to download drivers.
  - sharth 13y ago
    This has changed a bit now. The only PCIe expansion capability available on any mac (including the new mac pro) is thunderbolt. The new mac pro does not have any internal expansion. You can however, use something like [this](http://www.sonnettech.com/product/echoexpresschassis.html http://www.sonnettech.com/product/echoexpresschassis.html), as long as you realize that you only have access to PCIe x4 bandwidth. I've also not seen any posts of anyone actually doing this yet.

3 ms·

Actually, graphics drivers provide the OpenGL interface, just like they provide the rendering backend to DirectX. People are going to install graphics drivers a

by Zr40 13y ago

Actually, graphics drivers provide the OpenGL interface, just like they provide the rendering backend to DirectX. People are going to install graphics drivers anyway if they're going to do GPU stuff.

DigitalJack 13y ago
Are there graphics drivers to install? I've just assumed in stuck with whatever apple provides. does nvidia publish third party osx drivers?
- xaritas 13y ago
  Yep: http://www.nvidia.com/object/macosx-313.01.02f01-driver.html http://www.nvidia.com/object/macosx-313.01.02f01-driver.html Nominally these are to support higher end cards for things like CUDA and OpenCL. Interestingly, though, the official drivers contained in updates from Apple have evolved support for pretty much every nVidia card since 2010, and recently starting gaining support for the AMD 7xxx series. For example I run a hackintosh with a fully enabled GTX 470. In Snow Leopard days I had use the nVidia supplied drivers for their workstation cards, these days it Just Works.
- Samuel_Michon 13y ago
  > I've just assumed [graphics drivers are included] with whatever apple provides. That’s correct. When you buy a Mac, you don’t need to download extra drivers. Only if you buy a Mac Pro and later install a different (or additional) PCI graphics card, you may need to download drivers.
  - sharth 13y ago
    This has changed a bit now. The only PCIe expansion capability available on any mac (including the new mac pro) is thunderbolt. The new mac pro does not have any internal expansion. You can however, use something like [this](http://www.sonnettech.com/product/echoexpresschassis.html http://www.sonnettech.com/product/echoexpresschassis.html), as long as you realize that you only have access to PCIe x4 bandwidth. I've also not seen any posts of anyone actually doing this yet.