Following ATI's instructions, you should first install the ATI drivers from the included CD (and OpenGL 1.2.2 if it is not already installed). Then shut down, and install the card. Installing the card is as simple as installing any PCI card, position it in the slot, and tighten the screw to secure it. Once the card is installed you can hook your monitor(s) up, and start up your Mac.

With the current state of computers, monitors are the main data output devices. Because of this, you need a video card in your system. While many users may be happy with the video cards that are included with their computers, sometimes you need to upgrade (for better performance, compatibility, or features). The Radeon 7000 is an upgrade to most PCI cards available for the Mac, that provides all three of the reasons to upgrade.

Performance wise, this card is about average. You can see how this card stacks up against an old powerhouse, the Voodoo 3, on my speed tests page. The 2D performance seems to be a little lower than that of the Voodoo 3, but OpenGL and Quicktime acceleration are very good. The quicktime acceleration is so good, that DivX movies can be played without dropping a frame, something the Voodoo 3, and even older Rage 128's could not do.

One of the main reasons for getting this card is ATI has been working closely with Apple for years, so their drivers are very up to date, and overall compatibility is very good. Newer games have been becoming increasingly incompatible with 3Dfx cards, but the Radeon 7000 plays them without a complaint.

But the biggest selling point of this card is its feature set. This card comes loaded with great features. Of course, like any video card, it can drive a monitor. But this one can also drive two monitors, a TV, a monitor and a TV, CRT monitors, and Flat Panel displays. It can create extended desktops, or mirror displays. You can even use a large screen TV as your only monitor if you wish, giving you the ability to have the largest computer screen in town.

All of these features work great, using the included adapters and cables. ATI makes sure you aren't left out in the cold by including a DVI to VGA adapter (for hooking up a second VGA monitor), a VGA to Apple adapter (for older Apple monitors), a S-Video cable, a Composite video cable, and a S-Video to Composite adapter. No matter what kind of monitor or TV you have, you should be able to hook it up with the included pieces.

Notice: One of the big questions with this video card is whether or not it is G5 compatible (because G5s can only accept 3.3V PCI cards). Therefore, I tested it, and it does indeed function in a G5. Because it is PCI, it will not provide such features as Quartz Extreme. However, it will provide extra video outputs (for extra monitor(s), and a cheap TV solution. Problems:

The only problem I encountered when using this video card was with Future Cop: LAPD. Upon launching that game, the colors because totally distorted. Even after quitting the game, and restarting the computer, the distorted colors remained. Finally, I found that deleting the Mac OS and Finder preferences cured my problem, and brought the normal colors back.

However, there was another problem with this card which needs to be documented. The Radeon 7000 conflicted with Mac OS X when run on beige G3's. However, when Apple released Mac OS X 10.1.5, beige G3 owners finally got relief, as their Radeon 7000's now worked with Mac OS X. If you are a beige G3 user running Mac OS X, make sure you have version 10.1.5 or later before installing this card.

This isn't the most powerful card ever made, but it is good enough for most people's needs. It will do intensive 2D and 3D tasks, as well as accelerating 3D games. This may be the last PCI video card ever made for the Mac, making it a good choice for us PCI only users who need the best video card we can get.

Pros	Cons
Dual Monitor Support (VGA and DVI or VGA and VGA) TV output support Powerful OpenGL and Quicktime acceleration Very good application and game compatibility Good range of available resolutions Mac OS X compatible	2D acceleration could be more powerful PCI is much slower than AGP
8/10 stars