TheLaughingManWell they wouldn't need to create new "special" drivers for Apple if they would be so up tight about controlling everything about everything. I get why they do it and in shows in the quality work they do with design, implementation, and UI (which is honestly a little too simple at times).

Setting that all aside, the reason this is an "Apple tax" and why the term applies to non-Apple hardware is because they are going to write the drivers with AMD/ATI's help, because they don't want a 3rd party writing drivers for their stuff. I think that senario is backwards. Why can't they just test and certify the drivers like Windows does. Why does it have to be re-engineered from the ground up using Apple based code and software? They did it to Nvidia and is the primary reason why the cards run at 25% power when Valve ported over Steam. I hope they have worked out that kink by now, cause that was just plain bad all around. Valve, Apple, and Nvidia dropped the ball on that one.

Well I hope that Valve, ATI, and Apple will remember to test the system before releasing it to the public or people will be back in the same $^it creek again.

“Apple buyers demand the best, and AMD’s award-winning ATI Radeon graphics enable exceptional visual experiences for iMac users,” said Matt Skynner

leonard_222003Translating the bullshit , AMD was much cheaper and we went with them , sure we could've went with Nvidia and enable some Cuda bullshit for some Adobe video edititing software and maybe even Final Cut Pro but who cares when we can

NC37Actually some of the hottest running iMacs ever had ATI boards. Ones with higher failure rates too. But this was mostly due to Apple cramming hotter running chips into machines already burdened with other high end parts. This gen we are only seeing up to 5750. Why 5770 was excluded is likely because Apple learned from the past high failure rates of how much the design could really take. Likely Apple went all ATI this round because NV doesn't have all their 4 series parts in order yet.

Apple jumps from maker to maker often so this really isn't like an exclusivity agreement. If NV would have had its act together, you'd prolly have seen some NV parts used.

Apple users really aren't the only stupid ones when it comes to using low end hardware. If the general PC user had half a brain, Intel wouldn't be in the GPU business. Apple used to use Intel only graphics early on in the switch. I warned people not to buy them but in a frenzy they did anyways. Short time later, everyone comes crying that they can't run their apps on GMA crap chips. Think 2 gens later, Apple dumps GMA out of their low ends then makes a fuss about low end users finally getting the basic performance they wanted. Pretty obvious ppl were not wanting Intel and Apple heeded that.

Sadly Apple is well known for not using the best graphics tech possible when available, which is odd when they use such higher end CPUs. For being a company that was so heavy in graphics and artists, they really don't give them the best tools to work with.

OneCoolThey wont use their CPU's but the stupid f%$&ers will use their GPU's.

Man I hate that company and everything it stands for.

I wish AMD would have told them to get screwed