Apple Shares Recommended Graphics Cards and Chassis in New eGPU Support Document for macOS High Sierra 10.13.4

[SgtPepper12]

I used to think this would be a neat thing to have, but at this point it just makes no sense to me. I'd rather just work on a remote machine, I can use any GPU I want, don't need to bring anything with me and it's probably cheaper as well. I guess if you are into that you could use that for gaming, but honestly, why even bother

 

[Btaylor_prod]

WTF Apple! The whole point of eGPU support for Macs was for CUDA via NVIDIA cards. Most people using eGPU’s are using NVIDIA cards. If I wanted to use a sufficient ATI card I would buy a MacPro.

This doesn’t look promising for the artist holding out on purchase the new, redesigned MacPro this year.

 

[EdT]

I don’t care if the reason NVidea isn’t supported is Apple’s fault or NVidea. Fix it.

 

[cube]

WTF Apple! The whole point of eGPU support for Macs was for CUDA via NVIDIA cards. Most people using eGPU’s are using NVIDIA cards. If I wanted to use a sufficient ATI card I would buy a MacPro.

Not true. I built an RX460 eGPU for my 2011 MBP.

 

[Btaylor_prod]

Not true. I built an RX460 eGPU for my 2011 MBP.

Well you would be one of the few outliers. The majority want NVIDIA

 

[_mdavenport]

macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 does not support eGPUs in Windows using Boot Camp

Not natively, but with a few workarounds from the good folks over at https://egpu.io/, this functionality can be enabled. I’m currently able to run an Nvidia GTX 1080 via Akitio Node eGPU enclosure in Bootcamped Windows 10 on my 2014 15” rMBP. It can drive an external display or accelerate the internal Retina display. Totally awesome.
[doublepost=1522457853][/doublepost]

Does this mean I could play some AAA games (Through Windows) with a GTX 1080ti using my 2016 matchbook pro?

Edit: NM...now Nvidia support

Yes you can, if you implement the workarounds shown over at https://egpu.io/. I’m able to run a GTX 1080 externally from Bootcamped Wondows 10 on my 2014 rMBP using tricks from the eGPU.io build guides!

 

[Michael Goff]

WTF Apple! The whole point of eGPU support for Macs was for CUDA via NVIDIA cards. Most people using eGPU’s are using NVIDIA cards. If I wanted to use a sufficient ATI card I would buy a MacPro.

This doesn’t look promising for the artist holding out on purchase the new, redesigned MacPro this year.

When was that said? Did you just assume that was the point? Do you have any numbers that point to the current eGPU market? Is the current market even big enough that Apple couldn’t swivel it to be more AMD for actual productivity?

 

[xxDEATHTRAPZxx]

I still don't understand the choice of GPU in the 2016 and 2017 MBP, the radeon pro 455-560 are honestly so rubbish. A mobile 1060 would have been such a hugely better option in my eyes. So the fact that people (like myself) are buying eGPU's is saying something about apples current line up. Definitely is disappointing that Nvidia cards are still not natively supported and more so that thunderbolt 1/2 have been rendered useless in 10.13.4...


Nvidia GTX 1070 vs AMD Radeon Pro 555
Userbenchmark Effective 3D Gaming GPU Speed: 99.7% vs 19.6%
Nvidia GTX 1070 - 15th / 579
AMD Radeon Pro 555 - 125th / 579

 

[cube]

Well you would be one of the few outliers. The majority want NVIDIA

Well, the majority want Intel. It does not mean few people would want an AMD GPU, as a lot would prefer something cheaper that has Metal and built-in drivers and do not need CUDA.

 

[FrancoisC]

[doublepost=1522450973][/doublepost]I have the same setup. It's been working perfectly since Nov. with a MacMini 2012 over TB1. Can you confirm that it still works with the official 10.13.4 release? I'm holding off the install until I know for sure.

Can't confirm sorry, sold the setup before final 10.13.4 came out.

 

[Btaylor_prod]

Well, the majority want Intel. It does not mean few people would want an AMD GPU, as a lot would prefer something cheaper that has Metal and built-in drivers and do not need CUDA.

Buy a MacPro if you want AMD power with metal. Or, keep using a 2011 MacBook Pro. I’m just saying a “majority” of people you use OSX and want eGPU support, want CUDA.
[doublepost=1522460654][/doublepost]

When was that said? Did you just assume that was the point? Do you have any numbers that point to the current eGPU market? Is the current market even big enough that Apple couldn’t swivel it to be more AMD for actual productivity?

Goff, you’re one of the outliers...
Trust me, or you won’t, but a “majority” of people wanting eGPUs on OSX want NVIDIA support. You’re not in they group, I understand completely.

 

[Michael Goff]

I still don't understand the choice of GPU in the 2016 and 2017 MBP, the radeon pro 455-560 are honestly so rubbish. A mobile 1060 would have been such a hugely better option in my eyes. So the fact that people (like myself) are buying eGPU's is saying something about apples current line up. Definitely is disappointing that Nvidia cards are still not natively supported and more so that thunderbolt 1/2 have been rendered useless in 10.13.4...


Nvidia GTX 1070 vs AMD Radeon Pro 555
Userbenchmark Effective 3D Gaming GPU Speed: 99.7% vs 19.6%
Nvidia GTX 1070 - 15th / 579
AMD Radeon Pro 555 - 125th / 579

Why Apple didn’t go with AMD:
Gaming benchmarks are irrelevant to them, they’re making a Pro device for people who do Pro work.
AMD is willing to work with companies to make solutions work better for them. I’m sure AMD drivers for Mac do whatever Apple wants them to do.
NVidia is pushing CUDA
Power consumption is actually higher on the 1060 than the AMD chips they used
[doublepost=1522460792][/doublepost]

Buy a MacPro if you want AMD power with metal. Or, keep using a 2011 MacBook Pro. I’m just saying a “majority” of people you use OSX and want eGPU support, want CUDA.
[doublepost=1522460654][/doublepost]

Goff, you’re one of the outliers...
Trust me, or you won’t, but a “majority” of people wanting eGPUs on OSX want NVIDIA support. You’re not in they group, I understand completely.

I didn’t say anything about me. I asked about where you’re getting your claim of a majority. If you don’t have numbers and are instead going based on Truthiness, that’s fine.

 

[Btaylor_prod]

Why Apple didn’t go with AMD:
Gaming benchmarks are irrelevant to them, they’re making a Pro device for people who do Pro work.
AMD is willing to work with companies to make solutions work better for them. I’m sure AMD drivers for Mac do whatever Apple wants them to do.
NVidia is pushing CUDA
Power consumption is actually higher on the 1060 than the AMD chips they used

I would LOVE to see the software I use on a regular basis for rendering utalize OpenCL. CUDA is much more mature than OpenCL at this point. Hopefully it will change, but not soon enough.

 

[Michael Goff]

I would LOVE to see the software I use on a regular basis for rendering utalize OpenCL. CUDA is much more mature than OpenCL at this point. Hopefully it will change, but not soon enough.

And it’s all more mature than Metal, which is what they’re using. If you look at what Metal does, it’s supposed to do both what OpenGL and OpenCL do.

 

[vladi]

I don't get it. What is it with Apples bias towards AMD? Nvidia kills AMD in GPU rendering and 3D partical simulations. Cinema4D integrated pro render and frankly it just sucks.

Oh well, another Apple mystery.

Nvidia's CUDA is direct competitor to Apple's Metal, that's obvious by now. Apple was pushing OpenCL train as the bridge toward it's own Metal proprietary interface and many software providers have fell for it by opting to develop OpenCL rendering options just to please the Mac crowd.

 

[Btaylor_prod]

Why Apple didn’t go with AMD:
Gaming benchmarks are irrelevant to them, they’re making a Pro device for people who do Pro work.
AMD is willing to work with companies to make solutions work better for them. I’m sure AMD drivers for Mac do whatever Apple wants them to do.
NVidia is pushing CUDA
Power consumption is actually higher on the 1060 than the AMD chips they used
[doublepost=1522460792][/doublepost]

I didn’t say anything about me. I asked about where you’re getting your claim of a majority. If you don’t have numbers and are instead going based on Truthiness, that’s fine.

In my field of film and television production, as well as the scientific research and deep learning, CUDA is leading. It’s simple Apple doesn’t support CUDA but AMD, yes, so... if you can already have a nice AMD card with a Mac, why get an eGPU with another AMD card? I know it’s rhetorical, I’m sure gamers, and people who can’t afford a new machine would want one.

 

[Michael Goff]

Nvidia's CUDA is direct competitor to Apple's Metal, that's obvious by now. Apple was pushing OpenCL train as the bridge toward it's own Metal proprietary interface and many software providers have fell for it by opting to develop OpenCL rendering options just to please the Mac crowd.

And the worst part is that I don’t think OpenCL was ever pushed on Windows. And now Metal will never be pushed to Windows but people will be forced to move to that to do things for Macs and iOS.
[doublepost=1522462019][/doublepost]

In my field of film and television production, as well as the scientific research and deep learning, CUDA is leading. It’s simple Apple doesn’t support CUDA but AMD, yes, so... if you can already have a nice AMD card with a Mac, why get an eGPU with another AMD card? I know it’s rhetorical, I’m sure gamers, and people who can’t afford a new machine would want one.

The future. Imagine five years from now when you can get a better AMD card but your iMac CPU is still great. You don’t need a whole new iMac but would love your Final Cut Pro X thing to render faster.

 

[xxDEATHTRAPZxx]

Why Apple didn’t go with AMD:
Gaming benchmarks are irrelevant to them, they’re making a Pro device for people who do Pro work.
AMD is willing to work with companies to make solutions work better for them. I’m sure AMD drivers for Mac do whatever Apple wants them to do.
NVidia is pushing CUDA
Power consumption is actually higher on the 1060 than the AMD chips they used

You're right a 1060 mobile power consumption is higher than the Pro 555, but that wattage is not at waste performing 196% better than the 555. If we look at the 1050 mobile we are seeing a 5 watt difference for 50% better performance. So I find it hard to agree that the 1050 mobile is not a better option... When i'm using blender or 3ds max cuda performance crushes open CL.

 

[Michael Goff]

You're right a 1060 mobile power consumption is higher than the Pro 555, but that wattage is not at waste performing 196% better than the 555. If we look at the 1050 mobile we are seeing a 5 watt difference for 50% better performance. So I find it hard to agree that the 1050 mobile is not a better option... When i'm using blender or 3ds max cuda performance crushes open CL.

If you’re Apple and lowering the size of the battery, you have to think about every single watt. It’s a portable device, not a desktop where power consumption doesn’t matter.

 

[xxDEATHTRAPZxx]

If you’re Apple and lowering the size of the battery, you have to think about every single watt. It’s a portable device, not a desktop where power consumption doesn’t matter.

I think you need to open up a 15" 2016-2017 MBP the amount of room between the batteries is INSANE. Im talking about over a 1cm between each cell, if apples focus was there, they need to put their money where their mouth is. Say for instance 35 watts over 10 minutes compared to 40 watts over 5 minutes. Which one has overall lower power draw?

 

[shipdestroyerrr]

I really cant use my NVIDIA quaddro ?! wow

 

[JosephAW]

To elaborate. eGPU will work natively in MacOS 10.13.1 and 10.13.2. My Mac Mini 2012 quad i7 is a very useful machine after adding an eGPU last year. Now it is stuck on 10.13.2 forever because Apple specifically removed the functionality of the eGPU for Thunderbolt 1 & 2. They could have left the capability in and just not supported it, but chose to cripple older machines instead. This really bothers me, intentionally removing the ability to upgrade a machine after allowing the upgrade previously. If you can remain on 10.13.2 for the life of the machine, then eGPU will work on TB 1 & 2.

Good thing I downloaded and kept all the point installers for HS to fall back on.
I better download the point 4 installer just in case point 5 breaks something else. What a mess.

I'm wondering if the eGPu kext from the point 2 install can be installed/copied on the point 4 extension folder?
I used to do that in snow leopard for iTunes USB tethering when version 11 broke it, I would copy the iTunes 10 USB kext and it would work again.

 

[Michael Goff]

I think you need to open up a 15" 2016-2017 MBP the amount of room between the batteries is INSANE. Im talking about over a 1cm between each cell, if apples focus was there, they need to put their money where their mouth is. Say for instance 35 watts over 10 minutes compared to 40 watts over 5 minutes. Which one has overall lower power draw?

It isn’t just space, though. Batteries are the heaviest part of any laptop. Where do you think the weight loss came from?

And wait a second. They couldn’t have used the 1050 mobile in 2016 anyway. Not to mention I’m not finding the whole “only 5 watts higher” anywhere else buy your post. I’m definitely not finding the 40watt claim anywhere.

 

[spiddyman007]

Does anyone know if having a eGPU gives any performance benefits to a brand new 5K iMac? I mean does the eGPU power the iMac screen at all?

External monitor I heard. That’s the thing that sucks about egpus

 

[JosephAW]

I wonder how many you could use?