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Building external GPU's on Mac (eGPU)
- Thread starter Synchro3
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The 15" MBP 2016 and 2017 don't have any problems doing just that. They can perfectly drive 2 LG Ultrafine 5k displays simultaneously. They can even drive a 3rd display but then one of those 5k displays will only output 4k instead of 5k. Take a look at the LG 5k display thread at the forums here. Imagine the performance from those eGPUs
There is some info on that on egpu.io and some more info plus screenshots (it's at the bottom of that article). It seems that you can drive 2 eGPUs at the same time. It remains to be seen if that is actually any faster than a single eGPU. Thunderbolt has its limitations and so does the Thunderbolt implementation on notebooks (some only do PCIe x2 instead of PCIe x4 for example). The difference between one or two controllers doesn't really matter because of the PCIe limitation (one controller offers 2 40Gbit TB3 ports so the controller isn't going to be the issue). Obviously daisy-chaining the eGPUs is going to have an even worse effect on the performance.
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The 15" MBP 2016 and 2017 don't have any problems doing just that. They can perfectly drive 2 LG Ultrafine 5k displays simultaneously. They can even drive a 3rd display but then one of those 5k displays will only output 4k instead of 5k. Take a look at the LG 5k display thread at the forums here. Imagine the performance from those eGPUs
There is some info on that on egpu.io and some more info plus screenshots (it's at the bottom of that article). It seems that you can drive 2 eGPUs at the same time. It remains to be seen if that is actually any faster than a single eGPU. Thunderbolt has its limitations and so does the Thunderbolt implementation on notebooks (some only do PCIe x2 instead of PCIe x4 for example). The difference between one or two controllers doesn't really matter because of the PCIe limitation (one controller offers 2 40Gbit TB3 ports so the controller isn't going to be the issue). Obviously daisy-chaining the eGPUs is going to have an even worse effect on the performance.
I should have specified at 60Hz or better, although at the time I posted that I didn't know that dual 30Hz at 5k was possible on a laptop GPU, I had thought the pixel counts were too high.
30Hz is good enough for a lot of purposes (editing photos and video Civilization), but not quite enough for everything (RTS and FPS games, etc.).
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There is this official documentation that states you can drive 2: Use the LG UltraFine 5K Display with your Mac. It does talk about 5k @ 60Hz but it doesn't explicitly mention it for 2.
There is the official LG 5k thread here with a couple of people running 2 of them. Should also have some screenshots showing things like the resolution and refreshrate. In another topic there is this post detailing what happens when you connect 2x 5k, the notebook display and a third external display. There you see some screenshots showing they all run at 60Hz.
There is also a news article on the frontpage from last year: New MacBook Pro's Dedicated AMD Graphics Chips Are 'Significantly' Faster and Support Dual 5K Displays. Here you can find some more technical details.
Do note that since Apple has been using these iGPU and dGPU combinations, the dGPU was automatically used whenever you connected an external display to the machine. You cannot run it on the iGPU without altering some system stuff under the hood.
There is the official LG 5k thread here with a couple of people running 2 of them. Should also have some screenshots showing things like the resolution and refreshrate. In another topic there is this post detailing what happens when you connect 2x 5k, the notebook display and a third external display. There you see some screenshots showing they all run at 60Hz.
There is also a news article on the frontpage from last year: New MacBook Pro's Dedicated AMD Graphics Chips Are 'Significantly' Faster and Support Dual 5K Displays. Here you can find some more technical details.
Do note that since Apple has been using these iGPU and dGPU combinations, the dGPU was automatically used whenever you connected an external display to the machine. You cannot run it on the iGPU without altering some system stuff under the hood.
@Synchro3 Guys help. Tell me what to do. Where to read what to watch. I re-read all the threads, but I got confused. The native video card died. Put 680 from Dell. The dark screen and in the description wrote: nvidia chip model 256.When my card was dead I took the system disk from my Macbook 2009 (where the 256 nvidia on board???) and put into imac, and imac drive put to my macbook so i can to work with. But I have already updated from El capitan to Sierra on imac and nothing has changed. The web driver is instaled. If I need to turn off the sip, I can put the system disk back on the MacBook and disable sip. Please help .. a week already digging myself. Sorry for my english, i'm from Ukraine. imac - it's my primary working horse... without i loose my money and i have 3 children...please help...
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'Nvidia Chip model 256 MB' means the card is not recognized properly by drivers (not likely because the GTX 680 does not need the web drivers, but is supported natively in OS X), or not powered properly. Did you connect the two six pin power connectors of the GTX 680? Which EGPU enclosure do you use?
i'm sorry, i'm using internal mxm card no enclosure. it was replaced from original gpu because original amd 6970 was died...
Ok, you are in the wrong thread. This thread is about eGPU's.
You should post your issue in the iMac forum.
Or here: http://forum.netkas.org/index.php?topic=8422.0
You should post your issue in the iMac forum.
Or here: http://forum.netkas.org/index.php?topic=8422.0
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sorry. ok i'm posted there. Thanx!
[doublepost=1503403634][/doublepost]
please show me imac forum! plz
sorry. ok i'm posted there. Thanx!
[doublepost=1503403634][/doublepost]
please show me imac forum! plz
-> https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/imac.91/
I've been following along in this thread but not being very well versed as a computer engineer
I'm not exactly understanding my options.
Hope I'm asking the right question in the right place.
I'm a video editor / colorist working with 6k and 8k footage.
Using Davinci Resolve.
Have a 2013 Mac Pro Trashcan with 2x D700 GPU's that over heat JUST PLaying video files
without even rendering files.
So is it possible to add say 2x GTX 1080's as an eGPU and have processing power
to manage this work??
Kinda stuck as I have a feature film I'm grading.
Run 2x 4k displays from thunderbolt and the 50" is managed by a Black Magic ultrastudio 4k
Thank you,
Curtis
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update June 2017: In macOS High Sierra eGPU natively supported. No kext editing, no hacks, just plug and play.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...cially-announced.2048480/page-3#post-24658446
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...cially-announced.2048480/page-4#post-24660316
New case: http://www.sonnettech.com/product/egfx-breakaway-box.html[/QUOTE]
I'm not exactly understanding my options.
Hope I'm asking the right question in the right place.
I'm a video editor / colorist working with 6k and 8k footage.
Using Davinci Resolve.
Have a 2013 Mac Pro Trashcan with 2x D700 GPU's that over heat JUST PLaying video files
without even rendering files.
So is it possible to add say 2x GTX 1080's as an eGPU and have processing power
to manage this work??
Kinda stuck as I have a feature film I'm grading.
Run 2x 4k displays from thunderbolt and the 50" is managed by a Black Magic ultrastudio 4k
Thank you,
Curtis
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update June 2017: In macOS High Sierra eGPU natively supported. No kext editing, no hacks, just plug and play.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...cially-announced.2048480/page-3#post-24658446
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...cially-announced.2048480/page-4#post-24660316
New case: http://www.sonnettech.com/product/egfx-breakaway-box.html[/QUOTE]
In principle two Thunderbolt 2 eGPU's, are supported with Mac Pro 2013: https://support.bizon-tech.com/hc/en-us/articles/210709789
Quote: You can connect up to 2 (two) BizonBOXes, each to a dedicated port.
Mac Pro
- Mac Pro Late–2013 ("trashcan")
OS X: Full support
Windows: Graphics card detection issues (error 12)
Relating to the videos above: If you can get two Sapphire RX 580 Pulse 8 GB (only this model), they should work natively with macOS High Sierra. This is the model Apple uses in the External Graphics Development Kit.
However, I ordered almost three months ago a Sapphire RX 580 Pulse 8 GB, and I'm still waiting. I don't know when these cards are available, maybe in January.
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Just be aware that the BizonBox is just a re-branded Akitio Thunder2 (or Thunder3). I'd go with the Akitio version because it'll cost less.
New eGPU's from Sonnet: http://sonnettech.com/product/egfx-breakaway-puck.html
- Sonnet Radeon RX 560 eGFX Breakaway Puck
- Sonnet Radeon RX 570 eGFX Breakaway Puck
- Sonnet Radeon RX 560 eGFX Breakaway Puck
- Sonnet Radeon RX 570 eGFX Breakaway Puck
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Interesting concept and implementation...
But I almost fell over at $600 for the RX 570 model ($450 for RX 560).
That is, shall we say, "eye popping"
Yes, if prices were normal, I could buy a 1050 Ti for my enclosure for around $130.
I need some advice.
If some good soul could help me with some questions:
- Can I use one 1050 ti on a mbp 15" late 2013 retina + high sierra / mojave?
- If yes, will it be bottlenecked by thunderbold 2 or the performance loss will be tolerable?
- If yes, can I expand it to 2x 1050 ti in a near future?
- Can I use risers for that or only bizon/enclosures for that?
extra info (sorry for the wall of text):
I have a desktop pc with a old gtx 660 and needs to be upgrade and I also have a mid 2012 15" non retina which I like, but the screen resolution + no ips become very non-usable for me. I work with graphic design / 3d illustration for advertising/ archviz. My budget are very limited and where I live the dollar is 1:4, so everything is like x4 more expansive.
So after burn my brain I think on the following:
1. sell my gtx 660 (I already have a buyer) and buy a 1050 ti and keep on the desktop. Sell the macbook pro and wait for another oportunity (I don't want to remain without a laptop, sometimes I have to visit clients/ go mobile...)
2. sell the macbook 2012 and buy a 2013 retina 15" (yeah, that's what I can buy for now). Buy a 1050 ti + some enclosure/riser for it. (The retina screen/high resolutions and color accuracy will make me happy also)
3. sell the macbook and buy a dell g7 or a lenovo (the only ones here with thunderbold ports - 1050 ti / 1060 UNGLY design!!!!) - very expansive here... - and somewhere in the future expand my rendering power with and egpu solution. (1080p, ips - not the best one, I will have no retina...no color accuracy...).
I really like the ideia of the retina 2013 mbp. But I'm afraid of 1. loose significant ammount of performance due the TB2, or not being able to use egpu + internal screen.
thanks for the patience.
If some good soul could help me with some questions:
- Can I use one 1050 ti on a mbp 15" late 2013 retina + high sierra / mojave?
- If yes, will it be bottlenecked by thunderbold 2 or the performance loss will be tolerable?
- If yes, can I expand it to 2x 1050 ti in a near future?
- Can I use risers for that or only bizon/enclosures for that?
extra info (sorry for the wall of text):
I have a desktop pc with a old gtx 660 and needs to be upgrade and I also have a mid 2012 15" non retina which I like, but the screen resolution + no ips become very non-usable for me. I work with graphic design / 3d illustration for advertising/ archviz. My budget are very limited and where I live the dollar is 1:4, so everything is like x4 more expansive.
So after burn my brain I think on the following:
1. sell my gtx 660 (I already have a buyer) and buy a 1050 ti and keep on the desktop. Sell the macbook pro and wait for another oportunity (I don't want to remain without a laptop, sometimes I have to visit clients/ go mobile...)
2. sell the macbook 2012 and buy a 2013 retina 15" (yeah, that's what I can buy for now). Buy a 1050 ti + some enclosure/riser for it. (The retina screen/high resolutions and color accuracy will make me happy also)
3. sell the macbook and buy a dell g7 or a lenovo (the only ones here with thunderbold ports - 1050 ti / 1060 UNGLY design!!!!) - very expansive here... - and somewhere in the future expand my rendering power with and egpu solution. (1080p, ips - not the best one, I will have no retina...no color accuracy...).
I really like the ideia of the retina 2013 mbp. But I'm afraid of 1. loose significant ammount of performance due the TB2, or not being able to use egpu + internal screen.
thanks for the patience.
a) Yes, but 3rd party software is required to enable TB1/TB2 support.
b) Yes, but yes.
c) No. Even if possible dual GPUs would be seriously bottlenecked.
e) Unsure of question.
f) (egpu + internal screen): I've heard rumors this could change in Mojave but that isn't an official feature yet. In High Sierra that is only possible if your software allows you to select which GPU to use or if the software was started on an external screen.
Edit: To clarify I mean 'eGPU + internal screen only without an external monitor' doesn't work with most apps. I can't vouch for Retina displays but on my MacbookAir applications started on an external display will remain accelerated if moved to the internal display. You suffer double the frame rate penalty for doubling back to the internal over TB1/TB2 but it can be done.
b) Yes, but yes.
c) No. Even if possible dual GPUs would be seriously bottlenecked.
e) Unsure of question.
f) (egpu + internal screen): I've heard rumors this could change in Mojave but that isn't an official feature yet. In High Sierra that is only possible if your software allows you to select which GPU to use or if the software was started on an external screen.
Edit: To clarify I mean 'eGPU + internal screen only without an external monitor' doesn't work with most apps. I can't vouch for Retina displays but on my MacbookAir applications started on an external display will remain accelerated if moved to the internal display. You suffer double the frame rate penalty for doubling back to the internal over TB1/TB2 but it can be done.
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thank you for your answer. I think it's the end of the line for me with macs. Since there is no native support for nvidia cards and I don't want to mess with scripts or even stay dependent of someone else to make those. And I need CUDA for now, so sad news for me.
FYI - BizonBox is just a rebranded and exorbitantly priced Akitio Thunder2.
thanks for the heads up.
The thing is: I don't have $ to buy a TB3 macbook pro, so if I get a tb2 macbook pro I will be in a non-reliable state, right? I mean, no official support + the nvidia card + maybe work with the internal display + scripts to make it work. It's too much on "maybe" side of things. Need more solid to put my money on. Despite the fact I would LOVE to work on the retina screen, it's not enough. Too risky. And if I understood it right: even with a TB3 mbpro, I'm gonna need scripts/etc to make nvidia cards to work, right?
So, game over for me I guess.
There's a script called automate-egpu that will take care of everything for you: https://github.com/goalque/automate-eGPU
sure, but what about the "This script is not applicable to High Sierra. I've ceased development of this script." message there? Does it means I need to stay on sierra?