MP 6,1 Can anybody recommend a 4k display for Mac Pro 6.1, 8 core D700 that will connect up nice and handy?

[Dannydematio]

I know 5k is a problem, but 4k is fine for my needs, but since TB2 is now obsolete, its not clear which modern displays will connect out of the box with my 6.1 8 core d700. Its still beyond a great machine for me, but will display port inputs on these modern panels connect with DP my 2013 MP? I see relatively very few TB3 displays, and they are very pricy, I was hoping that someone can recommend a current 4k panel that works out of the box with via DP or through a hub. The other option would be to pick up an old TB2 Apple 27 display, but they are often well used these days. Thanks

 

[joevt]

The MacPro6,1 has an HDMI port but that is limited to HDMI 1.4 bandwidth. HDMI 1.4 can do 4K30 10bpc RGB. I don't think it can support 4:2:0 since that is a feature of HDMI 2.0? If it could support 4:2:0 then it could allow 4K60 10bpc but 4:2:0 reduces the color resolution by half vertically and horizontally (doesn't affect grayscale text on grayscale background).

The MacPro6,1 supports DisplayPort 1.2 which is 17.28 Gbps of pixel data which is enough for 576 MHz pixel clock with 10bpc RGB or 720 MHz pixel clock with 8bpc RGB.

The MacPro6,1 doesn't support DSC (Display Stream Compression) for DisplayPort or HDMI.

Most any 4K60 display with DisplayPort input should work if the GPU can output 533 MHz 8bpc or 10bpc RGB.

5K60 will work if it's a dual-tile display that has two DisplayPort inputs such as the Dell UP2715K.

A Thunderbolt dual tile 5K display like the Apple Studio Display or LG UltraFine 5K won't work because they require Thunderbolt 3 to get 5K60. They can support 5K39 custom timing for single tile but old AMD video cards can't support > 4K single tile width without artifacts. They can support 4K60 but that might not be as clear on a 5K display as it is on a 4K display.

I'm not 100% sure about the 4K60 capability. The Dell UP2715K is 966MHz total, or 483 MHz per tile. So if 4K60 doesn't work (usually 533 MHz) then a custom timing of 4K54 (479 MHz) should work.

Or you can use an external eGPU to remove all limitations (except Thunderbolt display compatibility). Check eGPU.io website for more info about eGPU compatibility with the MacPro6,1.

 

[Dannydematio]

Hi, thanks so much for the technical reply. "Most any 4K60 display with DisplayPort input should work if the GPU can output 533 MHz 8bpc or 10bpc RGB" AFAIK the dual D700's can manage this, but its a case of finding a current 27' display model, with DP in, that will definitely work, I was hoping someone out there would confirm a current display model that works with MP 6.1. Not many monitors around with dual TB connections either, I understand that the 6.1 can run a 5k display with 2x thunderbolt imputs. Apparently a Caldigit-3 TB 3 dock should allow TB 2 from the 6.1 Mac Pro to TB 3, outputs/DP but can anyone confirm which current display monitor this works with this dock. its a bit of a chicken/egg problem, in theory I should be able to get 4k/60H with a TB 2 to TB 3 or DP to DP, but no confirmations this far. I guess the easy way out is an old apple 27' thunderbolt 2 display. Criminal that applied never bothered to upgrade HDMI or DP or TB2 in the 6.1 Mac Pro, despite the 6.1 architect was capable, but as is often the case, Apple didn't care. End

 

[joevt]

Hi, thanks so much for the technical reply. "Most any 4K60 display with DisplayPort input should work if the GPU can output 533 MHz 8bpc or 10bpc RGB" AFAIK the dual D700's can manage this, but its a case of finding a current 27' display model, with DP in, that will definitely work, I was hoping someone out there would confirm a current display model that works with MP 6.1.

I think finding a 4K display that wouldn't work is a more difficult task. Name a 4K display and we can tell you if it won't work.

Not many monitors around with dual TB connections either

Dual Thunderbolt connections is for chaining two displays together (or connect additional Thunderbolt devices in a chain). The second display can be another Thunderbolt display or a DisplayPort display (but a DisplayPort display is supported only if the first Thunderbolt display is Thunderbolt 3 or later).

5K and 6K displays don't have dual Thunderbolt because they have a tiled display mode where both DisplayPort streams from Thunderbolt are used in a single display - one for the left half and the other for the right half of the display. They may have a single tile mode also (Apple Studio Display, Apple Pro Display XDR, both using DSC), but the circuitry to support a tiled mode makes it difficult/more expensive to support a downstream Thunderbolt port.

I understand that the 6.1 can run a 5k display with 2x thunderbolt imputs.

You mean 2x DisplayPort inputs. No display has more than one upstream Thunderbolt port.

Apparently a Caldigit-3 TB 3 dock should allow TB 2 from the 6.1 Mac Pro to TB 3, outputs/DP

Yes, you can connect Thunderbolt 3 devices using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter and a Thunderbolt 2 cable. A Thunderbolt 3 device can connect two displays. Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 devices can connect one display (additional display requires another Thunderbolt device in the chain). Since the MacPro6,1 supports Thunderbolt 2, the two displays cannot add up to more than 20 Gbps. Since the MacPro6,1 only supports DisplayPort 1.2, a display cannot exceed 17.28 Gbps.

With a Thunderbolt 3 device, you gain support for USB 3.1 gen 2 (10 Gbps) because of the Thunderbolt 3 controller of the Thunderbolt 3 device (if it has a USB-C or USB-A port that supports USB3.1 gen 2).

I don't think you can connect a Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 device to Thunderbolt 2? I'm not sure about that. A Thunderbolt 5 device supports USB 3.2 gen 2x2 (20 Gbps). Another way to get USB 3.2 gen 2x2 is to connect a USB 3.2 gen 2x2 XHCI PCIe card to a Thunderbolt 3 PCIe expansion chassis such as one from Sonnet or OWC. If you want storage at greater than 10 Gbps then a NVMe in a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure will also work, if you don't like the USB 3.2 gen 2x2 path.

can anyone confirm which current display monitor this works with this dock.

Any display that works directly with the MacPro6,1 will work with the dock connected to the MacPro6,1.

its a bit of a chicken/egg problem, in theory I should be able to get 4k/60H with a TB 2 to TB 3 or DP to DP, but no confirmations this far. I guess the easy way out is an old apple 27' thunderbolt 2 display.

Thunderbolt 2 display is actually Thunderbolt 1 (10 Gbps for PCIe data; 10 Gbps x 2 for display data) and it only supports 2560x1440 60Hz, 8bpc (probably < 6 Gbps).