DIY eGPU for Mac Mini 2012 OSX

[mattspace]

Ahh, so if you do extended display with a screen plugged into a thunderbolt port (or HDMI?) does the eGPU still power the screens plugged into it?

Lets say you wanted to run a 2560x1440 display off the eGPU, and then 2x 1920x1200 displays, one on thunderbolt and one on HDMI, is that still possible as an extended desktop? Or, would you be better trying to get a single eGPU card that can power all of that itself?

 

[entzoe05]

Ahh, so if you do extended display with a screen plugged into a thunderbolt port (or HDMI?) does the eGPU still power the screens plugged into it?

Lets say you wanted to run a 2560x1440 display off the eGPU, and then 2x 1920x1200 displays, one on thunderbolt and one on HDMI, is that still possible as an extended desktop? Or, would you be better trying to get a single eGPU card that can power all of that itself?

Here's some illustrations

Running multiple monitor
eGPU <-HDMI-> Monitor
eGPU <-HDMI-> Monitor
eGPU <-DisplayPort-> Monitor
(eGPU works both for extend and multiple display )


Running multiple monitors with TB display combination
eGPU <-HDMI-> Monitor
Sonnet or AkiTio <TB port> TB Display
(eGPU is utilized if you use mirror display)


Running multiple monitors with TB display combination
eGPU <-HDMI-> Monitor
Sonnet or AkiTio <TB port> TB Display
(built-in GPU is utilized if you use extended display)

 

[Anitramane]

Is there a cheaper way? I still want some pci-e case that'll last and just work without any weird kernel panics but one that's under 4-500$

 

[entzoe05]

Is there a cheaper way? I still want some pci-e case that'll last and just work without any weird kernel panics but one that's under 4-500$

There are other options besides III-D and AkiTio

Sonnet SEL 499$
Sonnet SEL II 499$

Vidoc 4+ and Sonnet Echo Adapter 450$
EXP GDC + Sonnet Echo Adapter 220$

I haven't tested them regarding their stability. Buy appears the Vidock appears to be more stable and with good enclosure.


The rest is you will need a good enclosure.

 

[mattspace]

Here's some illustrations

Running multiple monitors with TB display combination
eGPU <-HDMI-> Monitor
Sonnet or AkiTio <TB port> TB Display
(built-in GPU is utilized if you use extended display)

Thanks for that. To clarify a bit more, if you have a display plugged into one of the Mini's built in display options, HDMI or anywhere on the Thunderbolt chain, and you activate extended desktop, does that deactivate the eGPU for screens plugged into it?

i.e. what happens to the screen(s) plugged into the eGPU's outputs? Do they keep using the ePGU, or do they go blank, or do they run slowly getting their graphics processing done by the Intel graphics?

What would power things - hypothetically with an extended desktop:

screen 1: eGPU card
screen 2: Thunderbolt Port/chain (TB/DP/HDMI/DVI-D/VGA etc)
screen 3: Built in HDMI Port


thanks.

 

[entzoe05]

Yes it is possible. Just make sure that when you boot up, only the eGPU is setup. You connect the other output (mini-hdmi-monitor) , (tb display-tb port-chasis) otherwise integrated takes-over over eGPU. Performance will degrade if you output another screen from mini's hdmi. But why would you do that if you can have them from eGPU

 

[jimj740]

Success with R9 290X eGPU

Just a note to add that I too am running an Akitio external GPU setup, the major difference being that I use an AMD R9 290X card.

For comparison, my LuxMark results for the sala/medium complexity scene are 2458.

This is via a ThunderBolt 1 connection to a 2012 mac mini.

The system seems quite stable so far. I use it for OpenCL applications, not gaming (in fact the system is headless and accessed via VNC).

I am curious if I would see any appreciable increase with ThunderBolt 2...

One side note I don't see mentioned very often: this technique relies on modifying the Info.plist of a few drivers to allow them to access remote PCIe devices (e.g. the video card) across a ThunderBolt tunnel...

As of OS X 10.10 DP4, this causes the drivers not to load unless you disable the signature checking for all drivers.

All in all I am quite pleased with the configuration.

-JimJ

 

[mattspace]

Yes it is possible. Just make sure that when you boot up, only the eGPU is setup. You connect the other output (mini-hdmi-monitor) , (tb display-tb port-chasis) otherwise integrated takes-over over eGPU. Performance will degrade if you output another screen from mini's hdmi. But why would you do that if you can have them from eGPU

I'm thinking primarily about multiheaded setups (3 monitors minimum), where perhaps you wouldn't want the eGPUs resources split between 3 displays (or don't want to have to find a card with 3 outputs).

So at the end of the day, you have to unplug and replug the monitors on the built in video every time you reboot? It's not the equivalent of having 2 graphics cards in a original mac pro, for example.

 

[entzoe05]

Just a note to add that I too am running an Akitio external GPU setup, the major difference being that I use an AMD R9 290X card.

For comparison, my LuxMark results for the sala/medium complexity scene are 2458.

This is via a ThunderBolt 1 connection to a 2012 mac mini.

The system seems quite stable so far. I use it for OpenCL applications, not gaming (in fact the system is headless and accessed via VNC).

I am curious if I would see any appreciable increase with ThunderBolt 2...

One side note I don't see mentioned very often: this technique relies on modifying the Info.plist of a few drivers to allow them to access remote PCIe devices (e.g. the video card) across a ThunderBolt tunnel...

As of OS X 10.10 DP4, this causes the drivers not to load unless you disable the signature checking for all drivers.

All in all I am quite pleased with the configuration.

-JimJ

Jim, you did not enounter any kernel panic with your setup? Are you using the supplied tb cable from akitio or the apple tb cable or 3rd party cable?


And you luxmark score is better than mine... Is it also bec of the 3GB vs 4GB?

 

[jimj740]

Jim, you did not enounter any kernel panic with your setup? Are you using the supplied tb cable from akitio or the apple tb cable or 3rd party cable?


And you luxmark score is better than mine... Is it also bec of the 3GB vs 4GB?

More details on my setup here: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-...5-akitio-thunder2-pcie-box-36.html#post106629

No kernel panics at all. Based on what I have read in the forums, I would be willing to bet that most of the issues associated with AMD cards are related to power circuitry. The main reason I posted was to tell that at least one person (me) has been successful with an AMD card.

Using a third party TB cable from a TB array I have. I actually run the eGPU daisy chained off the array.

As for LuxMark, this is primarily because AMD chips are better at OpenCL than Nvidia in general, although it looks like the GTX 980 will finally even things up.

Good luck,
-JimJ

 

[mattspace]

a question on power consumption, do the cards spin down their fans / go to sleep etc when you sleep the mac?

 

[entzoe05]

a question on power consumption, do the cards spin down their fans / go to sleep etc when you sleep the mac?

Yes they do stop spinning too...

 

[Synchro3]

Also attached an eGPU GTX 770 4 GB setup to my Mac Mini 2012. Selected the GTX 770 4 GB because of compatibility with OS X Mountain Lion (it's a better GTX 680, same GK 104 chip).

Parts:
Thunderbolt to PCI Express Card: http://www.sonnettech.com/product/echoexpresscard34thunderbolt.html
PCI-Express Card to PCI Express (PE4L v2.1 supports PCI E 2.0): http://www.hwtools.net/Adapter/PE4L V2.1.html

The case is a small ATX case, Cooler Master Elite 130: http://www.hard-planet.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/14.jpg My decision for this case was because you can just install all the parts with minimum effort, including an ATX PSU.

Editing the Nvidia drivers and OS X KEXT's in Mountain Lion and Mavericks is really easy. Not yet tried in Yosemite.

The Mac Mini is on the table, the eGPU under the table, i am using a 2m Thunderbolt cable.

Some Unigine Heaven benchmarks (Opel GL 3.2, OS X Mountain Lion)

Mac Mini 2012 iGPU Intel HD 4000:
Setting Basic (1280*720, x2 AA): 11.7 fps, Score 294
Setting Extreme (1600*900, x8 AA): 3.3 fps, Score 84

Mac Mini 2012 eGPU GTX 770:
Setting Basic (1280*720, x2 AA): 65.3 fps, Score 1645 -> + ~559% compared with Intel HD 4000
Setting Extreme (1600*900, x8 AA): 41.7 fps, Score 1050 -> + ~1250% compared with Intel HD 4000

Works flawlessly! Including playing HD movies from iTunes Store, DVDs, CUDA acceleration etc. And that's the difference to a Hackintosh; you still have a normal Mac, but with a decent GPU.

 

[fhall1]

So ballpark - with all the parts, cables, etc. how much are you looking at - costwise?

 

[ixxx69]

These are such cool projects - I really enjoy these posts. Hopefully a few years from now, slickly packaged eGPUs will be readily available for under $500.

However, as it stands now, this seems really impractical. IMO, it just makes way more sense to build yourself a good Hackintosh. Aside from the eGPU's cost, size, and general ungainliness, as soon as you're messing with GPU kexts, you're essentially in Hackintosh-land as it is.

 

[Synchro3]

However, as it stands now, this seems really impractical. IMO, it just makes way more sense to build yourself a good Hackintosh. Aside from the eGPU's cost, size, and general ungainliness, as soon as you're messing with GPU kexts, you're essentially in Hackintosh-land as it is.

There is one Thunderbolt cable from Mac Mini (on the table) to the eGPU (under the table), and of course a power cable and a cable from eGPU to Display. I think it's acceptable.

With a Hackintosh you have all the known hassles (movie in iTunes, OS updates etc). But not with a normal Mac with eGPU. Editing the KEXT's is real simple, not to compare with Hackintosh work. And since Windows 8.1, it's also real simple on the Windows side.

So ballpark - with all the parts, cables, etc. how much are you looking at - costwise?

Yes, an eGPU setup costs some $, but a lot less than a nMac Pro 6.1, the only machine from Apple at present with a decent 'real' GPU. With eGPU you have a Mac with decent GPU for much less money.

In other words: The Quad Core Mac Mini with decent GPU comes closest to a 'Mac' without 'Pro'. The model Apple never built.




However, i bought the adapter some time ago. In the mean time, there are newer, better and more affordable adapters in the market, for example:
http://www.firmtek.com/seritek/thundertek/chassis.php
or
http://www.akitio.com/accessories/thunder2-pcie-box

One more comment: In the moment you start the Mac Mini not connected to the eGPU, all is normal, the KEXT editing has no further impact.
(sorry for my english)

 

[fahimj]

I see you are using 2 power supplies (corsair and the one from Akitio). So this will not cause any problem? I heard someone don't recommend it..