Mac Mini 2012 & eGPU

[Thebeat07]

hi all, now that the eGPU is out, can i connect this to my 2012 Mac Mini and finally run a 4k Monitor properly?

 

[ApolloBoy]

You could but performance wouldn't be that great; the 2012 models only have Thunderbolt 1 which isn't ideal for eGPUs. I suppose if you're not using it for gaming you might be alright.

In any case I wouldn't recommend the Blackmagic eGPU, mainly because it's overpriced and you can't upgrade it afterwards. If you've already got a video card laying around, I'd recommend just getting an upgradeable eGPU box instead.

EDIT: Come to think of it, does Apple even officially support eGPUs through TB 1 or 2?

 

[for this]

You could but performance wouldn't be that great; the 2012 models only have Thunderbolt 1 which isn't ideal for eGPUs. I suppose if you're not using it for gaming you might be alright.

In any case I wouldn't recommend the Blackmagic eGPU, mainly because it's overpriced and you can't upgrade it afterwards. If you've already got a video card laying around, I'd recommend just getting an upgradeable eGPU box instead.

EDIT: Come to think of it, does Apple even officially support eGPUs through TB 1 or 2?

According to this test, the version of TB doesn't matter. All (TB1, 2, and 3) are about 20% slower compared to using onboard PCIE.

https://egpu.io/forums/mac-setup/pcie-slot-dgpu-vs-thunderbolt-3-egpu-internal-display-test/

So in the case of the OP (using an eGPU with an external monitor), TB1 should be as good as TB3.