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DanApple82

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 13, 2019
3
0
DallasTX
Please help!

I have a RX580 Gaming Box from Gigabyte to use as an EGPU for my 2018 Mac mini and for the love of me I can't get this thing to work. I am an Apple convert from 2018 that started because I needed an iPhone for work. Next was the iPad Pro and now I am hooked on apple products and ecosystem. I wanted to move my desktop computing to apple also and get off PC so I picked up the Mac mini. Only thing that is keeping me from being 100% apple is a few PC games. I do most of my gaming on a PS4 Pro but have a few hold out games that also work on Mac. So I go buy a RX580 Gaming Box (Mistake) to support this interest. I can't seem to get the thing to run correctly.

I have seen some videos and instructions that say the thunder bolt 3 connection goes directly from the mini into the box and the out with usb c to display. Others show it with the dvi running out of the gaming box. I have tried each different ways with different cables. If I run it with the display coming out of the mini it, "works" and shows as connected but the system does not use the EGPU during gaming (Dusk on Mac). It also does not show the e gpu used under, "About this Mac". When I run the Display Port directly out of the gaming box it will at times display an image and crash or display nothing. Gigabyte support is more than trash and told me Mac is not supported. I had to, "tell them" it did't work on a PC also to get RMA. Sent in for RMA it was gone for three weeks and they sent it back. No information on if they fixed it or what was wrong. Still not working on the Mini.

Anyone that has this unit, what am I doing wrong. I have tried different thunderbolt 3 cables and different Display Port and USB C to Display Port cables. I am starting to think I just put $400 in the trash! Just want to advise to say away from Gigabyte as their support team is the worst I have the the pleasure of dealing with.

Thank you for the support!
I am using a ASUS Republic of Gamers 1440P display ROG PG278Q
 
There are two ways to use an eGPU:
a) Connect the display to the Mini. Right click on the application -> Get Info -> check 'Prefer External GPU'
(Note: Method A doesn't work if the 'application' is just a launcher utility)

b) Have your primary display connected to the eGPU. (If you have multiple displays this is the one that with the white bar under System Preferences -> Displays -> Arrangement). This makes the eGPU the default for the entire system and will cause the eGPU to be listed under About This Mac.

There is/was a known issues with Polaris eGPUs (Rx 4xx/5xx) where the eGPU doesn't auto-connect to the mac mini if it is left connected to the mini and powered on during system startup or restart. If that's your issue just unplug/replug it or cycle the eGPU power.

If the mac mini is crashing/shutting down whenever you connect a display to the eGPU then that's a problem you should contact Apple Chat Support about.
 
Well it started to work with the Mac mini plugged into the EGPU and the EGPU to the display. Played dusk for about three minutes and then a hard crash. Not it's time to figure out if it is the mini or the EGPU. Out of 1 year limited warranty also so don't know if I am going to put more money in this issue. The mini works perfectly if not connected to the EGPU and or under stress of the EGPU.

CPU Machine Check Architecture Error Dump (CPU: UNKNOWN, CPUID: 0x80000009000906EA)
Core: 0
IA32_MC3_STATUS=0xBE00000000800400
IA32_MC3_CTL=0x0
IA32_MC3_ADDR=0xFFFFFF7F8D07E8BC
IA32_MC3_MISC=0xFFFFFF7F8D07E8BC
Core: 0
IA32_MC11_STATUS=0xEE0000000040110A
IA32_MC11_CTL=0x0
IA32_MC11_ADDR=0xFF71CBC0
IA32_MC11_MISC=0x3880000086
 
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