Mac Egpu For Gaming

An eGPU can give your Mac additional graphics performance for professional apps, 3D gaming, VR content creation, and more.

Jan 11, 2019 Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube for more videos. Gaming on MacBook Air without an eGPU! As noted at the outset, attempting to play games on the 2018 MacBook Air by itself is a sad situation.

eGPUs are supported by any Thunderbolt 3-equipped Mac¹ running macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 or later. Learn how to update the software on your Mac.

An eGPU lets you do all this on your Mac:

Accelerate apps that use Metal, OpenGL, and OpenCL
Connect additional external monitors and displays
Use virtual reality headsets plugged into the eGPU
Charge your MacBook Pro while using the eGPU
Use an eGPU with your MacBook Pro while its built-in display is closed
Connect an eGPU while a user is logged in
Connect more than one eGPU using the multiple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports on your Mac²
Use the menu bar item to safely disconnect the eGPU
View the activity levels of built-in and external GPUs (Open Activity Monitor, then choose Window > GPU History.)

eGPU support in apps

eGPU support in macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 and later is designed to accelerate Metal, OpenGL, and OpenCL apps that benefit from a powerful eGPU. Not all apps support eGPU acceleration; check with the app's developer to learn more.³

In general, an eGPU can accelerate performance in these types of apps:

Pro apps designed to utilize multiple GPUs
3D games, when an external monitor is attached directly to the eGPU
VR apps, when the VR headset is attached directly to the eGPU
Pro apps and 3D games that accelerate the built-in display of iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro (This capability must be enabled by the app's developer.)

You can configure applications to use an eGPU with one of the following methods.

Use the Prefer External GPU option

Starting with macOS Mojave 10.14, you can turn on Prefer External GPU in a specific app's Get Info panel in the Finder. This option lets the eGPU accelerate apps on any display connected to the Mac—including displays built in to iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro:

Quit the app if it's open.
Select the app in the Finder. Most apps are in your Applications folder. If you open the app from an alias or launcher, Control-click the app's icon and choose Show Original from the pop-up menu. Then select the original app.
Press Command-I to show the app's info window.
Select the checkbox next to Prefer External GPU.
Open the app to use it with the eGPU.

You won't see this option if an eGPU isn't connected, if your Mac isn't running macOS Mojave or later, or if the app self-manages its GPU selection. Some apps, such as Final Cut Pro, directly choose which graphics processors are used and will ignore the Prefer External GPU checkbox.

Set an external eGPU-connected display as the primary display

If you have an external display connected to your eGPU, you can choose it as the primary display for all apps. Since apps default to the GPU associated with the primary display, this option works with a variety of apps:

Quit any open apps that you want the eGPU to accelerate on the primary display.
Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. Select Displays, then select the Arrangement tab.
Drag the white menu bar to the box that represents the display that's attached to the eGPU.
Open the apps that you want to use with the eGPU.

If you disconnect the eGPU, your Mac defaults back to the internal graphics processors that drives the built-in display. When the eGPU is re-attached, it automatically sets the external display as the primary display.

About macOS GPU drivers

Mac hardware and GPU software drivers have always been deeply integrated into the system. This design fuels the visually rich and graphical macOS experience as well as many deeper platform compute and graphics features. These include accelerating the user interface, providing support for advanced display features, rendering 3D graphics for pro software and games, processing photos and videos, driving powerful GPU compute features, and accelerating machine learning tasks. This deep integration also enables optimal battery life while providing for greater system performance and stability.

Apple develops, integrates, and supports macOS GPU drivers to ensure there are consistent GPU capabilities across all Mac products, including rich APIs like Metal, Core Animation, Core Image, and Core ML. In order to deliver the best possible customer experience, GPU drivers need to be engineered, integrated, tested, and delivered with each version of macOS. Aftermarket GPU drivers delivered by third parties are not compatible with macOS.

The GPU drivers delivered with macOS are also designed to enable a high quality, high performance experience when using an eGPU, as described in the list of recommended eGPU chassis and graphics card configurations below. Because of this deep system integration, only graphics cards that use the same GPU architecture as those built into Mac products are supported in macOS.

Supported eGPU configurations

It's important to use an eGPU with a recommended graphics card and Thunderbolt 3 chassis. If you use an eGPU to also charge your MacBook Pro, the eGPU's chassis needs to provide enough power to run the graphics card and charge the computer. Check with the manufacturer of the chassis to find out if it provides enough power for your MacBook Pro.

Recommended graphics cards, along with chassis that can power them sufficiently, are listed below.

Thunderbolt 3 all-in-one eGPU products

These products contain a powerful built-in GPU and supply sufficient power to charge your MacBook Pro.

Recommended Thunderbolt 3 all-in-one eGPUs:

Nvidia Mac Egpu

Blackmagic eGPU and Blackmagic eGPU Pro⁴
Gigabyte RX 580 Gaming Box⁴
Sonnet Radeon RX 570 eGFX Breakaway Puck
Sonnet Radeon RX 560 eGFX Breakaway Puck⁵

AMD Radeon RX 470, RX 480, RX 570, RX 580, and Radeon Pro WX 7100

These graphics cards are based on the AMD Polaris architecture. Recommended graphics cards include the Sapphire Pulse series and the AMD WX series.

Recommended Thunderbolt 3 chassis for these graphics cards:

OWC Mercury Helios FX⁴
PowerColor Devil Box
Sapphire Gear Box
Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350W
Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550W⁴
Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650W⁴
Razer Core X⁴
PowerColor Game Station⁴
HP Omen⁴
Akitio Node⁶

AMD Radeon RX Vega 56

These graphics cards are based on the AMD Vega 56 architecture. Recommended graphics cards include the Sapphire Vega 56.

Recommended Thunderbolt 3 chassis for these graphics cards:

OWC Mercury Helios FX⁴
PowerColor Devil Box
Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550W⁴
Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650W⁴
Razer Core X⁴
PowerColor Game Station⁴

AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, Vega Frontier Edition Air, and Radeon Pro WX 9100

These graphics cards are based on the AMD Vega 64 architecture. Recommended graphics cards include the Sapphire Vega 64, AMD Frontier Edition air-cooled, and AMD Radeon Pro WX 9100.

Recommended Thunderbolt 3 chassis for these graphics cards:

Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650W⁴
Razer Core X⁴

AMD Radeon RX 5700, 5700 XT, and 5700 XT 50th Anniversary

If you've installed macOS Catalina 10.15.1 or later, you can use these graphics cards that are based on the AMD Navi RDNA architecture. Recommended graphics cards include the AMD Radeon RX 5700, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary.

Recommended Thunderbolt 3 chassis for these graphics cards:

Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650W⁴
Razer Core X⁴

Learn more

Learn how to choose your GPU in Final Cut Pro X 10.4.7 or later.
To ensure the best eGPU performance, use the Thunderbolt 3 cable that came with your eGPU or an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable. Also make sure that the cable is connected directly to a Thunderbolt 3 port on your Mac, not daisy-chained through another Thunderbolt device or hub.
If you have questions about Thunderbolt 3 chassis or graphics cards, or about third-party app support and compatibility, contact the hardware or software provider.
Software developers can learn more about programming their apps to take advantage of macOS eGPU support.

1. If you have a Mac mini (2018) with FileVault turned on, make sure to connect your primary display directly to Mac mini during startup. After you log in and see the macOS Desktop, you can unplug the display from Mac mini and connect it to your eGPU.

2. If you're using a 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2016 or 2017, always plug eGPUs and other high-performance devices into the left-hand ports for maximum data throughput.

3. macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 and later don't support eGPUs in Windows using Boot Camp or when your Mac is in macOS Recovery or installing system updates.

4. These chassis provide at least 85 watts of charging power, making them ideal for use with 15-inch MacBook Pro models.

5. Playback of HDCP-protected content from iTunes and some streaming services is not supported on displays attached to Radeon 560-based eGPUs. You can play this content on the built-in display on MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac.

6. If you use Akitio Node with a Mac notebook, you might need to connect your Mac to its power adapter to ensure proper charging.

Feature

Mac Egpu For Gaming Laptop

By Mike Wuerthele
Thursday, August 02, 2018, 09:27 am PT (12:27 pm ET)

We've been talking about external GPUs for a while, even before Apple decided to launch official support for the technology. As a result, we've used them all, and have a few we'd like to recommend if you're getting into the technology for the first time with your new 13-inch MacBook pro or MacBook Air.

Editor's note: We ran this piece first in shortly after the 2018 MacBook Pro was announced. Given the refresh of the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the slight upgrade to the MacBook Air, we've revised the piece on July 12 to reflect that, and to refine data on a few choices.
In short, an eGPU enclosure allows you to connect a powerful PCI-E graphics card to your Thunderbolt 3-equipped Mac in macOS High Sierra through macOS Mojave. Some contain just a PCI-E graphics card, and some have additional connectivity.
Of the enclosures we've tested over the last three years, we have a few favorites. And, if you're like us, you can use the eGPU on your Mac to work during the day, and connect it to a Thunderbolt 3-equipped Windows PC for other purposes.
But before we get going, be advised that the 18-inch cable that comes with the enclosures is useless. They work, but they are universally just too short to be useful. Plan on spending $60 or so for a longer, high-speed cable.

Best for high power video cards

Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650
Sonnet wasn't first to market with an eGPU case, but they were the first one anointed by Apple —and remain so. Sonnet's enclosure was used to demonstrate the technology at the 2017 WWDC, and was included in Apple's bundle that was sold to developers to get them on-board with the technology.

There are a number of Sonnet eGPU enclosures now, but the best one is the Sonnet 650 with the beefier power supply. That enclosure, like the Razer, can take the cards that demand the most power like the Vega 64, and if you're adventurous, workstation cards or the Nvidia 1080ti.
The Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650 retails for $399, but is on sale for$365 at B&H.
Other units with lighter power supplies suitable for the Vega 56 and RX580, and possibly less charging support for the connected MacBook Pro sell for $259.

Mac Mini With Egpu For Gaming

Razer Core X
Razer is a big name in PC gaming, and has recently decided to explicitly support Apple with some of its products, the Razer Core X being the most notable one.

Core X is the first of Razer's Core eGPU lineup to explicitly feature Mac support, and sits below the Core V2 on the company's product totem pole. The enclosure sports a beefy 650-watt ATX power supply, up from the custom 500-watt slim form factor PSU found in the Core V2.
To install a GPU, users simply slide the component drawer out from the aluminum chassis, pop a compatible card into the PCIe slot and lock it down with a thumb screw. No tools are required for installation.
The Sonnet is a bit quieter than the Razer high-power eGPU is, but the Razer Core X is easier to get in and out of. It's really up to you which is more important.
The Core X retails for $299.

Best eGPU for connectivity

Mantiz Venus MZ-02
The $379 Mantiz MZ-02 eGPU enclosure has five USB 3.0 type A ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a 2.5-inch mounting plate for a SATA drive. It can accommodate PCI-E cards needing up to 375W, and provides a full 87W of charging power back to the connecting computer, assuming it hasn't been adapted to an older version of Thunderbolt.
Putting in a card is relatively easy, with a tool-less panel that pops off. The unit can accommodate cards up to 310mm long, 140mm high, and 50mm deep meaning that it will fit most of the larger cards on the market.

Egpu Mac Gaming

It is the most stylish of all of the enclosures we've reviewed, and fits right in to a professional environment. The aluminum enclosure is constructed well, and finished precisely.
The Mantiz Venus MZ-02 eGPU enclosure retails for $379, but is generally offered from Amazon for $299. If you're looking at a dock, you can get the Mantiz eGPU instead for not much more money.
A solid second choice here is Razer's Core X Chroma. They've added Gigabit Ethernet and USB-A to the enclosure, but our initial testing we're not that happy about how the USB ports sometimes don't reconnect after the host Mac goes to sleep and the non-configurable illumination in macOS. Depending on your workflow, this may or may not be a problem for you, and we'll keep looking at that going forward.
The Core X Chroma retails for $399.

A choice of just two eGPUs for USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 displays

Blackmagic eGPU
Accompanying the refreshed MacBook Pros in 2017, Blackmagic worked with Apple to develop a pair of all-in-one units. The first model sports an AMD Radeon Pro 580 GPU with 8 gigabytes of memory, plus four USB-A ports.
Either model is all-in-one design, which means that it is non-upgradable. The tradeoff, however, is that the unit is built to be quiet and have a smaller footprint than general-purpose eGPU enclosures. It is by far, the quietest eGPU that we have tested yet.

This first version costs $699 but if you have a Thunderbolt display, like the LG UltraFine 5K, or the USB 3.1 type C LG UltraFine 4K, it's one of relatively few options.
Blackmagic eGPU Pro
To go with a batch of Thunderbolt 3-equipped Macs during its October special event, Apple launched an updated 'Pro' model of its existing BlackMagic eGPU. The biggest change is the inclusion of a more powerful GPU, this time the Radeon RX Vega 56 with 8 gigabytes of HBM2 memory.
Externally, it is extremely similar in appearance and construction to the non-Pro version, consisting of an all-in-one aluminum enclosure. The connectivity options are also familiar, including two Thunderbolt 3 ports, four USB 3 ports, and a HDMI 2.0 port, but this model adds in a DisplayPort 1.4 connection.

The Blackmagic eGPU Pro isa priced at $1,199. This is $500 more than the non-Pro version, but the performance increase in return is likely to offset the extra outlay for users who need that much graphical power.

Set and Forget

Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Puck RX 570
To make the Puck so small in size, Sonnet used an external power supply that is nearly as big as the Puck itself. The Mac-compatible model contains a Radeon RX570, which cannot be upgraded or removed from the enclosure.
When looking at the size, the Puck box measures roughly 6 inches-by-5.12 inches, standing 2 inches tall. Even incorporating the external power supply, the unit is much smaller than any other eGPU we've tried, minus the next entry in this list.

And, an optional VESA bracket will allow you to bolt it to the back of your monitor, if you want it out of the way.
The Sonnet Radeon RX570 eGFX Breakaway Puck is available at Adorama for $499.