Thunderbolt Gpu For Mac

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Thunderbolt Gpu For Mac

Thunderbolt Gpu Adapter
Laptop Thunderbolt Gpu
External Gpu Thunderbolt 2
Thunderbolt Gpu Case
Thunderbolt Gpu Enclosure
Thunderbolt Gpu Enclosure Mac
Both the MacBook Pro and the iMac have models that use Nvidia Graphics. Apple really doesn't (and hasn't) offered for a while now, reasonably priced Nvidia graphics cards for the current Mac Pro. They still offer the Quadro 4000 (an old card) for $1,200 or the newer Quadro K5000 for $2,500.00. Any one of us own one of those? A Thunderbolt 3 eGPU enclosure, into which your graphics card will slot. A macOS-compatible graphics card. With all this in place, you should be able to put the graphics card into the enclosure, then plug the enclosure into your Mac for a significant boost in graphical fidelity. However, you may still be limited in how you can use your eGPU.
An eGPU can give your Mac additional graphics performance for professional apps, 3D gaming, VR content creation, and more.
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 appseGPU 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 displayIf 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 driversMac 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 configurationsIt'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 productsThese products contain a powerful built-in GPU and supply sufficient power to charge your MacBook Pro. Clash of clans for the mac.
Recommended Thunderbolt 3 all-in-one eGPUs:
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 7100These 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 56These 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 9100These 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 AnniversaryIf 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 moreThunderbolt Gpu AdapterLearn 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.
1. Akitio Node ProLaptop Thunderbolt GpuEditor's Rating: 4.4/5
The Akitio Node Pro is a stylish enclosure that has been developed primarily for use with a MacBook. This is evidenced by its Space Grey color scheme and aluminum chassis, so if you are a Macbook user who cares about design continuity across your devices, this is already a nice option.
As mentioned, the Akitio Node Pro is an enclosure style eGPU. This means that you have the option to use a wide variety of different graphics cards with the device. The laptop you have will play a part in this as you will need to be sure the card is compatible but generally speaking, enclosures are a much better way to go if you are after a fully tailored setup.
If you prefer devices that work straight out of the box, however, then you might want to give this one a miss. It doesn't come with a GPU, meaning you will have to buy one separately and, therefore, you will also need to set the eGPU up yourself which can be a hassle if you have never done this sort of thing before.
I/OThe Akitio Node Pro comes with three ports. These include two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a DisplayPort. This isn't the greatest selection of ports, with many eGPUs offering more but it does have two Thunderbolt 3 ports which is a bonus. One of these will, of course, be needed to connect the eGPU to your laptop but the other one can be used to charge devices as it provides a power delivery of up to 60w.
The DisplayPort can be used for passthrough between your laptop and monitor and it is something that is missing on the original Node. The DisplayPort is a great option to have, especially if you wish to keep your setup as clean as possible.
External Gpu Thunderbolt 2ConstructionThunderbolt Gpu CaseAs mentioned the Node Pro is made from aluminum. This gives the device a decent level of durability which should be desired if you are planning to transport the device often.
There is also a retractable handle on top of the Node Pro that works really well and makes transporting the device a lot easier. Considering these devices are supposed to promote portability to a certain extent, it is surprising not to see more eGPUs equipped with handles, so props to Akitio for making sure to implement one on this device.
SupportThunderbolt Gpu Enclosure

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 displayIf 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 driversMac 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 configurationsIt'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 productsThese products contain a powerful built-in GPU and supply sufficient power to charge your MacBook Pro. Clash of clans for the mac.
Recommended Thunderbolt 3 all-in-one eGPUs:
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 7100These 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 56These 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 9100These 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 AnniversaryIf 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 moreThunderbolt Gpu AdapterLearn 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.
1. Akitio Node ProLaptop Thunderbolt GpuEditor's Rating: 4.4/5
The Akitio Node Pro is a stylish enclosure that has been developed primarily for use with a MacBook. This is evidenced by its Space Grey color scheme and aluminum chassis, so if you are a Macbook user who cares about design continuity across your devices, this is already a nice option.
As mentioned, the Akitio Node Pro is an enclosure style eGPU. This means that you have the option to use a wide variety of different graphics cards with the device. The laptop you have will play a part in this as you will need to be sure the card is compatible but generally speaking, enclosures are a much better way to go if you are after a fully tailored setup.
If you prefer devices that work straight out of the box, however, then you might want to give this one a miss. It doesn't come with a GPU, meaning you will have to buy one separately and, therefore, you will also need to set the eGPU up yourself which can be a hassle if you have never done this sort of thing before.
I/OThe Akitio Node Pro comes with three ports. These include two Thunderbolt 3 ports and a DisplayPort. This isn't the greatest selection of ports, with many eGPUs offering more but it does have two Thunderbolt 3 ports which is a bonus. One of these will, of course, be needed to connect the eGPU to your laptop but the other one can be used to charge devices as it provides a power delivery of up to 60w.
The DisplayPort can be used for passthrough between your laptop and monitor and it is something that is missing on the original Node. The DisplayPort is a great option to have, especially if you wish to keep your setup as clean as possible.
External Gpu Thunderbolt 2ConstructionThunderbolt Gpu CaseAs mentioned the Node Pro is made from aluminum. This gives the device a decent level of durability which should be desired if you are planning to transport the device often.
There is also a retractable handle on top of the Node Pro that works really well and makes transporting the device a lot easier. Considering these devices are supposed to promote portability to a certain extent, it is surprising not to see more eGPUs equipped with handles, so props to Akitio for making sure to implement one on this device.
SupportThunderbolt Gpu EnclosureThe Node Pro is able to support most Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, but it cant house 3-slot wide GPUs. This isn't a huge deal but it is something to be aware of if you are thinking of purchasing this device.
You should also be sure to check which cards your laptop is compatible with as this can often trip people up. For example, there is no official support currently available when it comes to using Nvidia cards with a Mac. There is now unofficial support though so it is possible with the right configuration.
Thunderbolt Gpu Enclosure MacEasily one of the better-looking eGPUs available. It is, however, a bit lackluster when it comes to I/O compared to the other eGPUs in this guide.