Best Thunderbolt 3 eGPU enclosures for macOS
On Friday, Blackmagic announced it has discontinued their Vega 56-powered Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Pro. However, there are excellent -- and upgradeable -- options, that won't break the bank.
Sonnet's eGFX Breakaway Box 650
Blackmagic's eGPU line was excellent. It was quiet, and probably the most Apple-like of all the options. While the Radeon RX580-based version is still available, the higher-end Vega 56 model has only been canceled because of the discontinuation of the chipset that sat at the core of that particular model.
But, if you're in the market for an eGPU, there are options. AppleInsider recommends building your own.
That (mostly) changed when High Sierra arrived. An addition of the technology to High Sierra the spring following its release allowed AMD video card users to buy an enclosure for the card, and connect it to a Mac to get a boost to the chipsets included on any given Thunderbolt 3 machine.
As an added bonus, the eGPU keeps the heat generated by graphics processing out of the small Mac Mini and MacBook Pro. While this varies a great deal depending on workload, in our testing, a Mac mini with an eGPU connected to a 4K display will maintain higher processor "turbo" speeds for longer, and will run cooler in periods of low load.
This all said, you won't quite get full speed out of a PCI-E video card. So, if you've got a Mac Pro, don't bother with an eGPU. Just get the cabling kit for your video card, and use one of the PCI-E slots in the Mac Pro instead for maximum benefit.
And, if you want to delve deeper, or hit a snag, there is a giant community devoted to the technology at egpu.io.
There's a reason that the Vega 56 chipset for the higher-end Blackmagic eGPU Pro isn't made anymore -- it's been eclipsed by two newer releases. The Radeon VII plus Radeon 5600 and 5700 families have been released since the Blackmagic eGPU Pro, and either of which can be slotted into an enclosure.
Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650 Thunderbolt 3 eGPU
There are several Sonnet eGPU enclosures now, but the best one is the Sonnet 650 with the beefier power supply and support for 100W of charging power to a host computer -- crucial to support full charging speeds in the 16-inch MacBook Pro. The Sonnet 650, like the Razer, can take the cards that demand the most power like the Radeon VII.
The Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650 retails for $299.
The enclosure supports 375 watts of power to GPU operation and 87W to the connected MacBook Pro.
The Razer Core X retails for $299 and is available at B&H Photo.
Razer Core X Chroma Thunderbolt 3 eGPU
Inside, the 650-Watt power supply used has been switched out for a 700-Watt version, enabling it to handle graphics cards with power requirements of up to 500 Watts. Power delivery is also provided to a connected MacBook Pro using the Thunderbolt 3 connection, at up to 100 Watts.
As well as Thunderbolt 3, the enclosure also offers Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, and four USB 3.1 Type-A connections.
The Razer Core X Chroma retails for $399.
Apple says the following cards can be used in an eGPU.
AppleInsider is presently using a Vega 64, Radeon VII, and RX 5700XT in eGPU enclosures from a variety of manufacturers, including the two listed here.
Given that this cable is bi-directional, any given eGPU enclosure that holds a video card with a DisplayPort connection -- effectively all of them -- can accelerate a USB-C display. And, if you were pressed, this can also allow an older monitor that uses DisplayPort 1.4 to be connected to a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 connection directly, without needing an adapter.
The cable is compliant with DisplayPort 1.4 and VESA DisplayPort Alternate Mode 1.0a, allowing it to provide video at a resolution of up to 4K at 60Hz. The bidirectional conversion itself is performed between the HPD signal and Power Delivery VDM integral to the cable.
Monoprice is selling the Bidirectional USB Type-C to DisplayPort Cable for $29.99, in black.
Sonnet's eGFX Breakaway Box 650
Blackmagic's eGPU line was excellent. It was quiet, and probably the most Apple-like of all the options. While the Radeon RX580-based version is still available, the higher-end Vega 56 model has only been canceled because of the discontinuation of the chipset that sat at the core of that particular model.
But, if you're in the market for an eGPU, there are options. AppleInsider recommends building your own.
What is an eGPU
Since the release of the Thunderbolt specification a decade ago, there has been discussion and work on using an external enclosure of some sort, with a PCI-E GPU card. For years, solutions relied on an assortment of hacks to work properly, and were hamstrung by bandwidth limitations.That (mostly) changed when High Sierra arrived. An addition of the technology to High Sierra the spring following its release allowed AMD video card users to buy an enclosure for the card, and connect it to a Mac to get a boost to the chipsets included on any given Thunderbolt 3 machine.
Who will benefit from an eGPU
Benefits vary, depending greatly on the workload. Anything reliant on video frame rate will see a benefit. Additionally, there is some benefit to some video transcoding loads -- but not all of them.As an added bonus, the eGPU keeps the heat generated by graphics processing out of the small Mac Mini and MacBook Pro. While this varies a great deal depending on workload, in our testing, a Mac mini with an eGPU connected to a 4K display will maintain higher processor "turbo" speeds for longer, and will run cooler in periods of low load.
This all said, you won't quite get full speed out of a PCI-E video card. So, if you've got a Mac Pro, don't bother with an eGPU. Just get the cabling kit for your video card, and use one of the PCI-E slots in the Mac Pro instead for maximum benefit.
And, if you want to delve deeper, or hit a snag, there is a giant community devoted to the technology at egpu.io.
eGPU enclosure with PCI-E video card, or all-in-one eGPU
There are eGPU enclosures with built-in cards, like the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Puck series. While we've suggested them in the past, at this time, it's hard to recommend them. Time marches on, and so do graphics chipsets.There's a reason that the Vega 56 chipset for the higher-end Blackmagic eGPU Pro isn't made anymore -- it's been eclipsed by two newer releases. The Radeon VII plus Radeon 5600 and 5700 families have been released since the Blackmagic eGPU Pro, and either of which can be slotted into an enclosure.
The best eGPU enclosures for Mac
Based on our own experience with testing and daily use extending into 2020, we have two families of eGPU enclosures that we like the most, as of April 2020.- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box
- Razer Core X and Razer Core Chroma
Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650
Sonnet wasn't first to market with an eGPU case, but they were the first one anointed by Apple. Sonnet's eGFX Breakaway Box was used to demonstrate the technology at the 2017 WWDC, and a special version was included in Apple's bundle that was sold to developers to get them on-board with the technology.Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650 Thunderbolt 3 eGPU
There are several Sonnet eGPU enclosures now, but the best one is the Sonnet 650 with the beefier power supply and support for 100W of charging power to a host computer -- crucial to support full charging speeds in the 16-inch MacBook Pro. The Sonnet 650, like the Razer, can take the cards that demand the most power like the Radeon VII.
The Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650 retails for $299.
Razer Core X
The Razer Core X is the first of Razer's Core eGPU lineup to feature Mac support. A tool-less drawer-style slide and lock mechanism is used to install the graphics card into the PCIe slot, secured with a single thumbscrew, with the enclosure capable of accommodating physically larger "3 slot-wide" cards. Perforated sides and cooling fans are also employed to keep the card and the chassis as cool as possible.The enclosure supports 375 watts of power to GPU operation and 87W to the connected MacBook Pro.
The Razer Core X retails for $299 and is available at B&H Photo.
Razer Core X Chroma
The Core X Chroma has the same basic design as its predecessor, consisting of a black aluminum enclosure with a side window. It features lighting effects to illuminate the graphics card and the front, but this time using Razer's Chroma lighting system capable of producing 16.8 million colors.Razer Core X Chroma Thunderbolt 3 eGPU
Inside, the 650-Watt power supply used has been switched out for a 700-Watt version, enabling it to handle graphics cards with power requirements of up to 500 Watts. Power delivery is also provided to a connected MacBook Pro using the Thunderbolt 3 connection, at up to 100 Watts.
As well as Thunderbolt 3, the enclosure also offers Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, and four USB 3.1 Type-A connections.
The Razer Core X Chroma retails for $399.
What video cards can be used in an eGPU on macOS Catalina
Regretfully, there is no way to use an Nvidia card on macOS Catalina, for reasons too complicated to enumerate here -- but we have done so elsewhere. There is a wide array of AMD cards available, at a variety of price points.Apple says the following cards can be used in an eGPU.
- Radeon RX 470
- Radeon RX 480
- Radeon RX 570
- Radeon RX 580
- Radeon Pro WX 7100
- Radeon RX Vega 56
- Radeon RX Vega 64
- Radeon Pro WX 9100
- Radeon RX 5700
- Radeon RX 5700XT
- Radeon VII
AppleInsider is presently using a Vega 64, Radeon VII, and RX 5700XT in eGPU enclosures from a variety of manufacturers, including the two listed here.
How to use your own eGPU with a USB-C display
Until relatively recently, it's been impossible to connect a USB-C display to a video card in a discrete eGPU enclosure. A bidirectional USB Type-C to DisplayPort Cable solves this particular problem, with the 6-foot nylon-braided cable having a USB Type-C connection on one end and DisplayPort on the other.Given that this cable is bi-directional, any given eGPU enclosure that holds a video card with a DisplayPort connection -- effectively all of them -- can accelerate a USB-C display. And, if you were pressed, this can also allow an older monitor that uses DisplayPort 1.4 to be connected to a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 connection directly, without needing an adapter.
The cable is compliant with DisplayPort 1.4 and VESA DisplayPort Alternate Mode 1.0a, allowing it to provide video at a resolution of up to 4K at 60Hz. The bidirectional conversion itself is performed between the HPD signal and Power Delivery VDM integral to the cable.
Monoprice is selling the Bidirectional USB Type-C to DisplayPort Cable for $29.99, in black.
Comments
Razer Core X with Vega 56 user here.
Can you game on these in Windows, or does bootcamp still not support eGPU?
I don’t want to buy a newer Mac AND build a new PC. I hate PCs and swore I’d never do it again. If I have to boot to Windows on a Mac for [non-hardcore] gaming, so be it, but the hardware has to actually survive this. I’ve already lost a MacBook Pro to thermal design stupidity (gaming & 3D rendering, and bad design by Apple & nVidia, killed it).
What I really want is a proper full size machine, but Apple doesn’t think anyone but Hollywood FX houses and plutocrats need them, so they charge three times as much as they used to for such power-user machines, obnoxiously pricing hobbyists out of the market. These eGPU devices aren’t made by Apple. They seem like they’re barely supported by Apple, as shown by what people suffer when the OS is “upgraded”. It’s a half-assed solution to compensate for not selling the right machine for people who need it.
Awesome article BTW. Thanks for commenting about the quiet nature of the Blackmagic, which is why I went that direction. Could you comment on the sound levels with these kind of reviews though (some measurement would be great!). Comparison with the Blackmagic in that regard would be even better, as the BM is effectively silent (though not technically). I can't hear mine, even under full load, unless I'm in a super-quiet room and know what I'm listening for.
Noise, especially under load. Or, maybe they just want something they hope will be best supported and that they don't have to monkey with.
Yeah, I now (and have for the last several versions) wait 6mo to 1yr before upgrading MacOS. I used to jump on them within the first week or two back in the day. This is especially true if you're using more specialized hardware or many of the pro apps. I'm starting to think... maybe one of these days, but then I still hear a story here or there, and figure I'll wait a few more months.
C4D doesn't do any thing with AMD cards? I'm not a C4D user, but I'm surprised to hear that.
I'd like to see the non-pro BM model updated, but I'm curious what it would be updated to? While the 580 isn't new anymore, is there a replacement (in the price range) that would give huge benefits?
As I was telling someone on another forum the other day, be sure to seek out some benchmarks (as real-world as possible... the kind of apps you're intending to use) before deciding on a GPU. While the 580 isn't going to compete with the higher end cards, it is a HUGE leap over the iGPUs in many Macs. Then, you'll get another X% by taking the step up to the higher-end, but at considerable cost.
Yeah, I hear you. The best Apple has right now, besides the Mac Pro, is the mini or maybe a MBP 16" (assuming the thermals are enough better). But, they aren't ideal solutions.
That said, I'm pretty happy with my mini and Blackmagic eGPU. I got the i7 mini, and just use Turbo Boost Switcher Pro to cut the turbo off, which makes it run much more reasonably most of the time. Also, with the T2, I can do most video encoding I've needed to do without working it too hard. My impression is that it will probably hold up pretty well (compared to my past MBP experiences, which have been similar to yours. I've killed/damaged a couple of them in the past).
re: Bootcamp - well, it's complicated. I got mine working in Bootcamp, but it certainly wasn't plug-n-play. And, I'm scared of major updates to Windows. I'm on 1809 right now, but am hoping everything is OK with the next version before M$ forces it. I'd like to do another entire re-install at some point on the latest Windows to see if everything is easier now.
To be honest, though, Windows (once I got it working properly) has been more stable than MacOS. It hasn't crashed once, but MacOS has frozen up a couple of times (though that was in early 2019, and hasn't happened since).
I think there are a couple of industries going on here. The people the new Mac Pro is aimed at seem to love it, and have no issue paying for it. But, agree, there are a LOT of professionals that would sure like something in-between.
Does it still make sense to purchase a Razer Core X with a RX580 or is it stupid to invest money in the 580?
I have a MacBook Pro late 2016 with 8gb ram and r480 graphics card with a 4g. I am looking in getting the Razer core with an RX580 8 gb ram, so that I can do some WoW gaming and also some to give some boost to my Final Cut Pro editings.
Thanks!
Isn't that a dedicated GPU you already have?
But, one thing to keep in mind, is that running an eGPU will off-load that from the one internal to your laptop, which will make it run cooler (and likely leave more headroom for CPU performance).