4 ms·

I know this is about games, but I wanted to relay my experience using an eGPU (using the Razer enclosure and an AMD RX Vega 64) in a professional context. I ha

I know this is about games, but I wanted to relay my experience using an eGPU (using the Razer enclosure and an AMD RX Vega 64) in a professional context. I had a good performance boost using Photoshop and Maya. But if you're using a portable MacBook Pro that you're connecting every day, I wouldn't recommend it. The connect/disconnect experience is really flaky, and you'll probably spend a few times a week trying to figure out why the eGPU isn't connecting/disconnecting. I switched to a Mac Mini at work (stock GPU build of course) with the same enclosure and graphics card, and the experience has been pretty delightful. If you're doing visual stuff, it's the budget version of a Mac Pro. It seemed to improve overall OSX responsiveness too, but perhaps that's just the new Mac Mini in action. I still use the old MacBook Pro at home, but it's not my daily machine. Now I don't have to carry a bag to work, and my home laptop can cover things in a pinch. Using a desktop machine at the office for work has improved my work-life balance, and my productivity.

lioeters 7y ago
> [Mac Mini] seemed to improve overall OSX responsiveness I'm betting that's due to the boot drive being PCIe-based storage.
- toxik 7y ago
  I actually see increased responsiveness on my MacBook Pro too, with an eGPU that is.
- rangibaby 7y ago
  I would say it's higher FPS due to the better GPU. It's hard to notice when you are using it, but if you use an older computer then one with a better GPU you'll notice the difference immediately
9oliYQjP 7y ago
I've been using an eGPU (15" 2018 MBP i9, RX 580, 10.14.x) for over half a year and only ran into connect/disconnect issues once. If you're having disconnect issues I'd urge you to see if killing the QuickLookUIService process causes the eGPU to immediately disconnect. If it does, you probably have a buggy QuickLook plugin with one or more apps. In my case there was a QuickLook plugin from a recently installed trial app that was preventing the eGPU from disconnecting. I uninstalled the app and everything went back to normal. I've googled around and it appears like other people are also having this issue with QuickLookUIService. Hope this helps. I love my 2018 MBP + eGPU setup to the point that I chuckle whenever I see people claiming how awful these MBPs are. I've finally reached computing nirvana. The i9/32GB RAM in my MBP is powerful enough for me needs at home and on the go. The eGPU makes for a great dock and access to a more powerful GPU at home. It has built-in gigabit ethernet, an SSD, and several USB 3.1 ports.
- scarejunba 7y ago
  Bloody hell. At this point my Linux Desktop + MacBook Pro solution is looking pretty good.
- m_eiman 7y ago
  Which enclosure are you using?
  - 9oliYQjP 7y ago
    Mantiz Venus: https://mymantiz.com/products/mz-02-venus https://mymantiz.com/products/mz-02-venus. It can do 87W power delivery (so you can run a 15" MBP at full tilt while charging up the battery), has a number of USB 3.1 Get 1 ports on front/back, GbE ethernet, and a SATA adapter that can house a SSD. While researching eGPUs I couldn't find one that was spec'd out quite like the Mantiz, particularly with respect to the 87W PD. Do keep in mind that like all the other eGPUs out there, the USB ports and anything connected to them share 5 Gbps of theoretical bandwidth. In the case of the Venus, that means the SATA SSD, GbE ethernet, and connected USB devices all share that bandwidth. But I have never seen my ethernet throttle while doing reads/writes to the SSDs and I have 1 Gbps up/down fibre optic internet. I just point that out as a lot of people were upset that all these devices hang off the USB for the Mantiz. But if they didn't they'd just eat into the TB3 bandwidth available to the GPU itself.
- knolan 7y ago
  The comment regarding QuickLookUIService is interesting. Not because I use an eGPU but because QuickLookUIService is always reported as using significant energy on my mid 2014 15” MBP. This has encouraged me to dig deeper and to try to find the reason for this once more.
  - 9oliYQjP 7y ago
    I found my problematic quick look plugin by running ```qlmanage -m plugins``` and doing a hack binary search where possible. I identified 3rd party plugins, assumed the problem was there, then disabled half of them by temporarily removing the associated apps. It only took a few iterations over a couple of days of casual use to pinpoint the culprit and the problem has not returned.
edude03 7y ago
I've been using an Akitio Node + WX8200 (Vega 56 Pro, needed to drive 2x 5k monitors) for about 7 months now on my daily driver (2018 i9 32gb 15" macbook pro) and I haven't had any real issues with disconnecting. There are only two annoyances: 1) Sometimes an app won't quit that's using the external GPU prevent me from safely disconnecting. This is annoying when you have to run to a meeting and don't want to risk the system crashing. 2) If you connect the eGPU when apps are already running, they'll continue to be rendered on the internal GPU. This is probably OK for most people, but the internal GPU can't drive 2x 5k displays, so although it works they're really laggy until they're relaunched. Other than those two issues, I highly recommend this setup to everyone. I actually have 2 egpus, the other has a 1080ti that I use for light ML work and gaming on linux and windows respectively.
- zshbleaker 7y ago
  Hi there, I’m considering purchasing an Akitio Node for my Mac mini 2018. I noticed there is only one thunderbolt port on the inclosure which means I cannot connect external display directly to it. Will the performance lost be significant? Regards.
  - StrangeDoctor 7y ago
    I connect my (non thunderbolt) monitor directly to the GPU. If you need to connect to the computer directly you’ll take a small hit in some cases but a lot of gpu work isn’t constrained by pcie bandwidth
bredren 7y ago
Surprised there are still no comments about the Blackmagic eGPU and BM eGPU Pro! And these are not even mentioned in the blog entry. These are the sleek semi-official, Apple-design contributed eGPUs for the macbook line. Like the LG monitors Apple helped out with. But with less scandal. I have been using the Blackmagic on my Macbook Air 2018 for several months and I really, really like it. I have a _single_ USB-C cable from the MBA to the Blackmagic. This powers the macbook, but also offers a bunch of ports and HDMI out to my P2715Q Dell. They allow me to use HD Audio USB speakers, a webcam, a pro mic and a few cables to charge stuff with. There are almost no stability issues with yanking the cable and putting it back in. I do this almost every day--often not having the patience to use the official "disconnect" process on the system tray icon. Not only does improve OS graphics stuff, like moving between spaces at 4k, but small things like Messages animate more smoothly on this large high res external monitor. I only very occasionally play DOTA 2, and you can get some really great graphics performance out of this eGPU that is not possible on the machine alone. Plus, and very important to me--the Blackmagic eGPU is silent! It is not a cheap add-on but if you have a home office and go portable sometimes an eGPU especially the Blackmagic is really awesome. It is more expensive, but it just works, looks great and idk I dig it. Glad to have a thread I could pipe up about it in.
- lobotryas 7y ago
  Wait, MBA? How are you avoiding thermal issues? Are you using a fan pad or something similar? I’m considering a similar setup, but I worry the underpowered Y-series chip in an MBA will just become a bottleneck instead if I attack an eGOU.
  - bredren 7y ago
    I heard about this bottleneck a lot, but I just haven't noticed it--I do not have thermal issues. I run in clamshell in a cheap vertical lap top stand. I rarely hear the CPU come on when I'm docked with the standard BM eGPU. I run scaled 'looks like' 2560 x 1440. I run tons of apps and browser tabs in multiple spaces. I only notice the CPU is weak when I'm encoding with something that isn't aided by GPU. One case I do hear the fan come on is near the end of a 200+ step unit test in pycharm on my primary personal web app. But that is just about the only time I can think of it comes on and it shuts back down as soon as my tests complete. (hopefully all passing!) A bit more on my specific setup: - 2018 MBA (maxed out) - Dell P2715Q monitor - Blackmagic eGPU - Edifier S880DB (USB HD Audio) - AT2020 USB+ mic - Logitech C920S webcam - Vertical Laptop stand - Magic keyboard / trackpad This setup is probably the best I've ever had, because the portability is great and the docked situation is just very, very good. All those peripherals off a single connection to the laptop. I am hoping that the ARM mac will have much better graphics, but I think it is likely at least the first two generations of it will still be majorly improved even by the 580 in the current blackmagic. It is worth mentioning that I do try to use the software disconnect of the eGPU and have had that just stall out or not complete. I have not tried the trouble shooting someone suggested here though--and it is so stable w the BM that I don't worry about yanking the cable anymore.

lioeters 7y ago

> [Mac Mini] seemed to improve overall OSX responsiveness I'm betting that's due to the boot drive being PCIe-based storage.

toxik 7y ago
I actually see increased responsiveness on my MacBook Pro too, with an eGPU that is.
rangibaby 7y ago
I would say it's higher FPS due to the better GPU. It's hard to notice when you are using it, but if you use an older computer then one with a better GPU you'll notice the difference immediately

9oliYQjP 7y ago

I've been using an eGPU (15" 2018 MBP i9, RX 580, 10.14.x) for over half a year and only ran into connect/disconnect issues once. If you're having disconnect issues I'd urge you to see if killing the QuickLookUIService process causes the eGPU to immediately disconnect. If it does, you probably have a buggy QuickLook plugin with one or more apps. In my case there was a QuickLook plugin from a recently installed trial app that was preventing the eGPU from disconnecting. I uninstalled the app and everything went back to normal. I've googled around and it appears like other people are also having this issue with QuickLookUIService. Hope this helps. I love my 2018 MBP + eGPU setup to the point that I chuckle whenever I see people claiming how awful these MBPs are. I've finally reached computing nirvana. The i9/32GB RAM in my MBP is powerful enough for me needs at home and on the go. The eGPU makes for a great dock and access to a more powerful GPU at home. It has built-in gigabit ethernet, an SSD, and several USB 3.1 ports.

scarejunba 7y ago
Bloody hell. At this point my Linux Desktop + MacBook Pro solution is looking pretty good.
m_eiman 7y ago
Which enclosure are you using?
- 9oliYQjP 7y ago
  Mantiz Venus: https://mymantiz.com/products/mz-02-venus https://mymantiz.com/products/mz-02-venus. It can do 87W power delivery (so you can run a 15" MBP at full tilt while charging up the battery), has a number of USB 3.1 Get 1 ports on front/back, GbE ethernet, and a SATA adapter that can house a SSD. While researching eGPUs I couldn't find one that was spec'd out quite like the Mantiz, particularly with respect to the 87W PD. Do keep in mind that like all the other eGPUs out there, the USB ports and anything connected to them share 5 Gbps of theoretical bandwidth. In the case of the Venus, that means the SATA SSD, GbE ethernet, and connected USB devices all share that bandwidth. But I have never seen my ethernet throttle while doing reads/writes to the SSDs and I have 1 Gbps up/down fibre optic internet. I just point that out as a lot of people were upset that all these devices hang off the USB for the Mantiz. But if they didn't they'd just eat into the TB3 bandwidth available to the GPU itself.
knolan 7y ago
The comment regarding QuickLookUIService is interesting. Not because I use an eGPU but because QuickLookUIService is always reported as using significant energy on my mid 2014 15” MBP. This has encouraged me to dig deeper and to try to find the reason for this once more.
- 9oliYQjP 7y ago
  I found my problematic quick look plugin by running ```qlmanage -m plugins``` and doing a hack binary search where possible. I identified 3rd party plugins, assumed the problem was there, then disabled half of them by temporarily removing the associated apps. It only took a few iterations over a couple of days of casual use to pinpoint the culprit and the problem has not returned.

edude03 7y ago

I've been using an Akitio Node + WX8200 (Vega 56 Pro, needed to drive 2x 5k monitors) for about 7 months now on my daily driver (2018 i9 32gb 15" macbook pro) and I haven't had any real issues with disconnecting. There are only two annoyances: 1) Sometimes an app won't quit that's using the external GPU prevent me from safely disconnecting. This is annoying when you have to run to a meeting and don't want to risk the system crashing. 2) If you connect the eGPU when apps are already running, they'll continue to be rendered on the internal GPU. This is probably OK for most people, but the internal GPU can't drive 2x 5k displays, so although it works they're really laggy until they're relaunched. Other than those two issues, I highly recommend this setup to everyone. I actually have 2 egpus, the other has a 1080ti that I use for light ML work and gaming on linux and windows respectively.

zshbleaker 7y ago
Hi there, I’m considering purchasing an Akitio Node for my Mac mini 2018. I noticed there is only one thunderbolt port on the inclosure which means I cannot connect external display directly to it. Will the performance lost be significant? Regards.
- StrangeDoctor 7y ago
  I connect my (non thunderbolt) monitor directly to the GPU. If you need to connect to the computer directly you’ll take a small hit in some cases but a lot of gpu work isn’t constrained by pcie bandwidth

bredren 7y ago

Surprised there are still no comments about the Blackmagic eGPU and BM eGPU Pro! And these are not even mentioned in the blog entry. These are the sleek semi-official, Apple-design contributed eGPUs for the macbook line. Like the LG monitors Apple helped out with. But with less scandal. I have been using the Blackmagic on my Macbook Air 2018 for several months and I really, really like it. I have a _single_ USB-C cable from the MBA to the Blackmagic. This powers the macbook, but also offers a bunch of ports and HDMI out to my P2715Q Dell. They allow me to use HD Audio USB speakers, a webcam, a pro mic and a few cables to charge stuff with. There are almost no stability issues with yanking the cable and putting it back in. I do this almost every day--often not having the patience to use the official "disconnect" process on the system tray icon. Not only does improve OS graphics stuff, like moving between spaces at 4k, but small things like Messages animate more smoothly on this large high res external monitor. I only very occasionally play DOTA 2, and you can get some really great graphics performance out of this eGPU that is not possible on the machine alone. Plus, and very important to me--the Blackmagic eGPU is silent! It is not a cheap add-on but if you have a home office and go portable sometimes an eGPU especially the Blackmagic is really awesome. It is more expensive, but it just works, looks great and idk I dig it. Glad to have a thread I could pipe up about it in.

lobotryas 7y ago
Wait, MBA? How are you avoiding thermal issues? Are you using a fan pad or something similar? I’m considering a similar setup, but I worry the underpowered Y-series chip in an MBA will just become a bottleneck instead if I attack an eGOU.
- bredren 7y ago
  I heard about this bottleneck a lot, but I just haven't noticed it--I do not have thermal issues. I run in clamshell in a cheap vertical lap top stand. I rarely hear the CPU come on when I'm docked with the standard BM eGPU. I run scaled 'looks like' 2560 x 1440. I run tons of apps and browser tabs in multiple spaces. I only notice the CPU is weak when I'm encoding with something that isn't aided by GPU. One case I do hear the fan come on is near the end of a 200+ step unit test in pycharm on my primary personal web app. But that is just about the only time I can think of it comes on and it shuts back down as soon as my tests complete. (hopefully all passing!) A bit more on my specific setup: - 2018 MBA (maxed out) - Dell P2715Q monitor - Blackmagic eGPU - Edifier S880DB (USB HD Audio) - AT2020 USB+ mic - Logitech C920S webcam - Vertical Laptop stand - Magic keyboard / trackpad This setup is probably the best I've ever had, because the portability is great and the docked situation is just very, very good. All those peripherals off a single connection to the laptop. I am hoping that the ARM mac will have much better graphics, but I think it is likely at least the first two generations of it will still be majorly improved even by the 580 in the current blackmagic. It is worth mentioning that I do try to use the software disconnect of the eGPU and have had that just stall out or not complete. I have not tried the trouble shooting someone suggested here though--and it is so stable w the BM that I don't worry about yanking the cable anymore.