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An eGPU is primarily designed to allow smaller notebook computers to benefit from the power of a full-sized graphics card via a high speed bandwidth connection.

Apple officially rolled out eGPU support in macOS with the release of macOS 10.13.4. eGPUs require a Thunderbolt 3 connection to work with Macs, meaning only Thunderbolt 3-enabled Macs are eligible.

macOS only supports AMD GPUs, like the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64. Several eGPU chassis/card combinations are officially recommended by Apple, including Sonnet’s eGFX Breakaway Box 650W.

PowerColor Mini Pro review: a pint-sized RX 570 eGPU [Video]

PowerColor Mini Pro eGPU Review 9to5Mac

PowerColor, a Taiwanese-based graphics card manufacturer, launched a brand new eGPU at CES 2019: The PowerColor Mini Pro — a pint-sized eGFX chassis powered by an included small-form-factor Radeon RX 570 graphics card.

Aimed specifically at Thunderbolt 3-enabled machines, the PowerColor Mini Pro provides a healthy graphics lift for GPU-starved Macs like the 2018 MacBook Air and Mac mini.

Should the PowerColor Mini Pro be on your radar if you’re looking for a smaller external graphics solution for the Mac? Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the details.
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Review: Blackmagic eGPU Pro – more powerful and capable, but who is it for? [Video]

After several delays, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro is now available for purchase at Apple’s online and retail store locations. The Pro version of Blackmagic’s external graphics chassis is an upgraded version of 2018’s initial release.

The original Blackmagic eGPU was a limited device for several key reasons: it was expensive at $699; it couldn’t be upgraded; and with Radeon Pro 580 graphics, it lacked the punch of higher powered cards. Some of those problems carry over with the release of the new Blackmagic eGPU Pro, but it’s unquestionably a better device than its predecessor. Watch our hands-on video review for the full lowdown.


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How to: MacBook Air Windows 10 RTX 2080 eGPU gaming setup [Video]

MacBook Air

On its own, the 2018 MacBook Air is a downright terrible gaming machine. Connected to my LG UltraWide 5K2K Display, the MacBook Air averages around 1-2 frames per second in Rocket League, and similarly abysmal scores in Unigine Heaven and Valley benchmarks. That’s no fault of the MacBook Air, as it’s a thin and light portable laptop built around maximizing battery life. In other words, it was never intended to be a gaming machine.

But if you own a MacBook Air and are looking for ways to get more out of your laptop, then an eGPU setup within a Windows Boot Camp environment can go a long way towards making that a reality. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the step-by-step details.
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Review: 2018 Mac mini – Apple’s most versatile Mac [Video]

Mac mini 2018

The Mac mini is back for 2018, regaining its rightful place as the most versatile Mac in Apple’s entire computer lineup. The long-rumored update, which was announced during the midway portion of last week’s iPad Pro event, is exciting for a number of reasons.

For starters, the Mac mini 2018 gets brand-new, highly-capable 8th-generation Intel CPUs. The CPU lineup starts with a rather anemic, but still way faster than the last Mac mini, quad-core 3.6GHz Core i3. The mid-tier CPU option is a 3.0GHz 6-core Core i5 with 4.1GHz turbo boost, while the highest configuration adds a 3.2GHz 6-core Core i7 that turbos up to 4.6GHz.

While the CPU upgrades were much needed, the chip enhancements are arguably not even the most exciting thing about the new Mac mini. That award goes to the four Thunderbolt 3 ports on the machine’s rear. This opens up Apple’s smallest Mac to an ever-growing world of expandability, making it seem as if anything’s possible for what was once Apple’s forgotten Mac.

Watch our hands-on video walkthrough as I explain why the Mac mini 2018 is the most versatile and adaptable Mac ever.
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Back to the Mac 010: Dual eGPUs!

Back to the Mac is a series focused specifically on the Mac, including hardware, accessories, I/O, software, and more.


On this week’s episode of Back to the Mac, we go nuts with an eGPU setup featuring two Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650 units mated with a pair of workstation-class 16GB AMD WX 9100 GPUs.

As we’ve touched on before, if you’re a DaVinci Resolve user, or if you use any other app that can wield multiple GPUs at the same time, such a setup can put up some noteworthy numbers. Watch the latest episode of Back to the Mac for more details.
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Compared: Razer Core X with RX Vega 64 vs Blackmagic eGPU [Video]

Now that new quad-core and hexa-core MacBook Pro models are here, I’ve been eager to see how they pair up with an AMD Vega 64-powered eGPU setup. Specifically, I’d like to see how such a setup compares with the recently released Blackmagic eGPU.

Using the Razer Core X, an enclosure I rated as the best overall external graphics chassis for Mac users, I ran a variety of benchmark tests with both the 13-inch and 15-inch 2018 MacBook Pro. What did I learn? Watch the video for the details.
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Review: Blackmagic eGPU – quiet, beautiful, and limited in scope [Video]

The Blackmagic eGPU is an external graphics enclosure sold exclusively (for the time being) at the Apple Store. It’s a notable product for several of reasons. First and foremost, it’s the first time that Apple has sold an external graphics enclosure in its store. This makes sense, considering that macOS was recently upgraded with official eGPU support in version 10.13.4 back in the spring.

Another reason to take note is that the Blackmagic eGPU is the first external graphics chassis to include official support for the LG UltraFine 5K display (hands-on), a monitor that Apple recommends as a replacement for its now discontinued Thunderbolt Display.

But perhaps the most appealing feature of the Blackmagic eGPU is its silence. Blackmagic advertises its ultra quiet status right on the product packaging, and it’s not joking, this enclosure is extremely low noise.

With a launch alongside highly anticipated new MacBook Pro hardware, the Blackmagic eGPU is now available exclusively at Apple Stores. Is this the eGPU that you should consider for your Mac? Watch our hands-on video for the details.
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Apple worked with Blackmagic Design on new Radeon Pro 580-powered eGPU

Apple’s launch of refreshed MacBook Pros is the big news for today, and rightfully so. The update checks off many customer wants, such as DDR4 with up to 32GB of RAM on the 15-inch model, and quad-core CPUs on the 13-inch model.

But graphics are still an area that could use assistance, and Apple recognizes this. Earlier this spring it launched a new version of macOS with official eGPU support in tow. Today, The Verge revealed that Apple has worked with Blackmagic Design, known for its DaVinci Resolve NLE, on a brand new all-in-one $699 eGPU.
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How to accelerate apps with an eGPU on your Mac’s internal display [Video]

With macOS 10.13.4’s support for external graphics, Apple is officially allowing users to supplement their Macs with an eGPU like the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box. Unfortunately, the ability to render apps via an eGPU while being displayed on your Mac’s built-in screen, possible via developer app updates, is quite rare.

A recently released script called set-eGPU, from eGPU.io alumnus @mac_editor, gives users more control over GPU rendering. The script overrides plist values assigned to GPUSelectionPolicy, available in macOS 10.13.4 and later, for installed apps dynamically.

In other words, this script uses tools already baked into the latest versions of macOS to give the end user more control over eGPU usage. A primary benefit is that it allows an external GPU to render installed applications and present them on your Mac’s built-in display. With this script you can now force eGPU rendering for many of your installed apps without an external display.

As you might expect, one of the first apps that I tested was Final Cut Pro X, and the results are encouraging. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the details.
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Review: $300 Razer Core X – the best eGPU for MacBook Pro [Video]

Earlier this week Razer, best known for its PC Laptops and gaming-related peripherals, introduced a new eGPU solution called the Razer Core X. Razer already produces an eGPU called the Razer Core V2, but the Core X is a budget-friendly eGPU box that’s being marketed at both Mac and PC users.

Compared to the Core V2, the Core X is a more straight-forward solution, eschewing niceties like USB, Ethernet, and RGB lighting in favor of a less expensive, more corporate-looking external Thunderbolt 3 graphics solution.

Is the Razer Core X a good solution for Mac users in search of an eGPU? How does it stack up to the current crop of Mac-compatible external graphics boxes on the market? Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the details.
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Razer announces entry-level eGPU enclosure with support for macOS [Video]

Razer has announced the Core X, a new entry-level eGPU enclosure which is compatible with Macs with a Thunderbolt 3/USB-C port.

Give your thin and light laptop the power of a full gaming rig. Whether you’re hunting down enemies in an apocalypse or designing your own 3D world, the Razer Core X delivers desktop-class graphics to your laptop instantly. Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Windows 10 or Mac laptops …


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