From the limited resources we’ve gathered to date, the Late 2016 15″ MacBook Pro is currently the best host for external GPU implementation. In order to get the most performance out of an external GPU setup, we recommend using a quad-core processor Mac. MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2013) MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2012) * MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Early 2013) * MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015) MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) * MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) * MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (13-inch, Late 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) IMac Pro (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2017) * The table below details all Mac computers with Thunderbolt connectivity. Mac models with an asterisk (*) denote they have discrete graphics as a standard feature. In our experience, a Mac with only integrated graphics is easier to set up with an external GPU. A 2011 MacBook Pro with the first generation Thunderbolt and the latest 2017 MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 3 can both harvest the power of an external GPU. HDMI headless display adapter (optional)Įxternal graphics cards work with all Thunderbolt-equipped Macs.External monitor with either HDMI, DVI, or DisplayPort.Power supply based on your enclosure & GPU pairing.Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 2 PCIe enclosure.To get started, you’ll need the following hardware: As new Macs and Thunderbolt external GPU enclosures become available, we will update this guide with the latest information. Our goal with this post is to provide a comprehensive beginner’s setup guide so that Mac users can build an external graphics card (eGPU) for their computers. For macOS 10.13, please read our High Sierra External GPU overview. September 2017 Update: This setup guide is applicable for macOS 10.9 to 10.12 only. October 2017 Update: If you plan on using a Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pro with Windows, please read our External GPU Boot Camp setup guide. The good news is we found a workaround, please read our State of External Graphics Card in 10.13.4 for more details. The bad news is the exclusion of older Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 Macs. This update made external GPU functionality plug-and-play for Thunderbolt 3 Macs when paired with supported AMD eGFX. eGPU-accelerated Internal Display How-toĪpril 2018 Update: Apple officially released external graphics card support to the public with 10.13.4 on March 29th, 2018.Step 3: External GPU Driver Installation.Step 2: External Graphics Card Recognition.

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