External GPU vs Internal

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Digitrevx
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External GPU vs Internal

Post by Digitrevx »

Thought this would be a interesting video by a techtuber since the idea of running a mac with external graphic card enclosures has been brought up multiple times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeGWwziCrpw

In terms of video games "3d" rendering it doesn't seem like you would be getting all your money out of the external card. While better then the gpu that comes in a mac it still seems a internal gpu in a gaming machine is far stronger.

Of course its video games and not Resolume benchmarks.

I don't use a laptop with Resolume but if I did I have to agree with him if I was using a laptop / notebook / desktop resplacement as a serious machine for Resolume. I don't see the benefit of carrying around a giant box in addition to a notebook that needs to be plugged in the wall just like a monster gaming laptop with a 1080gtx in it. And then not even get the full power of the 1080 out of it for basically the same cost.

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Arvol
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Re: External GPU vs Internal

Post by Arvol »

I haven't done a ton of research on this, But before I moved away from Apple last month I did some digging on band-aid patches to keep Apple in the conversation for new media servers. From what I read, you have to do some behind the scenes coding to only support the external GPU via something like the Razer Core. BUT without ANY warning, if an update gets pushed through, even something minuet or minor, it can overwrite what you've programmed and or completely brick your machine.... Again, just what I've read, haven't tried it. For the money I found getting a Laptop with a GTX 10 series would end up saving me money and time.

From what I've been told there's been issues with the GPU switching and that's why people have tried to hard-code the external GPU as the only one used. Seems like a lot of work, but if that's what you're wanting to do, I'd love to see the outcome.

My only complaint about moving back to windows, is that i love the os of Apple better, and I really miss all the syphon apps available, Spout has about 1/10th of the available apps as syphon.
With that being said, the hardware and price point of the current Razer line, or any other competitive "Gaming Laptop" blows the current MBP's out of the water.

Also, The stuff I was reading about was on the trashcan Mac Pro's using a GTX 1080, Not sure if there's any differences between that and the MBP's. With the os being the same, I would assume that the process would be the same.

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5AMvisual
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Re: External GPU vs Internal

Post by 5AMvisual »

dinga wrote: Also, The stuff I was reading about was on the trashcan Mac Pro's using a GTX 1080, Not sure if there's any differences between that and the MBP's. With the os being the same, I would assume that the process would be the same.
Do you mind linking me to this article ?
I'd love to read about this, I'm attempting a Hackintosh build with GTX 10XX graphics.
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lightbx
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Re: External GPU vs Internal

Post by lightbx »

I have used one on a Mac Mini. Not a Razer Core, but an OWC Helios TB2 Chassis. (It's only half-size, intended for audio cards/NVMe SSDs.) I put an NVIDIA GTX750Ti in there.

There is an open-source project called eGPU that automates your Mac's ability to detect the Graphics Device via Thunderbolt. It is very easy to install. https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/ ... ay-output/ It did not brick my Mac.

I wish I could find the forum where this specific combination (OWC + NVIDIA GTX) was verified by a few people, but it's also why I went this route. I would suspect Razer supplies their own drivers for their devices, unless they are simply PnP.

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