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DIY eGPU Macbook experiences


oripash

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I decided to make a dedicated thread, since I do have ideas on what products may work, but really need the communities input on which is best.

Hello, a few days ago I stumbled onto this forum as a source of knowledge for eGPU projects. I have a few ideas of what adapters I can use and what not. First, lets start off with the specs of my machine.

-Late 2012 Macbook Pro, 16GB RAM, i5 3210M (Thunderbolt 1 @ 10 gbps)

-External Monitor @1920x1080

There's what I got so far, now here is the GPU and PSU I would like to use

-GTX 760

-Corsair CX430M 450W PSU

I first came here to ask if this http://www.banggood.com/EXP-GDC-Laptop-External-PCI-E-Graphics-Card-Mini-PCI-E-Set-p-934367.html would work, but have since learned HDMI to Thunderbolt cables do not exists, and that adapter would be a bad choice for my eGPU setup.

Doing a little more research I discovered the http://www.amazon.com/Akitio-Thunder2-PCIe-Box/dp/B00LTAUTHE/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416346377&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=ankitio would be a much better choice, seeing how it has native thunderbolt support.

That's all I got so far. I am still confused on a few things, that I would be most appreciative if some of you could clear up

Obviously, there is no way a GTX 760 would fit inside that enclosure, so I am assuming I would have to use it without the black covering.

On some setups using the http://www.amazon.com/Akitio-Thunder2-PCIe-Box/dp/B00LTAUTHE/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416346377&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=ankitio people use a PCIe riser, while others don't.

Reading threads on this forum, I have also noticed some things about EFI and BIOS modifications. I am a bit confused on this. I will be running the eGPU on Windows 8, but would love to also use it on OS X.

Lastly, if there is anything else I should know, please do share.

Thank you for reading, and look forward to reading your responses. I really appreciate it.

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The Akitio Thunder2 PCIe Box is the way to go. It only offers 25W for the PCIe Slot while most GPUs need the PCIe specified 75W. That's why you have to use a powered riser.

EFI or BIOS modifications aren't needed as far as I know. You simply assemble your stuff, e.g. GPU into riser, riser into Akitio Thunder2, then connect the PCIe GPU power cables and the molex plug of the Akitio Thunder2 with the PSU. Then plug your Thunderbolt cable in, power your PSU up and turn your Macbook on. For Windows, this is everything, you only need to install the drivers then. For Mac OS X look into one of the various threads that describe the OS X setup(I haven't done it myself yet).

It's really easy with the Akitio :)

Your GPU and PSU are good to use for that. You'd only need to buy the Akitio Thunder2 and the powered riser cable(watch for it to be x16 to x16).

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What brand GPU do I need to buy if I want to use the internal screen?

I'm thinking about the gtx 970, or 980. I think I read somewhere that I had to have EVGA. Is that true?

Firstly, your Macbook must have an Intel iGPU that's active and working in Windows to have any chance of NVidia Optimus being able to be actived on there. That eliminates dGPU-equipped 15" Macbook Pros.

Then you can use any recent NVidia card to get Optimus internal LCD working. As you point out, EVGA GTX970/980 are a bit differently. They reportedly have a delayed PCIe assertion, allowing them to provide internal LCD mode functionality out of the box.

Other GTX970/980 cards requiring the workaround at http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/8106-%5Bwip%5D-2013-13-macbook-pro-gtx760%4016gbps-tb2-akitio-thunder2-win8-1-osx10-10-a.html#post110489 to allow NVidia Optimus' internal LCD mode functionality.

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Hi all.

I've seen some discussion of this elsewhere, but will nVidia Quadro cards work with windows in boot camp? I know that many folks claim to get GeForce cards to work with Quadro drivers, but I think nVidia has recently made that more difficult. The reason is that I'd like to make an eGPU set up that is worthy of real 3d modeling in Rhino. No need for high frame rate, just high detail. Wondering if anyone here has attempted a quadro eGPU with a MBP. I see one implementation guide with a Lenovo L440 + express card. Thinking a TB2 would be superior.

(On a separate note, as I am relatively new to this thread, would just like to say that this is the kind of thread worthy of a book deal. Congrats to Tech Inferno Fan et al.)

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Hi all.

I've seen some discussion of this elsewhere, but will nVidia Quadro cards work with windows in boot camp? I know that many folks claim to get GeForce cards to work with Quadro drivers, but I think nVidia has recently made that more difficult. The reason is that I'd like to make an eGPU set up that is worthy of real 3d modeling in Rhino. No need for high frame rate, just high detail. Wondering if anyone here has attempted a quadro eGPU with a MBP. I see one implementation guide with a Lenovo L440 + express card. Thinking a TB2 would be superior.

(On a separate note, as I am relatively new to this thread, would just like to say that this is the kind of thread worthy of a book deal. Congrats to Tech Inferno Fan et al.)

You could substitute any Geoforce (gaming) card used for the Thunderbolt eGPU implementations at http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/6578-implementations-hub-tb-ec-mpcie.html#Thunderbolt for a Quadro professional card.

If you are tech savvy, you could even hack certain Geoforce cards into registering as a Quadro card, thereby enabling the professional driver features at substantially less cost. See http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/5496-%5Blink%5D-hacking-nvidia-geforce-cards-into-their-professional-counterparts.html#post76720 .

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Hey guys my eGPU* is not being detected, fans spin up and the screen is black internally and no display externally. On my last install of windows i accidentally unplugged the eGPU while the mac was running (oops) and when i restarted it worked with the eGPU but not with the internal screen (just on windows). Anyway i reinstalled windows to fix this and now the internal works but i cannot seem to get the eGPU detected again. I have tried hot plugging the eGPU right after the startup chime and it doesn't seem to help.

* GTX 770 - 13" MBP - AKiTiO Thunder2 Box - 16X Powered Riser - CX500M

On the Mac side I am using Yosemite and on Bootcamp Windows 8.1

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Can you boot into Windows without the eGPU and reinstall the Intel Graphics Driver (newest version!) and the Geforce driver after that.

Maybe Marks guide with the modifiedEFI Partion might help you as well to get Optimus working.

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RE: http://forum.techinferno.com/implementation-guides/8219-%5Bguide%5D-2014-15-macbook-pro-gt750m-gtx970%4016gbps-tb2-akitio-thunder2-win8-1-a-2.html#post114655

I have that Macbook Pro model (A1398). Does it also support automatic UEFI mode? I really want to disable the internal GPU so that I get a maximum performance of my eGPU. It seems that with GTX 770, I am not sensing any of the full performance of my GPU. I knew that with UEFI configuration I can turn off the internal GPU.

Also should I just download the Optimus software to configure my display setting?

I feel I am being really interested.

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I could gather the parts and do it myself.. but id rather now and screw something up.. is there anyone who wants to sell me their custom rig?

Or anyone in the bay area want to build me one and i can pay for it :).

my macbook is in great need of this eGPU..

:21_002::21_002:

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Hey there,

just a thought: Would it be possible to use the eGPU exclusively inside a VM? Would be great to be able to start a Parallels VM which has access to a full GPU while the surrounding OS X use the build in GPU.

What do you think? Any way to make this happen?

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Hello.

I just finished my setup, but I'm seeing low gpu scores on 3dmark firestrike etc.

I get 7300, while most of you are getting 8,5k + with the same setup.

Does anyone know the problem?

Here's my full setup (Im using internal retina screen)

GTX 970 EVGA SC

16x to 16x Powered Riser

rMBP 15" Late 2013 with iGPU (5200)

Akitio Thunder2 PciE solution

600W PSU

1. Does UEFI windows affect performance? I have bootcamp windows. Will changing to UEFI improve my performance at all?

2. Im using the TB cable from Akitio. Will changing it to apple official 2meter affect my performance?

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Hello.

I just finished my setup, but I'm seeing low gpu scores on 3dmark firestrike etc.

I get 7300, while most of you are getting 8,5k + with the same setup.

Does anyone know the problem?

Here's my full setup (Im using internal retina screen)

GTX 970 EVGA SC

16x to 16x Powered Riser

rMBP 15" Late 2013 with iGPU (5200)

Akitio Thunder2 PciE solution

600W PSU

1. Does UEFI windows affect performance? I have bootcamp windows. Will changing to UEFI improve my performance at all?

2. Im using the TB cable from Akitio. Will changing it to apple official 2meter affect my performance?

Maybe TDPThrottle look at the physics score and compare. Try Throttlestop and undervolt CPU.

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Hello.

I just finished my setup, but I'm seeing low gpu scores on 3dmark firestrike etc.

I get 7300, while most of you are getting 8,5k + with the same setup.

Does anyone know the problem?

Here's my full setup (Im using internal retina screen)

GTX 970 EVGA SC

16x to 16x Powered Riser

rMBP 15" Late 2013 with iGPU (5200)

Akitio Thunder2 PciE solution

600W PSU

1. Does UEFI windows affect performance? I have bootcamp windows. Will changing to UEFI improve my performance at all?

2. Im using the TB cable from Akitio. Will changing it to apple official 2meter affect my performance?

Hm 7300 is really low…

Can you monitor your CPU and GPU load and temperatures?

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 video card benchmark result - Intel® Core i7-4750HQ CPU @ 2.00GHz,Apple Inc. Mac-3CBD00234E554E41

Its just the graphics score that is low..

Ive tried changing PSU + TB cable now, but its still like that..

The GPU doesnt reach 80celsius even, so I dont really know what the problem is..

Will changing to UEFI help??

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That score doesn't look bad! First we should make clear to talk about the Graphics Score. In your case: 8064.

The 7397 is more of the final overall score!

Your graphics score of 8000 is fine and more or less the same value I experienced with my first setup. I got a graphics score of 8700 but with a good portion of overclocking and an increased power target of 110%.

You must keep in mind that you are measuring your internal screen performance, which is achived via the Optimus feature. The performance loss of using the internal screen vs. using an external screen is 10%. In my case: internal screen 8700 vs external screen 9700 points.

You can read about that in my guide (with my "old" 13" MBPr which is already replaced by an 15" one): http://forum.techinferno.com/implementation-guides/7879-%5Bguide%5D-2013-13-macbook-pro-gtx970%4016gbps-tb2-akitio-thunder2-win8-1-osx10-10-a.html

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Yea, thx, I tried with external screen + a little OC, and my score is tons better.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 video card benchmark result - Intel® Core i7-4750HQ CPU @ 2.00GHz,Apple Inc. Mac-3CBD00234E554E41

Here's my full setup:

rMBP 15" Late 2013 with iGPU (5200), i7-4750HQ 2.0 CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD

Akitio Thunder2 enclosure + supplied Thunderbolt2 cable

GTX 970 EVGA SC

16x to 16x Powered Riser

600W PSU

Bootcamp Windows 8.1

NVidia Optimus providing accelerated internal LCD mode

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That are pretty much the same results I got with my 15" and GTX 970 (external screen, EVGA GTX 970 FTW)! :)

The problem with the internal screen is that data has to go from the MacBook to the GTX 970 (by TB) and back again (by TB) into the MacBook to be displayed on the Retina screen. Because the 1st step is working totally on the TB2 limit, the 2nd step isn't making it better.

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Thanks for the suggestion, i did manage to get the eGPU detected, i had to startup on the internal with the eGPU plugged in (and on) then i had to restart the computer and it detected, for some reason shuting down and booting up wasnt the answer, restarting was.

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