EGPU for Macbook Pro

[Playden]

I am curious to see if there are any reasonably priced eGPU boxes that would work with a MacBook Pro 2016. I have seen a few online that use USB C interface but I honestly can't find any real info about people testing them on MacBooks, aside from some outrageously expensive ones. If anyone has any prior experience or has heard of it being done, some info would be greatly appreciated.

 

I am looking to do it fairly cheap since I already have an r9 290 from my desktop rig that died on me, the card works fine so I want to see if I can put it to use.

[DrMacintosh]

As long as it is Thunderbolt 3 compliant any enclosure should work fine. 

[SquintyG33Rs]

all egpu boxes are expensive.... several hundred dollars without a GPU.... but if you bought a macbook pro i don't see how that could be an issue.

 

also it doesn't use USB-C it uses thunderbolt 3

 

i strongly doubt drivers exist for R9 cards for mac OSX. nvidia recently made drivers for mac for all their cards (beta)

[88pockets]

10 minutes ago, SquintyG33Rs said:

 but if you bought a macbook pro i don't see how that could be an issue.

 

2

Harsh... MBP's are overpriced but that doesn't mean everyone who owns one is made of money.  They are well-built machines and I would have one if it was given to me. 

 

OP, I think rather than going the route of eGPU cases, why don't you try to build an inexpensive gaming PC.  What are you hoping to play and at what resolution.  You can build a pretty great 1080p machine for less than a 300 dollar GPU holder with Thunderbolt 3 and a 300 to 400 dollar GPU on top of it.  For 350 bucks you can get a machine to game on and be able to add more to it later.

 

I mean if you are going to eGPU route than you aren't going to be gaming on the go and your laptop is gonna be surrounded by dongles and wires anyway to where you may as well have a second computer for games that has proper cooling room to upgrade and more.  Watch Linus's video about using cheap Xeons from eBay, I got the same base hardware as his latest Scrapyard Wars PC (Mobo, RAM, CPU, and CPU Cooler) for very cheap on craigslist.

 

Mobo - Asus P6T

CPU - 6 Core - Xeon X5679

RAM - 9 GB of DDR3 1600

Cooler - Some 120mm AIO

Total cost - $180  (USD)

 

I use it as an unRAID server for NAS and Plex Media Server among other things, but it can just as easily be a gaming PC if I throw in a GTX 770 or 780 for another 70 to 120 USD.

 

Ok, I know that build a PC isn't what you asked for, but I think it is a much better solution than an eGPU at this point in time.  Those boxes should really be a lot less expensive and soon enough they will be.

 

[SquintyG33Rs]

5 hours ago, Name Taken said:

USB Type-C connector can carry Thunderbolt, DisplayPort and USB protocols.

no really? the point is it's not about the port but the protocols it supports. not all type C jacks do it all

[Damascus]

Akitio node is pretty cheap, sub $200 I believe.  Has a built in psu and decent airflow as well.