Macbook Pro with a GTX 980 Setup Guide & Benchmarks [eGPU setup, Windows 10]

[Creativity]

There is an easy way:

- get a 2xMolex->6-Pin adapter

- cut of the 6-Pin adapter

- get a barrel plug (5.5 and 2.5mm) (inside 12V connection, outside is ground)

- connect the 2x12V to the barrel plug

- connect the 2,3,4xground to the barrel plug

- now you can power your AKiTiO with only one PSU!

 

 

Please don't recommend using both PSUs at the same time. They provide 12v and ground each and can cause ground loops or high load on the PCB or PSUs itself and fail.

I am incapable of doing this. Is this the only solution? are there other alternatives?

[Dschijn]

I am incapable of doing this. Is this the only solution? are there other alternatives?

Get a desktop PSU with at least 500W to have all the plugs!

[Tim Drake]

Get a desktop PSU with at least 500W to have all the plugs!

Since it's only powering the GPU you won't need more than 200/300w...

[Dschijn]

Guys… You need a PSU which can provide enough amps on the 12V rail! Old and weak PSUs can't handle high loads and may cause problems with modern GPUs chaning it's power consumption multiple times per second.

You also need a PSU with the correct plugs and no PSU below 400W will provide 2x6-Pin PCIe or 8-Pins… (beside the expensive ones).

And asking for an easy setup a regular 500W is the best way to go for them!

[Creativity]

Do you think the i5 2.7GHz Broadwell processor on Macbook pro 13" will bottleneck the performance of GTX 970/980? I am still debating on which card to get...

[ProjectRED]

Will the egpu stop you from accessing all your Vram or wI'll it just give me all 12 from titan x?

[mwthomas10]

Will the egpu stop you from accessing all your Vram or wI'll it just give me all 12 from titan x?

Technically, you could access all 12; however due to bottlenecks it will not perform the same as the 12 gigs in a bottleneck free situation.

[Dschijn]

Do you think the i5 2.7GHz Broadwell processor on Macbook pro 13" will bottleneck the performance of GTX 970/980? I am still debating on which card to get...

 

Well, the 13" onyl has a dual core CPU... The Witcher 3 doesn't really care about that and will work just fine, but demanding games might not work very good. Battlefield 4 was one to major reasons for me to switch from 13" to a 15" MBPr.

 

Will the egpu stop you from accessing all your Vram or wI'll it just give me all 12 from titan x?

 

No limitations. 12GB could be interessting in gaming in native Retina resolution, but are sure overkill. 980 or max 980Ti should be fine as well.

[an1m3rul3z]

Hi, I have a question.

Does this also work with a rMBP that has an internal GPU? like the new one that has an AMD or the previous model that has a Nvidia? can I choose the external over the dedicated that comes with the laptop?

[Dschijn]

To run an external display, yes you can. But getting the performance on the Retina display… that isn't really that easy, because you would have to disable the dGPU to get Optimus working with the eGPU and iGPU.

[an1m3rul3z]

I would use it mostly on an external display for gaming, such as a HD TV or HD Monitor, I don't really consider gaming in high quality in the retina display.

[Dschijn]

In that case I don't see any problem if you want to use the eGPU with Windows 8.1!

[Firearm2112]

In that case I don't see any problem if you want to use the eGPU with Windows 8.1!

Yeah always use Windows 8.1. Ive had problems with getting it to work on Windows 7

[ProjectRED]

Alright I'm a week away from hitting the gun on this:http://pcpartpicker.com/p/sKxwJxI added a thunderbolt enclosure so I can add space. Does this look like a good build? Plus what cooler should I get? And what is a good 21:9 monitor to go with this? And will 1080p vs 1440p be a big difference in the 21:9 format? Thanks

[Dschijn]

Seems like a powerful base to start from

You will still need adapters to make a barrel plug to power the AKiTiO from the same PSU as the GPU.

Cooler for the GPU? There are no yet confirmed after market cooler for the 980Ti. Maybe you should consider to get the EVGA GTX 980Ti Hybrid, if you can mount a 120mm rad in the case?!

 

How do you want to connect the SSD?

[Norman_the_Owl]

You guys should probably just wait.

 

Thunderbolt 3 will have official support for external GPUs...MSI will have a dock, that will probably be much cheaper as well

[ProjectRED]

Seems like a powerful base to start from

You will still need adapters to make a barrel plug to power the AKiTiO from the same PSU as the GPU.

Cooler for the GPU? There are no yet confirmed after market cooler for the 980Ti. Maybe you should consider to get the EVGA GTX 980Ti Hybrid, if you can mount a 120mm rad in the case?!

How do you want to connect the SSD?

What adapters do I need to bridge the two psu together? I have not heard of doing that before? Plus I plan to use the thunderbolt to SATA so I can install windows to it and use it on multiple builds.

[Dschijn]

If you want to use the AKiTiO as an eGPU in a ITX case you will still need:

- Molex to barrel plug, to power the AKiTiO (don't use the 60W AKiTiO PSU)

- x16 riser cable to relocate the AKiTiO PCB away from the GPU (don't buy cheap, cheap riser cables can cause stability problems!)

 

To connect the SSD you will need a SSD case with TB or you buy a Sonnet III-D and get a PCIe card which can mount SSDs on it.

[ProjectRED]

If you want to use the AKiTiO as an eGPU in a ITX case you will still need:

- Molex to barrel plug, to power the AKiTiO (don't use the 60W AKiTiO PSU)

- x16 riser cable to relocate the AKiTiO PCB away from the GPU (don't buy cheap, cheap riser cables can cause stability problems!)

To connect the SSD you will need a SSD case with TB or you buy a Sonnet III-D and get a PCIe card which can mount SSDs on it.

Can I get a link to a good barrel plug? I'm taking the Akitio apart so I can drill the pcb without a riser. What performance is taKen away from a gpu on tb1

[Dschijn]

I don't see an option to use it without the riser! Trust me.

Please read my guide (section - Powering the AKiTiO Thunder2 with an alternative power supply): http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/10061-basic-egpu-hardware-guide-macs.html

[Firearm2112]

I don't see an option to use it without the riser! Trust me.

Please read my guide (section - Powering the AKiTiO Thunder2 with an alternative power supply): http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/10061-basic-egpu-hardware-guide-macs.html

I have observed your responses on here, and you seem to be very knowledgeable about eGPUs, so I come to you with a question that has puzzled me for some time about my setup. 

 

When using my eGPU on Windows, my CPU always runs hot, when idle. I assume this has something to do with the processor ramping up to keep up with the GPU. Does this happen to you?

[Dschijn]

I think that is based on multiple reasons:

 

1. the power profile you select will affect the way the CPU clocks. So power saving setting will try to clock as low as possible as often as possible. With more aggressive settings, it will keep a higher clock speed. OSX is keeping the balance really well with that, MBs in Windows not.

2. I have one progress bringing constant load of 10% to the system. That is keeping the CPU busy and affects the clock speed and heat generation. Couldn't solve that problem.

 

To keep my system cool I do this:

 

1. Use the MB on a lifted up position to give it fresh air from underneath

2. lower the CPUs voltage with Intel XTU tool. I can get -75mV stable in all games. Some could get even below -100mV. By that the CPU uses less power and produces less heat.

[Firearm2112]

I think that is based on multiple reasons:

 

1. the power profile you select will affect the way the CPU clocks. So power saving setting will try to clock as low as possible as often as possible. With more aggressive settings, it will keep a higher clock speed. OSX is keeping the balance really well with that, MBs in Windows not.

2. I have one progress bringing constant load of 10% to the system. That is keeping the CPU busy and affects the clock speed and heat generation. Couldn't solve that problem.

 

To keep my system cool I do this:

 

1. Use the MB on a lifted up position to give it fresh air from underneath

2. lower the CPUs voltage with Intel XTU tool. I can get -75mV stable in all games. Some could get even below -100mV. By that the CPU uses less power and produces less heat.

Thanks for the quick reply,

 

I got some pads and put my mac in an elevated position.

 

As for the CPU voltage lowering, how does one make sure its stable? Does an unstable voltage lower crash the game, lock up system etc? Also, will this degrade performance?

 

Thanks

[Dschijn]

You can test with games or any other load. I used Battlefield 4 because that game is extremly sensitive to slightly unstable settings (overclocking, undervolting,....). BF4 crashed with -100mV in my case.

 

Degeneration in performance? Not at all. It will just make the CPU using less power. It's like keeping water boiling on the stove. You can use the highest setting with lots of power or medium/low settings to keep it boiling. (Water can't get hotter than 100°C and doesn't need more power to keep boiling).

 

But less heat means sth else -> more performance.

Why? Well the CPU is not "faster" but it can keep the boost clock or a state of boost longer and with higher clocks.

 

[Firearm2112]

You can test with games or any other load. I used Battlefield 4 because that game is extremly sensitive to slightly unstable settings (overclocking, undervolting,....). BF4 crashed with -100mV in my case.

 

Degeneration in performance? Not at all. It will just make the CPU using less power. It's like keeping water boiling on the stove. You can use the highest setting with lots of power or medium/low settings to keep it boiling. (Water can't get hotter than 100°C and doesn't need more power to keep boiling).

 

But less heat means sth else -> more performance.

Why? Well the CPU is not "faster" but it can keep the boost clock or a state of boost longer and with higher clocks.

 

Which slider do I change in XTU to adjust the voltage