I need advice with purchasing an eGPU, I need it to be able to run Redshift (Maxon) software on my Mac Pro (2013) as it's not supported with my existing specs>
Can anyone give any advice on where to start with this? I have a guide here;
https://www.redshift3d.com/product/system-requirements
But unsure where to start?
Mac Pro, macOS 10.15
Apple has stated back in 2020 that this will be a 2-year transition, so the 'pro' Apple Silicon might not arrive for another year.
Thunderbolt 2 eGPU use isn't natively supported by Apple, but it can be enabled by open-source 3rd party software. There is some additional performance lost with TB2 vs TB3 and it is more of an amateur than a professional solution but it generally works.
EGPU Suggestions
A) Sonnet Breakaway Puck 5500XT. This is an all-in-one integrated eGFX/GPU box. These aren't much faster than a D500 or an M1 and can't easily be upgraded but are small and inexpensive... or at least slightly cheaper than just buying an M1 Mini.
B) Sonnet Breakaway Box. I use one of these with a 2018 Mini. Solid simplicity, but the blue LED lighting isn't for everyone. BYO GPU. If you have to stay on Catalina.... maybe an RX 5600XT?
C) AkiTio Node Titan. A bit more professional and travel friendly than the Sonnet, now sold by OWC. Radeon Pro W5700 bundles are available, otherwise BYO GPU.
More reliable alternative suggestions:
D) Get an M1 mini or Air as a stop-gap for the Redshift work while waiting for the next generation Apple Silicon.
E) 2019 Mac Pro (or a 2020 top-tier 5K iMac if budget is a factor).
Apple has stated back in 2020 that this will be a 2-year transition, so the 'pro' Apple Silicon might not arrive for another year.
Thunderbolt 2 eGPU use isn't natively supported by Apple, but it can be enabled by open-source 3rd party software. There is some additional performance lost with TB2 vs TB3 and it is more of an amateur than a professional solution but it generally works.
EGPU Suggestions
A) Sonnet Breakaway Puck 5500XT. This is an all-in-one integrated eGFX/GPU box. These aren't much faster than a D500 or an M1 and can't easily be upgraded but are small and inexpensive... or at least slightly cheaper than just buying an M1 Mini.
B) Sonnet Breakaway Box. I use one of these with a 2018 Mini. Solid simplicity, but the blue LED lighting isn't for everyone. BYO GPU. If you have to stay on Catalina.... maybe an RX 5600XT?
C) AkiTio Node Titan. A bit more professional and travel friendly than the Sonnet, now sold by OWC. Radeon Pro W5700 bundles are available, otherwise BYO GPU.
More reliable alternative suggestions:
D) Get an M1 mini or Air as a stop-gap for the Redshift work while waiting for the next generation Apple Silicon.
E) 2019 Mac Pro (or a 2020 top-tier 5K iMac if budget is a factor).
Your Mac Pro late 2013 has ThunderBolt-2 ports.
ThunderBolt-2 does not support any eGPU chassis I know of.
eGPUs are supported by any Mac with an Intel processor and Thunderbolt 3 ports1 running macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 or later. Learn how to update the software on your Mac.
Use an external graphics processor with your Mac – Apple Support
"Where to start" is purchasing a $10K and up Mac Pro 2019.
Thanks for your reply, yes the T3 compatibility is what I thought it could be, but was unsure.
Essentially I'm playing a waiting game for the M1/M1X silicon chip in the "new" iMac Pro, whatever the name will be, or the "new" Mac Pro also with a silicon chip, which is supported by Maxon/Redshift.
The issue is I need to be able to use Redshift now! So, looking for a quick workaround? It seems there is none unless I buy the new basic iMac or basic Apple laptop both with M1 or switch to PC, any other useful suggestions would be very helpful. Any clues when Apple will release these "pro models" iMac pro/Mac pro with M1??
No substantial waiting required.
Apple released its latest Xeon-based silver tower Mac Pro 2019 model June 3, 2019. It is available NOW as a minimum 8-core model with Radeon Pro 5700X or Vega II or Vega II Duo graphics card options from Apple at additional cost.
You could take it out of the box and run Redshift TODAY.
The Apple web site says some models ordered today could deliver as early as July 9 to 13.
Ok thanks for the feedback that is useful, thank you.
The top spec iMac is;
Similar priced Mac Pro is;
These specs are both in my price range. Any advice on which set up would be fastest re: rendering, Ram preview etc etc?
Opinions please?! Thanks!
Between those two specs the iMac probably wins. The CPU is slightly slower, but the GPU is faster and Redshift seems to be GPU heavy. For Ram preview the Mac Pro has higher bandwidth, but quantity also has its advantages if you can imagine ever using more than 64GB.
(The Mac Pro would win if you stepped up to the Radeon Pro W5700X with 16GB and/or 96GB (6x16GB) memory).
If considering an iMac it might be worth settling for 'only' the Radeon Pro 5700 with 8GB GDDR6. That should still render a little faster than a Mac Pro's W5500X and I don't completely trust the max-buy-up GPU options in iMacs. Most years have been fine, but occasionally some years have had reliability issues.
For further reading https://barefeats.com/ has an assortment of GPU/Processor/Memory comparisons with different software.
If you are using a large memory, the Mac Pro features Error Correcting Code memory. So memory errors, if they occur, will NEVER be a festering issue. The maximum size memory that can be installed is larger than the iMac.
In addition, you get expansion slots, which can add to the useful life for a long time to come.
If you are going to go that route, you should get the 5700X, which is explicitly listed in the RedShift requirements document.
Do you think this would be a good setup for a Mac Pro to use RedShift/Octane renderer w/C4D?
This is my GPU power-heavy "budget option", can you see any potential flaws with this?
3.5GHz 8‑core Intel Xeon W processor with Turbo Boost up to 4.0GHz
48GB (6 × 8GB) of DDR4 ECC memory
Radeon Pro Vega II with 32GB of HBM2 memory
Nope. iMac GPUs have been soldered to the logic board since 2012. Unless you count adding an eGPU they cannot later have the graphics upgraded.
Having a removable/upgradable GPU is one of the Mac Pro perks.
If you are going to pay for the Mac Pro I'd also advise getting at least the 12-core CPU on the Mac Pro. You might as well unlock the full 2933MHz Ram rather than settle for 2666MHz.
Are the GPUs removable on iMacs? For example, can you custom upgrade them once you buy off the shelf from Apple to essentially have more of the old iMac Pro set up with Radeon Pro Vega II GPU?
Be sure you also up-specify the fast boot drive from the microscopic 256GB default. That 256GB size is not actually appropriate for ANYTHING, and should not even be offered in a Mac of this calibre.
I need advice with an eGPU, I need it to be able to run Redshift (Maxon) software on my Mac Pro (2013)
