Blackmagic Forum

Apple's online store is now listing a new Blackmagic eGPU "Pro", following several major product launches today.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/HMQT2VC/A/blackmagic-egpu-pro



The new Blackmagic eGPU Pro features a Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics processor with 8GB of HBM2 memory, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, four USB 3 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, and a DisplayPort 1.4 port, allowing for 85W of power to charge a MacBook Pro at the same time.

The eGPU is compatible with any Thunderbolt 3–enabled Mac, including the new space gray Mac mini and new MacBook Air with Retina display.

The Blackmagic eGPU Pro costs $1,199 and will be available to order from the Apple online store from late November.

From https://www.macrumors.com/2018/10/30/apple-store-lists-new-blackmagic-egpu-pro/?utm_source=osx&utm_medium=push&utm_campaign=mac

RX VEGA 56 is ~ $ 449 and an eGPU box is ~ $ 350, totals ~ $ 799.

I would consider this new eGPU kind of f*cking expensive.

Blackmagic eGPU Pro
$1,199.00
Compatible with any Thunderbolt 3–enabled Mac
Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics processor with 8GB of HBM2 memory
Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
Four USB 3 ports
HDMI 2.0 port
DisplayPort 1.4 port
85W power delivery

Blackmagic eGPU
$699.00
Compatible with Mac with Thunderbolt 3 ports
Radeon Pro 580 graphics processor with 8GB of GDDR5 memory
Two Thunderbolt 3 ports
Four USB 3 ports
One HDMI 2.0 port
85W power delivery

Isn't Nvidia much better than amd? I mean does a 1080TI outperform this radian card?

Will they add LUT support to supplement a 2nd monitor via the hdmi port?

GregGreenhaw wrote:Isn't Nvidia much better than amd? I mean does a 1080TI outperform this radian card?

It depends https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/DaVinci-Resolve-15-NVIDIA-GeForce-RTX-2070-Performance-1264/

GregGreenhaw wrote:Isn't Nvidia much better than amd? I mean does a 1080TI outperform this radian card?

Ya, but Apple and Nvideo got a divorce. Apple is dating AMD now.

Radeon Pro 580 vs Radeon RX Vega 56



Noticeable in the picture below, Blackmagic eGPU Pro also features an additional DisplayPort that supports 5K monitors.



Now @ https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/blackmagicegpu/

Peter Odio wrote:Radeon Pro 580 vs Radeon RX Vega 56

your graph only shows the 580 vs whatever is in the MacBook Pro 13"/15"

Peter Odio wrote:Noticeable in the picture below, Blackmagic eGPU Pro also features an additional DisplayPort that supports 5K monitors.

Yes, but still no video I/O in that box. I would only call it 'pro' at that price point if it would support direct connection of a calibrated screen – as recommended for any serious grading by BM.

I had it in my head that there was a Pro Vega 64 option for the BMD eGPU. Was I daydreaming?


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Kim, not sure what you feel is lacking in terms of USB:

“Blackmagic eGPU Pro has a DisplayPort connector so customers can connect a DisplayPort display for their workstation setup. The eGPU has 8GB of HBM2 memory, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, four USB 3 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port and a DisplayPort 1.4 port, allowing for 85W of power to charge your MacBook Pro at the same time.”

All four USB 3 ports are USB 3 Type A.


Agree price seems high. There seems to be even more price gouging stepping up to the Pro compared to the original GPU in Canada. Original $699 USD, $899 Can; Pro $1,199 USD—$500 more, $1,649 Can—$750 more.

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Kim, the charts posted earlier may help. But for me, the Barefeats benchmarks, posted a few weeks ago, convinced me that the 13” MacBook Pro with i5 processor was a better value with the original eGPU added than the 15” with i7. The i9 was no better than the i7 due to other design constraints. Take a look at those benchmarks that I trust more than numbers Apple published.

I bought 2 of the 13” MacBook Pros for the girls and if either of the girls needs more graphics power, I’ll add the BMD eGPU.

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Kim, the complications arise in the MacBook Pro 15” due to the discrete graphics processor on board. The 13” doesn’t have that and is greatly enhanced by the eGPU. Will watch for Barefeats to update their BMD eGPU benchmark when they get access to the new Oro Vega 56 version.


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It's not the GPU, it doesn't decode the GOP codec in that case.
The GPU will be your limiting factor when you add lots of corrections and filters, but not in simple playback.

The proof: try playing back some Braw. It's all about the codec.

Kim, Barefeats independent testing is likely as good as any as they are not linked to any hardware or software products. Vendor tests are always suspect as their content and methodology are not published in any detail so it’s possible the tests are skewed to their advantage.


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Kim Janson wrote:Is there some DaVinci test projects available, that could be used to test the system. Would be nice for BMD to provide the test projects used on the above graphs.

There are some "standard candle" Resolve tests discussed at length on LiftGammaGain.com.

From MacRumors.

Apple's new Blackmagic eGPU Pro, first introduced alongside the Mac mini and MacBook Air in late October, can now be purchased from the online Apple Store.

Orders placed today for the $1,199 new eGPU are set to be delivered from January 15 to January 23. It's not known how much stock Apple has available, so those delivery times could slip after the first orders are placed.



The Blackmagic eGPU Pro features a Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics processor with 8GB HBM2 memory, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, four USB 3 ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, a DisplayPort 1.4 port, and 85W of power delivery, enough to power the 15-inch MacBook Pro.

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/12/20/apple-blackmagic-egpu-pro-launches/

Like the prior non-Pro Blackmagic eGPU, the new version features an all-in-one aluminum enclosure. All of Apple's Thunderbolt 3-enabled Macs, including the Mac mini, the MacBook Air, and the MacBook Pro, work with the Blackmagic eGPU Pro.

When the eGPU was announced, Apple originally said it would be released in late November, but Apple later updated the product page to note that it wouldn't be released until December. Apple hit the December deadline, but deliveries won't begin until 2019.