Razer Core X EGPU Mac Mini Woes

Hi All

I’m putting this up here because I don’t really know where to post it.
I’m trying to put together a small grading/editing setup at home. (I know, cheap is not always good).
I have a 2018 Mac Mini (brought new), a Razer Core X egpu case (brought new), a Sapphire Radeon RX Vega 64 (brought refurbished).
I can get it all to work the first time I plug it up. TB3 cable down to the Razer Core X. DisplayPort up to the monitor. All is well.
Then if I have to do a restart I get a black screen. I need to go and switch off and unplug the power from the Razer Core, then plug it up again and restart. That’ll usually do the trick. (Not ideal).

Does anyone have any experience with egpu s? (This is my first). Does anyone know how to test an egpu?
PS: The Mac Mini will start and restart plugged directly into the monitor With no problems. Pretty sure it’s the egpu.

Thanks in advance.
Tim

Why not leave the monitor plugged into the computer and use the eGPU for compute only?
That will also reduce traffic on the limited bandwidth of TB3.

I'm using nearly the same setup expect having a Radeon 580 in the eGPU.

I saw similar problems with the monitor plugged into this eGPU under Mojave, which I didn't have when testing the eGPU by BM under High Sierra. I don't know if it's the Razer or the OS causing this.

Some graphics card do not offer pre FileVault boot support in macOS.
So booting up will be in the dark. Either wait 10 seconds, select the user with keyboard even though you can’t see it, hit enter and type the password.
Or connect a HDMI cable directly from the mini to display and choose that input while logging in and then switch to DisplayPort from eGPU.

I believe there’s been a firmware problem in Max Mini, eGPUs and black screens.

You might get more specific help and guidance regarding the graphics problem over at eGPU.io

Tim, my setup is similar to yours, Mac Mini and Vega 64 in a eGPU box. Only difference being my eGPU box is OWC Helios 650W. Monitors are connected by a DisplayPort to the Vega 64.

I power the Mac Mini on and off without ever touching the eGPU or monitors. Everything behaves just like if the graphic card was inside the computer. It switches itself automatically on or off in tandem with Mac Mini without me doing anything. Restarts, switching on or off several times in a row, no single problem. Try leaving the Razer box on all the time and see how it behaves. Does it follow the commands from the Mini... everything should be automatic. My File Vault is disabled, so I don't need to hook up monitor to the Mini directly ever.

The Razer is also switching on and off with the Mac mini.

Thanks for the input peeps.
Yes the eGPU is being switched off and on with the Mini. I don't touch that.
I thought I read somewhere it was better to run the GUI from the eGPU. Also the whole point of this was to run Resolve in dual screen mode which it does when it's running.
The FileVault in disabled.
Looks like it's the Razer Core not engaging fast enough or something. I just started and got a black screen, restated doing a PRam boot and it comes up fine.

Boring.

Tim

If you are the only person having access to it, why not set it up for auto-login?

It is said to be reports that this is fixed in the macOS 10.15.4 beta.