2017 imac + 5k screen + egpu?

[banhammer]

I have a 2017 5k imac that I'm trying to add 2nd 5k screen and egpu. Is it possible to run this setup and how would i do it? Would any gpu work as long as the drivers are supported?

 

[Glockworkorange]

I have a 2017 5K and a 5k Ultrafine. There is a spare TB3 port for an egpu after hooking up the 5k. Should be able to run an egpu without issue. The particular steps of setting up the egpu are all over YouTube.

 

[banhammer]

I have a 2017 5K and a 5k Ultrafine. There is a spare TB3 port for an egpu after hooking up the 5k. Should be able to run an egpu without issue. The particular steps of setting up the egpu are all over YouTube.

I know that there are 2 tb3 ports but only 1 tb3 bus. Dont you need 2 tb3 bus per 5k display?

 

[Glockworkorange]

I know that there are 2 tb3 ports but only 1 tb3 bus. Dont you need 2 tb3 bus per 5k display?

No. At least not with the 5K ultra fine.

I don’t know the technical aspect of it, but I can tell you emphatically and without question the 2017 5K will drive a 5K ultra wide through one TB 3 without issue.

I am using the second TB 3 port to drive a TB 1 backup drive. I’m sure it will run an egpu as well.

 

[banhammer]

No. At least not with the 5K ultra fine.

I don’t know the technical aspect of it, but I can tell you emphatically and without question the 2017 5K will drive a 5K ultra wide through one TB 3 without issue.

I am using the second TB 3 port to drive a TB 1 backup drive. I’m sure it will run an egpu as well.

If you watch the LTT video from 5:49 (

) it seems like mac uses 2 tb ports to drive a 5k display(its some internal funneling instead of having 2 physical cables). It gets me to think if your backup drive works only because its not as data intensive. Perhaps you might even see an increase in drive performance if you unplug the 5k display.

 

[Glockworkorange]

If EGPUs weren't so expensive and/or I had a need for one, I would happily run a test for you.

As it stands, my only peripherals are a TB 1 TM drive (with TB 3/USBC-c adapter) and a second USB 3 TM drive

If anyone has any suggestions for using my set up as a test bed to help the OP out, please let me know.

 

[WordMasterRice]

I know this is an old thread but I know that my 2017 iMac will not run an LG 5K and a 4K TV via adapter at the same time so I'm not sure if it will run an eGPU but I would love to know if it did. That would be a good work around for the TV for me.