2018 mbp + eGPU + VR = good?

[subjonas]

I’m looking to get into VR, specifically oculus rift (oculus has specific software I’m interested in), but I’ll need to upgrade my equipment. I would love to stay with MacOS but I’m reading that oculus requires windows. Is this still the case with the new 2018 MBPs? Has anyone tried oculus or any VR on the new 2018 mbp? With or without an eGPU? How was it? Did you have to use bootcamp? Does bootcamp support eGPU?
Thanks.

 

[NT1440]

I’m looking to get into VR, specifically oculus rift (oculus has specific software I’m interested in), but I’ll need to upgrade my equipment. I would love to stay with MacOS but I’m reading that oculus requires windows. Is this still the case with the new 2018 MBPs? Has anyone has tried any oculus or any VR on the new 2018 mbp? With or without an eGPU? How was it? Did you have to use bootcamp? Does bootcamp support eGPU?
Thanks.

I expect we're going to see some VR news at the next event in September. I don't have anything I can point you towards specifically to support that view, but their WWDC focus on VR/AR made it pretty clear to me that Apple is hauling ass to build some really great tools for devs on this front. Stay tuned.

 

[subjonas]

I expect we're going to see some VR news at the next event in September. I don't have anything I can point you towards specifically to support that view, but their WWDC focus on VR/AR made it pretty clear to me that Apple is hauling ass to build some really great tools for devs on this front. Stay tuned.

I look forward to more VR/AR adoption but more immediately all I need is either for oculus to support macOS (ideal), or for boot camp to support eGPU. Apparently some people have gotten it working on previous MBP models, though it sounds complex and the result imperfect—I’m wondering if it has gotten better with the new 2018 MBP. The specific software I’m interested in is for oculus but I’m curious about vr with the new mbp +/- eGPU in general.
FYI I’m not a developer. I’m a content creator and I’m interested in using oculus software as a creation tool.

 

[sosumi99]

You're going to be better off with a Windows PC for this. Much cheaper for the performance, and you'll have a lot more support when you run into issues. As a content creator, you'll want to be able to test a set up most of your customers have. The MBP (or really, most laptops in general except gaming rigs) is the wrong tool for this.

 

[p8blr]

I’ve not seen anyone try VR in macOS but I know that the egpu at least works in both bootcamp and macOS. 9to5mac has a lot of good videos on egpus.

I was hoping to do exactly what you are describing and give up my gaming desktop and aging MacBook for a new machine with an egpu, but all the problems of the 2018 MacBooks scared me away (crackling, kernel panics, early reports of broken keyboards) but I digress...

 

[jerryk]

I’m looking to get into VR, specifically oculus rift (oculus has specific software I’m interested in), but I’ll need to upgrade my equipment. I would love to stay with MacOS but I’m reading that oculus requires windows. Is this still the case with the new 2018 MBPs? Has anyone tried oculus or any VR on the new 2018 mbp? With or without an eGPU? How was it? Did you have to use bootcamp? Does bootcamp support eGPU?
Thanks.

Nvidia seems to be focusing on VR with the just announced Rtx 20xx series. Unfortunately there is zero chance of macOS running it. So once again it’s windows for advanced graphic apps.

 

[subjonas]

You're going to be better off with a Windows PC for this. Much cheaper for the performance, and you'll have a lot more support when you run into issues. As a content creator, you'll want to be able to test a set up most of your customers have. The MBP (or really, most laptops in general except gaming rigs) is the wrong tool for this.

That’s what I’m thinking (except I mainly want to use VR to create traditional content, not VR content, though possibly in the future). I do prefer to have a somewhat mobile work station, so I may go with a “vr ready” laptop.

I’ve not seen anyone try VR in macOS but I know that the egpu at least works in both bootcamp and macOS. 9to5mac has a lot of good videos on egpus.

Interesting. Seems like it works pretty well with minimal hassle, but I’m just wary of trying to do work on an unsupported setup.

 

[sosumi99]

That’s what I’m thinking (except I mainly want to use VR to create traditional content, not VR content, though possibly in the future). I do prefer to have a somewhat mobile work station, so I may go with a “vr ready” laptop.

I've tried the Rift (and some of the VR-painting apps) through a VR-ready laptop. It's a pretty good experience though things do occasionally break with driver updates and such, but judicious use of Windows checkpoints and online searching always resolved these for me. So I think you'll be pretty happy with that setup.

 

[maflynn]

I’ve not seen anyone try VR in macOS but I know that the egpu at least works in both bootcamp and macOS. 9to5mac has a lot of good videos on egpus.

Driver optimization and openCL are the achilles heals for this on macOS. I can't say that I'm terribly surprised but it is a bit of a bummer nonetheless.