External Graphic Card Advice

[toolbox84]

Hi,

I am using Mid. 2010 Mac Pro (The towers), with these configurations:

Processor: 2x2.4 GHZ Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Total Number of Cores: 8
Memory: 18 GB 1066 MHz DDR3
Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB
OS: 10.12.5

I am using this computer mainly for creative work. The software I use is Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Corel Painter.

Recently I found out that I could use an external Graphics Card for better performance. I would like to get expert information on this.

What do you recommend for my configuration? Which external card is good?

Thank you

 

[Prince134]

Hi,

I am using Mid. 2010 Mac Pro (The towers), with these configurations:

Processor: 2x2.4 GHZ Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Total Number of Cores: 8
Memory: 18 GB 1066 MHz DDR3
Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB
OS: 10.12.5

I am using this computer mainly for creative work. The software I use is Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Corel Painter.

Recently I found out that I could use an external Graphics Card for better performance. I would like to get expert information on this.

What do you recommend for my configuration? Which external card is good?

Thank you

The best card for your job is Nvidia GTX1080 Ti.

 

[toolbox84]

The best card for your job is Nvidia GTX1080 Ti.

Thank you for the suggestion. I want something that will go for about 7 years. Also, I am planning to do 3D work in the near future. Is your suggestion still good for 3D and 7 years?

Thanks.

 

[Prince134]

Thank you for the suggestion. I want something that will go for about 7 years. Also, I am planning to do 3D work in the near future. Is your suggestion still good for 3D and 7 years?

Thanks.

I don't have an answer for this one.

 

[AidenShaw]

Hi,

I am using Mid. 2010 Mac Pro (The towers), with these configurations:

Processor: 2x2.4 GHZ Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Total Number of Cores: 8
Memory: 18 GB 1066 MHz DDR3
Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB
OS: 10.12.5

I am using this computer mainly for creative work. The software I use is Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Corel Painter.

Recently I found out that I could use an external Graphics Card for better performance. I would like to get expert information on this.

What do you recommend for my configuration? Which external card is good?

Thank you

The cMP (Mac Pro towers) don't need external graphics cards - you can put graphics cards inside the tower.

 

[toolbox84]

The cMP (Mac Pro towers) don't need external graphics cards - you can put graphics cards inside the tower.

I was thinking external just incase I want to use it for MacBook Pro too. But I guess that is not the main goal.

 

[Flint Ironstag]

Your safest bet right now is a 1080 Founder's Edition. Both the 1080Ti and Titan Xp have been reported to cause sudden shutdowns. Check the blog at macvidcards.

All that said, I have no idea whether or not your particular functions are GPU accelerated. Might want to check with your software vendors before taking the plunge.

 

[William_si]

I was thinking external just incase I want to use it for MacBook Pro too. But I guess that is not the main goal.

This is not possible - the cMP does not have Thunderbolt and there is no way to add it.

You can route PCIe external, but this will look weird and is complicated, i did it at one point.

You mainly want to trash that 5770 or if you have slots 2,3,4 unused get a second much better one - RX4xx and RX5xx cards from AMD are very fast and use only 1 6-8pin connector; with some minor case bending they also fit in slot 4 and cover the HDD bays 3 and 4, allowing the use of all 4 PCIe slots - as the RX cards (reference design) have only the lower row as ports all 4 stay usable. See here in my secondary Mac.

 

[Synchro3]

This is not possible - the cMP does not have Thunderbolt and there is no way to add it.

eGPU is possible via Express Card 34 adapter, but only for GPGPU use . However, it makes more sense to use a PCI-E extender cable and a PSU.

I did this: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-pro-with-express-card-34-adapter.1695547/

 

[William_si]

Define GPGPU? I was running displays on 3 cards external (each at x1) and 1 internal (x16) at the same time - OSX does this without issues. With 4 GPUs on slot 3/4 behind another PLX splitter the entire Mac refused to POST though, slot 1/2 do not have this problem.

Expresscard works, sure, but you waste 3 precious PCIe lanes with it. Interesting concept though, need to see if can get 4 adapters into 1 slot on a PCB and wire them to a PLX splitter, but currently testing SAS to transport 4 lanes (one SAS cable supports up to 4 PCIe lanes as the pin count is nearly the same as 1 PCIe lane per port).

 

[Synchro3]

Define GPGPU? I was running displays on 3 cards external (each at x1) and 1 internal (x16) at the same time - OSX does this without issues. With 4 GPUs on slot 3/4 behind another PLX splitter the entire Mac refused to POST though, slot 1/2 do not have this problem.

Expresscard works, sure, but you waste 3 precious PCIe lanes with it. Interesting concept though, need to see if can get 4 adapters into 1 slot on a PCB and wire them to a PLX splitter, but currently testing SAS to transport 4 lanes (one SAS cable supports up to 4 PCIe lanes as the pin count is nearly the same as 1 PCIe lane per port).

The eGPU via Expresscard was just a gimmick, an experiment. The Express Card 34 adapter costed me only $15. OpenGL was a lot worse than with the internal card, but OpenCL was benefiting. Never tried a display with that configuration because only 193-199 MiB/s seemed to me a bit too slow:


Yes, it is a waste of 3 PCIe lanes, therefore I would recommend a PCI-E-16x extender cable or the Amfeltec solution if you need an external GPU.

 

[William_si]

Did this sync at 2.5GT/s / PCIe 1.1? 200MB/s would be consistent with 1 lane 1.1 (2.5Gbit ~).

Interesting, might have been cable quality of the eGPU kit - the PLX on 3/4 is sensitive to such things (aside that most cards only run at 1.1 in a cMP, which internal is not THAT bad but matters a lot if you only have 1 lane in use).

 

[Synchro3]

2.5GB/s 1 lane PCI-E 1.0 is correct. The limiting factor was the Express Card 34 adapter, it has a maximum throughput of 2.5 Gbit/s through PCI Express: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExpressCard

The same eGPU (PE4L) via a Sonnet Echo Express Card Pro (Thunderbolt) adapter indicated 5.0 Gb/s. The cable was no problem.

 

[William_si]

That is weird - same as mini PCIe expresscard was designed for 1.1 but can run 2.0/3.0 fine if the adapter is passive, probably contains some electronic hm.

 

[orph]

it needs to be mentioned that most the software you use will not benefit from a GPU upgrade in a big way
"Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Corel Painter"are mostly CPU/RAM/drive speed limited so maybe buy SSD instead?

GTX1080 Ti may be huge over kill if you relay want a GPU upgrade an RX 460 or 1050/1060 may be better options but you will need to look in to it a bit to check there's no problems the ATI cards may be better options but i think you may need to upgrade to the newest os for them?

 

[ActionableMango]

I am using this computer mainly for creative work. The software I use is Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Corel Painter.

IMHO for these applications you would be significantly better off with a CPU upgrade and, if you are still using a hard drives, an SSD or two. Also memory might help a lot, depending on your usage--check your memory pressure during heavy use.

As some others have mentioned, external GPU isn't really suited for the 2010 Mac Pro because it doesn't have Thunderbolt. So you can't really just swap a GPU box between your Mac Pro and MacBook Pro, if that was your intent.

 

[MH01]

I was thinking external just incase I want to use it for MacBook Pro too. But I guess that is not the main goal.

Sonnet and razer enclosures are plug are plug and play. Highly recommended , I've used both.

As for the card, heck a 1070 will be a massive upgrade for you to be honest. I'd almost say get a cheap 1070 and in a few years upgrade to the 1070 replacement which in that time will make the 1080ti look slow

1080ti, fantastic card, though still expansive, great for gamers, and given your system specs, I'd invest the saved money into more ram and ssd or even CPU

 

[William_si]

Sonnet and razer enclosures are plug are plug and play. Highly recommended , I've used both.

Sure. If you have TB. Which a 2010 Pro does not.

 

[MH01]

Sure. If you have TB. Which a 2010 Pro does not.

With something like the core, it's plug and play. I'd honesty put the card into the MP and when I wanted to use i on the MacBook Pro, take it out and into the core. It would take minutes.