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LG 5K display w/eGPU? TB3 output?

JeffAC

JeffAC

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 19, 2012
9
0
I have a new 2.9 Ghz 15" MBP on order, to be delivered some time between the 17th and 25th.

Taking advantage of the recent discount, I also plan to order one - possibly two - of the 27" LG 5K displays before the end of the year. Ugly bezel aside, I look forward to the screen real estate.

While this is primarily an iOS development, photography and general purpose machine, I expect to be gaming on it from time to time. I did opt for the Radeon Pro 460 GPU option on the MBP, but I know that it's not especially powerful. For that reason, I am intrigued by idea of using an eGPU solution (ie. AKiTiO Node, Razer Core, etc) with the MBP's Thunderbolt 3 port to drive a beefier GPU either natively in macOS or using Boot Camp/Windows.

My question is this:

Right now, as far as I can tell there are NO third party GPUs that output over Thunderbolt 3, so even if I can get the eGPU working with a powerful GPU I don't know if there is any way to hook it up to an LG 5K display (as it only has a Thunderbolt 3 input).

Is there any way to drive a TB3 display using a commercially-available third party GPU?

Have there been any announced GPUs that natively output over TB3 and can drive a 5K display (even at reduced resolution)?

Thanks!
[doublepost=1478512526][/doublepost]Anticipating a couple of responses/questions...

1. While I may get two of the LG 5K displays, I don't need to power them both for gaming purposes. I'm fine only using one for that purpose and unplugging the other.

2. I'm also okay with booting into Windows, if needed, using Boot Camp. Not ideal, but livable.

3. Yes, I could hook the eGPU up to a different / lower-resolution display supporting some other input, but what's the fun in that? The one I have on hand is smaller, has worse image quality and I'd rather stick it in a closet if I could use one of these newer/larger displays instead.
 
After looking into eGPU the last week, I have come to the conclusion that unless you use the right Windows version on bootcamp, you won't have such a wonderful experience as some think.
 
I'm prepared to use Windows via Boot Camp, if need be. It's not ideal but I accept that macOS won't have as good of support for gaming. If improve support in macOS shows up down the road, that's just a nice bonus.

My main concern is whether or not I can even drive a 5K Thunderbolt 3 monitor with a third party GPU at all, as none of them output TB3 as far as I know.
 
cube said:
Buy a monitor with proper connections.
Click to expand...

From my post, above:

"3. Yes, I could hook the eGPU up to a different / lower-resolution display supporting some other input, but what's the fun in that? The one I have on hand is smaller, has worse image quality and I'd rather stick it in a closet if I could use one of these newer/larger displays instead."

My goal is to use the third party GPU in question with the LG 5K monitor with TB3 input. I already know that using a different monitor is an option, but that's not what I asked for.

If anybody else has any thoughts/ideas/etc. that address the question I actually asked, I'd love to hear 'em.
 
JeffAC said:
From my post, above:

"3. Yes, I could hook the eGPU up to a different / lower-resolution display supporting some other input, but what's the fun in that? The one I have on hand is smaller, has worse image quality and I'd rather stick it in a closet if I could use one of these newer/larger displays instead."

My goal is to use the third party GPU in question with the LG 5K monitor with TB3 input. I already know that using a different monitor is an option, but that's not what I asked for.

If anybody else has any thoughts/ideas/etc. that address the question I actually asked, I'd love to hear 'em.
Click to expand...
There are 5K displays with multiple DisplayPort connectors.
 
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cube said:
There are 5K displays with multiple DisplayPort connectors.
Click to expand...

I know.

I'm purchasing the LG 5K display (for various reasons, including its relatively low cost and wide gamut support), which only has a TB3 input.
 
I am also interested in a eGPU solution using two (LG) 5K displays and a 2016 MacBook Pro. I, too, do not want to invest into another 5K Monitor with a dual DP connection (because when using MacOC the LG 5K Display does integrate more seamlessly).

I wonder however, whether its not possible to use the added power of the eGPU on the LG (TB3) display without connecting the display directly to the graphics card but into the MacBook. Shouldn't this work? After all, it is possible to drive the internal display with a eGPU on MacOS.
 
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We recently figured out a way in macOS to feed eGPU acceleration back into the 2016 MacBook Pro's internal display. My guess is this same method would likely work with the LG 5K T3 display in both macOS and Windows.

 
Buy a DisplayPort 1.2 to USB-C cable. But I doubt 5K will be possible. Max. 4K.

And there is no GPU with Thunderbolt 3/USB-C, so no eGPU with these ports.
 
Last edited:
I assume some GFX cards this year will start to appear with thunderbolt3/usb-c connectors as its about the only clean way of connecting a gfx card to a 5k display.
 
samparmenter said:
I assume some GFX cards this year will start to appear with thunderbolt3/usb-c connectors as its about the only clean way of connecting a gfx card to a 5k display.
Click to expand...

Thunderbolt 3 is needed for 5K (two DP 1.2 streams). Graphic cards cannot include Thunderbolt nor USB-C. They have only DisplayPort (1.2 or 1.3/1.4), and HDMI.

But maybe a Dual-Display-Port to USB-C cable would work for 5K. Using two DP from the graphics card connected to the LG 5K-monitor with USB-C (or Pseudo-Thunderbolt). A good Kickstarter-Project.
 
Last edited:
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Synchro3 said:
Thunderbolt 3 is needed for 5K (two DP 1.2 streams). Graphic cards cannot include Thunderbolt nor USB-C. They have only DisplayPort (1.2 or 1.3/1.4), and HDMI.

But maybe a Dual-Display-Port to USB-C cable would work for 5K. Using two DP from the graphics card connected to the LG 5K-monitor with USB-C (or Pseudo-Thunderbolt). A good Kickstarter-Project.
Click to expand...

Why can't graphics cards have a thunderbolt/usb-c out? What is stopping this?
 
Last edited:
JeffAC said:
I have a new 2.9 Ghz 15" MBP on order, to be delivered some time between the 17th and 25th.

Taking advantage of the recent discount, I also plan to order one - possibly two - of the 27" LG 5K displays before the end of the year. Ugly bezel aside, I look forward to the screen real estate.

While this is primarily an iOS development, photography and general purpose machine, I expect to be gaming on it from time to time. I did opt for the Radeon Pro 460 GPU option on the MBP, but I know that it's not especially powerful. For that reason, I am intrigued by idea of using an eGPU solution (ie. AKiTiO Node, Razer Core, etc) with the MBP's Thunderbolt 3 port to drive a beefier GPU either natively in macOS or using Boot Camp/Windows.

My question is this:

Right now, as far as I can tell there are NO third party GPUs that output over Thunderbolt 3, so even if I can get the eGPU working with a powerful GPU I don't know if there is any way to hook it up to an LG 5K display (as it only has a Thunderbolt 3 input).

Is there any way to drive a TB3 display using a commercially-available third party GPU?

Have there been any announced GPUs that natively output over TB3 and can drive a 5K display (even at reduced resolution)?

Thanks!
[doublepost=1478512526][/doublepost]Anticipating a couple of responses/questions...

1. While I may get two of the LG 5K displays, I don't need to power them both for gaming purposes. I'm fine only using one for that purpose and unplugging the other.

2. I'm also okay with booting into Windows, if needed, using Boot Camp. Not ideal, but livable.

3. Yes, I could hook the eGPU up to a different / lower-resolution display supporting some other input, but what's the fun in that? The one I have on hand is smaller, has worse image quality and I'd rather stick it in a closet if I could use one of these newer/larger displays instead.
Click to expand...


Im not sure what the issue would be.

I have a MacBook Pro tb13" with a Razor Core attached. It drives he internal display just fine. This has me believe that I could just hook the 5K display to another port on my MB and use it fine. Unfortunately, I don't have a 5k to test it....
 
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HI,
I run a MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016), with 2x LG 5k
it runs OK, but not on screen intensive tasks.
I am looking for a eGPU solution, i have seen and MCI card with one USB-C output. Does anyone know of a card with 2x. USB-C outputs or any other solution to optimise performance of my super crisp screens :)

Here is the card for with one USB-C
https://www.tweaktown.com/news/57725/msi-first-graphics-card-usb-type-port/index.html
I am not sure about mac drivers - but i could think buying it event that it only is capable of running one screen
 
USB-C output won't work. The LG Ultrafine display would only turn on when there's Thunderbolt connectivity.
 
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