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Rosecroft

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 26, 2015
35
10
what graphics card can i use to be able to use a 4K and up monitor? Also with a powerful enough card would i be able to use the new 6k Apple monitor? I know it wouldn't pump out 6k. Thanks!
 

SecuritySteve

macrumors 6502a
Jul 6, 2017
951
1,085
California
One would think that if you had the money to afford the 6k monitor, the easier route would be to replace your decade old machine with the 2019 Mac Pro that costs the same as the 6k monitor, and then upgrade the monitor you're currently using later. In fact it might even be cheaper than trying to replace the GPU in your 2010.

Not to mention being able to use the latest software without hacks ... etc.
 

Rosecroft

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 26, 2015
35
10
Well for starters...we not here to discuss my finances. That’s number one, number two unless you have an answer to my question you can take a walk. Thank you. ?
 

tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,455
13,602
GPU support is not the problem, even a RX 580 can drive a 5K display, the problem is that since Apple never intended that MP5,1 work with Thunderbolt, you have to hack a lot of things to have displays that are connected via Thunderbolt to work, like LG UltraFine 5K and Apple Pro Display XDR.

It's such a mess right now you need to first boot Windows 10 to activate Thunderbolt and then boot back to macOS. Until Thunderbolt is better supported with MP5,1, support is being improved as a community effort, it's better to forget the displays that need Thunderbolt.

4K displays via DisplayPort work fine with AMD GPUs like RX 580 and newer (Vega 56/64/FE, VII).
 

Rosecroft

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 26, 2015
35
10
GPU support is not the problem, even a RX 580 can drive a 5K display, the problem is that since Apple never intended that MP5,1 work with Thunderbolt, you have to hack a lot of things to have displays that are connected via Thunderbolt to work, like LG UltraFine 5K and Apple Pro Display XDR.

It's such a mess right now you need to first boot Windows 10 to activate Thunderbolt and then boot back to macOS. Until Thunderbolt is better supported with MP5,1, support is being improved as a community effort, it's better to forget the displays that need Thunderbolt.

4K displays via DisplayPort work fine with AMD GPUs like RX 580 and newer (Vega 56/64/FE, VII).
Okay cool thanks so much! I also have another question. I have a trash can Macpro. Would that work with the new Apple monitor? I’m not getting a straight answer on this. Thanks!
 

MarkC426

macrumors 68040
May 14, 2008
3,700
2,097
UK
From Apple website:

Compatibility
Pro Display XDR is compatible with the following Mac models running macOS Catalina 10.15.2 or later:
  • Mac Pro (2019) with MPX Module GPUs
  • 15-inch MacBook Pro (2018 or later)
  • 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019)
  • 21.5-inch iMac (2019)
  • 27-inch iMac (2019)
  • Any Mac model with Thunderbolt 3 ports paired with Blackmagic eGPU or Blackmagic eGPU Pro
6.1 Mac pro only has TB2 so I would say no..... :confused:
 

tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,455
13,602
Okay cool thanks so much! I also have another question. I have a trash can Macpro. Would that work with the new Apple monitor? I’m not getting a straight answer on this. Thanks!
Depends on what is your definition of work, it will not work at 6K or 5K resolutions.

Mac Pro late-2013 GPUs were old at the release date. D500/D700 (AMD Tahiti LE and XT) are from late December 2011, D300 (AMD Pitcairn) were released March 2012.

You probably can buy an Apple TB2 to TB3 adapter and use it at the compatibility mode. It will be 4K30 (3840x2160 @30 Hz), but will show a screen. The question here is to see if the image will be acceptable.
 

Rosecroft

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 26, 2015
35
10
Depends on what is your definition of work, it will not work at 6K or 5K resolutions.

Mac Pro late-2013 GPUs were old at the release date. D500/D700 (AMD Tahiti LE and XT) are from late December 2011, D300 (AMD Pitcairn) were released March 2012.

You probably can buy an Apple TB2 to TB3 adapter and use it at the compatibility mode. It will be 4K30 (3840x2160 @30 Hz), but will show a screen. The question here is to see if the image will be acceptable.
Oh I know it wouldn’t do 5 or 6k but I was wondering anyway. Okay cool thanks!
 

Rosecroft

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 26, 2015
35
10
From Apple website:

Compatibility
Pro Display XDR is compatible with the following Mac models running macOS Catalina 10.15.2 or later:
  • Mac Pro (2019) with MPX Module GPUs
  • 15-inch MacBook Pro (2018 or later)
  • 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019)
  • 21.5-inch iMac (2019)
  • 27-inch iMac (2019)
  • Any Mac model with Thunderbolt 3 ports paired with Blackmagic eGPU or Blackmagic eGPU Pro
6.1 Mac pro only has TB2 so I would say no..... :confused:
Yes I saw that too. But then I heard it did. Apples website sometimes doesn’t yield the answers you seek and need to try it out yourself.
 

tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,455
13,602
Oh I know it wouldn’t do 5 or 6k but I was wondering anyway. Okay cool thanks!
A 2013 Mac Pro using a RX 5700XT connected via eGPU will then work at 5K and probably at 6K too (with DSC compression enabled).

So, now will be on the terrain of possible, but it's wise?
 

Rosecroft

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 26, 2015
35
10
A 2013 Mac Pro using a RX 5700XT connected via eGPU will then work at 5K and probably at 6K too (with DSC compression enabled).

So, now will be on the terrain of possible, but it's wise?
Nah I’m not going through all that. And besides i wouldn’t pay that money. I’ll wait 3-5 years and get one second hand or refurbished. Same with the new macpro. Even 5 years from now that machine for ME would be top of the line. Even at base model configuration.
 
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