MP 6,1 NVME eGPU with the MP6,1?

[nullpointerninja]

Hello. I recently got a Mac Pro 2013 6 core, dual D500 and 32GB of RAM and it’s been running beautifully.
One small “problem” I have is that the display outputs have a maximum of just 4K60, and I wanted to go higher than that.
I know there’s a way of using thunderbolt 3 eGPUs but I started to wonder if it would be technically possible to use an NVME to PCIe adapter to run the eGPU (and boot from an external SSD).

One big issue could be that the Mac Pro doesn’t like to turn on while opened, so the NVME to PCIe cable would have to be router through some vents.

Does anyone have any insights about this?

Thanks!

 

[tsialex]

You will have so much points of failure having to convert 12+16 to M.2 modding the Mac Pro case to finally have just a x4 PCIe v2.0 connection.

Just use an Apple TB3->TB2 adapter and a TB3 eGPU, works fine and with a very similar performance as the 12+16 PCIe v2.0 connection.

 

[nullpointerninja]

Thanks! So it’s technically possible then. Do you know if through this method a script like Kryptonite would be necessary too or if it will just work?
Considering the cost of a Thunderbolt eGPU case, the Apple TB2 to TB3 adapter and cable, I was thinking of this a a low cost solution for essentially better(?) performance.

 

[tsialex]

Thanks! So it’s technically possible then. Do you know if through this method a script like Kryptonite would be necessary too or if it will just work?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/egpu.2439509/post-33473643

Considering the cost of a Thunderbolt eGPU case, the Apple TB2 to TB3 adapter and cable, I was thinking of this a a low cost solution for essentially better(?) performance.

No, the 12+16 connector of the late-2013 Mac Pro internal SSD can only get a throughput of ~1450MB/s (x4 PCIe v2.0) which is essentially the exact same performance of TB2 (20Gb/s) after all the overhead.

While it will be cheaper, will not be in any way reliable or faster.

 

[nullpointerninja]

While it will be cheaper, will not be in any way reliable or faster.

Not doubting you, just want to understand. When you say it wouldn’t be reliable, you mean it because of the complexity of routing the cables outside of the case, or for some other reason?

I’m basing this idea on this comment I found when researching eGPUs: https://egpu.io/forums/builds/2015-...t-link-rs43g-macos-10-15-1-win10-1903-itsage/

In macOS it was fully plug-and-play, no software modification needed. Unlike the Thunderbolt interface, Apple does not place any restrictions on the PCIe interface because they likely didn't anticipate people would open these Mac laptops and feed a wire right into the belly of the beast.

Thanks!

 

[tsialex]

When you say it wouldn’t be reliable, you mean it because of the complexity of routing the cables outside of the case, or for some other reason?

Even a extremely well made 12+16 to M.2 adapter requires some maintenance over time.

You will be using a 12+16 to M.2, M.2 to PCIe, cable, then the cable to PCIe adapter. Probably won't even fit inside.

You will need to route all that perfectly and even then will have issues.

 

[nullpointerninja]

Thanks for your help tsialex!