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MP 7,1 Options to run three monitors
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Unless these are the 5k2k , "Ultrawide" 5K variants ... you don't.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210319
The Thunderbolt Ultrafine LG 5K ( 5120-by-2880 ) monitors only take TB input. The XDR only takes TB input. All three monitors each need two DisplayPort (DP) streams. There are only four DP streams being fed by the 580X into the Mac Pro 2019 internal network for the two TB controllers present. So need of 6 and supply of 4 ... basically a no go.
IF these are 5k2k ( 5120 x 2160 ) monitors then only need one DP stream each and those monitors typically take a HDMI input ( of which the 580X has two output connectors of that type).
The specs of the Mac Pro relatively clearly lay out the limits on the 580x well before there was any chance of ordering the system.
"...
Two HDMI 2.0 ports on card
Four DisplayPort connections routed to system to support internal Thunderbolt 3 ports
Support for up to six 4K displays, two 5K displays, or two Pro Display XDRs
Half-height MPX Module fits in an MPX bay and enables PCIe slot 2 for additional expansion
..."
Mac Pro - Technical Specifications
See all the technical specifications for Mac Pro with the M2 Ultra chip.
www.apple.com
there is no three of that class ( need two DP streams) configuration at all there. Two 5K or two XDRs. Two. Once at two dual stream monitors, you only have the HDMI ports left.
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One major limiting factor is the "one and only one" input aspect of the monitors. It isn't only the cards. For most folks, jumping from 4K to 5-6K monitors is typically to reduce the number of monitors used. 3 XDR monitors (plus VESA plus a respectable stand) is around $16K worth of monitors. That isn't "basic spec" in budget or scope. That is in the ballpark of spending twice as much on monitors as you did the "basic spec" Mac Pro itself. Get to range spending more on peripherals than the base system it is really a "basic" system being deployed anymore.
Not going to get 3 6-8k monitor support on single generic, "basic spec" mainstream GPU card either.
At some point the W5700X will appear and it is suppose to handle this. ( I'm not sure just how well if get out of mostly 2D object (e.g., video. photographs) space ). The Covid-19 Virus is probably going to push that out another couple of months.
The wallet grab Apple made if go through all of the MPX module 'specs' on 6K monitors is the push to get folks to buy two Vega II MPX modules to get to that range of monitor support. Reading the tech spec before buying something isn't that big of a leap at these prices. Eventually, you'll be able to add a 2nd card or do a swap for a W5700X ( and hold or sell the 580X ).
If Apple rolls out a W5500 ( half width MPX module) as a replacement for the 580X module , then it probably still won't do three 6K monitors ( or just three dual stream monitors. It still will probably have just the 4 DP stream into the MP internals and no TB on the edge. ) . [ Apple doesn't (and probably won't) sell 580X modules but that wouldn't solve the problem here anyway. The internal DP feeds a second one of those wouldn't improve anything. ]
Similarly at some point in the future may get a revised 5K monitor that only needs one DP 1.4 (or better) stream. But the current generation is dual at a slower rate because that is more widely available "sources" to drive them with.
P.S. If want to go off in the Rube Goldberg hackery can put together some hack with TB Add in card and a mainstream GPU and put some "happens to work" thing that slides though Windows to get for a hackery state.
... otherwise just have to wait. Some aspects of the supply chain here is outside of Apple's control, so it will be even longer.
Yeah, I knew all that, was hoping someone had other ideas. I have zero need for such a powerful/expensive card... the programs I use don’t need that kind of power. I just like high PPI and want to go the cheapest route available. I’ll end up getting the 5700 I’m sure. Just want to three monitors...
For relatively high PPI there are some options. For example.
https://www.eizo.com/products/coloredge/cg248-4k/
That don't need Thunderbolt. For higher PPI, the older 21.5 4K Ultrafines are better fit to that metric. two of those and a XDR would work. But once jumped full blast into the Apple "one and only one" input , docking station, monitor market there are limitations that settle in.
There was no Mac Pro between 2014 and 2019. New GPUs .... coming from same constipated food chain. It was always probably going to take more time.
That’s a great monitor indeed, sadly enough it’s out of production and no longer available.
I may be wrong but...
EIZO CG248-4K-BK ColorEdge Professional Color Graphics Monitor 23.8" Black
EIZO CG248-4K-BK ColorEdge Professional Color Graphics Monitor 23.8" Black
www.amazon.com
I may be wrong but...
EIZO CG248-4K-BK ColorEdge Professional Color Graphics Monitor 23.8" Black
EIZO CG248-4K-BK ColorEdge Professional Color Graphics Monitor 23.8" Blackwww.amazon.com
The only thing that links to for me are second hands on amazon (at a price i don't believe; 234€ is way too low.)
The official Eizo site no longer lists it and their last demo was on sale a few months ago.
Maybe this is different in other parts of the globe?
Just went through this exact situation and spent a bit of time with official Display Support at Apple Technical Support. Unfortunately it was determined that the base 2019 Mac Pro can not run three (LG 5K) displays in any config.
I was still within the window to return the Mac Pro so I swapped it for a new Mac Pro with the AMD Radeon Pro Vega II card and everything is working correctly.
I was still within the window to return the Mac Pro so I swapped it for a new Mac Pro with the AMD Radeon Pro Vega II card and everything is working correctly.
Hmm, I had not checked in a while on prices. It is still on the global site ( that defaults to english.).
It looks like Apple is increase on an island with this higher PPI panels ( while most everyone else is off chasing HDR , Faster frame rates , and TV 4K -> 4K HDR -> 8K ... ). Looking through some "what's on panel maker X roadmap" reports at www.tftcentral.co.uk it looks like high PPI panels are not coming back into focus anytime soon in the computer monitor space. [ Probably doesn't help that Windows ecosystem still isn't more uniformly good at hiDPI monitors relative to what have in macOS/iOS space. ]
These two are not as color capable (retina rendered text for for pedestrian color space) but feed off the 5K iMac panel food chain.
Planar IX2790 ( and the Iiyama XB2779QQS ... I didn't do a dive into reviews/specs on it) . They need a single DisplayPort v1.4 feed to work at full resolution. I'm not sure the macOS graphics driver stack will deal with that in combination with the 580X. But if it does, these may be corner case solutions for some even if Apple keeps a entry card with limited DP outputs. ( these also are meant to work with regular windows GPUs with DP v1.4 output so adding second non MPX GPU option these could dangle off of those for very recent GPU cards ( that tend to come with DP v1.4 enabled. ).
That‘s a ton of money just to run three displays. My display is just sitting here wishing it could do something with this $6K Mac, but it can’t.
It can run three displays just fine, just not three 5k displays.
Wishing won't make it so, be prepared to spend extra my to drive that many pixels.
It sounds like these two LG 5K displays are a sunk cost that is being fixated upon. If had a two LG 5K set up before and moved to a XDR + 5K set up now then that is is an improvement. It wouldn't be that were in worse shape now than before.
If the new Mac Pro replaced the older system that was there before then 5K monitor could but to short term use hooked to that if it is still around. (or be docking station for a modern MBP ). Similarly, the XDR replacing the 5K would be view more so as a retirement. ( at least short term).
If ordered the XDR and two 5K as new items along with the Mac Pro then puzzling why so worked up about this. The base model was never going to do that, so could have just skipped the 2nd 5K purchase for now. When the W5700X came out, you could have bought it and the 2nd 5K at the same time.
The base Mac Pro can run six 4K displays. Getting to a monitor count of three isn't that hard to do with the entry card here.
If go to Dell/HP/Lenovo/etc workstation pages and configure a largely equivalent system to the entry Mac Pro will the GPU card support 3 dual DP stream input monitors at full resolution with a single GPU card? Generally no (few of those GPU cards end up with have 6 DP outputs).
The 580X for the rack models , purely audio work , and several other solution spaces is almost overkill. Apple is only making a limited number of MPX GPU modules. The bulk of the Mac Pro users aren't using three dual stream monitor solutions. Probably more than half are going to buy 3rd party GPUs as either accelerators or primary GPU display cards. Selling after market MPX GPUs probably was not a top 10 objective for the first 6-9 months of product lifecycle at all. Folks shoveling in GPUs from previous Mac Pro, eGPUs , and "new off the shelf" would probably be the expected dominating force early on. So yes there is a huge chasm between 580X and Vega II solo pricing.
I'm curious about the possibility of running three XDR's off of a single Vega II. From my understanding from previous discussions on the topic is that the single Vega II has six DP streams: four distributed to the two Thunderbolt controllers on the card itself and the other two distributed to the two Thunderbolt controllers on the Mac PRO. The issue stems from the two going to the Mac PRO being split between the Apple I/O card and the top two ports.
My question is if I were to remove the Apple I/O card, would both of these system-routed DP streams go then to the top two ports, allowing a third XDR to be run?
My question is if I were to remove the Apple I/O card, would both of these system-routed DP streams go then to the top two ports, allowing a third XDR to be run?