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Partridge

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 28, 2007
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81
Looking for an option to maintain Mojave compatibility with Boot screen compatibility. What can I get away with? Not looking to spend top of the line money.

Will one of the flashed 7850’s do?
 

MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
Sep 15, 2015
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Portland, Ore.
I'm wondering this too. It look like we need to get a Metal capable EFI card for future firmware updates (unless we are able to apply them from a disk running High Sierra). According to this page it looks like the HD 7850 would be the minimum card. https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/radeon-compatibility-guide-ati-amd-graphics-cards.171291/

It looks like an R9 270X (HD 7870) would be an inexpensive option (same device ID as R9 M290X in late 2014 iMac).
 
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h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
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Hong Kong
I really believe any EFI card can still show the boot screen, can still perform the firmware update. But just may not give any acceleration inside the OS.

If a graphic card required “OS support AND Mac EFI” to perform firmware update, then none of the MVC flash Maxwell / Pascale card can work.

I believe, in worst case, those old Mac EFI card (e.g. GT120) can do no more than act as the EFI part.

The firmware update should be completely OS irrelevant. As long as a Mac EFI GPU is there, the firmware update can be done.

For most cMP users that has self upgraded GPU here. Which should means nothing changed.

If using non EFI card (e.g. RX580). The card can work, but no boot screen. If need firmware update. Then must swap the Mac EFI GPU back in. Even though when he is using the Mac EFI card (e.g. GT120), there may be no acceleration, but as long as no driver to take over the GPU, the EFI should still working. And he can still navigate inside the OS to command a firmware update. Once the update is finished, he can swap the RX580 back in.

The biggest problem is we don’t know if 5770 / 5870 can still provide any UI acceleration. However, I expect they can still work as en emergency GPU in 10.14.
 

MisterAndrew

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Sep 15, 2015
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I really believe any EFI card can still show the boot screen, can still perform the firmware update. But just may not give any acceleration inside the OS.

If a graphic card required “OS support AND Mac EFI” to perform firmware update, then none of the MVC flash Maxwell / Pascale card can work.

I believe, in worst case, those old Mac EFI card (e.g. GT120) can do no more than act as the EFI part.

The firmware update should be completely OS irrelevant. As long as a Mac EFI GPU is there, the firmware update can be done.

For most cMP users that has self upgraded GPU here. Which should means nothing changed.

If using non EFI card (e.g. RX580). The card can work, but no boot screen. If need firmware update. Then must swap the Mac EFI GPU back in. Even though when he is using the Mac EFI card (e.g. GT120), there may be no acceleration, but as long as no driver to take over the GPU, the EFI should still working. And he can still navigate inside the OS to command a firmware update. Once the update is finished, he can swap the RX580 back in.

The biggest problem is we don’t know if 5770 / 5870 can still provide any UI acceleration. However, I expect they can still work as en emergency GPU in 10.14.

Ah okay! So the 5770 / 5870 should still display the OS even though there's no driver in the OS. So like a flashed Nvidia card before the driver is installed. That makes sense. Then we can still use it to apply firmware updates. :)
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
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Ah okay! So the 5770 / 5870 should still display the OS even though there's no driver in the OS. So like a flashed Nvidia card before the driver is installed. That makes sense. Then we can still use it to apply firmware updates. :)

That's my understanding about what will happen on a Mac EFI card that has no driver supported.
 

MoerBoer

macrumors regular
Jan 27, 2018
216
150
Will a GT 1030 work for Metal2?

I'll keep my stock HD5870 for firmware updates / restore from Time Machine etc.
 

DearthnVader

Suspended
Dec 17, 2015
2,207
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Red Springs, NC
What's the definition of "cheap"? It shouldn't be too hard to get a HD7000 series card at or below $100, and flash it to enjoy both boot screen and METAL 2.

I think you're right, I stand corrected, MVC also offers some moderately priced cards that Rommy says should support 10.14.

My brain fart.:D
 

lixe

macrumors member
Jan 26, 2010
57
1
Are the current Nvidia cards (1050ti,1060,1070,1080) metal capable and should therefore work with mojave? Of course the boot screen will probably be black...
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
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Are the current Nvidia cards (1050ti,1060,1070,1080) metal capable and should therefore work with mojave? Of course the boot screen will probably be black...

Yes
METAL.png
 
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bsbeamer

macrumors 601
Sep 19, 2012
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In case you need further clarity, the GTX 1080 FE shows the same "Metal: Supported, feature set macOS GPU Family1 v3". As long as there is NOT an EFI requirement, believe every NVIDIA card from 6XX series and above SHOULD support Metal.
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
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Hong Kong
In case you need further clarity, the GTX 1080 FE shows the same "Metal: Supported, feature set macOS GPU Family1 v3". As long as there is NOT an EFI requirement, believe every NVIDIA card from 6XX series and above SHOULD support Metal.

I believe it's Kelper base or above, which means including the K5000 Mac Edition card.
 

TheStork

macrumors 6502
Dec 28, 2008
296
190
My 5,1 has a PC Gigabyte R9 280X flashed by MVC. Looking at the System Report, Graphics/Displays, it just says "supported" (10.12.6). So, that's, at least, encouraging.


...According to this page it looks like the HD 7850 would be the minimum card. https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/radeon-compatibility-guide-ati-amd-graphics-cards.171291/

It looks like an R9 270X (HD 7870) would be an inexpensive option (same device ID as R9 M290X in late 2014 iMac).
That is indeed a good reference thread. However, @Fl0r!an needs to update it. (Please!)
 

lixe

macrumors member
Jan 26, 2010
57
1
So what do you guys think, would it be too „risky“ to get a RX 580 now, since I can‘t be sure whether it will still work when Mojave arrives?
 

bsbeamer

macrumors 601
Sep 19, 2012
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So what do you guys think, would it be too „risky“ to get a RX 580 now, since I can‘t be sure whether it will still work when Mojave arrives?

The AMD RX 580 was the card in the Apple eGPU Developer Kit. It will be supported by 10.14 Mojave and likely further. Support in Mac Pro MAY require some workarounds in the future, however the drivers are baked into the OS.

https://developer.apple.com/development-kit/external-graphics/
 

lixe

macrumors member
Jan 26, 2010
57
1
The AMD RX 580 was the card in the Apple eGPU Developer Kit. It will be supported by 10.14 Mojave and likely further. Support in Mac Pro MAY require some workarounds in the future, however the drivers are baked into the OS.

https://developer.apple.com/development-kit/external-graphics/

I’ve heard of that and the RX 580 seems to work pretty well. I’m currently building a hackintosh (bad timing maybe) and already ordered an RX 580 (which I could of course still return). In case they will require an EFI GPU when Mojave gets out, I can only hope that there will be a workaround. My alternative would be a cheaper Nvidia card (1050ti), which won’t run as smooth I guess, and then just wait and see.
 

saulinpa

macrumors 65816
Jun 15, 2008
1,269
777
So is there a difference in hardware support for Metal 2? Or is that only the drivers?
 

MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
Sep 15, 2015
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Portland, Ore.
I decided to get a Sapphire HD 7950 reference I’ll flash as Mac edition to replace my HD 5870. While the 5870 could still be used for firmware updates, the 7950 will make a better backup card for Mojave. I found one for $150 that looks nice and has the original box etc. I think that’s pretty good.
[doublepost=1528219135][/doublepost]
So is there a difference in hardware support for Metal 2? Or is that only the drivers?

Same hardware.
 

lixe

macrumors member
Jan 26, 2010
57
1
I decided to get a Sapphire HD 7950 reference I’ll flash as Mac edition to replace my HD 5870. While the 5870 could still be used for firmware updates, the 7950 will make a better backup card for Mojave. I found one for $150 that looks nice and has the original box etc. I think that’s pretty good.
[doublepost=1528219135][/doublepost]

Same hardware.

A little bit off topic maybe. But if I get a Sapphire HD 7950 for example and flash it as Mac edition, Mojave shouldn’t be a problem in case it requires an EFI GPU? And since Apple is officially selling RX 850 eGPUs my RX 850 should then also still work? So I could get an RX 580 now and worst case scenario should be to buy an extra card which I can flash as Mac edition like yours?

Sounds right so far?
 

MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
Sep 15, 2015
2,895
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Portland, Ore.
A little bit off topic maybe. But if I get a Sapphire HD 7950 for example and flash it as Mac edition, Mojave shouldn’t be a problem in case it requires an EFI GPU? And since Apple is officially selling RX 850 eGPUs my RX 850 should then also still work? So I could get an RX 580 now and worst case scenario should be to buy an extra card which I can flash as Mac edition like yours?

Sounds right so far?

Mojave should run perfectly fine on a non-EFI card like High Sierra. It’s just good to have an EFI card as a backup you can swap in to do firmware updates or anytime you need to make system changes that requires a boot screen.
 
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bsbeamer

macrumors 601
Sep 19, 2012
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A little bit off topic maybe. But if I get a Sapphire HD 7950 for example and flash it as Mac edition, Mojave shouldn’t be a problem in case it requires an EFI GPU? And since Apple is officially selling RX 850 eGPUs my RX 850 should then also still work? So I could get an RX 580 now and worst case scenario should be to buy an extra card which I can flash as Mac edition like yours?

Sounds right so far?

Believe you mean RX 580 and not an RX 850... correct?

As stated above, the RX 580 was officially made available by Apple under the eGPU Developer Kit and support for that card will continue for some time. It is NOT being sold by Apple currently.
 

TheStork

macrumors 6502
Dec 28, 2008
296
190
I’ve heard of that and the RX 580 seems to work pretty well. I’m currently building a hackintosh (bad timing maybe) and already ordered an RX 580 (which I could of course still return). In case they will require an EFI GPU when Mojave gets out, I can only hope that there will be a workaround. My alternative would be a cheaper Nvidia card (1050ti), which won’t run as smooth I guess, and then just wait and see.
I'm using a Sapphire RX 580 Pulse 8GB card in MyHero II hackintosh w/o any problems.
 
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