Apple Mac Pro nVidia Quadro FX 5600 1.5GB Dual DVI Video Graphics Card 661-4461 $199.99 $13.20 shipping Only 1 left! If it does, click 'Allow' in order for the NVIDIA Graphics Driver to load, then return to the Installer. Currently, the only NVIDIA graphics card that supports ECC functionality is the NVIDIA Quadro K5000 for Mac. Enabling ECC requires a portion of the graphics card’s usable memory size.
An eGPU can give your Mac additional graphics performance for professional apps, 3D gaming, VR content creation, and more.
eGPUs are supported by any Thunderbolt 3-equipped Mac1 running macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 or later. Learn how to update the software on your Mac.
An eGPU lets you do all this on your Mac:
- Accelerate apps that use Metal, OpenGL, and OpenCL
- Connect additional external monitors and displays
- Use virtual reality headsets plugged into the eGPU
- Charge your MacBook Pro while using the eGPU
- Use an eGPU with your MacBook Pro while its built-in display is closed
- Connect an eGPU while a user is logged in
- Connect more than one eGPU using the multiple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports on your Mac2
- Use the menu bar item to safely disconnect the eGPU
- View the activity levels of built-in and external GPUs (Open Activity Monitor, then choose Window > GPU History.)
eGPU support in apps
eGPU support in macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 and later is designed to accelerate Metal, OpenGL, and OpenCL apps that benefit from a powerful eGPU. Not all apps support eGPU acceleration; check with the app's developer to learn more.3
In general, an eGPU can accelerate performance in these types of apps:
- Pro apps designed to utilize multiple GPUs
- 3D games, when an external monitor is attached directly to the eGPU
- VR apps, when the VR headset is attached directly to the eGPU
- Pro apps and 3D games that accelerate the built-in display of iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro (This capability must be enabled by the app's developer.)
You can configure applications to use an eGPU with one of the following methods.
Use the Prefer External GPU option
Starting with macOS Mojave 10.14, you can turn on Prefer External GPU in a specific app's Get Info panel in the Finder. This option lets the eGPU accelerate apps on any display connected to the Mac—including displays built in to iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro:
- Quit the app if it's open.
- Select the app in the Finder. Most apps are in your Applications folder. If you open the app from an alias or launcher, Control-click the app's icon and choose Show Original from the pop-up menu. Then select the original app.
- Press Command-I to show the app's info window.
- Select the checkbox next to Prefer External GPU.
- Open the app to use it with the eGPU.
You won't see this option if an eGPU isn't connected, if your Mac isn't running macOS Mojave or later, or if the app self-manages its GPU selection. Some apps, such as Final Cut Pro, directly choose which graphics processors are used and will ignore the Prefer External GPU checkbox.
Set an external eGPU-connected display as the primary display
If you have an external display connected to your eGPU, you can choose it as the primary display for all apps. Since apps default to the GPU associated with the primary display, this option works with a variety of apps:
- Quit any open apps that you want the eGPU to accelerate on the primary display.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences. Select Displays, then select the Arrangement tab.
- Drag the white menu bar to the box that represents the display that's attached to the eGPU.
- Open the apps that you want to use with the eGPU.
If you disconnect the eGPU, your Mac defaults back to the internal graphics processors that drives the built-in display. When the eGPU is re-attached, it automatically sets the external display as the primary display.
About macOS GPU drivers
Mac hardware and GPU software drivers have always been deeply integrated into the system. This design fuels the visually rich and graphical macOS experience as well as many deeper platform compute and graphics features. These include accelerating the user interface, providing support for advanced display features, rendering 3D graphics for pro software and games, processing photos and videos, driving powerful GPU compute features, and accelerating machine learning tasks. This deep integration also enables optimal battery life while providing for greater system performance and stability.
Apple develops, integrates, and supports macOS GPU drivers to ensure there are consistent GPU capabilities across all Mac products, including rich APIs like Metal, Core Animation, Core Image, and Core ML. In order to deliver the best possible customer experience, GPU drivers need to be engineered, integrated, tested, and delivered with each version of macOS. Aftermarket GPU drivers delivered by third parties are not compatible with macOS.
The GPU drivers delivered with macOS are also designed to enable a high quality, high performance experience when using an eGPU, as described in the list of recommended eGPU chassis and graphics card configurations below. Because of this deep system integration, only graphics cards that use the same GPU architecture as those built into Mac products are supported in macOS.
Supported eGPU configurations
It's important to use an eGPU with a recommended graphics card and Thunderbolt 3 chassis. If you use an eGPU to also charge your MacBook Pro, the eGPU's chassis needs to provide enough power to run the graphics card and charge the computer. Check with the manufacturer of the chassis to find out if it provides enough power for your MacBook Pro.
Recommended graphics cards, along with chassis that can power them sufficiently, are listed below.
Thunderbolt 3 all-in-one eGPU products
Nvidia Graphic Cards
These products contain a powerful built-in GPU and supply sufficient power to charge your MacBook Pro.
Recommended Thunderbolt 3 all-in-one eGPUs:
- Blackmagic eGPU and Blackmagic eGPU Pro4
- Gigabyte RX 580 Gaming Box4
- Sonnet Radeon RX 570 eGFX Breakaway Puck
- Sonnet Radeon RX 560 eGFX Breakaway Puck5
AMD Radeon RX 470, RX 480, RX 570, RX 580, and Radeon Pro WX 7100
Best Nvidia Graphics Card For Machine Learning
These graphics cards are based on the AMD Polaris architecture. Recommended graphics cards include the Sapphire Pulse series and the AMD WX series.
Recommended Thunderbolt 3 chassis for these graphics cards:
- OWC Mercury Helios FX4
- PowerColor Devil Box
- Sapphire Gear Box
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350W
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550W4
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650W4
- Razer Core X4
- PowerColor Game Station4
- HP Omen4
- Akitio Node6
AMD Radeon RX Vega 56
These graphics cards are based on the AMD Vega 56 architecture. Recommended graphics cards include the Sapphire Vega 56.
Recommended Thunderbolt 3 chassis for these graphics cards:
- OWC Mercury Helios FX4
- PowerColor Devil Box
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550W4
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650W4
- Razer Core X4
- PowerColor Game Station4
AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, Vega Frontier Edition Air, and Radeon Pro WX 9100
These graphics cards are based on the AMD Vega 64 architecture. Recommended graphics cards include the Sapphire Vega 64, AMD Frontier Edition air-cooled, and AMD Radeon Pro WX 9100.
Recommended Thunderbolt 3 chassis for these graphics cards:
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650W4
- Razer Core X4
AMD Radeon RX 5700, 5700 XT, and 5700 XT 50th Anniversary
If you've installed macOS Catalina 10.15.1 or later, you can use these graphics cards that are based on the AMD Navi RDNA architecture. Recommended graphics cards include the AMD Radeon RX 5700, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary.
Recommended Thunderbolt 3 chassis for these graphics cards:
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650W4
- Razer Core X4
Learn more
- Learn how to choose your GPU in Final Cut Pro X 10.4.7 or later.
- To ensure the best eGPU performance, use the Thunderbolt 3 cable that came with your eGPU or an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable. Also make sure that the cable is connected directly to a Thunderbolt 3 port on your Mac, not daisy-chained through another Thunderbolt device or hub.
- If you have questions about Thunderbolt 3 chassis or graphics cards, or about third-party app support and compatibility, contact the hardware or software provider.
- Software developers can learn more about programming their apps to take advantage of macOS eGPU support.
1. If you have a Mac mini (2018) with FileVault turned on, make sure to connect your primary display directly to Mac mini during startup. After you log in and see the macOS Desktop, you can unplug the display from Mac mini and connect it to your eGPU.
2. If you're using a 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2016 or 2017, always plug eGPUs and other high-performance devices into the left-hand ports for maximum data throughput.
3. macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 and later don't support eGPUs in Windows using Boot Camp or when your Mac is in macOS Recovery or installing system updates.
4. These chassis provide at least 85 watts of charging power, making them ideal for use with 15-inch MacBook Pro models.
5. Playback of HDCP-protected content from iTunes and some streaming services is not supported on displays attached to Radeon 560-based eGPUs. You can play this content on the built-in display on MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac.
6. If you use Akitio Node with a Mac notebook, you might need to connect your Mac to its power adapter to ensure proper charging.
For the Mac User who wants to or are using a Nvidia GPU, we understand that you have a lot of questions. This post is for you. We have collated as many of the most common questions we got about the Nvidia graphics cards and brought them together in a single post. If you do have an issue that isn’t answered below, please feel free to get in touch with us.
I just installed my new Nvidia XXXX graphics card, and the screen just stays black?
The first thing to check is to see if you have installed the drivers for the card.
Do you have them installed?
No – Install the drivers
Yes – Ensure you have correct drivers, full power and no hardware faults.
I went to the Nvidia Website, found my graphics cards, but there is no OSX driver?
All the drivers for the Nvidia cards come under the Nvidia Quadro K5000.
The drivers are not card specific but OSX version specific.
Where can I find the drivers for my Nvidia Card?
All the drivers for each version of OSX / MacOS can be found at the link below.
Click here
How do I know what driver is the one for me?
The driver is specific to the build number of the operating system you are running. Just looking for a driver for version 10.10.5 might not get you what you need.
How to reveal your OS X build number:
- Click the Apple logo to the far left of the menu bar.
- Click ‘About this Mac.’
- Click ‘Version XX.XX.X’ to reveal build number
External Nvidia Graphics Card For Macbook Pro
Once you have your build number, you can see exactly what driver you need.
If you visit the link above you can see each version and build split with the driver available.
I have installed my Nvidia card, connected all the cables and installed the drivers but it won’t boot?
Firstly, check you have installed the correct version of the driver. A common mistake is to install the latest driver and not the correct one for your build of OSX.
If that doesn’t work check your card is supported in the version of OSX you are running, double check you are getting enough power to the card, and then last resort is check for faulty hardware.
GTX 780Ti & GTX Titan Black require 10.9.2 or later
GTX 750Ti, GTX 950, GTX 960, GTX 970, GTX 980, GTX 980Ti, and Titan X (Maxwell) Require 10.10 or later
I’m trying to use Nvidia XXXX in my Mac Pro and only have one power cable connected. My machine chimes/doesn’t boot?
You will need to fully power the graphics card for it to function. Plug both auxiliary power connections into the graphics card.
I have installed the CUDA drivers without any issues, but I get an error saying that the web driver is incompatible with my operating system?
The driver you have downloaded is not the correct version for your build.
Please see above guide on selecting the correct driver.
I have purchased a overclocked/super clocked (or other more powerful version) of Nvidia 9XX series graphics card, and my machine crashes/no longer boots?
The crashes are most likely the machine shutting itself down as the card is drawing too much power. If your system no longer boots you may have damaged something.
I recommend testing the graphics card in another system to ensure that it isn’t just faulty hardware. Also, check the manufacturer specification of the card to see the TDP. We recommend no more than a 250W TDP for Nvidia Graphics cards to be stable and fully functional.
Will the Nvidia XXXX work in my Mac Pro 3,1 / 4,1 / 5,1?
Most Nvidia cards will work in all three models it’s the version of OSX you are running which will make the difference.
GTX 780Ti & GTX Titan Black require 10.9.2 or later
GTX 750Ti, GTX 950, GTX 960, GTX 970, GTX 980, GTX 980Ti, and Titan X (Maxwell) Require 10.10 or later
Will the Nvidia XXXX get enough power in my Mac Pro 3,1 / 4,1 / 5,1?
Check the manufacturer specification of the card to see the TDP. We recommend no more than a 250W TDP for Nvidia Graphics cards.
Can I install a Nvidia graphics card in my Mac Pro 1,1 / 2,1?
Any of the newer cards will not work as they require 10.9.2 or newer. The older systems are also 32bit not 64bit so require a GPU with a 32bit BIOS.
I’m running a Mac Pro X,X with the following CPU will I need to upgrade my CPU to fit a new graphics card?
No, you do not, the only thing that matters is that your system is a 3,1 or newer and running the correct operating system for your choice of GPU.
How is the power draw from the card handled?
We select specific cards which draw within the power limit of the Mac Pro. Certain graphics cards will draw too much and can only be run with an additional GPU.
So when you install the Nvidia GPU how do you update the drivers when a new version of OSX comes out?
You will need to swap back to the Apple GPU, update OS X, update drivers and then swap to the Nvidia GTX GPU.
I have a modified Nvidia card do I still need the drivers?
Yes, you still need the drivers. The Mac EFI just gives you a boot screen.
I’m not getting audio over HDMI / Display Port in my Mac Pro with the Nvidia card?
Nvidia doesn’t support audio over HDMI or Display Port you will need to output via digital or 3.5mm.
I have one Nvidia XXXX graphics card installed in my system I want to add another one?
If you would like to install another GPU you MUST go one of these two routes:
Route 1 – Get an external power supply unit to power the card
Route 2 – Get an external PCI-e chassis such as the Xpander Elite from Cubix.
There is not enough power inside the Mac Pro to power GPUs, and you are just asking for trouble. We recommend the Cubix route purely as it is a much more reliable solution.
List of supported Nvidia GPU for the Mac Pro 5,1
GTX Titan X 12GB (Maxwell)
GTX 980TI 6GB
GTX 980 4GB
GTX 970 4GB
GTX 960 2GB/4GB
GTX 780 3GB/6GB
GTX 770 2GB/4GB
GTX 760 2GB
GTX 750Ti 2GB
GTX 680 2GB/4GB
GTX 780Ti & GTX Titan Black require 10.9.2 or later
GTX 750Ti, GTX 950, GTX 960, GTX 970, GTX 980, GTX 980Ti, and Titan X (Maxwell) Require 10.10 or later
*Please note not all variations from all manufacturers work.
Are you running a model, not on this list? Let us know!
We have tried our best to answer as many of the most common questions above. If we have not answered your questions above comment below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.