Akitio Node + Apple TB2->3 dongle + GTX 1080 + external LG 4K monitor on a rMBP 15" 2015, used only w/ Bootcamp.

Works pretty well, and my latest addition is a DisplayPort switch to use the iGPU directly with the monitor (when I'm in macOS) or the external GPU (when I'm in Bootcamp). Performance is great, around ~95% of desktop GPU I'd say.

The only issue is that it needs a particular boot sequence to enable it, when switching from macOS to Windows with the GPU enabled: reboot from macOS, turn on the GPU, the default partition is Windows so Windows will boot with the GPU enabled.

To reboot from Windows to macOS, disabling the GPU: reboot from Windows, hold Option at boot to show the boot menu, then turn off the GPU and boot into macOS.

Not that bad once you get used to it, and having a desktop GPU on my laptop makes it all worth it.

My post on /r/eGPU: https://www.reddit.com/r/eGPU/comments/77e86g/success_macboo...

I have been for a couple of years. Mine is an DIY version with a PC power supply. I made it about 3.5 years ago. Last time I checked, I couldn’t use my particular setup for accelerated graphics in MacOS (I could in bootcamped Windows) but I think that works now. I just haven’t done it. I use it mostly for 3D rendering.

It’s an Akitio enclosure, which was the first popular one. I use it with a GTX 980Ti with a little 400 watt power supply on a late 2012 MacBook Pro and it works great. I travel with it and everything.

The performance hit is a lot less than people make it out to be. Mine runs on TB2 and I don’t remember numbers but I have done graphics benchmarks using it in boot camp Windows against the same card in my PC. It was a few FPS different on most tests. I don’t remember exact numbers. For 3D rendering/data processing, there is no performance hit.

I’m using an Akitio node 3 with a 1070 on a 2016 15” Macbook Pro. I’m using my mac and macos to work during the day. When I go home, I start windows and plug my egpu to play.

It’s really easy to use on widnows, mostly plug & play. It works so well that I stopped using my old gaming machine.

Main issue though is that you need to plug it to the left thunderbolt 3 port on your mac or the egpu doesn’t work. It also doesn’t work if you plug any other usb-c devices on the right ports. My solution for that is to use a usb-c <-> usb-a hub, plugged on 1 of the 2 usb-c left port, to plug my external ssd and gaming keyboard.

If you look up gaming benchmarks. The performance losses make it more economical to build an entire separate computer, at least for that use case.

I have a 2014 MBPr 15". I bought the VR DevKit the day it was released. Running it under the beta of macOS at the time was... wonky. Then they upgraded macOS to support it natively, and it worked exactly like I wanted it to. For about a month.

THEN they upgraded macOS AGAIN, and forced it to stop working on pre-TB3 laptops. It was working GREAT, and they just killed it. Thanks, Apple!

I tried using some dirty hack that someone on some board claimed to work, and got it working again, but after about the 5th kernel panic in 2 days, I ripped out the hack, and sold the damn thing on Ebay. What an enormous waste of time, energy, and money.

It's clear that eGPU's are the future of gaming. I'm eagerly awaiting consensus to align on what that looks like on a MacBook. I just want to play Civ V again, without it looking like a slideshow.

I just tried it out and unfortunately it didn't work for my use case. Only certain applications are currently allowed to get accelerated by the eGPU - like Photoshop. I wanted to accelerate WebGL, but it was impossible to make it work. Chrome(ium)/Firefox/Safari, nothing worked. I tried a lot and the browsers showed the eGPU as the card to be used, but it was still the Intel Iris. When someone has any pointers what I made have done wrong, I would be super grateful, but my research was, that it just doesn't work yet.

I would like to know as well. And if anyone knows if they work well with thunderbolt2.