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External eGPU worth it?

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by Scott Fairbairn on Wed Aug 12, 2020 3:39 pm

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Hi,

I had to trade in my MacBook pro due to that defective keyboard design that they had a couple of years ago so I now have an Apple Store credit. I am considering the following eGPU. My question is, are these things worth it? Will they significantly speed up photo or video related applications?
I don't believe this model will work on my 2017 iMac, but my 16" 2019 Macbook is a compatible model.
https://www.apple.com/ca/shop/product/H ... a2a861769d

thank you
Scott
PS: I also considered 5K LG model from the store, but that appears to be discontinued.

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by E.J. Peiker on Wed Aug 12, 2020 7:28 pm

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If your MacBook Pro has discrete graphics then it's a waste. If it has just embedded Intel graphics then it will help a lot. So it comes down to which graphics your model of MBP has.

E.J. Peiker http://www.EJPhoto.com
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by Scott Fairbairn on Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:33 am

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E.J. Peiker wrote:If your MacBook Pro has discrete graphics then it's a waste. If it has just embedded Intel graphics then it will help a lot. So it comes down to which graphics your model of MBP has.

Ok, I have a 16", 2019 MBP, 2.3 GHz, 8-core intel core i9 with graphics AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8GB Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536.
Would it make any difference with this machine or is it a waste?

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by E.J. Peiker on Thu Aug 13, 2020 3:01 pm

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Total waste - that's an excellent GPU. Make sure that all of your software is configured to use it. With it not being used you would take a massive hit in graphics performance. Also check your power conservation options. If you run a laptop with the power savings options enabled, it often turns off or severely limits the use of the GPU and many computers default back to the embedded Intel Graphics when power savings modes are enabled.

E.J. Peiker http://www.EJPhoto.com
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by Scott Fairbairn on Thu Aug 13, 2020 3:17 pm

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Ok, thanks for the info! I guess I'll wait to use my store credit for a bit.

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