The version of the M1 announced today features 7 or 8 cores, and Apple says it’s capable of twice the GPU performance while using 33% of the power compared to a PC GPU when matching performance. Today during the M1’s unveiling, the company’s spokespersons repeatedly praised the chip’s integrated GPU though failed to reveal detailed technical specifications. Likewise, users have found that a past-generation Mac Mini with extra RAM and an eGPU can match a Mac Pro’s performance for a fraction of the price - that’s not currently possible with the just-announced Macs. In particular, Apple’s past laptops were known for having substantial RAM and processing power but lacking in graphical processing power. It’s unclear exactly where the incompatibility begins does the M1 chip itself not play friendly with eGPUs, or is it something else about the three new Macs announced today?Ĭonsumers have long turned to these external graphics cards to give computers a dramatic boost in memory-intensive tasks eGPUs allow laptops or underpowered desktops to punch out of their weight class.
This is a massive switch, and as the dust settles from the announcement, details are starting to appear around options for the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac Mini.Īpple’s first Macs built around its self-developed SoC do not support eGPUs, TechCrunch has learned. Called the M1, the system on a chip (SoC) is based on an Arm architecture rather than an Intel-built platform.
That's obviously no consolation if you've already invested in a setup that works for you.Apple today announced its first self-developed processor for Mac hardware. Given that the best powered Thunderbolt 3 and USB hubs can run more than $300, that value proposition softens the blow of this eGPU's price just a bit. That makes this not just an eGPU enclosure but a decent port hub. So odds are you'll end up having only one wire connected to your Mac: the Thunderbolt 3 port from this eGPU. This thing has a ton of ports, and the Thunderbolt ports can be daisy-chained to a point. There's another positive to consider here. Chances are, if you've got a desk covered in computers and peripherals, this is going to be one of the quieter devices sitting there. In fact, it's appreciably quieter than a MacBook Pro with fans fully revved up. The eGPU Pro is only audible in an otherwise silent room, and even then, it's subtle. If there's an eGPU enclosure that runs quieter than either of Blackmagic's eGPUs, I've never seen it myself. But Blackmagic prioritized quietness above all else.Īnd as was the case with the slower model last year, Blackmagic has succeeded on that front, and that's really what you're paying for. There are actually smaller eGPU enclosures on the market. Despite these efforts to lower its footprint, the overall volume is a little bulkier than we'd like. The Pro's design can definitely be described as minimalist, but it's at the same time just a touch too flashy for my tastes. Its obelisk-like design is unusual folks passing by your desk might have to venture a few guesses before figuring out precisely what it is.
The Blackmagic eGPU Pro attempts to minimize its footprint on your desk by being tall. It's just the GPU inside that's different. As far as we can tell, the chassis is the same. There's not much new to add here on top of what we said about the Blackmagic eGPU last August.