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eGPU for Graphic design

My wife has an iMac 5k 27” 2020, running a 3.6 10-core i9 processor and a AMD Radeon Pro 5700 TX 16 GB. Would you recommend the blackmagic eGPU or Razer core X (with which GPU?) for graphics, mainly Photoshop, After Effects and Cinema 4D.


The computer will start going slower over time an she’s trying to render, the first project will take x amount of time and anything after will take exponentially more time 2x, 3x, 4x… Thanks!

Posted on May 17, 2022 2:28 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 17, 2022 5:47 PM

Hi,


I don't have any experience with EGPUs and I doubt too many others on this forum do either so I cannot recommend one over another for your wife's iMac. For more specific info I think you need to drill down more in your research. What I recommend that you look for


  1. Forums specific to the apps she will be using, Photoshop, After Effects and Cinema 4D.
  2. Next look for a Mac specific forums for those apps and
  3. Finally users that are using EGPUs with those apps.


Other thoughts are to read the reviews on the EGPUs you are considering, ensure they are Mac users!!!!! I do not believe EGPUs are a very big market so you have to dig for information.

7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 17, 2022 5:47 PM in response to CHACALiTRO!

Hi,


I don't have any experience with EGPUs and I doubt too many others on this forum do either so I cannot recommend one over another for your wife's iMac. For more specific info I think you need to drill down more in your research. What I recommend that you look for


  1. Forums specific to the apps she will be using, Photoshop, After Effects and Cinema 4D.
  2. Next look for a Mac specific forums for those apps and
  3. Finally users that are using EGPUs with those apps.


Other thoughts are to read the reviews on the EGPUs you are considering, ensure they are Mac users!!!!! I do not believe EGPUs are a very big market so you have to dig for information.

May 17, 2022 4:30 PM in response to rkaufmann87

Hi rkaufmann87, thank for your reply! I had read the 9to5 article already and am going over the second one you recommended now… I don’t really understand much about GPU performance and so my next question would be, will a eGPU card have to greate/bigger/better than the one on my iMac to perform better at tasks? And if so, what or which one would you recommend? The GPU on the iMac is a Radeon RX 5700 XT 16GB. Thanks!

May 23, 2022 5:47 AM in response to CHACALiTRO!

Don't get a BlackMagic eGPU: they only shipped as either RX 580 or Vega 56, both of which are slower than your iMac's RX 5700XT-16GB.


The Razer Core X is a fine solution. Its a beefy block, but it can accommodate longer than average cards up to 33cm long and power anything up to 2x8-pin. Just double check the length of any tripple-fan cards and the power input on 6900XT cards if you go that high.


For generic eGPU support see egpu.io, but the advice to check software forums for app specific information is a good one.


Alternatively consider saving up for an M1-Ultra Apple Studio.

eGPU for Graphic design

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