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External GPU (eGPU) Resources
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There are some good photos of the Asus XG Station Pro on Asus's web site: https://www.asus.com/us/Graphics-Cards-Accessories/XG-STATION-PRO/overview/
Here are a couple of iPhone snapshots. In the first, the top and side panels are in place. In the second, they have been removed, showing how the RX 590 GPU fits in the housing.
The housing is 37.5cm (14.8") long, 20.5cm (8") tall and 10.7cm (4.2") deep.
The three cables on the left, from top to bottom, are power, HDMI and 1.5m/5' Thunderbolt 3.
![asus-covered.jpg]( "asus-covered.jpg")
![asus-bare.jpg]( "asus-bare.jpg")
Here are a couple of iPhone snapshots. In the first, the top and side panels are in place. In the second, they have been removed, showing how the RX 590 GPU fits in the housing.
The housing is 37.5cm (14.8") long, 20.5cm (8") tall and 10.7cm (4.2") deep.
The three cables on the left, from top to bottom, are power, HDMI and 1.5m/5' Thunderbolt 3.
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Yes, you have to use ASUS' software though if you don't want to employ a, um, more permanent solution.
Same with the Sapphire card.
With the panels in place, I have to confess that the lights are growing on me. Reminds me a bit of my tube amplifier
With the panels in place, I have to confess that the lights are growing on me. Reminds me a bit of my tube amplifier
Yeah the white lights are nice.
What is annoying though is when my mouse, my keyboard, the motherboard of my Linux workstation right next to my Mac, the RAM in that workstation AND its GPU are all scintillating on their own, uncoordinated trips through the visible spectrum at the same time.
Now, after recently watching this Linus Tech Tips video:
I can't help but yell "GAMING!" in my head (sometimes out loud) every time I see a glowing computer component.
I didn’t know their were different cables.
I found the following which was where I got the 0.5m from:
Active Thunderbolt 3 cables support Thunderbolt at 40Gbps data transfer at lengths of up to 2m. Optical cables are targeted later, with lengths of up to 60m. Passive lower cost cables are only capable of 20Gbps data transfer at 1m or 2m lengths, but can achieve the full 40Gbps at a shorter cable length of 0.5m
Note that that passage distinguishes between "active cables" and "passive cables".
I did, my post was to the other OP to highlight where I got the 0.5m from.
How is your system performing? What is the noise level like with that Asus box?
I'm exchanging my Mac mini tomorrow for one with higher specs and it will take a few days to get the new one. When it arrives, I'll be able to assess what practical difference the external GPU makes. I did an H.264 to H.265 conversion yesterday and was really surprised at the result, but the result may be due in part to a recent change in Compressor architecture. Details of my test are in post #147: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/external-gpu-egpu-resources.2154653/page-6#post-26828361
I live in a noisy city and usually work with a window open, so I am probably not the best person to ask about noise. All I can say is that I'm not noticing noise from either the mini or the Asus housing and GPU. I really like the fact that the Asus housing takes very little space, that the power supply is separate from the housing and comes with a good length of cable, and that the included Thunderbolt 3 cable is 1.5m/5' long. Asus did not cut corners on this product.
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Asus have always made decent products, I didn’t know they made an EGPU case till you guys said and it’s size is very interesting. Will be interesting to know if it will take an Vega 56, looking forward to you telling us what they say about it.
Update: See post #186.
Asus told me today that their engineering people should have an answer in 48-72 hours. Without getting into the details, my exchanges with Asus Support have become a bit of a saga. We shall see if there is an answer in that time frame to what is a pretty simple question
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Asus told me today that their engineering people should have an answer in 48-72 hours. Without getting into the details, my exchanges with Asus Support have become a bit of a saga. We shall see if there is an answer in that time frame to what is a pretty simple question
Thanks for the update, maybe they are testing it themselves first? Hopefully we’ll have an answer by the weekend then.
More evidence that cryptocurrency mining has had its heyday...
From now through Saturday, Newegg is selling AMD's Vega 64 8GB (Sapphire) for US$400, which I believe is $100 less than the original MSRP: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202326&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-ed-Future Publishing Ltd-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=12920453&PID=8900246&SID=tomshardware-thaus:en_US_18_News_38111
From now through Saturday, Newegg is selling AMD's Vega 64 8GB (Sapphire) for US$400, which I believe is $100 less than the original MSRP: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202326&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-ed-Future Publishing Ltd-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=12920453&PID=8900246&SID=tomshardware-thaus:en_US_18_News_38111
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The promo code that enables that deal has already expired :/ I was two hours late from getting an RTX 2080 for $650. Womp womp womp...
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Wow, $340 would have been a sweet deal!
The only thing putting me away from the Vega 64 is the incredible power draw and how hot it runs.
Does the under volting and tweaking work from an enclosure as well?
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That's a very nice article that I hadn't seen before. Thanks for sharing.
Is that dual AC a show off prototype only or Asus is actually realising it?
The only thing putting me away from the Vega 64 is the incredible power draw and how hot it runs.
Does the under volting and tweaking work from an enclosure as well?
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That's a very nice article that I hadn't seen before. Thanks for sharing.
Is that dual AC a show off prototype only or Asus is actually realising it?
Update: See post #186.
Hi, that review says that the Asus XG Station Pro will support Vega 56 under Windows. We already know that because Asus's web site expressly says so, although see @rmdeluca's cautions about power in post #83.
Asus Support currently takes the view that its enclosure does not support Vega 56 or 64 under Mac OS. That is also implicit in Asus's web site, which does not include Vega 56 or 64 in its list of supported GPUs for Mac OS.
However, Asus Support, and the Asus web site, may be relying on information that predates Apple's support for Vega 56 and 64 GPUs. See post #86 and #105.
I have been in correspondence with Asus Support about this since 14 November. So far, I have dealt with three line support staff, three supervisors and, as of this morning, someone from Corporate Customer Care, which I assume is distinct from regular customer care. The current situation is that Asus Support is awaiting clarification from its engineers, which it told me yesterday it would pass on in 48-72 hours.
I have asked two questions: first, whether the XG Station Pro supports Vega 56 and 64 under Mac OS given that Apple now does; and secondly, if the answer is that it doesn't, why it supports these GPUs under Windows but not Mac OS.
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That article is about Windows, not Mac OS. Please see the above post. Asus Support's position, pending clarification from Asus engineers, is that the XG Station Pro does not support the Vega 56 and 64 GPUs under Mac OS.
The dual power arrangement was a prototype. As far as I know, Asus has not made it available for sale.
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I just wonder, the Asus XG Station Pro has only 1 T3 connector. Shouldn't the eCPU be connected between the MacMini and the monitor?