I've managed to get a GTX 1080 fully working on my internal display. My MacBook is the 15" with Radeon Pro 450. There will be a guide in the near future. Basically, all you have to do is get the iGPU enabled, disable a few devices in device manager and install your drivers. Everything is perfectly stable with a solid 55+ fps in Black Ops 3 everything maxed.
Other games tested (maxed out; no AA; all native resolutions)
GTA V (40 fps in grassy areas, 60+ fps elsewhere)
Space Engine (60+fps except during texture and detail loading)
NBA 2K17 (only around 30 FPS, for some reason my older M370X MacBook AMD card performed better)
Dolphin Emulator (solid 60+ FPS with shader and texture enhancements)
Minecraft (100+ FPS, shaders around 45 FPS)
Quick Guide
- Download and install rEFInd on MacOS
- Grab a copy of apple_set_os.efi
- Move the .efi file into /boot/efi/EFI/custom
- Reboot
- Run the EFI (you will see a small flash) and boot into Windows
- Install your Intel 530 drivers
- Connect the eGPU & install Nvidia or AMD drivers
- Get gpu-switch
- Reboot
- Disconnect eGPU
- Boot into Windows after running your EFI file again
- Disable your dGPU, associated audio device and PCIe Controller (x4)
- Reboot into EFI manager
You should now be all set for action! All of the following steps must be followed every time you want to use your eGPU.
- Boot into Windows
- Run integrated.bat as administrator
- Reboot
- Run the EFI again and boot into Windows
- Plug in your eGPU around a second after the Windows logo appears
If everything goes correctly, you should have full GPU acceleration on your internal display. I haven't tested the external, but it should work fine. Make sure to run dedicated.bat whenever you want to boot back into MacOS. You'll be stuck at the loading bar otherwise.
A quick notice I want to bring up is that you may not have access to the Nvidia control panel or other features. This is due to a conflict with the AMD drivers. A fix for me was to reinstall Windows 10 via the recovery manager without the bootcamp drivers. You could give the DDU (display driver uninstaller) a shot.
Very good to hear there's progress with Windows on these TB3 MacBook Pro laptops!
Can you save the vBIOS of your Radeon Pro 450 and upload it here? I'm involved in the Mac Pro tower community as well and we've been waiting to take a peek at the EFI of the new Radeon Pro GPUs for possible Boot Screen hacks on off-the-shelf PC GPUs.
• external graphics card builds
• best laptops for external GPU
• eGPU enclosure buyer's guide
2021 15" ASUS TUF Dash F15 [11th,4C,H] + RTX 3080 @ 32Gbps-TB4 (AORUS Gaming Box) + Win10 2004 // my 3rd RTX 3080 build [build link]
Based on a few successful egpu reports like this with the Razer Core, I've finally pulled the trigger on a new 13" MBP TB. Hopefully Razer will still have some in stock by the time my machine arrives!
To do: Create my signature with system and expected eGPU configuration information to give context to my posts. I have no builds.
.Hello! Long story short i had a 2014 MBP + BizonBox and it worked awesome, then i spilled water on the MBP. So i "upgraded" to a new MBP
Ive got a 2016 15" MBP i'm trying to connect to a BizonBox 2S + GTX 1060. Not having any luck, do you have any methods available? I'm running Win10 on bootcamp.
Thanks!
To do: Create my signature with system and expected eGPU configuration information to give context to my posts. I have no builds.
.Guess I need to get to work on my guide. 😀
It's not too difficult once you figure out how to do it through trial and error. Basically, you have to enable the integrated and install the Intel drivers, install your Nvidia drivers, disable the dGPU and its audio device, disable the PCI (x4) controller in device manager and plug in your eGPU a second after the Windows icon appears.
These are all the primary steps, but doing it in the wrong order will not work, so I'll have something way more comprehensive soon.
Alec, have you found that all thunderbolt 2 and 3 chassis need to be connected only after the Windows logo appears on the 2016 MBP, or do some configurations not require that?
To do: Create my signature with system and expected eGPU configuration information to give context to my posts. I have no builds.
.Hey Alec
hows that guide coming along I an very interested in a eGPU and I was going to go for the BizonBOX 3 thunderbolt 3 version until I found out it doesn't support windows yet only Mac OS for the macbook pro 15 inch with touch bar, so now I am looking at other options but the razer core if that will work in windows I will be happy so guide that shows me this woudl be helpfull in making my decision
Alec, have you found that all thunderbolt 2 and 3 chassis need to be connected only after the Windows logo appears on the 2016 MBP, or do some configurations not require that?
I've only tried TB3 with the Razer Core.
The Razer Core works perfectly fine on Windows. I'm pretty sure other TB3 devices will work as well.
do you have a guide on how to make it work?