The latest update for MacOS High Sierra has introduced something that Apple has been talking about for a while now: support for eGPU enclosures. Only a handful of Radeon cards are being supported through this method at the moment, but that’s not to say that Nvidia cards will never be supported.
As of MacOS High Sierra 10.13.4, Macs support cards based on AMD’s Vega 56 and 64 architecture, as well as the Polaris based Radeon RX 570, RX 580, and Pro WX 7100. Most of which appear to already be in use with Apple products.
That said, the eGPU support will not automatically kick in for all apps. Instead, developers must introduce support for the technology, which means that this feature may not do anything in select situations.
Apple’s full embracing of the Thunderbolt 3 port is likely to make it easier to embrace the eGPU option. Interestingly, Apple is recommending that all eGPU enclosures be connected to the left side port for maximum efficiency.
Adopting eGPUs is unlikely to change anything for most consumers. The technology is still relatively expensive, and is outside the requirements of those who are already on MacBooks. Still, it’ll be interesting to see if this can fuel more demand for the enclosures.
[Source: Apple]
