Can buying an external graphics card for my MBP make a big enough difference to justify it?

Discussion in 'Mac / Hackintosh' started by CharlieCrizzle, Jul 6, 2020.

  1. CharlieCrizzle

    CharlieCrizzle Kapellmeister

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    i have a mid 2015 mbp 2.8 quad core i7 with 1tb internal ssd. But i fucked up and thought i was getting the one with the independent amd chip, but actually got the integrated one. HMPH. Really close to getting a Push 2 and supposedly the dispplay is enough to effect the cpu performance if you graphics card isnt good enough. Can anyone recommend an external one that will make a difference while not breaking the bank?
     
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  3. tzzsmk

    tzzsmk Audiosexual

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    "Can buying an external graphics card for my MBP make a big enough difference to justify it?"

    no, but you can clean up and replace thermal paste on the cpu cooler to prevent overheating, since you have 5-year old model, it can help a lot..
    :chilling:
     
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  4. 5teezo

    5teezo Audiosexual

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    Push 2 minimum System Requirements:

    Windows

    • PC with Windows 7 (with SP 1), Windows 8 or Windows 10
    • Multicore processor
    • 4 GB RAM
    • Graphics card that supports Open GL 3.0 or higher. You can check the specifications of your graphics card by using this app.
    • 1 USB 2.0 port
    Mac
    • Intel® Mac with Mac OS X 10.7 or later
    • Multicore processor
    • 4 GB RAM
    • 1 USB 2.0 port
    Basically any recent macOS compatible eGPU with a thunderbolt enclosure supported by Apple will do. Thunderbolt support from 3rd party products often don't play nicely with macOS. But I would do that AFTER getting the Push 2 not before. Maybe it's not necessary.
     
  5. anvier

    anvier Ultrasonic

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    Don´t waste your money, sell your mbp and go for the mbp 2019 16" basic model, compared to your 2015 mbp is a beast.
     
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  6. Bitmonkey

    Bitmonkey Producer

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    Yeah cos that's a bargain upgrade at like 4 times the cost of the Push 2 :bleh:
     
  7. Moonlight

    Moonlight Audiosexual

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    why cant we delete our own posts ? here ?
     
  8. CharlieCrizzle

    CharlieCrizzle Kapellmeister

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    Already done that. Im experimenting with Volta now, app that lets you undervolt the cpu . Im about to measure and monitor changes with intel power gadget and cinebench as i type this
     
  9. wuzzle

    wuzzle Platinum Record

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    Your GPU has nothing to do with the graphics shown on the Push 2. Its not using it to generate the graphics. Now, Live itself requires the GL... that's another matter entirely.
     
  10. CharlieCrizzle

    CharlieCrizzle Kapellmeister

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    https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/a...lurry-text-graphical-glitches-on-display-Win-

    "The Push 2 display may show blurry text, graphical artefacts, missing or extra pixels and/or missing waveforms or meters. Because the Push 2 display is rendered by the computer's graphics card, if the graphics card driver is not fully up to date, it may cause display issues similar to what is shown in the following pictures"
     
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  11. Bitmonkey

    Bitmonkey Producer

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    That's a Windows-only link and you're on Mac - it even says Win in the URL.
     
  12. Polomo

    Polomo Guest

    :rofl:

    If the Push 2 works with the internal GPU on Windows,
    why should it be different on a Mac
    It's the same device. So I think there is no Graphic chip in the Push 2.
     
  13. Haliax

    Haliax Guest

    If OpenGL is absolutely required, that suggest that processing (non graphics) can be farmed off to openGL for faster processing. OpenGL can be used for fast calculations, saving CPU time.
     
  14. Bitmonkey

    Bitmonkey Producer

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    Maybe because Apple deprecated OpenGL for Metal instead with Mojave so there's no guarantee Ableton is still using OpenGL. Yes it could still use the internal GPU but given the OP hasn't even tried it yet on his machine, its pure speculation that he's going to have problems at all to begin with.

    He admits he hasn't actually got the Push 2 yet to see if its an issue.
     
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2020
  15. nobodyspecial

    nobodyspecial Platinum Record

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    No worries works fine with my mb retina 2013 i5 model !! so ;) you 'll be fine
     
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