The Blackmagic eGPU card comes for VR on MacOS. In partnership with Blackmagic, Apple has just released a powerful Radeon Pro 580 external graphics card to connect a virtual reality headset.
Until now it was impossible to connect an Oculus Rift, HTC Vive or Windows Mixed Reality virtual reality headset to a Macintosh computer unless you were an excellent handyman. To do this, Apple has partnered with Blackmagic. The card, which comes in the form of a fairly massive external box, can greatly speed up graphics calculations on MacBook.
External graphics card for MacBook Blackmagic virtual reality
An external Blackmagic graphics card to boost video on Mac
The Blackmagic eGPU card is a real graphics accelerator based on a Radeon Pro 850 and using Thunderbolt 3 technology, this external graphics card allows excellent results for 3D video games, professional software such as the DaVinci Resolve and of course a virtual reality. Connection to the MacBook is via Thunderbolt 3 which allows, in a single cable, to pass 40Gb/s. The housing has been designed to be very quiet, practical and elegant with its anodized aluminum housing.
In concrete terms, with the Blackmagic eGPU external graphics card, it is now possible to take full advantage of the potential offered by virtual reality on a MacBook. The computing power is more than enough for VR helmets as demanding as a HTC Vive Pro, Vive Classic or Oculus Rift. The external box offers, in addition, different ports. A second Thunderbolt 3 port is available for a second display but also an HDMI K port and 4 USB 3.1 ports. All the connectors for the VR helmets are in the same place. The Blackmagic eGPU card is sold for $699.