Apple approves driver that lets Nvidia eGPUs work with Arm Macs (twitter.com)

Article summary

Apple has approved a driver that allows Nvidia eGPUs to work with Arm Macs, enabling users to utilize external graphics processing units with their Macs. The driver is primarily for compute purposes, not graphics. This development has sparked discussion about the potential uses and limitations of eGPUs with Macs. The approval may have implications for various applications, including machine learning and gaming.

Main themes

• eGPU support for Arm Macs
• Nvidia driver approval
• Compute vs graphics processing
• Mac hardware limitations
• Machine learning applications

What commenters say

• The approval of the Nvidia eGPU driver for Arm Macs is a significant development with potential implications for various applications, including machine learning and gaming.
• The driver's primary purpose is for compute, not graphics, which may limit its usefulness for certain users.
• Some users believe that the Mac's hardware limitations, such as the interconnect and VRAM, may hinder the performance of eGPUs.
• Others argue that the ability to use eGPUs with Macs could be beneficial for specific use cases, such as running large models or inference workloads.
• There are differing opinions on the potential performance bottleneck of using Thunderbolt to connect eGPUs to Macs.
• Some commenters have expressed concerns about the cost and practicality of using eGPUs with Macs, particularly for those on a budget.
• The approval of the driver may also have implications for the use of Macs as servers, although some users are skeptical about their suitability for this purpose.
• The discussion highlights the trade-offs between using eGPUs with Macs, including considerations of cost, performance, and practicality.