Nvidia GPU for FCPX

[chickeneaterguy]

I use 2 4k monitors with a GTX 960 on 10.12. I have no problems with this in what I do on a daily basis, however, my macbook pro with dedicated AMD graphics significantly outperforms my hackintosh at exporting video in FCPX. If I got an RX 460 and used it as a secondary GPU, would I be able to get hardware acceleration out of it and still be able to use my GTX 960 as my primary card?

EDIT:
I've renamed this thread to more appropriately address the subject matter. Basically, I abandoned using an AMD card since video editing isn't a huge part of my life, but myself as well as other users are getting poor Nvidia GPU performance in Sierra and FCPX 10.3, so that's kind of what this thread has become.

 

[qbe]

i cannot talk for your particular planned configuration but i can talk about my experience with the hardware i had.

This was on Yosemite and older fcpx, your experience may vary
i used two monitors and one tv. I had igpu connected to tv, two monitors to 280x, booted with igpu (hdmi) and than ran fcpx on the other two screens connected to 280x (displayport). I used the tv for fcpx built in "monitoring". This setup worked well.

Sometimes I wanted my tv monitoring through blackmagic (interlaced footage) so i switched tv hdmi to blackmagic and one monitor screen to igpu (hdmi). I ended up with two main screens one connected to igpu and one to 280x. What i found out, i had to have the fcpx project and viewer on 280x screen to have fcpx use the acceleration of amd card. I could use igpu screen for browser without any problems. But when i tried to have project on 280x and viewers on igpu screen the acceleration was done on igpu.

i dont know how it would work with mixing nvidia and amd cards though. Igpus are present on real macs together with dedicated graphics.

Hope this helps.

 

[Fl0r!an]

Yes, I think it can be difficult to make FCPX use the correct GPU, as there's no direct way to assign one. Sometimes FCPX preferes to use a iGPU altough a dGPU is present, and I think the same might happen with Nvidia/AMD GPUs.

First I'd check if your iGPU is enabled (and disable it in case it is), to make sure FCPX actually uses your GTX 960. It's not ideal as FCPX GPU, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't able to compete with the re-rebadged HD 7770 (which isn't fast at all) sitting in your MBP.

 

[chickeneaterguy]

i cannot talk for your particular planned configuration but i can talk about my experience with the hardware i had.

This was on Yosemite and older fcpx, your experience may vary
i used two monitors and one tv. I had igpu connected to tv, two monitors to 280x, booted with igpu (hdmi) and than ran fcpx on the other two screens connected to 280x (displayport). I used the tv for fcpx built in "monitoring". This setup worked well.

Sometimes I wanted my tv monitoring through blackmagic (interlaced footage) so i switched tv hdmi to blackmagic and one monitor screen to igpu (hdmi). I ended up with two main screens one connected to igpu and one to 280x. What i found out, i had to have the fcpx project and viewer on 280x screen to have fcpx use the acceleration of amd card. I could use igpu screen for browser without any problems. But when i tried to have project on 280x and viewers on igpu screen the acceleration was done on igpu.

i dont know how it would work with mixing nvidia and amd cards though. Igpus are present on real macs together with dedicated graphics.

Hope this helps.

Yes, I think it can be difficult to make FCPX use the correct GPU, as there's no direct way to assign one. Sometimes FCPX preferes to use a iGPU altough a dGPU is present, and I think the same might happen with Nvidia/AMD GPUs.

First I'd check if your iGPU is enabled (and disable it in case it is), to make sure FCPX actually uses your GTX 960. It's not ideal as FCPX GPU, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't able to compete with the re-rebadged HD 7770 (which isn't fast at all) sitting in your MBP.

Thanks. The 460 is coming in today. I'll be sure to come back here with my results. It sounds like I'll have to actually use the 460, but I'll mess around with my setup and see what works best.

 

[chickeneaterguy]

I was unable to get it working, unfortunately. I was able to get a 480 working better than I was able to get this 460 working. Maybe I should've stayed away from XFX. I don't need to do FCPX stuff too much, but a little extra juice would be nice. I'm going to go with the GTX 1060 or 1070 instead.

 

[smounic]

I was unable to get it working, unfortunately. I was able to get a 480 working better than I was able to get this 460 working. Maybe I should've stayed away from XFX. I don't need to do FCPX stuff too much, but a little extra juice would be nice. I'm going to go with the GTX 1060 or 1070 instead.

I have a 980ti and with the newest driver in Sierra, I get no FCPX acceleration. I'm actually going to try two rx480 cards to try to get more acceleration. I think it has to do with metal. I get fantastic OpenCL benchmark scores (18k+). And it works great in both Premiere and Davinci. It is specifically FCPX that has the problem. I would hold off on Nvidia cards until that is resolved.

Fl0r!an: Do you know of a way to force it to use one card vs the other?

 

[chickeneaterguy]

I have a 980ti and with the newest driver in Sierra, I get no FCPX acceleration. I'm actually going to try two rx480 cards to try to get more acceleration. I think it has to do with metal. I get fantastic OpenCL benchmark scores (18k+). And it works great in both Premiere and Davinci. It is specifically FCPX that has the problem. I would hold off on Nvidia cards until that is resolved.

Fl0r!an: Do you know of a way to force it to use one card vs the other?

My 960 has acceleration on the latest drivers. I haven't done any real benchmarks but I can't even open FCPX when I'm using integrated graphics.

 

[smounic]

My 960 has acceleration on the latest drivers. I haven't done any real benchmarks but I can't even open FCPX when I'm using integrated graphics.

What is your BruceX score? I can have my 530 Integrated running or not and the BruceX is identical. Are you using FCPX 10.3?

 

[chickeneaterguy]

What is your BruceX score? I can have my 530 Integrated running or not and the BruceX is identical. Are you using FCPX 10.3?

Looks like you're right. Again, I can't open up FCPX just using integrated graphics (it specifies that I can only use FCPX with graphics cards with acceleration enabled), but when using it with my i7 6700K and 960, it takes TWO MINUTES!

I was using FCPX 10.3 then I tried 10.3.1 and got the same results. I went to the 10.2.3 trial found here - https://secure-appldnld.apple.com/F...177.20160129.QERFT/FinalCutProTrial10.2.3.dmg and my scores were about 20 seconds faster. That being said, I think it is a driver issue like you mentioned because people using this card have gotten scores as fast as 30 seconds.

If you find out a fix, please let me know.

This is only a hobby for me, and the 1070 I ordered will benefit me more in other things I do, but performance is still important to me and if it can be better without spending money, I'd obviously want that.

 

[chickeneaterguy]

I'll also post tomorrow once I get my 1070 in to see if there are differences.