[Guide] Razer Blade 15 (2018) Detailed Install Guide High Sierra 10.13.6 (17G2208-17G5019)

[Razeriste]

@vettz500 I would like to talk to you in private but I haven't found an option to send private messages. How can I get in touch with you?

 

[vettz500]

I've tested what you're proposing, but it doesn't work.

Well it's looking like Razer Blade 15 Basic users are out of luck when it comes to the trackpad, at least for the time being until VoodooI2C adds support for that specific device.

 

[tchen441]

@vettz500 I also got one gaming laptop with GTX1060. I wanna enable it through HDMI, because I confirmed it directly connect to external. But after I enabled UHD630 and installed the proper version of Web Driver. It just show ‘Nvidia Chip Model‘ with 0MB VRAM in system reports. Did I miss something or you have some ideas to deal with it? If you can share the EFI files which enable the dGPU successfully, it will be the best. Thanks a lot!

 

[protech]

Thanks for the guide! I'm thinking about getting the Razer Blade 15 Advanced and have a few questions.

1. Does HDMI work when using Intel Graphics or only when using Nvidia Graphics?
2. Does the DisplayPort work? Might be a way to get video output if HDMI is Nvidia only.
3. If DisplayPort works, does audio over DisplayPort work as well? Or is that even possible with this laptop? (e.g. DisplayPort might be nVidia only and also not support audio.) I'm currently running Mojave on an EliteBook Pro using RehabMan's hot-patching technique and I get audio over my displayport to HDMI adapter, so it's not a new concept, if possible for this machine.
4. Is thunderbolt working or just USB C?

Thanks again for all your help!

Can confirm that neither HDMI nor Mini DisplayPort work without Nvidia graphics enabled, which was a serious blow for me, since I use 3 external monitors for work and didn't expect this. However, I can also confirm that Thunderbolt 3 works excellent - you can connect an external monitor to it (USB-C cable if the monitor supports it directly, or USB-C to DisplayPort cable if your monitor has DP). I was also able to use the StarTech Thunderbolt 3 to Dual DisplayPort Adapter to connect 2 independent monitors. It's quite pricey, but it works nicely with 2 QHD monitors @60Hz + internal display (meaning that Razer at least connected 2 DisplayPort lines to Thunderbolt, compared to previous generations where there was only 1).

Sorry, but can't confirm if Audio over DP works with TB3, none of my monitors have audio.

Good luck!

 

[mr-prez]

1. HDMI Only works with Nvidia Graphics. The integrated Intel Graphics can not output to anything but the internal screen.
2. The Mini DisplayPort does work, but same as above. Only with the Nvidia Graphics, the Intel graphics can not be routed to it. It's not wired for it.
3. Audio still does not work over HDMI with DisplayPort or HDMI. It's not a connector issue. It's a software issue with the audio drivers. Still being worked on. I actually have some things to try to see if it resolves it. I've just been more focused on getting the 3 minute black screen upon boot up fixed, so the audio over HDMI issue has taken the back burner.
4. I can only confirm that the USB C part of this port is working. I only have 1 device that uses USB C (Pixel 2 XL). I do not have any thunderbolt devices or adapters to test with. But in theory it should be working for everything, including video out with the correct adapter.

Can confirm that neither HDMI nor Mini DisplayPort work without Nvidia graphics enabled, which was a serious blow for me, since I use 3 external monitors for work and didn't expect this. However, I can also confirm that Thunderbolt 3 works excellent - you can connect an external monitor to it (USB-C cable if the monitor supports it directly, or USB-C to DisplayPort cable if your monitor has DP). I was also able to use the StarTech Thunderbolt 3 to Dual DisplayPort Adapter to connect 2 independent monitors. It's quite pricey, but it works nicely with 2 QHD monitors @60Hz + internal display (meaning that Razer at least connected 2 DisplayPort lines to Thunderbolt, compared to previous generations where there was only 1).

Sorry, but can't confirm if Audio over DP works with TB3, none of my monitors have audio.

Good luck!

Thanks for the responses! I pulled the trigger earlier today and decided to get the Advanced model in Mercury White with the GTX 1060. The DisplayPort/HDMI situation sucks, but as long as dongles work everything should be fine. I'm almost positive we should be able to get audio over the dongle as well but we'll see.

@protech would you mind checking to see if thunderbolt hot-plugging works? Or does the device need to be plugged in before you turn the laptop on? If hot-plugging works, does it continue to work after sleeping? This isn't a big deal, but I figured I'd ask. I'm really excited to get everything running once I receive mine!

 

[savvn001]

Hi all, just had a read through this thread and am curious as to is this hackintosh good enough for use as a daily driver yet? So far the only issues I can see are trackpad palm rejection which I could mitigate with a Bluetooth mouse which I use anyway, and the HDMI hot plug issue which I could get a simple USB C to HDMI adapter for? Would be good to not have to restart and enable the 1060 if I wanted to use an external display but it's not a deal breaker. I don't really need the graphics performance for what I do.

HDMI audio is irrelevant to me I never use it, as long as TB3 hot plug works I can use my audio interface.

I'd prefer to get this over a 2018 MBP massively, price isn't even an issue it's just the new MBP is a joke... horrendous keyboard, useless touchbar and I can't take out the SSD or RAM. I don't game but as a daily driver for audio and programming work the razer blade base model is looking like the best alternative.

 

[mr-prez]

Hi all, just had a read through this thread and am curious as to is this hackintosh good enough for use as a daily driver yet? So far the only issues I can see are trackpad palm rejection which I could mitigate with a Bluetooth mouse which I use anyway, and the HDMI hot plug issue which I could get a simple USB C to HDMI adapter for? Would be good to not have to restart and enable the 1060 if I wanted to use an external display but it's not a deal breaker. I don't really need the graphics performance for what I do.

HDMI audio is irrelevant to me I never use it, as long as TB3 hot plug works I can use my audio interface.

I'd prefer to get this over a 2018 MBP massively, price isn't even an issue it's just the new MBP is a joke... horrendous keyboard, useless touchbar and I can't take out the SSD or RAM. I don't game but as a daily driver for audio and programming work the razer blade base model is looking like the best alternative.

Keep in mind the trackpad for the base model isn't working yet. And according to @protech in post #144 thunderbolt dongles for external displays work. I asked about hotplug but he hasn't responded yet.

 

[vettz500]

View attachment 375452 @vettz500 I also got one gaming laptop with GTX1060. I wanna enable it through HDMI, because I confirmed it directly connect to external. But after I enabled UHD630 and installed the proper version of Web Driver. It just show ‘Nvidia Chip Model‘ with 0MB VRAM in system reports. Did I miss something or you have some ideas to deal with it? If you can share the EFI files which enable the dGPU successfully, it will be the best. Thanks a lot!

Other than installing the correct webdrivers, there's nothing special that was done to enable the Nvidia card. The EFI files everyone is using for this laptop is attached to the first post of this thread.

Things you can try are a few bootflags and see if they help:
nvda_drv=1
nvidiaweb=true
Try each individual and then together and see if you have any change.
Also make sure you don't have nv_disable=1 in your config.plist under the boot arguments.

 

[vettz500]

Hi all, just had a read through this thread and am curious as to is this hackintosh good enough for use as a daily driver yet? So far the only issues I can see are trackpad palm rejection which I could mitigate with a Bluetooth mouse which I use anyway, and the HDMI hot plug issue which I could get a simple USB C to HDMI adapter for? Would be good to not have to restart and enable the 1060 if I wanted to use an external display but it's not a deal breaker. I don't really need the graphics performance for what I do.

HDMI audio is irrelevant to me I never use it, as long as TB3 hot plug works I can use my audio interface.

I'd prefer to get this over a 2018 MBP massively, price isn't even an issue it's just the new MBP is a joke... horrendous keyboard, useless touchbar and I can't take out the SSD or RAM. I don't game but as a daily driver for audio and programming work the razer blade base model is looking like the best alternative.

I would not recommend the Basic model if you plan on running it as a Hackintosh. As of right now there is no trackpad support for the basic model, as it's a different model. Trackpad support might come later, but it will be a pretty long wait, if it ever comes.

TB/USB3 port Hotpluging works just fine, for normal devices, not sure on an external display with it though, as I've never tried it with a display.

As far as it working with an audio interface. Mine works just fine with an M32, Si Performer 3, Saffire Pro 40 and a cheap little Berhinger 2 channel interface.

As far as stability goes. We're almost there with it. I bounce back and forth between Windows and OSX. The last real bug that seems to need to be worked out is a random system freeze that happens after an extended amount of use on the laptop, 4+ hours of constant use without sleeping or shutdown. Although I'm not sure if that's just an issue on my end, or everyone's end. It's something new that I've just discovered over the past couple of weeks now that I'm not rebooting the laptop constantly trying new things. I've just recently started to dive into the issue trying to pinpoint it. I'm sure it will be taken care of soon.
The 3 minute black screen is pretty much taken care of at this point, like 95% there with it.

 

[vettz500]

Thanks for the responses! I pulled the trigger earlier today and decided to get the Advanced model in Mercury White with the GTX 1060. The DisplayPort/HDMI situation sucks, but as long as dongles work everything should be fine. I'm almost positive we should be able to get audio over the dongle as well but we'll see.

@protech would you mind checking to see if thunderbolt hot-plugging works? Or does the device need to be plugged in before you turn the laptop on? If hot-plugging works, does it continue to work after sleeping? This isn't a big deal, but I figured I'd ask. I'm really excited to get everything running once I receive mine!

I can't speak for hot plugging the thunderbolt port with a display adapter, but it works just fine hot plugging thunderbolt drives and my Pixel 2 XL.