Need Advice on Which RX Vega Graphics Card To Get for HS & Mojave

[scottkendall]

After emulating Windows for years and the improvements in Ethernet speeds, I have decided that it would just be easier to maintain a Windows machine and just use it from Windows Remote Desktop application for my Revit needs.
Since just about anything works with Windows, I wanted to upgrade my Hack video card and put the MSI in the Windows box.

Would this card:
XFX RX VEGA 64
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAD2C72D9188

Be better then:
Sapphire RX Vega 64 NITRO+
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202321

I know that the XFX is natively supported and recommended by Apple, with the exact same name on the card. However, the Sapphire has 2 HDMI ports that my monitors actually prefer to have connected over the display port. I also fear XFX cards since in the past I have never been able to get them to work.

This is also and option:
Sapphire RX Vega 56 Pulse
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202318

But like the XFX it only has one HDMI port.

What card would be the most compatible with Mac currently I am running Mojave Public Beta 9.

 

[pastrychef]

Personally, I would go with the XFX because it's a reference design and should work with the Vega fan fix kexts and because it's a "double wide" card.

The Sapphire RX Vega 64 NITRO+ and RX Vega 56 Pulse are both triple slot cards and, since they use custom cooler designs, I don't know if the Vega fan fix kexts will work with them or if they are even needed. You will have to do a search to see if anyone has posted their experiences with these fans.

Of course the biggest disadvantage of these reference style coolers is that they don't cool the GPU as well as the custom cooling solutions. However, they do push the hot air generated by the GPU out of the case. The open style coolers cool the GPU better but the hot air is kept inside the case. This can cause other components in your system to run warmer.

I recently did some experimenting with the VGTab utility. I was able to extract quite a bit of extra performance from my Vega 56 by undervaluing and setting the target temperature lower. This resulted in my GPU topping out at around 76C while benchmarking Unigine Heaven, Valley, and Luxmark Ball. You can see the results of my testing here.

During my benchmarking session, the highest temps I saw were:
Fan Speed (%)=75
Fan Speed (RPM)=3689
Temperature (C)=76

*Please note that I replaced the thermal compound on my Vega 56 with Conductonaut Liquid Metal.

Therefore:

1. Find out of the Vega cards you are considering have the macOS Vega fan issues. If yes, do the Vega fan fix kexts work on those particular cards. (Vega cards using reference design coolers work with the Vega fan fix kexts.)
2. Decide if you mind triple slot cards or if you prefer a more conventional double-wide card.
3. Decide if you prefer open or blower style coolers. (Open will cool better and be quieter, but keeps hot air inside the case.)

 

[scottkendall]

Therefore:

1. Find out of the Vega cards you are considering have the macOS Vega fan issues. If yes, do the Vega fan fix kexts work on those particular cards. (Vega cards using reference design coolers work with the Vega fan fix kexts.)
2. Decide if you mind triple slot cards or if you prefer a more conventional double-wide card.
3. Decide if you prefer open or blower style coolers. (Open will cool better and be quieter, but keeps hot air inside the case.)

all of those issues are really non issues as long as the fan keep the card at the proper temperature I rather the fan run a little fast.

My only real question is is the XFX or the Sapphire going to be more compatible with OSX then the other or the same. I am leaning towards the Sapphire Nitro + Vega 64 because of the dual HDMI ports instead of only one I feel like my monitors prefer the HDMI. But if the XFX is really going to be more compatible since it is recommend by apple than I will get it instead.

 

[pastrychef]

all of those issues are really non issues as long as the fan keep the card at the proper temperature I rather the fan run a little fast.

My only real question is is the XFX or the Sapphire going to be more compatible with OSX then the other or the same. I am leaning towards the Sapphire Nitro + Vega 64 because of the dual HDMI ports instead of only one I feel like my monitors prefer the HDMI. But if the XFX is really going to be more compatible since it is recommend by apple than I will get it instead.

The fans don't just run a little faster, they run a lot faster. The noise can get quite annoying very quickly. Also, I imagine that the amount of wear on the fan would be massively accelerated when they run so fast all the time.

This is just my guess and opinion, but I feel that the further you deviate away from reference, the less compatible a card becomes. Non-standard port configurations may need frame buffer edits. Also, with macOS, I alway feel like it's easier to use an adaptor to convert DispayPort to something else than the other way around.

 

[scottkendall]

The fans don't just run a little faster, they run a lot faster. The noise can get quite annoying very quickly. Also, I imagine that the amount of wear on the fan would be massively accelerated when they run so fast all the time.

This is just my guess and opinion, but I feel that the further you deviate away from reference, the less compatible a card becomes. Non-standard port configurations may need frame buffer edits. Also, with macOS, I alway feel like it's easier to use an adaptor to convert DispayPort to something else than the other way around.

Thanks I guess I should get the XFX since it is the only one of the three that is the same exact name on the apple recommended E-GPU site. I just notice that with HDMI the that some stuff is just easier to see like the contrast is better from the HDMI @ least with the current card I have.

 

[pastrychef]

Thanks I guess I should get the XFX since it is the only one of the three that is the same exact name on the apple recommended E-GPU site. I just notice that with HDMI the that some stuff is just easier to see like the contrast is better from the HDMI @ least with the current card I have.

Maybe these links will be helpful for you:
https://embdev.net/topic/284710
https://www.mathewinkson.com/2013/0...ix-the-picture-quality-of-an-external-monitor

 

[scottkendall]

Maybe these links will be helpful for you:
https://embdev.net/topic/284710
https://www.mathewinkson.com/2013/0...ix-the-picture-quality-of-an-external-monitor

Thank you I will look into that.

 

[Wolax]

I can confirm that the fans of the Sapphire RX Vega 56 Pulse are silent when idling with the current Mojave Beta. And they are spinning slowly with 10.3.6. I didn't find the correct configuration yet for error free final cut exports though.

 

[scottkendall]

I can confirm that the fans of the Sapphire RX Vega 56 Pulse are silent when idling with the current Mojave Beta. And they are spinning slowly with 10.3.6. I didn't find the correct configuration yet for error free final cut exports though.

I found that MacPro 6,1 works the best for me for a lot of reasons. After it was stable for a while I added some ssdt files that @Pavo made and those gave me HEVC without IGPU enabled but I do not do video editing. I ended up picking up the XFX because it is a 64 instead of a 56 and it is recommended by apple.

I know you are not asking for help but you should fill out your profile with your Hacks details.

 

[scottkendall]

Maybe these links will be helpful for you:
https://embdev.net/topic/284710
https://www.mathewinkson.com/2013/0...ix-the-picture-quality-of-an-external-monitor

This marginally improved the contrast over just using the standard Apple RGB profile though mostly it looks brighter. I did check the image that I first noticed the difference in the display from HDMI to DP and it appears that it looks the same at least contrast wise from HDMI to DP now so that is a plus. However, I still think the HDMI looks diffirent and looks to be more green while the DisplayPort is more blue.