Blackmagic eGPU Pro
Expert rating7 / 10
- GPU:
- Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2 (pre-installed)
- Connection:
- Thunderbolt 3
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Manufacturer: Blackmagic Design Last updated: 2026-09-12
Blackmagic eGPU Pro (Pre-Installed Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2 / Thunderbolt 3 / Apple-Designed Aluminum Chassis / Discontinued) Review
Blackmagic eGPU Pro, pre-installed Radeon RX Vega 56 HBM2, Thunderbolt 3, discontinued high-end Mac eGPU
The step-up Blackmagic eGPU, built around AMD's HBM2-equipped Radeon RX Vega 56 for meaningfully more performance than the base Radeon Pro 580 model, in a larger version of the same Apple-styled aluminum chassis with more USB-A ports.
Overview
Announced alongside the 2018 Mac mini and MacBook Air refresh, the eGPU Pro doubled down on the same daisy-chainable, Apple-aesthetic design as the original Blackmagic eGPU but with a substantially more powerful Vega 56 GPU and a bigger chassis to cool it.
Comparison to Alternatives
It was the most powerful fixed-GPU option Apple officially sold for Intel Macs at the time, ahead of the base Blackmagic eGPU, and offered better out-of-box Mac driver support than contemporaneous bare enclosures like the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box paired with a third-party Vega card.
Specifications
Identity
| Brand | Blackmagic Design |
|---|
Connectivity
| Connection Standard | Thunderbolt 3 (dual ports for daisy-chaining) |
|---|---|
| Extra Ports | 4 |
Power & Compatibility
| PSU Wattage | 56 W |
|---|---|
| Host Power Delivery | 85 W |
| Cooling Type | Active fan, larger chassis than the base eGPU for higher-TDP cooling |
| Model | Blackmagic eGPU Pro |
|---|---|
| Price | Launched at $1,199 (late 2018), discontinued |
Expert Review
Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.
Expert rating7 / 10
The strongest official Mac eGPU of the Intel era, let down only by its high price and total discontinuation after Apple Silicon dropped eGPU support.
Best for
- Intel Mac users wanting the fastest first-party eGPU available
- Video editors needing Vega-class compute for Mac apps
- Buyers who prioritize plug-and-play Mac driver support
Not for
- Apple Silicon Mac owners
- Budget buyers
- Anyone wanting a GPU-upgradeable enclosure
FAQs
What are the key specifications of the Blackmagic eGPU Pro (Pre-Installed Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2 / Thunderbolt 3 / Apple-Designed Aluminum Chassis / Discontinued)?
The Blackmagic eGPU Pro (Pre-Installed Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2 / Thunderbolt 3 / Apple-Designed Aluminum Chassis / Discontinued) is a eGPU enclosure from Blackmagic Design. Key specs: Connection Standard Thunderbolt 3 (dual ports for daisy-chaining), PSU Wattage 56, Host Power Delivery 85, Extra Ports HDMI, DisplayPort, 4x USB-A 3.1, additional Thunderbolt 3, Cooling Type Active fan, larger chassis than the base eGPU for higher-TDP cooling.
Who is the Blackmagic eGPU Pro (Pre-Installed Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2 / Thunderbolt 3 / Apple-Designed Aluminum Chassis / Discontinued) best suited to?
It suits intel mac users wanting the fastest first-party egpu available, video editors needing vega-class compute for mac apps, buyers who prioritize plug-and-play mac driver support.
What are the drawbacks of the Blackmagic eGPU Pro (Pre-Installed Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2 / Thunderbolt 3 / Apple-Designed Aluminum Chassis / Discontinued)?
It is a poor fit for apple silicon mac owners, budget buyers, anyone wanting a gpu-upgradeable enclosure.
Compare and read more
- Blackmagic eGPU Pro (Pre-Installed Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2 / Thunderbolt 3 / Apple-Designed Aluminum Chassis / Discontinued) vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650 (Thunderbolt 3 / 650W PSU / 87W Laptop Charging / Double-Wide GPU / Mac-Certified)
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- Blackmagic eGPU Pro (Pre-Installed Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2 / Thunderbolt 3 / Apple-Designed Aluminum Chassis / Discontinued) vs OWC Mercury Helios 3 (Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure / 400W PSU / Bus-Powered Charging / Predecessor to Helios FX)