The long-anticipated Blackmagic eGPU Pro, which became available to order last month, should finally be arriving soon to customers. Those placing orders for the RX Vega 56-powered external graphics chassis should receive the Blackmagic eGPU Pro this week.
Delivery of the Apple Store-exclusive Blackmagic eGPU Pro is scheduled for as early as Tuesday, January 15th. In-store pickup is also available for most regions, and we’re seeing Wednesday availability for that.
Like its predecessor, the $1199 Blackmagic eGPU Pro is aimed at customers looking for a set-it-and-forget-it solution, and don’t mind paying a large premium for the privilege. One of my biggest complaints in my review of the original Blackmagic eGPU was the inclusion of a relatively pedestrian and non-upgradable Radeon Pro 580 GPU.
As I noted in our initial availability post, the Blackmagic eGPU Pro is a low value offering from a pure performance perspective, but if it meets your specific needs — all-in-one form-factor, quiet chassis, 5K display passthrough — then the high price could be worth it to you.
Most users that need an eGPU will be much better off with a Razer Core X, which is a standalone chassis that can be upgraded with a GPU of your choice. There are downsides, of course, with this approach, but it’s a much more value-laden method for adding an eGPU to your Mac.
The Blackmagic eGPU Pro, along with all other Thunderbolt 3 eGPUs, can be used with the majority of Macs that Apple currently sells, including the just-revised 2018 MacBook Air, and 2018 Mac mini. As long as the Mac you’re using supports Thunderbolt 3, then you’ll be able to gain additional graphics performance via an eGPU.
What are your thoughts on Blackmagic’s new hardware? Sound off in the comments below with your opinion, and stay tuned for more coverage of the Blackmagic eGPU Pro in the coming days and weeks.
