eGPU TB3 case in TB1/2 MacBook Pro with adapter

[ed_co]

Hello,

There is a question that no one answer before, which I think is very important for a lot of people.
I have a MacBook Pro retina 2013 with thunderbolt 1 connection, and I want to use eGPU.
As it says in apple, the adapter from thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 (and 1, too), is bidirectional, see here:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207266
So, theorically, we could use a thunderbolt 3 eGPU case device in a thunderbolt 2 or 1 Notebook with the adapter, as it matches de specifications of the previous apple support page. Obviously not as fast as the TB3 specs.
Can anyone try their eGPU cases in a MacBook Pro with TB2/1?
I am really interested, as I could buy it knowing that I am investing for a future notebook upgrade.
Thanks guys,

E.

[netkas]

it works, MVC tested and posted results in another thread.

However there seems to be issues with maxwell videocards, tb3 case and osx. (on both tb3 and tb1/tb2 systems).

So native tb2 enclouse seems to be better so far

[ed_co]

Sorry, I don't know who is MVC... could you please point me out?
Obviously I would buy a TB3, because I don't wanna waste my money on TB2 if possible... as I have TB1...

[Arch Stanton]

MVC = MacVidCards = Rominator (handle on this board).

[ed_co]

MVC = MacVidCards = Rominator (handle on this board).

Thanks man

[ualwayslose]

I tested it with my MacBook Air. I think I posted results on my 15" with d460 an the Core+970 attached.

On the MacBook Air I get the following

30FPS Dota 2 1440p - Bootcamp & MacOS.

I will add it was pretty hard to get bootcamp working. Booting into bootcamp crashed my iGPU because I had a mid 2013 version so I couldn't hot plug it and install drivers. I literally had to Boot with the system, have a broken not working screen. Pressed Command + Enter to get the narrator working, and used narrator to navigate to the NVIDIA driver installs to install the drivers (Because it would only detect the TB attached Video Monitor when rebooting). After that I used narrator to monitor the install and restarted, still get the iGPU crash, but the external works in Bootcamp.

Sadly though I barely got any performance improvements that I saw wit  the TB3 2016 model. in bootcamp in data 2 I got like 120 fps maxed at 1440p. I got the same performance in MacOS/Bootcamp with the TB3 adapter to TB2 so... yea.

Gonna return my 15" and go with 13", cheaper and just utilize Razer Core at home for gaming.

[nmzik]

Thank you. Thinking about buying Razer Core/Node on my MacBook Pro 2015 and maybe replace laptop in future.