Blackmagic Releases New eGPU Firmware With Pro Display XDR Support

Blackmagic eGPU and Blackmagic eGPU Pro users who also own a Pro Display XDR can today download a new version 1.2 firmware update that's designed to introduce support for the Apple Pro Display XDR.

The update is available via the Latest Downloads section of the Blackmagic website, and it allows the Pro Display XDR to be used as a display when connected to a Mac with TB3 or with a Blackmagic eGPU.

blackmagic egpu
Apple support documents for the Blackmagic eGPU and reports from Pro Display XDR owners have suggested that the devices were already compatible with one another prior to this firmware update, but it should still be installed as it may further improve compatibility.

The Blackmagic eGPU and eGPU Pro can allow the Pro Display XDR to work with Thunderbolt 3 Macs that do not officially support Apple's new 6K display.

Apple has been offering the Blackmagic eGPU since mid-2018, when it launched alongside the 2018 MacBook Pro models. The base eGPU features a Radeon Pro 580, while the Pro model is equipped with a Radeon RX Vega 56.

Popular Stories

Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.4.1 With Bug Fixes

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There have been complaints about ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone 6s MacRumors YouTube

Apple Says These Products Are Now Vintage

Tuesday April 15, 2025 9:53 am PDT by
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage. The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...

Top Rated Comments

poematik13 Avatar
69 months ago
This thing is so overpriced. I mean yes it's also a TB3 hub and is nicely engineered but it's non-upgradeable so you're stuck with last-gen AMD graphics. The Pro should be $799 and the 580 model should be $499.

For ~$500 you can get a Sonnet chassis and 5700 that will smoke this thing AND you can swap the GPU out over time.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
radus Avatar
69 months ago

For ~$500 you can get a Sonnet chassis and 5700 that will smoke this thing AND you can swap the GPU out over time.
As far as I know only the blackmagic uses a titan-ridge controller?
You get what you pay for.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JLOAKS Avatar
69 months ago

For ~$500 you can get a Sonnet chassis and 5700 that will smoke this thing AND you can swap the GPU out over time.
But doesn’t come with ultra-quiet performance, or daisy-chaining capabilities to LG Ultrafine displays, or the ability to be used as a hub.

You can power a 5k display, have eGPU support, charge your laptop, get 4 USB ports & 3 USB-C ports, with quiet performance all through one USB-C connection on your MacBook.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icrude Avatar
69 months ago
So is the scenario behind this that someone has an XDR connected to a Mac mini and needs more juice?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LiE_ Avatar
69 months ago
I recently bought the 580 Blackmagic used for £400, still with 3 months warranty with Apple. It’s about the right price for what it delivers for me. It’s very well made and super quiet. Drives my UltraFine really well.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SgtPepper12 Avatar
69 months ago

Just returned my Blackmagic eGPU today. In a fit of insanity and seduction by Apple's 6% cash back offer, I ordered the Blackmagic eGPU and Pro Display XDR to pair with my Mac mini. I'm not a graphics pro but dreamed of replacing my plastic-y LG 23.7" Ultrafine with Apple's 32" super high res work of art. But then reality set in and I gave up on my dream:

-Disliked the large bulk and weight of the eGPU. It dwarfs the mini itself.
-Not a fan of legacy USB A ports on the Blackmagic. If I'm building a dream set up, USB A is not part of the picture.
-Lack of built in speakers on Pro Display meant yet more bulky equipment and wires would need to sit on my desk.
-LG has extra thunderbolt port to daisy chain my Thunderbolt 3 UA Arrow audio interface. Not possible with the USB ports on the BlackMagic/XDR.
-eGPU seemed pretty seamless but would see some weird graphics glitches on start up. Not encouraging.
-I don't do intensive graphics work or gaming that would remotely justify the extra graphics output.
-And of course, the $$$$.

Returned the eGPU and cancelled my order for the XDR. Sigh. Hopefully one day Apple will release a more practical update to the classic Apple Cinema Displays.
So basically, you ordered a product you never needed in the first place?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)