If you want, you can consider this product, https://bizon-tech.com/us/bizonbox3-egpu.html/#457:1560;458:1570. specifically for the new MacBook Pro. I’m not very sure if this can bring advantages to using Rhino for Mac
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I went the other route for gpu computes. Old Tower Mac Pros (pre trash can).
Picked up used hex core 3.46ghz xeons, SSD and upped the ram to 36gb, and dropped in a pair of GTX 970’s in each.
They fairly scream for cuda GPU renders in blender, boot in 12 seconds flat, and generally haul ass for anything I need to do.
Both boxes + upgrades came in at well under any currently shipping mac laptop or iMac by a long shot. Excellent bang for the buck and I have two very capable desktops for less than the price of one.
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No. I made a computer like this:
- cpu: xeon e3-1231 v3(performance like i7 4790)
- Asus z97m-plus (for oc for xeon and ram)
- 32gb ddr3 1600 kingston beast
- Msi gtx 980 gaming 4g
- 4tb wd red
- 256gb 850 evo samsung ssd
- 750w Sirtec highPower psu
- Cougar Spike case
- Full case and processor cooling: noctua
- Windows 7 pro.
Its dead silent, blazing fast, ultra stable, and i can install everything i want because i have windows and can upgrade sell parts etc.
This cost me: 1200$. The most important thing is that i made this machine in a “long run” and thus i could afford it.
Conclusion: Macintosh is ok but not that ok. Dont forget that osx has openGL 4.1 an antique version and rhino viewport is based on openGL. Mac is overrated. Imagine what you can do with 3000$ when building your computer vs a 3000$ mac.
I love osX operating system or macs retina display 4k 5k etc but at the end a pc will always ALWAYS be NO 1 computer for designers, modelers.
I’m confused … in an article a user of Mac Rhino that asks for advice on which Mac you may want take a Windows PC?
It’s pretty obvious (I think) that if a person uses Rhino Mac does not do it for certain benefits or for the price.
Just saying. Dont be confused, you can consider my post a little offtopic.
I see I see. Probably suitable for post 
I hear you, that is my home set up;
Software information
Software versions
Rhinoceros version: 5.3 WIP (5D132w)
IronPython version: not installed
Language: en (MacOS default)
OS X version: Version 10.11.6 (Build 15G31)
Hardware information
Computer hardware
Hardware model: MacPro2,1
Processor: Intel Xeon CPU 5150 @ 2.66GHz
Memory: 22 GB
Architecture: Intel 64 bit
I am running OSx10.11.6 on a MacPro 1,1 with firmware updated to make it look like a 2,1, I cannot upgrade to Sierra on this. I am looking for a 4,1 or 5,1 and I believe i have to have a 5,1 to run Sierra.
But my original question was for work and they want a new or refurbished that can have AppleCare on it.
Actually my ex-co-worker did just that when he got hired. he built his PC because he was mostly doing the renders. I have been on the other side, running Pagemaker on Windows 3.1 when all the other designers were on macs.
For me, the ability to move & rename open files far out weighs the need to go back to Windows. I agree Apple controls the hardware, but I am running a 10 year old machine that can still run circles around most off the shelf pc’s. Plus again, this is for work and i have to meet certain requirements. I might go the hackintosh route for home.
Thanks!
Yeah I was running a mid 2012 MacBook Pro 15-inch, Mid 2012 - 2.7GHz Core i7 for the WIP rhino with Keyshot and it worked really well.
Although it said max 8GB I put 16Gb in and it worked fine.
I know it’s the UK but it was easy to spec: https://www.mrmemory.co.uk
I think all the laptops have soldered memory now?
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@2DCube i wouldn’t know about the soldered memory, I didn’t feel the need to custom build my machine, I believe at the time it was the top-spec off the shelf MacBook Pro, it works fine for me, 
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I usually go OWC in US, but I may have better exchange against the £ “Brexit” 
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I actualy have a HACKINTOSH (im a fanboy of mac apple osx) on this pc that i made and here are real performance comparison :
- Nvidia web driver for gtx 980 in OSX SIERRA 10.12.1, driver from November 4th:
OSX Rhino viewport runs slower compared with windows Rhino
OSX Blender viewport runs slower compared with windows Blender
OSX Maya 3D viewport runs slower compared with windows Maya 3D.
more about OSX OpenGL API:
OSX (OpenGL 4.1) Heaven Benchmark: 57 FPS; WINDOWS Heaven Benchmark (OpenGL 4.4): 65 FPS
WINDOWS Heaven Benchmark (DirectX 11): 74.5 FPS
OSX (OpenGL 4.1) Cinebench R15: GPU -> 116fps; WINDOWS (OpenGL 4.4) Cinebench R15: GPU -> 146fps
-
CUDA driver for OSX:
Blender cycles CUDA BENCHMARKS:1. OSX BMW benchmark: 3min 50 seconds; WIN BMW benchmark: 3min 46 seconds WIN BMW benchmar (GPU OC): 3min 30 seconds 2. OSX House exterior with swimming pool: ~16mins and windows completed in ~16 min. but when i OC the GPU in windows i get ~14 mins. There are 7% improvements when the GPU is OC in windows vs Stock OSX.
CPU PERFORMANCE IN OSX seems to render faster than Windows, but not that much of a difference.
And last in gaming (not really relevant but maybe some people wanna know)
Diablo 3 OSX OpenGL = ~160 fps vs Diablo 3 Windows DirectX 11 = ~300 fps
CS:GO OSX OpenGL = ~200 fps vs CS:GO Windows DirectX 11 = ~400-450 fps
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Rudi: FWIW you can flash a 4.1 to 5.1. I’ve got the flasher someplace and did it to one of my towers.
As for render speeds as that was mentioned elsewhere, with 2 GTx 970’s in each tower I’m getting render times on the BMW blender benchmark of 39 seconds. There really isn’t much reason to go with a faster GTX. Dual 1080’s only get 36 seconds on the same benchmark and cost 4x as much, and you’d have to cobble somethkng together to power the cards with. The 970’s (and I’m guessing the 1070’s as well) can run fine off the stock power supply With nothing more than a pair of splitter cables. I got mine off eBay for $8.
The proc upgrades make a huge difference for stuff like baking physics sims in blender that don’t use the gpu’s.
I’m seeing a 3-4x speed up over the stock quad core 2.6’s with the hex core 3.46’s. Hex core zeons can generally be found pretty cheap from places that sell them out of server pulls.
The towers also have 4 drive slots and 8 ram slots, and you can max em out at 128gb ram.
Mark
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I know, i like the old towers. I may do that at home, use my 1,1 to replace my 2005 single core Intel macMini that is running my TV & sound system.
Small OT: Please do not misunderstand what I mean. I’m nobody to judge you. Comprehension. Misuse of English is easy for me. I found only two entries in the search bar of ALL Rhino forum with Hackintosh voice. I guess there is a reason …
Hey, I just read all the comments , all very helpful!
My 2011 Mac book is on its last legs so about to purchase the new MBP…
This is the model i plan to buy ;
Touch Bar and Touch ID
2.7GHz Processor
512 GB Storage
2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor
Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
16GB 2133MHz memory
512GB PCIe-based SSD1
Radeon Pro 455 with 2GB memory
Four Thunderbolt 3 ports
Touch Bar and Touch ID
Has anyone else purchased this model and ran rhino for Mac on it ?? Will it work ?
Any advice , much appreciated !!( it’s a big purchase and keen to know rhino for Mac will work on it … Currently I have bootcamp/rhino Windows on my old Mac but want to avoid that on my new MBP)
I already use a similar one since one week. But I equipped it with the radeon 460. I think 140€ for the double Vram is fair. I came from a 2009 13" mbp and the new one is incredible fast and Rhino runs very well. The Display is perfect for Rhino, CAD, photography, Graphic design and much more. the only thing I really fucked up is the short battery life of the notebook. Especially in Rhino because while using Rhino the system changed from the intern Intel HD to the Radeon and a few moments later the battery is empty…
I Think the minimalism of the USB C ports is good but the missing of the magsafe also fucked me up. The Keys are good … after a few hours of working with it… and I think the touch bar is a nice thing for the future. I wish me a implementation in Rhino especially with individual shortcuts and commands (I use often the command: -viewcapturetofile and if I want to repeat it the - is missing and I have to type the command ons more.
The esc Key in the touchbar has no good feeling by work with Rhino.
And with OS Sierra there are installation Problems with the Adobe CS6 (was a Problem of me but I solved it after heavy aggressions).
In summary from the 2009 13" to the actual 2016 model I think it was the right choice. But I think the step from a Retina MBP won’t be so big…
Don’t ever buy a Mac second hand without warranty when buying for work!
Macs are great machines, OS X is a fantastic OS (hence my sticking with all things computer with Apple for several generations now), BUT (and that is a big BUT with 5 meter large capital letters):
Apple is among the very worst companies when it comes to:
- repairs (you get refurbished parts and even refurbished whole units),
- replacements (again - refurbished second hand stuff is pushed on innocent customers),
- part longevity (I have not owned a single Mac that did survive it’s warranty period without a hard ware related issue and apart from using these computers for work am very careful handling them - my Macs don’t end up dinged, scratched and battered)
… if you are not covered by their Apple Care extended warranty.
You don’t want to buy a Mac for work without warranty and be stuck with hundreds of EUR in part repair cost just because (as they do from time to time) a logic board fails or a soldered component on the logic board malfunctions or the screen LED backlighting develops issues (VERY common) or the screen otherwise develops issues or a favorite for Macs with on board dedicated graphics cards (AMD and nvidia): the GPU packs in (resulting in a complete logic board with RAM, CPU and SSD soldered onto of course).
You get the drift: replacement parts can be costly, the newer the generation, the costlier (as Apple loves to stray from the modular built more and more towards the “all soldered onto one board approach”).
Buy new, buy it with Apple Care to extend the warranty, sell it latest when the warranty expires or better even have budget ready for a new purchase before the warranty expires.
Every single Mac that ran through our small business and every single one I have used professionally before that died because of hardware failure (logic board, GPU, trackpad, screen and combinations thereof).
All these have been Macbook Pro models from the last aluminum book to the latest BTO model before Apple introduced the atrocity that is the 2016 touchbar model.
Until they break, they are wonderful, most efficient and productive machines, just know the limitations.
I would always go for the MacBook Pro model over an iMac simply as you are locked into a desktop machine with the same screen for the life of the computer with an iMac.
My main work machine is always the top of the range Macbook Pro 15" which I use in clamshell mode with an Eizo 30" 4K screen on my work desk, connected to external drives and accessories.
It takes only the yank of a few cables to just take it on the road or into another room - great way of working.
For heavier work there is a MacPro, which is less convenient but more powerful for the things the MBP is not as smooth with.
We do CAD work for aluminum die casting tooling and series production and even fairly complicated designs do work beautifully with the 2015 MBP 15" BTO.
When working with VERY complicated models there are some ways of changing settings within Rhino to preserve performance.
It also helps when you are very used to work in wireframe models and use a space mouse, which will free up a lot of performance over using exclusively rendered or shaded display modes with complicated models.
I value mostly the versatility of the 15" MBP machines over more powerful desktops or more compact travel machines like the 13" Macs. If you spec a 15" MBP all the way out you really have a very powerful machine for years.
In the past I always have bought the higher range 15" MBP but did not spec more RAM and HDDs with Apple but rather have upgraded those with better specced, more powerful and less pricier OWC components (great company and I always loved their dedicated SSDs and their custom built MBP RAM modules - OWC has an absolutely stellar customer service as well should something go wrong).
Unfortunately Apple makes this approach more and more difficult.
Now I just spec the highest end BTO 15", use it until it is fully depreciated and upgrade to the next one which turns out to about jumping every second generation cycle Apple introduced.
I am skipping on the touchbar models - I don’t know what Apple engineers were smoking when speccing that machine.
PS: one more word about iMac vs MBP: a MBP is a whole lot easier to schlepp to the genius bar than a iMac when something goes wrong that cannot rectified by means of a call to the support hotline 