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We recommend OWC Mercury Helios FX 650 with Radeon RX 580 8GB GDDR5 OWC Solution (Mfr P/N: HELFX6RX580) from Other World Computing for $799.00 as a suitable alternative.

OWC Bundle

Mercury Helios FX
with Radeon RX 580 8GB GDDR5

Mac / PC
Thunderbolt 3 External Radeon RX 580 GPU
Transform your Thunderbolt 3 computer into a robust editing and gaming system with workstation-class graphics power.
Desktop class graphics. No problem.
Transform your notebook, iMac, or Mac mini with ease into graphics processing beasts with the Mercury Helios FX. Featuring a high-end AMD Radeon RX 580 8G card that has 36 compute units and up to a whopping 6.2 TFLOPs of performance, your Mac or Windows PC will never be the same again. With support built-in to macOS 10.13 and Windows 10, adding this processing power is as simple as plugging the Mercury Helios FX into your computer's Thunderbolt 3 port.
Work faster, play faster
The Mercury Helios FX is a workhorse for the latest graphic intensive programs, video and VR/AR software. With the graphics processing power of the Radeon RX 580, you'll experience shorter rendering times and faster effects operations with Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Avid, Adobe, and other video suites. When you need to take a break from the work, the same horsepower delivers incredible gaming graphics and higher FPS at higher resolutions. With full support for Apple Metal as well as OpenGL/CL, there's no limit to what you can accomplish and experience.
Designed for excellence
Keeping this much graphics processing power cool and quiet is a tall order, but Mercury Helios FX delivers. With a large variable speed, temperature-controlled fan, the Mercury Helios FX plays nicely even in the most noise-sensitive environments. Minimal noise is only part of the equation, reducing the number of cables going into your computer is part of a clean and distraction free workspace. The Mercury Helios FX provides up to 87W of power to a connected notebook computer, freeing up a Thunderbolt 3 port and letting you keep your power adapter in your bag for life on the move.
Boost even the latest models
The latest computer models and even models with discrete GPUs can experience a performance boost with the Mercury Helios FX and Radeon RX 580. With more dedicated memory, more processing cores, and higher clock speeds, this external GPU can take your computer further.

Mercury Helios FX Specifications:

Manufacturer Part Number

  • OWCHELIOSFX650

Software Requirements

  • macOS 10.13.4 or later
  • Windows 10 (64-bit, version 1709) or later

Hardware Requirements

  • Any eGPU-compatible Thunderbolt 3 Mac or PC

PCIe Card Support

  • Any driverless PCIe card or PCIe card with a Thunderbolt-aware driver

Transfer Rate (Max)

  • Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps)

Expansion Slots

  • (1) PCIe 3.0 (x4)

Power

  • Internal UL-listed universal auto-switching
  • Supplies 550 W

Environmental

  • Ambient Temperature
    • Operating: 32°F to 95°F (0°C to 35°C)

Dimensions

  • Height: 20.0 cm (7.9 in)
  • Length: 34.0 cm (13.4 in)
  • Width: 18.5 cm (7.3 in)

Weight

  • 3.22 kg (7.10 lbs)

Notes

  • For non-GPU PCIe cards, 10.12.6 or later is required.
  • Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 Macs do not support external graphics.
  • All cards which require a driver must have a Thunderbolt-aware driver (Mac and Windows).
  • Not Compatible with Boot Camp.
  • 2018 Mac mini: As of 10-18-19, not recommended with 10.15 Catalina (Click For Details).

Radeon RX 580 Specifications:

Manufacturer Part Number

  • RX-580P828D6

System Requirements

  • 500W Power Supply

Interface

  • PCIe x16

Ports

  • (1) HDMI
  • (3) DisplayPort
  • (1) Dual-Link DVI-D

GPU

  • 1386 MHz Core Clock
  • 1405 OC+ Clock (MHz)
  • 14 nm Chip
  • 2304 Stream Processors

Video Memory

  • 8GB Size
  • 256-bit GDDR5
  • 8000 MHz Effective

Resolution

  • DisplayPort 1.4: 4096 x 2160 maximum resolution per display
  • Dual-link DVI: 2560 x 1600 maximum resolution
  • HDMI 2.0b: 4096 x 2160 maximum resolution

Dimensions

  • Height: 27.0 cm (10.6 in)
  • Length: 12.4 cm (4.9 in)
  • Width: 4.0 cm (1.6 in)

Notes

  • Audio output through HDMI or DisplayPort will not work in a Mac. For PC, use HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort for best audio quality.
Manufacturer provided specifications for Other World Computing p/n HELFXRX580

Gallery

This product is compatible with... Learn how to find your Mac's model ID
Mac mini 2018
Mac mini (Late 2018)
(November, 2018)
Model ID: Macmini8,1
3.6GHz i3, 3.0GHz i5, 3.2GHz i7
iMac Intel
iMac Pro
(27-inch Late 2017)
(December 2017)
Model ID: iMacPro1,1
3.2GHz 8-core, 3.0GHz 10-core, 2.3GHz 14-core, 2.5GHz 18-core
iMac Intel
iMac w/Retina 5K display
(27-inch Mid 2020)
(August 2020)
Model ID: iMac20,1; iMac20,2
3.1GHz i5, 3.3GHz i5, 3.8GHz i7, 3.6GHz i9
Detailed specs coming soon
iMac Intel
iMac w/Retina 5K display
(27-inch Early 2019)
(March 2019)
Model ID: iMac19,1
3.0GHz i5, 3.1GHz i5, 3.7GHz i5, 3.6GHz i9
iMac Intel
iMac w/Retina 4K display
(21.5-inch Early 2019)
(March 2019)
Model ID:iMac19,2
3.6GHz i3, 3.0GHz i5, 3.2GHz i7
iMac Intel
iMac w/Retina 5K display
(27-inch Mid 2017)
(June 2017)
Model ID:iMac18,3
3.4GHz i5, 3.5GHz i5, 3.8GHz i5, 4.2GHz i7
iMac Intel
iMac w/Retina 4K display
(21.5-inch Mid 2017)
(June 2017)
Model ID:iMac18,2
3.0GHz i5, 3.4GHz i5, 3.6GHz i7
iMac Intel
iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2017)
(June 2017)
Model ID:iMac18,1
2.3GHz i5
MacBook Pro Retina w/ Touch Bar
MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2020)
(May, 2020)
Model ID: MacBookPro16,3
1.4GHz i5, 1.7GHz i7
Detailed specs coming soon
Install Videos coming soon
MacBook Pro Retina w/ Touch Bar
MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2020)
(May, 2020)
Model ID: MacBookPro16,2
2.0GHz i5, 2.3GHz i7
Detailed specs coming soon
Install Videos coming soon
MacBook Pro Retina w/ Touch Bar
MacBook Pro (16-inch Touch Mid 2019)
(November, 2019)
Model ID: MacBookPro16,1 or MacBookPro16,4
2.6GHz i7, 2.3GHz i9, 2.4GHz i9
Install Videos coming soon
MacBook Pro Retina w/ Touch Bar
MacBook Pro (15-inch Touch Mid 2019)
(May, 2019)
Model ID: MacBookPro15,1; MacBookPro15,3
2.6GHz i7, 2.3GHz i9, 2.4GHz i9
Install Videos coming soon
MacBook Pro Retina
MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2019)
(July, 2019)
Model ID: MacBookPro15,4
1.4GHz i5, 1.7GHz i7
Install Videos coming soon
MacBook Pro Retina
MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2019)
(May, 2019)
Model ID: MacBookPro15,2
2.4GHz i5, 2.8GHz i7
Install Videos coming soon
MacBook Pro Retina w/ Touch Bar
MacBook Pro (15-inch Touch Mid 2018)
(July, 2018)
Model ID: MacBookPro15,1
2.2GHz i7, 2.6GHz i7, 2.9GHz i9
Install Videos coming soon
MacBook Pro Retina
MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2018)
(July, 2018)
Model ID: MacBookPro15,2
2.3GHz i5, 2.7GHz i7
Install Videos coming soon
MacBook Pro Retina w/ Touch Bar
MacBook Pro (15-inch Touch Mid 2017)
(June, 2017)
Model ID: MacBookPro14,3
2.8GHz i7, 2.9GHz i7, 3.1GHz i7
MacBook Pro Retina
MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2017)
(June, 2017)
Model ID: MacBookPro14,2
3.1GHz i5, 3.3GHz i5, 3.5GHz i7
MacBook Pro Retina
MacBook Pro (13-inch Retina display Mid 2017)
(June, 2017)
Model ID: MacBookPro14,1
2.3GHz i5, 2.5GHz i7
MacBook Pro Retina
MacBook Pro (15-inch Touch Late 2016)
(October, 2016)
Model ID: MacBookPro13,3
2.6GHz, 2.7GHz, 2.9GHz
MacBook Pro Retina
MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Late 2016)
(October, 2016)
Model ID: MacBookPro13,2
2.9GHz, 3.1GHz, 3.3GHz
MacBook Pro Retina
MacBook Pro (13-inch Retina display Late 2016)
(October, 2016)
Model ID: MacBookPro13,1
2.0GHz, 2.4GHz
MacBook Air
MacBook Air (13-inch Early 2020)
(March 2020)
Model ID: MacBookAir9,1
1.1GHz i3, 1.1GHz i5, 1.2GHz i7
MacBook Air
MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2019)
(July 2019)
Model ID: MacBookAir8,2
1.6GHz i5
MacBook Air
MacBook Air (13-inch Late 2018)
(November 2018)
Model ID: MacBookAir8.1
1.6GHz i5
Mac Pro
Mac Pro Rack (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
3.5GHz 8-Core
Install videos coming soon
Mac Pro
Mac Pro Rack (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
3.3GHz 12-Core
Install videos coming soon
Mac Pro
Mac Pro Rack (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
3.2GHz 16-Core
Install videos coming soon
Mac Pro
Mac Pro Rack (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
2.7GHz 24-Core
Install videos coming soon
Mac Pro
Mac Pro Rack (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
2.5GHz 28-Core
Install videos coming soon
Mac Pro
Mac Pro (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
3.5GHz 8-Core
Mac Pro
Mac Pro (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
3.3GHz 12-Core
Mac Pro
Mac Pro (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
3.2GHz 16-Core
Mac Pro
Mac Pro (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
2.7GHz 24-Core
Mac Pro
Mac Pro (Late 2019)
(December 2019)
Model ID: MacPro7,1
2.5GHz 28-Core
PC Desktop
PC Compatible
Compatible with Intel / AMD based desktop/laptop PCs with built-in Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Includes

  • Mercury Helios FX Expansion Chassis
    • (1) Thunderbolt 3 cable (40Gbps)
    • (2) 6+2 pin internal power cables for GPUs requiring 6 or 8-pin power
    • (1) Power cable
    • Quick start guide
    • GPU Compatibility (download only)
  • Radeon RX 580 graphics card
    • (1) Graphics card quick guide
    • (1) Driver CD

Videos




Customer Ratings

Write a Review 5 / 5
Verified Buyer
Reviewer: EliDeuce Location: Auburn, AL Age: 45-54 Experience Level: Power User Owned Product: less than a month
Rating: 5/5 PnP Upgrade for iMac 18,1 Mojave July 1, 2019 Installed provided AMD RX 580 GPU in chassis, plugged in the power cord, connected the Thunderbolt 3 cable, powered up the eGPU, and powered up the iMac. Apps recognized the eGPU - no need to install any drivers. Fan only runs when necessary. Unit does get pretty warm under continuous use. Apps run ~10x faster on eGPU than on internal Intel GPU. Be aware that the included Thunderbolt 3 cable is only ~1 foot long. So, a longer cable is needed if you want to hide the unit under the desk.

I would recommend this item to a friend!

Verified Buyer
Reviewer: Kier Location: Puyallup, WA Age: 45-54 Experience Level: Power User Owned Product: 3-4 months
Rating: 5/5 HOLY COW! June 18, 2019 Ok, so to start off it is HUGE. It's a fair bit bigger than I thought it would be, BUT I love it. I decided to ditch my 2009 Mac Pro and go to a 2018 MBP, but needed a boost for graphics when working at home and this fit the bill perfectly. When ever possible I buy from OWC, you know the products will work and you know they stand behind everything they sell. This was no exception and it really helped out with graphics (working and gaming).

I would recommend this item to a friend! This review is from OWC Helios FX with AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB Thunderbolt 3 eGPU solution.

Verified Buyer
Reviewer: albetonpete Location: Sacramento, CA Age: 18-24 Experience Level: Power User Owned Product: less than a month
Rating: 5/5 Quiet, good ventilation, user friendly December 4, 2018 Perfect for my needs, I'm using a 2018 Mac Mini with the provided graphics card in this bundle, a Radeon™ RX 580 Gaming 8G. After setting up the GPU in the enclosure and plugging into an external monitor, it was good to go! Only thing that was a downside was that the GPU's software is intended only for Windows and Linux OS and there was no actual way of finding that out until purchasing the bundle, nonetheless it is not necessary to work with the enclosure. I am very satisfied with my purchase, it's hard to beat OWC's three year warranty!

I would recommend this item to a friend!

Reviewer: Cogset Location: Portland, Maine Age: 55-65 Experience Level: Power User Owned Product: 1-3 months
Rating: 5/5 Simple install, super quiet, works great September 29, 2018 I bought the Helios "kit" with Radeon RX 580. I'm not a gamer, but wanted more performance when batch processing photographs using my Macbook Pro 13" 2018. I tested the performance of a few machines doing image exports (using PhaseOne CaptureOne pro software) with hardware accleration turned on and off. (See image).

The 13" Macbook more than tripled export performance (from 22 to 76 images per minute) when the eGPU was used (second and third rows in the chart). The nice thing is the ability to swap out the RX 580 for a better card in the future.

Also, it's very quiet, surprisingly so. At one point in the test I got a lot of fan noise but it was from the Macbook itself rather than the eGPU.

This review is from OWC Mercury Helios FX Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure.

Verified Buyer
Reviewer: ReneBonvanie Location: Foster City, CA Age: 55-65 Experience Level: IT Professional Owned Product: 1-3 months
Rating: 5/5 Ready, set, go. April 18, 2018 To support the demanding graphics apps on my MacBook Pro 15, I needed a way to add a high-end graphics capability to it that was super easy to do. I had considered a few options but always favor it when OWC offers it. The card I picked was the Radeon Vega Frontier Edition Air with 16GB of memory. The installation took less than 5 minutes and as soon as I connected it to the laptop (obviously running MaxOS 10.13.4), it worked. Super easy, super quiet, and super fast.

I would recommend this item to a friend! This review is from OWC Mercury Helios FX Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure.

OWC Bundle Mercury Helios FX with Radeon RX 580 8GB GDDR5 Mfr P/N: HELFXRX580 OWC SKU: OWCHELFXRX580 8GB 256bit GDDR5 VR Ready AMD graphics card, paired with a cool, quiet Thunderbolt 3 eGPU. Mercury Helios FX: 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Radeon RX 580: 3 Year XFX Limited Warranty
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