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Video producer hooks up six (!!) 4K monitors to Mac Pro at 60Hz using only built-in graphics cards [Video]

Video producer Adam Matthews wanted to double the number of 4K monitors hooked up to his Mac Pro, so he built an external GPU to do it. He used a Sonnet Thunderbolt chassis with an AMD 7970 GPU – before discovering that the machine could actually drive all six monitors without it.

When Matthews tried connecting the monitors using only the twin graphics cards built into the Mac Pro, just to see what would happen, he found he was still able to get 60Hz on each, suggesting that Apple has been conservative in its claims.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y3C5Mthmlc]

Of course, it’s possible that the strain of pushing video to six monitors at once might shorten the life of the Mac Pro, so his Plan A is probably the best route to go if you want to emulate his setup.

Future MacBook Pros could themselves drive three 4K monitors at 60Hz, as Intel revealed that its upcoming Skylake processors have this capability. It’s even possible that Apple could create a MacBook Pro with Mac Pro performance, as Intel also announced professional class Xeon processors for laptops. It’s not likely to happen, but a man can dream

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Comments

  1. Antonino Lupo - 9 years ago

    “Hey, why shouldn’t I spend tons of money on a new GPU and THEN test if my computer can handle those monitors anyway?”
    Rich people, seriously. Stahp.

  2. tunctaylan - 9 years ago

    “might shorten the life of the Mac Pro”
    What are you talking about? Real apples or Apple computers?

  3. epicflyingcat - 9 years ago

    Starving kids in Africa could’ve eaten those monitors…

  4. Colby Fulton - 8 years ago

    Mine can only drive 2 mac cinema displays with 1920×1200 resolution. Nothing more! ;(

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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