Feral Debuts Support for External GPUs With 'Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration' - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Feral Debuts Support for External GPUs With 'Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration'

by

Mac and Linux video game publisher Feral Interactive today announced that it will begin supporting external GPUs, beginning with the recently-launched Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration. Apple first launched support for external graphics processors in March with macOS High Sierra 10.13.4.

rise of the tomb raider macos
The addition allows users to connect an eGPU to their Mac through Thunderbolt 3, powering additional performance for better gaming graphics, VR content creation, professional apps, and more. Feral notes that players can use an eGPU with "any Mac supported by Rise of the Tomb Raider," but there could still be limitations due to the power of the Mac's CPU, despite the boost from the eGPU.

As of now, Rise of the Tomb Raider is the only Feral game confirmed with eGPU support, but the company says that it is working to introduce eGPU support to more of its games. Announcements for these titles will take place on Feral's social network and news feeds, which anyone interested can find on today's FAQ page.

Feral first revealed Rise of the Tomb Raider would be coming to Mac back in February, and then it launched in April. The game is a port of the console game from 2016, and is the second part of the rebooted franchise that began with Tomb Raider in 2013.

Top Rated Comments

MrUNIMOG Avatar
109 months ago
Would I be correct in assuming that they are talking about internal screen acceleration too?
Afaik, the answer to that question is no unfortunately. There are some janky work arounds out there, but nothing officially supported.
About all games works with eGPU, especially Feral ones which are ported to macOS as state of the art. I’m playing Deus Ex Mankind divided in 4K everything maxed on a MBP 13”

This means only that they are supporting it! And it is a very nice news
Feral's announcement has to mean internal screen acceleration. Acceleration of an external monitor plugged into the eGPU already works with any game and doesn't need to be supported by the developer.

Apples eGPU support document ('https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208544') also says so:

In general, an eGPU can accelerate performance in these types of applications:

* Pro applications designed to utilize multiple GPUs
* 3D games, when an external monitor is attached directly to the eGPU
* VR applications, when the VR headset is attached directly to the eGPU
* Pro applications and 3D games that accelerate the built-in display of an iMac or MacBook Pro. (This capability must be enabled by the application's developer.)

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
speedcat_feral Avatar
109 months ago
Just wanted to jump in and clear a few things up :)

Rise of the Tomb Raider's eGPU support covers external monitors only. This is consistent with Apple's guidelines, which say that an eGPU can accelerate performance in 3D games when using an external monitor. We don't recommend playing Rise of the Tomb Raider on your internal display when using an eGPU, and will update our FAQ accordingly to make this clearer.

I also wanted to clear up what we mean by "support". Supported means that we've tested the game and hardware extensively, are satisfied that the setup works correctly and, most importantly, are satisfied that the performance meets our high standards. In general, as Apple's guidelines say, eGPUs can accelerate performance in games, and users may see improved performance in other Feral games when using an eGPU. However, we'll only confirm official support when we've tested the game extensively and made necessary changes to guarantee the best possible user experience.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wlossw Avatar
109 months ago
If you have to buy an external monitor to use the eGPU, I kind of don't see the point. You may as well just build a gaming pc.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ikir Avatar
109 months ago
Would I be correct in assuming that they are talking about internal screen acceleration too?
Internal acceleration already works with Metal.
[doublepost=1528735846][/doublepost]
Feral's announcement has to mean internal screen acceleration. Acceleration of an external monitor plugged into the eGPU already works with any game and doesn't need to be supported by the developer.

Apples eGPU support document ('https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208544') also says so:
Supported means they can help you with support and certificate it works. It doen’t mean it works or not
[doublepost=1528736013][/doublepost]
If you have to buy an external monitor to use the eGPU, I kind of don't see the point. You may as well just build a gaming pc.
No thanks, I want and need only one machine, portable when out and powerful at home/Office: MacBook Pro 13” plus eGPU. Check these for incredible gaining a in Gaming and PRO Apps (scroll down):
https://www.egpu.it/recensione-mantiz-venus-thunderbolt-egpu-box/
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eightarmedpet Avatar
109 months ago
eGPU's work in Windows (inc Bootcamp)... and on all games, plus W10 has system level support (you can specify which GPU you use, regardless of it being internal or external).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
108 months ago
eGPUs are more advantageous for laptops. The iMac's internal GPU is pretty capable for games. If you want to push the graphics beyond that, you're probably gonna want to run Windows on it to receive full support*, in which case all the eGPU rules are different, or better yet build a gaming PC w/ Nvidia GPU.

* Feral does a great job with Mac support, others not so great, mainly due to the graphics APIs wars
Agreed, but some of us have an eGPU for work on our 5k iMac, and wouldn't mind playing a game or two with faster frame rates, so their is a small market.. I have VEGA FRONTIER because it was the beefiest supported eGPU I could find. The Card runs great as an eGPU for the two or so App's that take advantage of it's power, but for everything else, it is very disappointing.... If every graphics intensive app was able to take advantage of eGPU and METAL, MacOS would be much more competitive with NVIDIA and CUDA. The apps that are METAL/METAL2 supported are actually noticeably faster.

Anyway... NVIDIA and Windows is much cheaper solution and faster, but somehow Apple and MacOS has held its audience, and we are willing to hope for the best, and wait and wait and wait and wait.. for faster media apps and graphic apps and games..
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:36 am PDT by
Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base. Gurman described the...
HomePod minis on gradient feature 1 1

Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:04 am PDT by
Apple plans to introduce a series of new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple reportedly plans to debut its long-awaited smart home hub device, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV on the date. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV are set to retain their existing designs, but tout faster chips to support Siri AI. The new HomePod mini will...
iphone duo colors

Apple Shares Photos Shot on iPhone Duo

Thursday October 1, 2026 1:37 pm PDT by
Apple on Instagram today shared a curated gallery of six photos shot on the iPhone Duo. The photos were shot by American photographers Jake Michaels and Jason Nocito, as part of a project commissioned by Apple. iPhone Duo is equipped with four cameras:A rear 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera A rear 48-megapixel Ultra Wide camera A front 12-megapixel Center Stage camera in the outer display A...
Latest Stories
Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Users With AT&T Cellular Issue Need to Have Device Replaced
Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Users With AT&T Cellular Issue Need to Have Device Replaced
8 hours ago
Apple Announces 'Full Disk Access' Changes on macOS Due to AI Agents
Apple Announces 'Full Disk Access' Changes on macOS Due to AI Agents
15 hours ago
AT&T and Apple Just Took Steps Toward Fixing iPhone 18 Pro Max Issue
AT&T and Apple Just Took Steps Toward Fixing iPhone 18 Pro Max Issue
15 hours ago
AT&T on iPhone 18 Pro Max Issues: 'We Are Working With Apple'
AT&T on iPhone 18 Pro Max Issues: 'We Are Working With Apple'
19 hours ago
Upgrading From an Older Apple Watch? Here's How the New Features Stack Up
Upgrading From an Older Apple Watch? Here's How the New Features Stack Up
20 hours ago
Beats 360 Cushion Kits and Apple Accessories See Early Prime Day Price Drops
Beats 360 Cushion Kits and Apple Accessories See Early Prime Day Price Drops
20 hours ago
Apple Store in UK Reopening on iPhone Duo Launch Day
Apple Store in UK Reopening on iPhone Duo Launch Day
21 hours ago
AT&T Acknowledges iPhone 18 Pro Max Issues: Update 'Immediately'
AT&T Acknowledges iPhone 18 Pro Max Issues: Update 'Immediately'
1 day ago
New 'AirFly Drive' Accessory Turns Wired CarPlay Into Wireless CarPlay
New 'AirFly Drive' Accessory Turns Wired CarPlay Into Wireless CarPlay
2 days ago
Apple Shares Photos Shot on iPhone Duo
Apple Shares Photos Shot on iPhone Duo
2 days ago
Apple Says iPhone Duo Has Replaceable 'Cover Layer'
Apple Says iPhone Duo Has Replaceable 'Cover Layer'
2 days ago
Apple's Smart Home Camera Will Apparently Have 'No Video Recording'
Apple's Smart Home Camera Will Apparently Have 'No Video Recording'
2 days ago
Apple TV Just Updated Its Selection of 'Bonus' Movies
Apple TV Just Updated Its Selection of 'Bonus' Movies
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Colors Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?
iPhone 18 Pro Colors Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Choose?
2 days ago
Early Prime Big Deal Days: Best Discounts on Accessories, TVs, and More at Amazon
Early Prime Big Deal Days: Best Discounts on Accessories, TVs, and More at Amazon
2 days ago
MacBook Pro With OLED Touch Screen Rumored to Launch in October or November
MacBook Pro With OLED Touch Screen Rumored to Launch in October or November
2 days ago
Apple's All-New Home Hub Rumored to Launch in These Four Colors
Apple's All-New Home Hub Rumored to Launch in These Four Colors
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Aperture Control Goes Fully Manual in Halide 3.2
iPhone 18 Pro Aperture Control Goes Fully Manual in Halide 3.2
2 days ago
Apple Stores Receive 'Do Not Open' Boxes Ahead of Smart Home Products Launch
Apple Stores Receive 'Do Not Open' Boxes Ahead of Smart Home Products Launch
2 days ago
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Jump in China Ahead of iPhone Duo Launch
iPhone 18 Pro Sales Jump in China Ahead of iPhone Duo Launch
2 days ago
Apple TV Still Down for Some Users Following Apple Services Outage
Apple TV Still Down for Some Users Following Apple Services Outage
2 days ago
Microsoft 365 Work Accounts May Stop Syncing in Apple Mail
Microsoft 365 Work Accounts May Stop Syncing in Apple Mail
23 hours ago
Apple's Smart Home Hub: Everything We Know So Far
Apple's Smart Home Hub: Everything We Know So Far
2 days ago
Apple's Home Hub Borrows From the iPhone Duo's StandBy Mode
Apple's Home Hub Borrows From the iPhone Duo's StandBy Mode
3 days ago
Apple Invites App Updated With Three New Features
Apple Invites App Updated With Three New Features
3 days ago
Apple Event on October 13?
Apple Event on October 13?
3 days ago
Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 12 Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Series 12 Buyer's Guide: Which Should You Buy?
3 days ago
iPad Mini 8 to Offer These 10 New Features
iPad Mini 8 to Offer These 10 New Features
3 days ago
DoorDash Unveils AI Food Ordering Through Apple's Messages App
DoorDash Unveils AI Food Ordering Through Apple's Messages App
3 days ago
Amazon Takes Up to $150 Off Select M5 MacBook Air Models
Amazon Takes Up to $150 Off Select M5 MacBook Air Models
3 days ago