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Unsupported GPU / graphics cards


Hervé

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Last updated: 13 Sep 2020

 

We still get recurring questions about some well-known and older unsupported GPUs and graphics cards, so let's try and make a quick recap here. The list can be completed as required and necessary. The list will only apply to SL 10.6 and beyond, not before.

 

Intel

  • GMA 900: unsupported since SL
  • GMA 950: supported in SL and Lion in 32bit kernel mode only; unsupported since ML
  • GMA 3100/3150: unsupported
  • GMA 3000/X3000: unsupported
  • GMA X3100: supported in SL and Lion in 32bit kernel mode only; unsupported since ML  
  • GMA 4500/4500M/4500MHD/4700MHD: unsupported
  • GMA HD/GMA 5700MHD/1st gen Intel HD (eg: Arrandale CPUs): partially (CI only) or fully (QE/CI) supported on laptops in SL (from 10.6.4), Lion, ML and beyond depending on built-in LCD connector (LVDS=full support, eDP=partial support); unsupported since Mojave. Refer to bible thread on the matter.
  • HD 2000 & Sandy Bridge Intel HD: unsupported
  • HD 3000: supported from SL to High Sierra; unsupported since Mojave
  • HD 2500 & Ivy Bridge Intel HD: unsupported in SL and Lion; apparently supported in ML from 10.8.3; unsupported since Mavericks, though some people reported partial support (CI only) in El Capitan for instance
  • Haswell Intel HD: unsupported
  • Broadwell Intel HD: unsupported
  • Skylake HD 510: unsupported
  • Kaby Lake HD 610: unsupported
  • Kaby Lake R/Coffee Lake/etc. UHD 610: unsupported

 

  • Bay Trail Intel HD: unsupported
  • Cherry Trail Intel HD/HD 4xx: unsupported
  • Braswell Intel HD/HD 4xx: unsupported
  • Apollo Lake Intel HD 5xx: unsupported

 

Basically, from Gen6 HD3000 to Gen9 UHD6xx iGPUs, there is no support whatsoever for low-end/entry-level GT1-based Intel HD/UHD graphics. Gen11 Ice Lake G1-based Intel UHD graphics apparently supported by faking id of G4/G7 counterparts as stated here.

 

Lots of iGPU info available here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Graphics_Technology

 

nVidia

  • GeForce 6x00 and similar (Curie NV4x): unsupported since SL
  • GeForce 7x00 and similar (Curie G7x): supported in SL and Lion in 32bit mode only; unsupported since ML
  • Tesla generation (G8x, G9x, GT2xx): supported SL -> High Sierra; unsupported since Mojave
  • Fermi generation (GFxxx): supported Lion/ML -> El Capitan; buggy/unsupported in Sierra and High Sierra; unsupported since Mojave
  • Kepler generation (GKxxx): supported since Lion/ML but cards based on GK106 chip are best avoided (driver issue)
  • Maxwell generation (GMxxx): supported in (late) Yosemite and up to High Sierra with nVidia Web Driver only; unsupported since Mojave (no Web Driver)
  • Pascal generation (GPxxx): supported in (late) Sierra and High Sierra with nVidia Web Driver only; unsupported since Mojave (no Web Driver)
  • Turing generation (TUxxx) and later: unsupported

 

ATI/AMD

  • X300/X600/X700: unsupported
  • X1300/X1400/X15x0: supported up to SL; limited support (CI only) in Lion; unsupported since ML
  • X1600: supported in SL and Lion; unsupported since ML
  • pre-CGN 1.0: unsupported since Mojave

 

An excellent recap of things is available at Dortania's GPU buyer's guide. (defunct one here)

 

NB:

  1. Obsolete GPUs for which Apple dropped official support after Lion 10.7.5 (e.g.: GMA950/X3100, GeForce 7x00, ATI X1600) can be supported in ML with MLPF hack (essentially, a hack that runs pseudo ML in 32bit mode with DP1 32/64bit kernel and kexts). More details in our article on the matter.
  2. Older GPUs for which Apple dropped official support after High Sierra 10.13.6 (e.g.: 1st gen Intel HD, SNB HD3000, nVidia Tesla GPUs) can be supported in Mojave/Catalina in OpenGL-only mode by installing drivers from High Sierra and reverting some frameworks. More details below.
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Last updated: 14 Nov 2020

 

Here are copies of the requires kexts and files required to gain graphics acceleration on 1st gen Intel HD + Sandy Bridge (SNB) HD3000 + nVidia Tesla GPUs in Mojave and Catalina up to 10.15.3. For Catalina 10.15.4 and later, use dosdude1's patcher.

 

As described initially at MacRumors in the "Mojave on unsupported Mac" thread back in summer 2018:

1a) Intel 1st gen Intel HD and HD3000 drivers are non-existant in Mojave by default, so copy 10.13.6's kexts to /S/L/E, repair permissions and rebuild your cache.

 

1b) Mojave natively includes drivers for nVidia Fermi and Kepler cards only. Copy the following kexts to /S/L/E, repair permissions and rebuild your cache.

 

2) In Mojave 10.14.4/5/6 and Catalina 10.15(.0)/1/2/3, remove the following vanilla frameworks and replace them by 10.14.3's versions. This should be done after booting in single-user mode and copying those frameworks in a dedicated folder at volume/partition root.

 

3) From Catalina 10.15.4, the above process is no longer applicable due to significant changes in macOS. Instead, it has become mandatory to call on dosdude1's Catalina patcher to patch Catalina and get the above unsupported GPUs working again.

 

 

NB: The process of reverting to older frameworks or patching Catalina needs to be repeated after/at each macOS update.

 

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