Cinebench Scores for 2018 Mac mini with eGPU

I wanted to post some CineBENCH scores of the 2018 i7 Mac mini with eGPU in the hopes that they serve as another data point for folks who may be considering this machine for pro work. The specs of my Mac mini are:

i7 6-core processor (3.2GHz with up to 4.6GHz Turbo Boost), 32GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, Sonnet Breakaway Box with AMD 580 8GB graphics card

First up is the CPU score. What’s interesting about this test is the ranking. The 6 core model at 3.2 GHz with an i7-8i700B CPU runs a little faster than an i7-3930K running at 3.3 GHz.

Next up is the single core CPU score where the Mac mini earns a score of 187, outperforming the other included reference systems.

Finally, we have the Mac mini’s OpenGL score, which is just under 60 frames per second. It comes in 4th place against the reference systems that all use Nvidia based cards.

There are a lot of variables to consider outside of looking at benchmark scores. First and foremost are the apps themselves. Some apps may not support or take advantage of GPUs as much as others. Regardless, if you are considering a Mac mini for 3D modeling, video editing, rendering, or simulation – you’ll definitely want to consider the purchase of an eGPU for your Mac mini.

–Krishna