RX 580 vs RTX 4060 in a Mac Pro 5,1

RX 580 vs RTX 4060 in a Mac Pro 5,1 – Breathing New Life into Legacy Hardware

The Mac Pro 5,1, Apple's iconic aluminum tower from 2010, continues to surprise in 2025. While its aging Xeon CPUs may seem far from modern standards, the system's exceptional build quality and expandability have made it a favorite among modders and retro tech enthusiasts. One of the most impactful upgrades you can give a Mac Pro 5,1 today? A GPU swap.

In this post, we take a closer look at the performance gap between two popular graphics cards: the AMD RX 580 and the newer NVIDIA RTX 4060—both running under Bazzite, a gaming-optimized Linux distribution built from the SteamOS ethos. The results paint a clear picture of what’s possible when you combine vintage hardware with modern silicon and a gaming-focused OS.

Why Compare These Two GPUs?

The RX 580 was a favorite among budget-conscious gamers and Hackintosh users alike. It offers great compatibility with macOS and solid 1080p gaming performance. However, as games continue to demand more horsepower, it’s starting to show its age.

Enter the RTX 4060. With support for AV1 encoding, DLSS, and ray tracing, this card delivers next-gen features at a modest power draw. But can it truly flex its muscles inside a 14-year-old Mac Pro chassis?

Gaming on Linux with Bazzite

Bazzite, a streamlined Linux distribution tailored for gaming, provides the perfect testbed. Built with a custom kernel and seamless Steam integration, it helps maximize GPU performance—even on older systems. Pairing it with Proton and Heroic Games Launcher allows compatibility with a wide range of Windows-native games.

Real-World Performance: RX 580 vs RTX 4060

Frame Rates & Smoothness:

• The RTX 4060 offers substantial performance improvements across the board. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Tomb Raider benefit not only from higher frame rates but also smoother frame pacing and better driver-level optimizations under Linux.

Efficiency & Thermals:

• The RX 580 runs hot and draws significantly more power under load compared to the RTX 4060, despite offering a fraction of the performance. The RTX 4060’s architecture is more efficient, even when paired with the Mac Pro’s older PCIe lanes.

Driver Support:

• AMD's open-source drivers are mature, but the RX 580’s aging architecture lacks modern features like AV1 encoding and DLSS. NVIDIA's proprietary drivers unlock these technologies and are now better supported on Linux than ever.

What This Means for Mac Pro Users

If you’re holding on to a Mac Pro 5,1, upgrading to an RTX 4060 is a smart investment. While CPU bottlenecks can occasionally rear their head, many modern games benefit far more from GPU upgrades—especially when leveraging technologies like DLSS and Vulkan/DirectX via Proton.

The RX 580, while reliable, is no longer future-proof. If you're serious about gaming or AV1 video work on your legacy Mac tower, the RTX 4060 represents a significant and worthwhile leap forward.

Final Thoughts

It’s remarkable to see a Mac Pro 5,1—hardware that predates the first iPad—capable of playing modern titles at respectable frame rates. With the right GPU and a lean Linux gaming OS like Bazzite, this classic machine continues to defy expectations.

Whether you’re a Mac modder, Linux tinkerer, or retro gamer, this upgrade proves that sometimes all it takes is a single modern component to unlock a whole new level of performance.

Have you upgraded your Mac Pro 5,1 recently? Share your experience in the comments!