ASUS unveils external notebook GPU - bit-tech.net Forums

WilHarris · 9th Jan 2007, 02:57

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/01..._notebook_GPU/

EQC · 9th Jan 2007, 03:16

I'm guessing the knob won't give you *too much* control over the GPU speed...

but it'd be funny if it did...at a LAN party, you casually stroll past some kid who keeps fragging you, turn the knob on his graphics card to max and run away while it fries itself.

Crazyglue · 9th Jan 2007, 03:20

i think this is a great idea. i have 2 laptops that have a 6200 and a 9600 in them, getting this, i would finally be able to do some decent gaming on my lappy! im curious to see how much it is. seeing as how normal 7900gs's are ~$160ish, this will prolly go for $200+. but hey, thats fine.

great idea asus!

Stuey · 9th Jan 2007, 03:33

Excellent idea, but that means zilch if the implementation sucks.

<--- *waiting eagerly*

$800 laptop + $350 (guestimate price) gaming adapter < $2000 gaming laptop.

This product has a LOT of potential...

Tyinsar · 9th Jan 2007, 03:54

Eagerly awaiting test results

Woodstock · 9th Jan 2007, 04:32

Intersting, about time something is done to give laptops a chance at being a main gaming pc without a large price bracket

Gravemind123 · 9th Jan 2007, 05:38

Makes me want to get a good laptop and just use it all the time!

Edit: What I mean is a good laptop, but I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for the graphics, and they are upgradable!

JADS · 9th Jan 2007, 07:12

Ah now I wondered when we were going to see these! Anyone for an external box that can house 3 liquid cooled 8800GTX cards that uses a cable to connect to a single PCI-E 16x card in your PC? It'd be nice if it could be integrated into the back panel IO connectors leaving you up to 7 free PCI-E/PCI slots in your PC

Matkubicki · 9th Jan 2007, 08:30

The article implies it'll only work on an external monitor which is a shame. Would be great to be able to plug something like this in but still stay reasonably portable.

David_Fitzy · 9th Jan 2007, 09:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matkubicki

The article implies it'll only work on an external monitor which is a shame. Would be great to be able to plug something like this in but still stay reasonably portable.

kinda like MXM

WhiteKnight · 9th Jan 2007, 09:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by JADS

Anyone for an external box that can house 3 liquid cooled 8800GTX cards that uses a cable to connect to a single PCI-E 16x card in your PC?

Something along these lines you mean...

http://www.nvidia.com/page/quadroplex.html

sinizterguy · 9th Jan 2007, 10:08

This product would be brilliant for playing BD/HDDVD on a LCD TV using a laptop. Depending on price, it has potential.

Duste · 9th Jan 2007, 11:01

Doesn't this inevitably defeat the purpose of a laptop/notebook entirely? That is portability. From what I understand, this external GPU -requires- an external monitor to go along with it, yes? So that means you've got a normal laptop, which already has a monitor, and the external GPU PLUS another monitor.

DougEdey · 9th Jan 2007, 11:09

but if you don't want two seperate machines, this is perfect.

IccleD · 9th Jan 2007, 11:31

It looks very much like something that could be called a "Graphics Docking Station", even so far as maybe requiring external power?

Or simply look here: Asus Website

JADS · 9th Jan 2007, 11:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

Something along these lines you mean...

http://www.nvidia.com/page/quadroplex.html

Well that is what I was refering to, but a consumer version that supports an extra card for physics processing and doesn't cost $17,000 for the entry version

! A box that cost a few hundred might be a bit more palatable!

LoneArchon · 9th Jan 2007, 16:36

Looks great for a LAN party. Bring this a laptop and a monitor instead of your complete desktop.

I very interested in it as my current laptop is the MSI S271.It is a Dual core laptop but the integrated graphics makes gaming very limited. With this it would make lan parties easier that lugging my main gaming computer that is water cooled

unrealhippie · 9th Jan 2007, 16:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duste

Doesn't this inevitably defeat the purpose of a laptop/notebook entirely? That is portability. From what I understand, this external GPU -requires- an external monitor to go along with it, yes? So that means you've got a normal laptop, which already has a monitor, and the external GPU PLUS another monitor.

Not really, If I got a laptop I would still use it on my 24" monitor at home, so simply having this in the loop wouldnt be any hassle and turn a compact portable day laptop into a decent gaming machine.

Very promising, out of interest, what is the bandwidth limit on the ExpressCard slot? Just wondered if it would be a limiting factor...

sandys · 9th Jan 2007, 17:02

I think its a PCIe 1x 250Mb/ bi directonal not quite the upgrade you might envisgae, you won't be doing highend graphics with it.

TomH · 9th Jan 2007, 21:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by unrealhippie

Very promising, out of interest, what is the bandwidth limit on the ExpressCard slot? Just wondered if it would be a limiting factor...

As mentioned above, there's dedicated support for both PCI-E 1x and USB 2.0 via ExpressCard, so forgetting the USB 2.0, that's 2.5Gbit/s of bandwidth.

Not quite the 20Gbit/s bandwidth experienced via PCI-E 8x (or slightly more from AGP 8x).

I'm going to guess that the 7900GS will be choked-up tbh, but it could still be better than most of the basic integrated graphics given by laptops. Power requirements would be through the roof on the battery, so I'm not really suprised that it's been designed more as a docking peripheral -- it'd be pointless on the move anyway.

9th Jan 2007, 02:57	#1
WilHarris Just another nobody Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Oxford Posts: 2,671	ASUS unveils external notebook GPU http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/01..._notebook_GPU/

9th Jan 2007, 03:33	#4
Stuey You will be defenestrated! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: NYC & NJ Posts: 2,484	Excellent idea, but that means zilch if the implementation sucks. <--- waiting eagerly $800 laptop + $350 (guestimate price) gaming adapter < $2000 gaming laptop. This product has a LOT of potential... __________________ ToolGuyd

9th Jan 2007, 03:54	#5
Tyinsar 6 screens / 1 card Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: AB.CA Posts: 2,005	Eagerly awaiting test results __________________ It's not about how life treats you, it's about how you treat life.

9th Jan 2007, 04:32	#6
Woodstock So Say We All Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 1,657	Intersting, about time something is done to give laptops a chance at being a main gaming pc without a large price bracket __________________ Hell hath no fury like a hippo with a machine gun.

9th Jan 2007, 05:38	#7
Gravemind123 avatar not found Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Elmhurst, IL, USA Posts: 1,772	Makes me want to get a good laptop and just use it all the time! Edit: What I mean is a good laptop, but I don't have to pay an arm and a leg for the graphics, and they are upgradable! __________________ E4400 - Asus P5B-Plus - Antec NeoHE 500 - 4GB OCZ SLI XTC - EVGA 8800GT - 250GB WD + 320GB Seagate Lian-Li PC-61 - Zalman Cooling - Creative GigaWorks T20 - AG Neovo M-17 Dell XPS M1330 - T8300 - 4GB Ram - 8400M GS - 250GB HDD

9th Jan 2007, 03:16	#2
EQC Multimodder Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: CA Posts: 220	I'm guessing the knob won't give you too much control over the GPU speed... but it'd be funny if it did...at a LAN party, you casually stroll past some kid who keeps fragging you, turn the knob on his graphics card to max and run away while it fries itself.

9th Jan 2007, 03:20	#3
Crazyglue Multimodder Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elmhurst, IL Posts: 183	i think this is a great idea. i have 2 laptops that have a 6200 and a 9600 in them, getting this, i would finally be able to do some decent gaming on my lappy! im curious to see how much it is. seeing as how normal 7900gs's are ~$160ish, this will prolly go for $200+. but hey, thats fine. great idea asus!

9th Jan 2007, 07:12	#8
JADS Et arma et verba vulnerant Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Portsmouth, UK Posts: 2,919	Ah now I wondered when we were going to see these! Anyone for an external box that can house 3 liquid cooled 8800GTX cards that uses a cable to connect to a single PCI-E 16x card in your PC? It'd be nice if it could be integrated into the back panel IO connectors leaving you up to 7 free PCI-E/PCI slots in your PC __________________ [AMD A64 2800+ + Zalman 7700][MSI K8N Neo Platinum][1GB Corsair PC3200][Leadtek Geforce 6600GT][Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 80GB + Maxtor Diamond Max Plus10 200GB + Maxtor Diamond Max16 120GB][Plextor PX-716 DVD-RW + 2x Plextor Premium 52x32x52 CD-RW + 16x Samsung DVD][Coolermaster ATC-201 BXT][Antec TruePower 430][Dell 2405FPW + Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 2070u][Logitech MX1000][Matias Tactile Pro][Griffin Technology PowerMate Black] Email Me

9th Jan 2007, 08:30	#9
Matkubicki Supermodder Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 306	The article implies it'll only work on an external monitor which is a shame. Would be great to be able to plug something like this in but still stay reasonably portable.

9th Jan 2007, 10:08	#12
sinizterguy Dark & Sinizter Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 5,462	This product would be brilliant for playing BD/HDDVD on a LCD TV using a laptop. Depending on price, it has potential. __________________ Nothing here. Go away and dont bother me.

9th Jan 2007, 11:01	#13
Duste Sierra my delta, bravo! Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: WA, Australia Posts: 812	Doesn't this inevitably defeat the purpose of a laptop/notebook entirely? That is portability. From what I understand, this external GPU -requires- an external monitor to go along with it, yes? So that means you've got a normal laptop, which already has a monitor, and the external GPU PLUS another monitor.

9th Jan 2007, 11:09	#14
DougEdey I pwn all your storage Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Southampton Posts: 13,933	but if you don't want two seperate machines, this is perfect. __________________ Burnout: Paradise Stats!XBL: DougEdey Bindi PSN ID: DougEdey Twitter

9th Jan 2007, 11:31	#15
IccleD Modder Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 52	It looks very much like something that could be called a "Graphics Docking Station", even so far as maybe requiring external power? Or simply look here: Asus Website

9th Jan 2007, 16:36	#17
LoneArchon Supermodder Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Waldorf,MD Posts: 422	Looks great for a LAN party. Bring this a laptop and a monitor instead of your complete desktop. I very interested in it as my current laptop is the MSI S271.It is a Dual core laptop but the integrated graphics makes gaming very limited. With this it would make lan parties easier that lugging my main gaming computer that is water cooled __________________ .:NEED MORE ENERGY:. A64 x2 4800+/eVGA Geforce 8800gtx with dangerden Water Block/2GB Corsair 3200/250gb Western Digital/Asus A8N32-Sli Deluxe/24" Acer LCD

9th Jan 2007, 17:02	#19
sandys Hypermodder Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 915	I think its a PCIe 1x 250Mb/ bi directonal not quite the upgrade you might envisgae, you won't be doing highend graphics with it. __________________ Into Gaming and around Bristol, UK, Click Here