Prerequisites for connecting an external GPU to a laptop?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
firstrig

firstrig

Honorable
Dec 17, 2013
140
0
10,710
I want to buy a low end laptop with no graphics card. I want to attach my own external GPU to it. I'd appreciate if someone clears the following doubts :

Which port should I be looking for, in order to connect this eGPU?

Some tutorials say mini-PCI-e slot, some say it is possible to connect eGPU via USB3.0 slot as well. Is it true? does USB 3.0 have the bandwidth to facilitate the transfer of GPU data to and fro?

I've heard that there is a drop in laptop framerate compared to what one would get on a desktop using the same GUP, because the data transfer rate of the miniPCI/ USB 3 doesn't have enough bandwidth. Is this true?

Finally, which is the cheapest laptop one can get today which supports eGPU?
 
Solution
k1114
Can you link to the usb tutorial? Because usb can't be used. It's not about bandwidth but pcie compatibility. The adapter may have a usb port but it does not connect via usb. The only prerequisite is a port that uses pcie protocols: mpcie, m.2, tb, and expresscard. Laptops use mpcie for the wireless card so that is typically the one that's used. But you have to look at how easy it is to access the mpcie so look up disassembly vids. Some have to be completely taken apart so doesn't make sense to do it on them.

Mpcie is the cheapest option and really the only viable one cost wise as the others are $200+ just for the adapter. Expresscard is also cheap but it's been phased out for some time now and old laptop cpus would just bottleneck...
Sort by date Sort by votes
k1114

k1114

Titan
May 2, 2010
14,240
93
75,540
Can you link to the usb tutorial? Because usb can't be used. It's not about bandwidth but pcie compatibility. The adapter may have a usb port but it does not connect via usb. The only prerequisite is a port that uses pcie protocols: mpcie, m.2, tb, and expresscard. Laptops use mpcie for the wireless card so that is typically the one that's used. But you have to look at how easy it is to access the mpcie so look up disassembly vids. Some have to be completely taken apart so doesn't make sense to do it on them.

Mpcie is the cheapest option and really the only viable one cost wise as the others are $200+ just for the adapter. Expresscard is also cheap but it's been phased out for some time now and old laptop cpus would just bottleneck more. However the drawback is mpcie is x1 bandwidth. This can result in up to 50% lower performance from the gpu vs a normal x16 bandwidth. You end up buying a more expensive gpu just to get the performance you want. Unless you already have a gpu, psu and monitor to use, this is going to be an expensive solution compared to the performance.

If you are buying new, you're better off buying a laptop with a dgpu in it. This results in a much better price/performance and you retain portability. You would not be converting it into a desktop because it needs an external psu, monitor and to be partly disassembled. There's no point in buying a laptop that costs more just to turn it into an expensive desktop with lower performance.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom