DIY eGPU experiences

[Lurifax]

Got it to work using MSI afterburner.

[ricera10]

I just got a Lenovo X201 Tablet with a Core i7-620LM, and I think I could do an x2 link using one of the three mini-pcie slots on the motherboard. Would a GTX 560 Ti + PE4H do optimus with x1 and/or x2?

[wicked20]

I just contacted amfeltec to check the total price for their mpci-e to pci-e. It seems like they have changed the price of their product. I am adding their answer

Hello,

Thank you for your interest in our product.

Please find below quotation for your order.
In order to complete your request, please provide us your shipping address and the phone number.

Quotation (Prices in USD)
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SKU Item Qty Unit Price Total Price
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SKU-035-02 Flexible MiniPCI Express to x1 PCI Express Adapter 1 $ 41.68 $ 41.68
((power from standard ATX power supply)
Freight Shipping and Handling $ 66.47
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quantity discounts are available.


Stock
--------
We have this product in a stock.

Shipment
------------- 
The quotation includes shipping charges via Xpresspost with tracking number.
If you would like to use your shipping account, please provide us the shipping account details.

Payment
------------
We accept following methods of payment: PayPal, credit card and bank wire transfer (additional $40 fee). 
Please let us know what payment method you will prefer.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Best Regards,

Sales Team
Amfeltec Corp.
t. 1 905 417 6438 x103 | e. sales@amfeltec.com
www.amfeltec.com

See us at:
•  TMC’s Internet Telephony Expo East, Miami, FL, USA, February 2-4, 2011 
•  ESC Silicon Valley, San Jose, CA, USA, May 2-4, 2011

Thanks Timohour. Great find.

Do you know where/when we can buy this and how much?

What is the transfer speed, such as 5 Gb/s or 2.5 Gb/s? And does it support PCIe 2.0 or PCIe 1.0?
Would the MiniPCIe Adapter fit inside a laptop, full or half slot?
Is it possible to get one for evaluation/test?

Thanks so much.

[stejni]

Actually, you ARE using optimus, 4500MHD IS optimus compatible. You would not get 10k Mks w/o Opt

I really wish you were right, but this score was on an external monitor, and my card is GMA, not MHD;/ (Please prove me wrong! )

Concerning the shutdown issue, monitor your temperatures (SpeedFan, HWMonitor etc.). If it overheats, clean your heatsinks. If this does not help, maybe you may consider CPU downvolting.

Well the intersting thing is that if I keep my battery in the laptop, it will first stop recognicing power (from wall), then keep running of the battery till it drains, then shut down. So I really do not think it is an over heating issue, as then it would just die right away before draining the battery. Also I usuallu keep SIW up, and while playing and after a session, typically nothing maxes over 55C.

Any thoughts?

I will do a test now, im gonna keep SIW up, put in the battery, and keep a good look on it to see when it starts running off the battery and note the temperatures.

[yromenapri]

Hi guys,

I'm planning on doing the express card eGPU with my next laptop. Only problem is, I haven't decided what my next laptop should be!

I was looking at the T420, but then I read about the BIOS issue and that's a headache I'd rather not deal with. What other 14" or lower laptops would you guys recommend? The main requirement would be the express card slot. If possible, I'd like to have a dGPU too just so I can occasionally game at low settings while on the go. While at home I'll be using a 24" monitor.

[sprtnbsblplya]

Hi guys,

I'm planning on doing the express card eGPU with my next laptop. Only problem is, I haven't decided what my next laptop should be!

I was looking at the T420, but then I read about the BIOS issue and that's a headache I'd rather not deal with. What other 14" or lower laptops would you guys recommend? The main requirement would be the express card slot. If possible, I'd like to have a dGPU too just so I can occasionally game at low settings while on the go. While at home I'll be using a 24" monitor.

Its not really a headache, all you do is install BIOS 1.15.
If you're going to be building an eGPU, this step is peanuts compared to the overall process.
If you think downgrading a BIOS is a headache, just wait until you have to troubleshoot the eGPU...

[yromenapri]

Its not really a headache, all you do is install BIOS 1.15.
If you're going to be building an eGPU, this step is peanuts compared to the overall process.
If you think downgrading a BIOS is a headache, just wait until you have to troubleshoot the eGPU...

It's more that I'd rather not deal with issues that BIOS updates are issued to fix. Upgrading/downgrading BIOS is easy yes, but there's a reason why manufacturers update them.

That being said, I could probably live with the T420 if there were no better options with expresscard slots

[User Retired 2]

Hi guys,

I'm planning on doing the express card eGPU with my next laptop. Only problem is, I haven't decided what my next laptop should be!

See Sandby Bridge notebooks for an eGPU.

14" Vostro 3450 a budget option with a quick HD6630M dGPU. 14" Lenovo Y470 with a GT550M a high performance option if your prepared to do a mPCIe eGPU - it's often on sale like quad core +BD for $850. If can forgo the dGPU requirement then can go smaller and lighter like 12.5" Lenovo X220, 13/14" Toshiba R830/R840 or go a 900P LCD on a 14" Dell E5420 (eg: $645 deal).

x1.Opt setup with Optimus dGPU Sandy Bridge notebooks?

wicked20 has confirmed that we can disable the Optimus dGPU so can run a x1.Opt eGPU instead. This is necessary as otherwise the eGPU runs at non-x1.Opt performance levels as if the standard desktop driver was installed. It seems the dGPU is given priority to Optimus functionality.

To disable the dGPU will require installing Setup 1.x and booting via it; an updated release scheduled in the coming week. The disabling code ensures the NVidia dGPU does not appear on the PCI BUS at all so Win7 never sees it. This then liberates the dGPU's PCI space to now be used to host the eGPU. If installing Setup 1.x is too cumbersome for you (it's pretty easy actually) then consider HD3000 iGPU equipped notebooks only, though in the case of the T420 you'll encounter TOLUD issues with newer bios which the Optimus-equipped T420 will not experience.

See how this is done with a Dell XPS15 below.



Left: SB Dell XPS15 with Optimus GT540M dGPU active. NOTE: the XPS15 has no expresscard card slot.
Right: SB Dell XPS15 with dGPU disabled. Now has 512MB of contiguous PCI space from C0000000-DFFFFFFF, double what is required to host a eGPU.

x1.Opt setup with ATiAMD dGPU switchable gfx Sandy Bridge notebooks?

The code used to disable the NVidia dGPU did not disable a ATiAMD dGPU. It seems the ATiAMD driver is very persistent in finding cards that might be hidden on the PCI BUS.

To get x1.Opt working on those systems it would just require disabling the ATiAMD dGPU in Device Manager and/or using Setup 1.x to have the eGPU hijaak the dGPU's resources if there was insufficient space to host the dGPU+eGPU. This is done by performing 36-bit PCI compaction in Setup 1.x on the dGPU+eGPU, forcing the eGPU to 32-bit. Then the ATiAMD dGPU is moved into inaccessible 36-bit space causing Win7 to throw an error 12 against it.

[kizwan]

Hi nando,

I worked out the casing measurements for my eGPU kit. I'm going to use acrylic glass.

Graphic card PowerColor HD5870 measurement: 216mm x 110mm x 38mm
PSU Corsair CX500 measurement: 150mm(W) x 86mm(H) x 140mm(L) (PSU fan at the top)

Front & back side measurement: 5mm + 86mm + 5mm + 40mm + 5mm = 141mm

• The 5mm is the thickness of the acrylic.
• The 86mm is the width of the PSU (PSU fan will be at the side instead of at the top).
• The 40mm is the graphic card thickness (actual is 38mm. just rounded up to 40mm).
• One piece of acrylic (thickness 5mm) in the middle to separate the PSU & graphic card: 236mm x 130mm x 5mm

Final measurements:-

1. 2 x Acrylic: 246mm x 140mm x 5mm
2. 2 x Acrylic: 141mm x 140mm x 5mm
3. 2 x Acrylic: 256mm x 141mm x 5mm
4. 1 x Acrylic: 236mm x 130mm x 5mm (separator between PSU & graphic card)

I will use 2 x 120mm fan for cooling system; one at the back side & one at the top. Top will be exhaust fan.

[xmarsh86]

Hi all,

I am newbie to here and need some helps and advises from you.

I am planning to get a lappy and considering about Sager 8150 for gaming purpose. But after i reviewed this thread, i am figuring that might be an alternative for me to get a lighter lappy (prefer Macbook Air/Pro) with eGPU via thunderbolt and has par gaming potential with Sager 8150. Can anyone get me a solution?