DIY eGPU experiences

[lazyboy]

Good choice with the 4530s. Am keen to see someone post an experience with that low cost but attractive system.

...

I'd suggest ebaying your HD5770 and getting a GTS450 or GTX460 so can run a x1 1.0 Optimus setup.

Just a quick update - I got the 4530s yesterday.
I'm waiting for a good deal on a Fermi card, but I may bench using my 5770 just for kicks.

If anyone finds an attractive price for a Fermi card, please let me know


Also, I've been using this PSU to power the 5770.
Will it reliably hold a Fermi card?

[kizwan]

Thanks again, I think i'll keep a watchful eye on this thread, wait for the new cable, it sounds like it might be pretty close to coming?

I think so. I hope.

Just a quick update - I got the 4530s yesterday.
I'm waiting for a good deal on a Fermi card, but I may bench using my 5770 just for kicks.

If anyone finds an attractive price for a Fermi card, please let me know


Also, I've been using this PSU to power the 5770.
Will it reliably hold a Fermi card?

Which card? Your PSU have +12V1@16A, +12V2@17A (dual 12V rail). 12 * 16A = 192W. So, make sure the graphic card TDP is lower than 192W or it won't able to provide stable power to run the card. GeForce GTX 560 Ti (max TDP 170W to 205W) clearly not recommended with that PSU. I also can't recommend GTX460 (max TDP 160W) either. Might work if your PSU able to provide stable 160W power to run GTX460.

[lazyboy]

So my PSU can't hold this card?

[Xenitic]

the psu doesnt actually specify how many 4 pin molex adapters it has got and with only 1 pci plug u need at least 3 (2 for the gpu, 1 for the pci adapter,)

[kizwan]

So my PSU can't hold this card?

I think it will work. PSU (12 * 16A = 192W) vs. GTX460 (160W). Your PSU only have 1 x 6-pin PCIe power connector. GTX460 required 2 x 6-pin PCIe power connectors. You'll need 2 x 4-pin molex to 6-pin PCIe adapter like this: 2x4-Pin Molex to 6-Pin PCIe PCI Express Adapter Cable | eBay

Make sure the 2 x 4-pin molex are connected into separate cables coming from the power supply.

You also need to connect floppy power connector to PE4H/PE4L.

EDIT:-

• "GIGABYTE Ultra Durable VGA Series GV-N460OC2-1GI GeForce GTX 460" is overclocking edition card with a higher GPU core clock of 760 MHz but Gigabytes website did not mention any changes on the power requirement: GIGABYTE - Graphics Card - NVIDIA - PCI Express Solution - GeForce 400 Series - GV-N460OC2-1GI
• I think this card might require more than 160W.
• OC GTX460 discussion: an overclocked gtx 460 is soooo power hungry - AnandTech Forums
• Conclusion: you'll need better PSU

[User Retired 2]

Thanks again Nando,
I ordered one to test. How did you know about pin18? Where can we find that info or circuit requiring 5V vs 3.3V and how we might modify it?

Thanks.

The HDMI wiki page tells us pin18 is 5V. The EC2C/PE4H/PE4L schematic uses 3.3V on that pin. I've emailed NXG asking if their active cable can accept 3.3V on pin18 instead.

Also, I've been using this PSU to power the 5770.
Will it reliably hold a Fermi card?

My GTX460 setup successfully uses a 12V/15A PSU to drive it. I had two such PSUs but only the Codegen one works. The other hangs the system when under 3D load, so couldn't provide continous peak power to drive the GTX460. Note: mine is a stock-clocked GTX460-1GB. If I want to overclock it I must connect both my 12V/15A PSUs to power it. Based on those findings I suggest 12V/17A or greater as 12V/15A is a bit hit-and-miss. Your 12V/16A might just scrape through for a stock-clocked GTX460.

[apac]

Make sure the 2 x 4-pin molex are connected into separate cables coming from the power supply.

Given that this is not possible on a Corsair CX430 (both available molex connectors are on the same cable) perhaps nando should revise his recommendation to use that PSU in this post.

[User Retired 2]

Given that this is not possible on a Corsair CX430 (both available molex connectors are on the same cable)

Newegg's Corsair CX430 specs tell us it has ample cabling to wire up a eGPU that uses 2x6pin or 1x6pin+2x8pin pci-e connectors. The specs indicate there are 3 peripheral (molex) connectors and it has a 12V/28A single rail. So you'd wire it up as follows:

225W

75W slot power - floppy molex
75W pci-e #1 - 6pin pci-e connector
75W pci-e #2 - molex to pci-e adapter

NOTE: some video cards draw more than 75W from the slot. If you only have a single molex on a bail of wiring connected to the molex to pci-e adapter, then swap over the pci-e #1 and #2 power sources until discover the more stable setup. You want the 6pin pci-e connector supplying the plug requiring greater amounts of power. Sometimes can look at one or two higher level video cards to ID the location of the 8pin connector which would infer which of the 6pin connectors draws more power.

300W

75W slot power - floppy molex
75W pci-e #1 - molex to pci-e adapter
150W pci-e #2 - 8pin pci-e connector

[invisible]

Off-topic question, but, why was the named changed from "DIY ViDock" to "DIY eGPU"?

[User Retired 2]

Off-topic question, but, why was the named changed from "DIY ViDock" to "DIY eGPU"?

See http://forum.notebookreview.com/gami...ml#post7546723 .