DIY eGPU experiences

[jemino]

quite a number of x220 users managed to get theirs working trouble free..but a handful of them cant get it to work even with 1.24 BIOS..no one is sure exactly why as well.. you might want to consider other options Nandos recommend..always best bang for the buck

Yeah, I finally found some posts from people who couldn't get it to work, with the same setup as people with successful egpu solutions. That's weird.

[mclucas79]

I have found the following PC case at google.

JCP Geh-jcp-mi-101.bb.r2 - reviews and features JCP Geh-jcp-mi-101.bb.r2 - Onyougo.com

Is 250W PSU enough for a egpu?

It has a pci slot which would save me a lot of work.

[Kallogan]

It has only a single slot pci port i think so can't put a decent gpu into that thing. Only Sugo SG05-like enclosures provides dual slot.

As for the psu, depends on the 12V rail but i wouldn't count on it since these itx enclosures often have inefficient and noisy psus on board. The Sugo sg05 has a very decent 300W fortron 80+ psu and is damn silent compared to all mini-itx enclosures i've tried. But it's pretty expensive.

[SimoxTav]

It has only a single slot pci port i think so can't put a decent gpu into that thing. Only Sugo SG05-like enclosures provides dual slot.

As for the psu, depends on the 12V rail but i wouldn't count on it since these itx enclosures often have inefficient and noisy psus on board. The Sugo sg05 has a very decent 300W fortron 80+ psu and is damn silent compared to all mini-itx enclosures i've tried. But it's pretty expensive.

May I suggest a DIY case like mine? The material costs about 50$ + the cuts and you can get an SFX PSU like mine or the cheaper FSP300-60GHS

Check the details on signature link for material listing

[Fardavid]

(01-25-2012) EXCLUSIVE!! The first public PE4L 2.1 engineering sample was tested below to achieve rock solid x1 2.0 link benchmark results. A 9800GT was used as it's the only card I have handy at the moment and is not recommended with an Optimus-capable notebook like a HP 2560P. Instead consider a Fermi-class, eg: GT560Ti@x1.2Opt benchmarked here on the same system. Those results obtained using a modified PE3A to achieve pci-e 2.0 link speed prior to the availability of the PE4L 2.1.

DIY eGPU implementation: i5-2540M 2.6 12.5" HP 2560P + NVidia 9800GT @x1.2 using a PE4L 2.1

Notebook US$700 12.5" HP 2560P i5-2540M 2.6 HD3000 8GB DDR3 320GB HDD + DVD (F.21 bios) Series-6 QM67 expresscard 2.0 slot (5GT/s) Windows 7/64 and Ubuntu 11.10/64	DIY eGPU parts US$92-shipped PE4L-EC025A engineering sample old Gigabyte 9800GT Silent Cell I had lying around US$5 salvaged 12V/17A "550W" ATX PSU
Config RAM GPU DX9 DX10 Ports OS 3dmk6 RE5 var 3dmk vant.g dmcv4 scene4 External LCD 8.0GB 9800GT@x1.2 6974 75.6 4214 52.7 QM67 Win7 64b 8.0GB 9800GT@x1.1 4150 55.1 3372 34.6 QM67
US$92-shipped PE4L 2.1 includes SWEX and floppy-to-molex cable (not shown) 2560P: 9800GT@x1.2

The pci-e 1.0 results were obtained by forcing the expresscard slot to Gen1 in the bios or using Setup 1.x.

Observations

• the PE4L 2.1 measures 640mm x 460mm. A book acted as a lean to allowing the PE4L+9800GT to remain self-standing. The 25cm flat cable was OK but I would definitely prefer a little more length. 40cm would be perfect for my needs. The engineering samples available on Feb 20th will have a 60cm cable.
  
  
• A PE4L 2.1 differs to the previous PE4L 1.5 by offering pci-e 2.0 compliance, a 500ms PCI Reset delay option, the cable is soldered on both ends, extra 3.3V@2A obtained by wiring up a USB cable to your notebook (not required if using ATX PSU with it's own 5V input).
  
  
• Worth noting the heatshrink over the cable has bulb area approx 7mm in from the visible cable strands soldered onto the PE4L. Looks like they've hooked the heatshrink at that point so any pulling force is asserted there rather than the weak soldered cable strands. A nice touch to ensure longevity of the device even in the hands of noob gamers.
  
  
• the pci-e 2.0 link speed gaining 40-50% more FPS over pci-e 1.0 in the two game benchmarks making for a lot smoother gameplay. A tasty treat particularly for users with Sandy Bridge notebooks that have dedicated dGPUs with no iGPU for Optimus capability. They'll gain similar performance to x1.1Opt. x1.2Opt capable notebooks will thoroughly enjoy the extra performance.

Thanks for the test! I'll be the first to order it on the 20th!
So if I understood right, the difference between 1.1 Opt and 1.2 Opt is around 40-50%?

[Mech0z]

PE4L-EC150A Lenght 150cm (OEM) Does that mean we cant buy them?

[EpicBlob]

I think/hope that it means they have not yet finished testing, but they are working on it to become a future product.

[SimoxTav]

I think/hope that it means they have not yet finished testing, but they are working on it to become a future product.

IMHO they will be defined as "custom" products, so can be purchased but they could have not minimum stock quantity or can add an extra cost for the longer cable.

[afetherw8]

Hi Nando4, thanks for your help so far. I need some clarification though as I need to know if the current cables I plan on ordering are correct. I made a diagram below:



R = Red, B = Black, Y = Yellow

The cables shown in my diagram are based on these:
4 Pin IDE Molex Power Supply Y Splitter Extension Cable - eBay (item 130387040536 end time Feb-22-11 23:21:22 PST)
PCI-E 6-pin to 2-Molex Power Y-Adapter Cable - eBay (item 220445280649 end time Feb-19-11 18:35:59 PST)


Does that look right? I also plan on getting a switch so I can toggle the power on and off.

Hey guys, sorry I'm about a year late to this party, but I was hoping one of you could give more detailed instructions on how to connect the gtx460 to the xbox 360 203w psu (I currently have mine powered by a 600w psu .. not quite portable). I've never soldered anything in my life so I really need details. 1. When you say "cut the harness" you mean remove the end of the psu that normally connects to the xbox, exposing all the wires? 2. Am I supposed to remove the harness on the molexes as well, then twist those wires with the psu's in the order described, then solder those joints? Or am I supposed to connect the psu's wires directly to the molex pins? Sorry if these are stupid questions.

[nefx]

Fardavid please test i2520+GTX560/560TI. I want change my X220T+P4EH+560 940@2400 to P4EL 2.1 to get extra 4500 mark 2011 versus today 3700(