DIY eGPU experiences

[__-_-_-__]

yes but i think it will be equipped with the mid class gpu inside (and we don't know the price yet)

does it really matters if it has a mid class gpu inside? even with a low class cpu it will greatly outperform any current external gpu solution in the world even if it's equipped with the best gpu ever.
Also it's not limited to mid class (you can have any card if you supply the power to it) and it will also be sold unequipped without gpu (at least is what msi said).
Prices starts at 249 USD with pre-installed Radeon HD 6770. So about $150 for an external thunderbolt solution with enclosure and power supply.

[SimoxTav]

does it really matters if it has a mid class gpu inside? even with a low class cpu it will greatly outperform any current external gpu solution in the world even if it's equipped with the best gpu ever.
Also it's not limited to mid class (you can have any card if you supply the power to it) and it will also be sold unequipped without gpu (at least is what msi said).
Prices starts at 249 USD with pre-installed Radeon HD 6770. So about $150 for an external thunderbolt solution with enclosure and power supply.

It matters at least if it can accept a dual slot card or a "long" one (and looking from the backplate and the global length is not so obvious)
It matters if the TB cable that has electronics on board will be provided together or not (an apple one costs 50$ so a normal one could easily cost 25-30$) and if you want further power you'll need anyway to modify the enclosure to use a standard ATX PSU. For sure, if everything goes in the right direction, it will be the best in class, but first i would like to see a complete solution working and make a comparison in everyday use. Anyway April is coming, so the waiting will be short

[bjorm]

I made working connection with 8460p. Firstly, I hotplugged eGPU to working 8460p, device was found (parallel to HD graphics), I installed 295.73 and I run 3dm06 - 14,5k. After this I installed nvam. During installation, image went to te external monitor. After installation, run 3dm06 and gained 17,4k points.
After nvam installation, to get to the internal screen i need to press f8 and turn on eGPU. After few attempts I could not achieve x1 2.0. I was trying to "safely remove hardware" but after this, image dissapears on both screens. Rendering option also makes x1 2.0. I am aware that there won't be boost in 3dm06 results with x1 2.0 but I can not figure out how to get it.
I did not make a disable of audio high definition controller. I need to swap SSD from E6320 to 8460p, install clean win7 without HP heaavy bloatware.
Anyone any suggestions how to achieve x1 2.0 ?

few images of my mess (yes at work place:P)

[kizwan]

Actually I'm getting the BSOD with and without eGPU, I though that but seem to be something else.

Spoiler :

I'll try to create a custom bios rom and change some acpi option to see if it can work

Spoiler :

Default ACPI setting

About turn on with the eGPU
I can make it work without the iGPU Because when I turn on my lap with the eGPU On, the iGPU is automatically disabled by the bios and I can't initiate it with the Setup 1.0 because it's not detected.

I think I know why you get BSOD. I noticed you're using older version of iasl.exe. Please use at least iasl.exe revision 4.0a. The DSDT you gave me is "Revision 0x01". I checked DSDT directly in the BIOS file, it should be "Revision 0x02". I don't know for sure but this is probably the reason why you get BSOD.

Anyway, look like you don't need DSDT override. I have another suggestion but this doesn't come without risk.

******** Follow this suggestion at your own risk! ********
In Chipset >> North Bridge Configuration, there is one item called Primary Display is by default set to Auto. You can try change it to IGD. I think this can prevent your notebook from disabling Intel HD Graphics/3000 when booting with eGPU connected.

Just an advice, be careful with AMIBCP tool. It can produced bad image sometime.
**********************************************************

[User Retired 2]

Prices starts at 249 USD with pre-installed Radeon HD 6770. So about $150 for an external thunderbolt solution with enclosure and power supply.

The game changer is coming. $150 is excellent value. Can wire up a ATX PSU + pci-e extender if need more powerful GPUs. Mid-range would put us < 150W, so a GTX550Ti. With a little undervolting it's possible to get a GTX460/GTX560 to run at 150W too. Consider that you'd be getting GTX570M (mobility) performance levels. The Apple ppl will be ecstatic.

GTX560M = 192 cores = GTS450/GTX550Ti
GTX570M = 336 cores = GTX460/GTX560
GTX580M = 384 cores = GTX560Ti

Keplar will give more performance-per-watt than the above examples.

Anyone any suggestions how to achieve x1 2.0 ?

In the 8460P bios change the expresscard port speed from Gen1 (default) to Gen2.

[__-_-_-__]

The game changer is coming. $150 is excellent value.

I assume $150 because MSI says it will sell the gus II without a gpu and because they said that prices starts at 249 USD with pre-installed Radeon HD 6770. Considering a 6770 costs around $100 you get the $150.
I really doubt that it can't handle more then 150W if we add more external power. Also dual slot and longer cards won't be an issue since the electronics aren't soldered. it will have a normal pci-e slot. at least that was what they did in GUS I.
It seams a solid product already tested and everything and even reviewed. We will see if they really are going to release it. Since many years ago most of us are used to egpu vaporware or even ready made products that never reached production.
Also MSI doesn't have any notebook with thunderbolt (and plans for future notebooks don't indicate it either) but it has desktop motherboards with it (actually they were the firsts to add thunderbolt).
They just presented the product using a macbook.
But the product makes sense to MSI because they don't sell a lot of notebooks. They would much profit more selling loads of egpu's then just selling new notebooks. Unlike other manufacturers like Asus for example (that also had egpu products that were never released).

[Wolf_vx]

Hi guys,

Today I finally got my PE4H for HIT. Have been playing with it for hours now. I have successfully managed to get it to work in 2x width twice now. I have couple of questions tho.

1. I am using GTX560 with ATX power supply. Should the jumper on the PE4H be open or closed? I left it open for safety reasons for now.

2. Is there any easier way to get the card working in 2x because the process is just painful.
The way I got it to work is following:
Boot with GPU on.
Set port3 to 2x.
Reboot
Set port3 to 2x again
Boot into windows.

The problem I am having is that when it boots the first time, in Setup 1.x it shows the card is @1x. Setting port3 to 2x still shows the card is @1x. Rebooting and looking in Setup 1.x shows ports3 and 4 are @1x but the GPU is @2x. Setting port3 to 2x again and booting to windows makes the card work in 2x, confirming it in GPU-Z. If I skip the reboot, GPU-Z shows the card is in 1x. Any way to skip the reboot and still have it working in 2x? Or is it how it suppose to work?

P.S. Will post benchmark later. Noticeable improvement over 1x tho. Much higher fps, if not double.

[Cabaal]

Finally, my eGPU setup works!

X220 i5 2520m, 8 GB RAM, GTX 560 Ti 448 with PE4L v2.1b

3d Mark 06: 17.638
3d Mark 11: 4.373

Battlefield 3 runs like hell at 1920x1080 with high settings (haven't tested ultra yet). No frame drops, no stutters.
Skyrim runs at very high. No stuttering. Impressive!

Now my only problem is, that the PCB of PE4L is bigger than the PE4H. My GPU fits into my shuttle case perfectly, but the PE4L is a little bit to big. Maybe I have to cut a little hole in the case...

[User Retired 2]

Two more pioneering DIY eGPU implementations. Great work.

f I skip the reboot, GPU-Z shows the card is in 1x. Any way to skip the reboot and still have it working in 2x? Or is it how it suppose to work?

P.S. Will post benchmark later. Noticeable improvement over 1x tho. Much higher fps, if not double.

You can either try the PCIe ports->Hot Reset after setting x2 width. If no go then the way to get a x2 link is set the port to x2, ensure lane2 is connected then hotplug lane1. Alternative is to add some smarts to your startup.bat to check if it's running x1 or x2 and reboot until it is running x2. See the two-pass script.

Yes, G72GX (Q9200-2.0) +GTX560@x2 results please, a first for that notebook. Would be interesting to compare against the onboard GTX260M. If you have the ability to overclock the pci-e bus then can wring some more performance out of it. A Quad-IDA modded bios would also get an extra multiplier (+266Mhz) out of the CPU too.

Finally, my eGPU setup works!

X220 i5 2520m, 8 GB RAM, GTX 560 Ti 448 with PE4L v2.1b

3d Mark 06: 17.638
3d Mark 11: 4.373

Can you pls post a full set of benchmarks so I can add you to all the tables on the first page? We are not seeing much x1.2Opt contributions. Your system has the GTX560Ti-448, something we don't have any results of as yet.

[Cabaal]

Can you pls post a full set of benchmarks so I can add you to all the tables on the first page? We are not seeing much x1.2Opt contributions. Your system has the GTX560Ti-448, something we don't have any results of as yet.

What do you need? RE5?
I had to mod the nvam.inf, because the 448 was not listed there