stevefal

The board does not have to be big, just compatible with the case/mounting. Problem is, I've seen no compact solution that supports a high power PSU. With a $50 case, $75 PSU and $100 naked board, you could be ready to drop in any GPU for $225 and be done. Akitio is neat, but it's missing the market because everyone here wants a fast GPU.

I read most of this thread but didn't see any mention of this idea: Has anyone seen or talked with manufacturers about an eGPU board in the form of an ATX or micro-ATX motherboard? This would be targeted to eGPU DIYers who would then be able to build a solution by adding a standard PC chassis, PSU and video card(s). I think it makes sense because so much is in common physically between a PC and what an eGPU needs, including flexibility for card choice and number, PSU, cooling and housing. Think of it as a PC motherboard with no CPU, memory, etc, and with just TB on the back. For bonus points vendors could get creative and add SATA and RAID for external storage and the like.