ba10s118

In the 6 pin to dual 6 pin molex splitter ?

Would it be safe to cut the black and combine them with soldering (and yellow) ? Just to extend the pins to the gfx

@computersaysno: Like Tech Inferno Fan said, that graph is for "total system power consumption"!

Regarding the power consumption of a GTX 970, I found a review about the Galax GTX 970 that I am using. With the very precisely monitored power consumption, you can see that the card has some crazy load spikes (no OC and power target at stock 100%):

Source (tomshardware.de): Leistungsaufnahme und Effizienz - PC-Praxis: Galax GTX 970 OC Mod - extra leise und kühl für den Turbo-HTPC

Translated: https://translate.google.de/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tomshardware.de%2Fhtpc-gtx970-modding-cool-quiet%2Ctestberichte-241708-4.html&edit-text=

The Dell DA-2 can handle that card in my system with a small OC and 110% power target in FurMark (worst case load scenario).

Just read the article, and seems like downclocking the card will hit you a sweetspot to avoid errors due to power consumption ?

I'm fairly new to this, but as far as what I've read, you will have to use windows 8.1 if you have a dGPU on your macbook.

I've read about a work-around, however it did not look that easy ( Think it was called kewt or something that line ) .

The Galax is also the cheapest GTX 970 in germany. To me also a very powerful card with huge potential in performance.

It is really important to improve the cases ventilation, the small 60mm isn't enough and will just give less than half of it's airflow to the card (the rest is blown behind the GPUs PCB).

My plan was to drill 2 holes in the side, where the GPU fans are, place some nice fan grill there, and change the back fan to exhaust, maybe add another fan there.

There are other short dual-fan small GTX970 cards listed at the bottom http://forum.techinferno.com/enclosures-adapters/7205-us%24189-akitio-thunder2-pcie-box-16gbps-tb2.html#post98210 by Zotac, Inno3D, ELSA, Leadertek. The GALAX being the shortest card that can fit the AKiTiO without any modifications - don't need to remove it's fan shroud or the AKITiO fan. These others may need removal of either or both to fit.

I know @jacobsson acquired a Zotac card, he's in Sweden and is cost conscious so maybe that's another one that can be had for low EU?

Though I will say the GALAX has an impressive 200W+25% TDP vbios power limit which is why@ Dschijn's card (+ improved cooling fans) sees it performing on par with my larger MSI GTX970 4G gaming card. It can even be overclocked to about the same level. That's pushing the boundary for highest performance in the smallest size.

If I was getting a small card then I'd follow Dschijn's lead and get that GALAX.

Okay - Glad to hear that other will fit, I was afraid they might be to tall.

In Denmark the KFA2 or Galaxy cards is already some of the cheapest options out there, for whats equal to about 410us$.

But I like the high TDP in the sink, and I do see that as a high CON in this situation.

Hope that it is a 2.5 / 5.5mm one

You might have to cut down the 6-Pin plastic frame a bit that connects to the GPU to be able to close the AKiTiO. Or you consider getting the 90° 6-Pin cables that @Tech Inferno Fan linked.

I actually bought 2 types a long and a short one just to be safe.

Yes I saw that - but I don't mind a bit modding that wont effect the aesthetics.

Now I just need to find a galaxy gtx970 Honesly don't want to buy a new one, as you well must know the hard hammer of EU prices

DC Barrel bought!

6 pin -> Dual 6 pin molex bought

DA-2 bought!

Luckily I have loads of sleaving, heatshrinking tube, and so forth - this is going to be nice!

My mod involved soldering parts I had on hand: http://forum.techinferno.com/enclosures-adapters/9426-220w-dell-da-2-ac-adapter-discussion.html#post127735 .

@w4vz posting his after what I did using more readily available PCIe splitters that just plug and play together.

Your only remaining issue will then getting a DC barrel end out, which is simple enough to do by cutting off say two yellow and one black lead from the third unneeded PCIe end and attaching them to a non-solder variant of a DC barrel connector shown at http://forum.techinferno.com/enclosures-adapters/8317-%5Bguide%5D-making-molex-barrel-adapter.html#post113069

The AKiTiO has lots of room on it's base to accomodate cabling. However, keep in mind if intending to put the AKiTiO outer cover on then you'll need low profile PCIe connectors to give clearance like shown/discussed at http://forum.techinferno.com/enclosures-adapters/9951-low-profile-pcie-connectors-discussion.html#post130496

Cool! Thanks for clarifying that!

Yes I do intend that the lid shall be on, as I do not want a eye-soar!

Good PSU and a decent plan but if you are after a more modular configuration then suggest offloading your PSU while it's unmodified and getting a 220W Dell DA-2 instead?

Myself and Dschjin both confirming a Dell DA-2 can power a GTX970, even when overclocked: http://forum.techinferno.com/implementation-guides-apple/9821-2014-15-macbook-pro-iris-gtx970%4016gbps-tb2-akitio-thunder2-win8-1-%5Bdschijn-2%5D.html#post131966

@w4vz just posting a very convenient way of tapping off the 8-pin Dell DA-2 connector using 2x PCIe splitter cables: http://forum.techinferno.com/enclosures-adapters/9426-220w-dell-da-2-ac-adapter-discussion-4.html#post132979

I've looked into it - and I honestly like the idea way more than having a big psu brick on the side.

However I was scared of when I saw the soldering on the switch, and would be afraid to short out something.

Were you able to hide the 24pin board inside the AkiTio ?

EDIT. The way @w4vz showed, seems quiet nice, and compact enough to hide inside the case.

Okay semi planning started !

Tell me if I'm way off here.

This is the PSU I intend to use - It's cheap and I have no use for it.

I assume that this is a single rail, which could provide enough power for the Akitio and a GTX970?

I have a plan that i will remove the 24 pin total, and wire green and black together inside the PSU ( thereby keeping in on when it's plugged in ).

So would it be an idea to power the Akitio box from the 4+4 pin CPU port, and the GFX of the single 6+2 pci-e ?

Thereby keeping it all in a single rail, and a single ground connection.

Tell me if I am totally of here!

Hello lads!

So I've just ordered a Thunder 2 box from Akitio, and I'm looking forward to this!

It's going to be accompanied by my MBPr 13 i5-4278U.

- Wishes!

I want to keep the Akitio box "intact" as much as possible.

So I think I will have to use a GTX 960 or 970 in a ITX design.

At the moment do I have a GTX 660TI MSI OC PE lying around, but I think it will to big for the enclosure.

-Questions

How will i go on powering the GFX in the Akitio, without using the powered PCIe bridge ?

Is there any way I can mod box, either via. a high amp 12v in, and power all through PCI bridge, or is that only able via. gtx 750ti ?

I have a spare new CX430M PSY lying around I could try and mod - but I'm fairly confused on how to fix this.

Would I be able to power the Akitio with 12v from the PSU, and thereby only needing 1 outlet cable for the hole setup?.

In advance - thanks!

--------

EDIT - Wow could the admin soon start moving my threads in here ? I wrote a long post, however could not post due to deleted topic.

Hi - How well does your i5 work with games ?

Do you feel like it is a bottle neck?

That is exactly the way I use my setup

I think I will give this a chance, I'm just a bit afraid that my i5 2.6 might bottleneck? it's the i5 4278U.

I have a 660ti spare lying around, but I kinda want to try the 960.

Edit - Just bought a Akitio from Macconnect in Germany via. Amazon, does the box come with a thunderbolt cable ?

@ba10s118: Yes, most of the eGPU systems run really good in Windows.

Check out my system with an eGPU running Windows:

Oh sweet - because I don't want to give up Yosemite as I use that as my main work OS, but I want 8.1 for gaming.

Thanks!

Hi - Has anyone here successfully used boot-camp /w windows 8.1 + the Akitio Thunder 2 pcie as a eGPU ?

I'm fairly new to this, and I was kind of scared off as the Akitio webpage said they do not support / help with bootcamp.