Intel unveils Thunderbolt 3.0, mentions eGPUs (Skylake 6th-gen i-core)

[Tech Inferno Fan]

LinusTechTips gives a ASUS ROG XG2 walkaround. This is an awesome TB3 enclosure as is the ultrabook thin TB3 ASUS notebook it's attached to.

 

[Clarkent]

"Official" support for others laptops + Some specs about the Core (375W GPU + the rest for the laptop and USB)

 

[davide445]

Was waiting for such a solution for 3D related work and substitute my aging x220, unfortunately the Blade Stealth does have only a 2-core CPU and 8gb not upgradable ram, a deal breaker.

Does anyone know a similar 12.5  laptop  with TB3 on USB Type-C, but with at least upgradable/16gb ram? Do you think the Razr eGPU enclosure can be used on other laptops?

Edited January 10, 2016 by davide445

[Dschijn]

@davide445 I think there will come a lot of TB3 Laptops in the near future. Would wait a bit more!

Razer Core can be used on other TB3 Laptops!

[Clarkent]

1 hour ago, davide445 said:

Was waiting for such a solution for 3D related work and substitute my aging x220, unfortunately the Blade Stealth does have only a 2-core CPU and 8gb not upgradable ram, a deal breaker.

Does anyone know a similar 12.5  laptop  with TB3 on USB Type-C, but with at least upgradable/16gb ram? Do you think the Razr eGPU enclosure can be used on other laptops?

Look at the video posted by Tech Inferno Fan at 2:55 

 

EDIT : 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2016 by Clarkent

[davide445]

@Dschijn the question is not only about TB3, there are already laptop with such a port. Simply didn't want another bulky high priced workstation, nor want to pay dGPU. Even on Sager custom laptop can't find a ultraportable sized with 16gb ram, good CPU, TB3 USB Type-c. 

Also my biggest concern is what exactly is needed to use Core (or any other upcoming similar eGPU enclosure) on a non Razer laptop : just the TB/USB port or also some specific circuitry/bios/software?

 

@Clarkent this product is completely different: it's a prototype.

[Dschijn]

@davide445 I bet the upcoming MacBook are going to be what you are looking for. Since Razer said that they will not limit their Core in any way (blocking other companies or Laptops) I am very sure, that every TB3 laptop will be able to run it with (at least) an external monitor.

[davide445]

@Dschijnnot interested into Mac since my workflow is all Win

[Nautis1100]

It will be interesting to see exactly how these 'official' eGPU enclosures like Razer Core function on systems other than the Razer Stealth. The only thing I have seen thus far is that 'Intel Switchable Graphics' must be enabled in the BIOS. I assume this is the same implementation required for all notebooks already utilizing switchable graphics, although I guess it could be a newer implementation that features some form of hotswapping (just guessing).

[Tech Inferno Fan]

AKiTiO hint at revealing a TB3 enclosure in Feb-2016. Good times.

 

Quote

On Tuesday, 12 January 2016, 7:31, @akitio.com> wrote:

Hi Nando,

 

I cannot officially say that we have a Thunderbolt3 version coming out but don’t be surprised to see one in February.

------
On Thursday, 7 January 2016, 5:58, Nando wrote:

Hi AKiTiO,

 

Razor have announced their Core eGPU enclosure. You can see what we know about it at https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/7891-intel-unveils-thunderbolt-30-mentions-external-graphics-skylake-q4-2015/&do=embed&embedComment=135226&embedDo=findComment

 

Plenty of interest so far.

 

Now is there any TB3 enclosure from AKiTiO that you can reveal the details of? I like the non-proprietory nature of the previous Thunder2 and would love to see that trend continue.

 

 

[Dschijn]

Haha, nice answer

[EpicBlob]

Thats awesome! I think my next system is going to be a razer stealth and some sort of TB3 enclosure for a quadro card. Hoping that with intels support, internal screen will be plug and play.

[davide445]

Mee also was checking on Akitio website  considering the past I will be really surprised if they didn't deliver a tb3 enclosure 

[EpicBlob]

Info about the Razer Core

 

From PC Gamer 

"There are no special graphics drivers required to make the system work—you’ll just be using the normal AMD or Nvidia drivers for the GPU you place in the enclosure. The one catch is the laptop BIOS. According to Razer, the laptop BIOS will need to properly support Intel graphics switching, so the system can recognize and utilize the dedicated GPU when plugged in, and operate on the integrated GPU when unplugged. Right now, the system only works with the Blade Stealth, but once the Core is released, nothing should prevent Dell or Lenovo or Asus or anyone else from supporting the hardware, too."

 

This seems to mean that even if a laptop has thunderbolt 3, it may not have the proper support for an external TB3 chassis. Wondering if the Acer V15 Nitro Black Edition which is I believe the cheapest thunderbolt 3 laptop (6700hq processor, 1080p screen, 8gb ram, 960m for $850 on amazon and newegg) wouldnt work with a chassis unless they updated the BIOS.

[Dschijn]

I think that is "just" regarding to ability for hot plugging the eGPU. Any Laptop with TB3 should at least be able to work with an external monitor connected to the eGPU with the eGPU connected before the boot.

[Simulacron]

At CES, Asus announced the Asus RoG XG2, and Razer announced the Razer Core eGPU docking stations. Both use Thunderbolt 3 to connect to a laptop. These boxes are pretty sexy.  I don't think prices have been announced yet, but these seem like they'd be ideal eGPU solutions. Most of the "DIY" is taken out of the equation (no cable soldering), making the use of an eGPU much more approachable for more Mac gamers.  

 

Anyone have any idea whether these will work?

 

Both of them specify Thunderbolt 3, so would these be backward compatible with our Thunderbolt 2 Macs?

 

I'm trying to decide whether to go down the DIY assemble-it-yourself and solder-it-yourself route, or whether to wait a few months for one of these eGPU docking stations to become available.

 

More info: 

Razer Core: http://www.pcworld.com/article/3019369/hardware/the-razer-core-can-boost-any-thunderbolt-3-equipped-laptop-with-an-external-gpu.html

Asus RoG XG2: http://www.pcworld.com/article/3019297/hardware/asus-rog-xg-station-2-dock-wants-to-up-your-laptops-game-with-desktop-graphics.html

Edited January 13, 2016 by Simulacron

[Dschijn]

Currently I have just seen one adapter that will allow you to connect TB2 peripherals to TB3 Laptops.

[flerwa]

Kanex announced a lot of interesting products for upcoming Thunderbolt 3 Notebooks a few time ago....

http://www.kanex.com/thunderbolt3/

 

Also an  Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

[Splitframe]

On 1/12/2016 at 9:21 AM, EpicBlob said:

 

This seems to mean that even if a laptop has thunderbolt 3, it may not have the proper support for an external TB3 chassis. Wondering if the Acer V15 Nitro Black Edition which is I believe the cheapest thunderbolt 3 laptop (6700hq processor, 1080p screen, 8gb ram, 960m for $850 on amazon and newegg) wouldnt work with a chassis unless they updated the BIOS.

Like you said the V15 Nitro BE has a GTX 960m. So it already has switchable graphics doesn't it?
So it should be possible to use the razer core.

Or am I wrong there?

[Quix Omega]

3 hours ago, Splitframe said:

Like you said the V15 Nitro BE has a GTX 960m. So it already has switchable graphics doesn't it?
So it should be possible to use the razer core.

Or am I wrong there?

Probably, but no one is sure. I've already bought an XPS 15 (9550) which has both Thunderbolt 3 and an Nvidia GPU so I'm watching for a good solution to show up, although I think I'll wait for the next-gen graphics cards to show up before I actually shell out for a setup.

[Morv]

9 hours ago, Splitframe said:

Like you said the V15 Nitro BE has a GTX 960m. So it already has switchable graphics doesn't it?
So it should be possible to use the razer core.

Or am I wrong there?

 

I don't see how a Nvidia dGPU is supposed to be necessary for switchable eGPU graphics. They've got nothing to do with each other. The activated Intel iGPU is important. Therefore if one is solely interested in having a eGPU-at-home-able light but still powerful notebook he'd search for a notebook with Intel i7 CPU and no discrete graphics at all.

 

 

Besides that, Nvidia has implemented beta support for upcoming Thunderbolt 3 eGPUs

 

" Gaming Technology
Beta support on GeForce GTX GPUs for external graphics over Thunderbolt 3 "

 

in their latest driver version 361.75 WHQL.

[Dschijn]

@Morv Ha, I just wanted to post that too
Can anyone test the latest driver?

[Splitframe]

2 hours ago, Morv said:

 

I don't see how a Nvidia dGPU is supposed to be necessary for switchable eGPU graphics. They've got nothing to do with each other. The activated Intel iGPU is important. Therefore if one is solely interested in having a eGPU-at-home-able light but still powerful notebook he'd search for a notebook with Intel i7 CPU and no discrete graphics at all.

 

 

Besides that, Nvidia has implemented beta support for upcoming Thunderbolt 3 eGPUs

 

" Gaming Technology
Beta support on GeForce GTX GPUs for external graphics over Thunderbolt 3 "

 

in their latest driver version 361.75 WHQL.

 

I just assumed that "switchable graphics" was a bios feature that allowed to switch between graphics cards

and that Notebooks that already feature a dGPU and iGPU need that feature anyway.

 

I, too, hope that notebooks with no dGPU and switchable graphics support come out that are lightweight, but still pack a punch with a 6700hq.

 

But the specs of the Acer, for example, still look very promising even with the 960m, but then again... it's Acer and I don't know 
if the Nitro Black Edition  is more on the side of the other Aspires or Travelmates in term of build quality.

 

Time will tell I guess, can't wait for the Thunder 3 Box from Akitio.

[davide445]

Akitio released the new Thunder3 RAID storage enclosure.

The Specs state 2xTB3 USB-C ports, external power adapter, with output DC +12V/7.5A.

Maybe the output is dependent on the power adapter itself, so the complex DIY mod of the Thunder2 can be avoided?

[Morv]

4 minutes ago, davide445 said:

Akitio released the new Thunder3 RAID storage enclosure.

The Specs state 2xTB3 USB-C ports, external power adapter, with output DC +12V/7.5A.

Maybe the output is dependent on the power adapter itself, so the complex DIY mod of the Thunder2 can be avoided?

 

That's not the successor of the Akitio Thunder2 PCIe Box, that thing still has to be released. This thing is only for HDD/SSD usage as you named it by RAID storage enclosure. So your further thoughts are irrelevant. Wait for the proper Thunder3 PCIe Box or whatever they're going to name it.