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Q: How could AKiTiO improve their current TB2 or upcoming TB3 enclosure?


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As Intel will be supporting eGPUs in their Thunderbolt3 interface (TB3-32Gbps, x4 3.0 - ref: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/10147-intel-unveils-thunderbolt-3-0-mentions-external-graphics-skylake-2016-a.html#post135216 ), I'd like to present our collective ideas to AKiTiO to improve our eGPU implementation experience. So a question to our users:

Q: How could AKiTiO improve their current AKiTiO Thunder2 TB2 enclosure and/or their upcoming TB3 enclosure for eGPU use? AKiTiO could prep a new TB2 enclosure with the desirable features and just swap in TB3 components when released in 2016.

Please post your ideas which I'll collate in this opening post.

Some areas you may want to address in your post could be below. You may consider referencing standout features of modified modified AKiTiO enclosures linked from http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/6578-implementations-hub-tb-ec-mpcie.html#Thunderbolt in your post.

  • chassis size and style
  • input power supply (eg: ATX/SFX/AC adapter)
  • cooling
  • price

Here's some of mine:

Chassis size and style

  • Make the AKiTiO taller so at least the 124m tall ITX style cards along with a standard PCIe connector can fit and the top cover slide over
  • Make it longer, eg: 10.57" MSI GTX970 card fits. Performance cards are around that size and/or ..
  • Use an screwable endplate that can be removed to allow unlimited length cards to fit without us having to bend the case and void our warranty. The outer cover should still fit over the card to mostly protect the card during transport
  • Remove the sharp edge on the inner top side of the AKiTiO top cover that can otherwise slice a PCIe connector. Ref: http://forum.techinferno.com/enclosures-adapters/9951-low-profile-pcie-connectors-discussion.html#post133216

Cooling

  • Provide an option for a pre-drilled outer cover so ventilation is good, eg: ViDock Nano.

Input power

Others

Price

  • Keep the cost at the current US$189 inc Thunderbolt cable is to make it financially viable when comparing to the cost of a desktop system

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Some ideas

Chassis size and style

  • length to host full length GPUs (280-300mm)
  • 2 versions black / brushed aluminum
  • higher for PCIe power plugs and extra wide cards (like the MSI and Asus cards)
  • keep the horizontal slot style to achive a slim footprint
  • 20mm wider and extra space in front of the GPU cooler

Cooling

  • more mesh for ventialtion (exhaust: top & back / intake: left side)
  • dual front cooling fans 2x60mm or 2x80mm, if no side mesh!
  • active intake (with fans)
  • passive exhaust (without fans)

Input power

  • DA-2 support, easiest by the 8-Pin plug beeing stock on the case
  • TFX PSU support. Similar to the Sonnet III-D to have a "basement" section with a beefy TFX PSU like the 300W be quiet! 85x70x185mm (width x heights x length)
  • another strong 12V PSU active cooled inside the case (300-400W)
  • external 19.5V PSUs, e.g. from Alienware Laptops with more than 300W and an internal PCB for transfering it into 12V, like the HDPlex 250W (can handle much more wattage when active cooled). The HDPlex was tested to run a ITX PC with GTX Titian!

Others

  • carry on handle on the top
  • DSLR style carry bag
  • ITX GPU version (half length cards) with smaller case, 150-200W PSU and one internal 6-Pin PCIe plug

Price

  • simple setup ~ 200$ US
  • advanced setup (big PSU, good cooling) ~ 300$ US
  • cheaper world wide shipping costs? :D

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I had some private correspondance with some of our eGPU users about this. Haven't seen them post them yet so, I'll quote what I got PMed. If they do post themselves then I'll delete their quoted text below.

All of that sounds good the only thing I might add is for those that want to keep it internal in addition to #3 is dual fans on the front as there would be room height wise that would double forced output cooling. They could still only supply one but have a power position and cutouts already set for a second that could be added. Just looked at the Highpoint (sort of like that).

The only real issues I had was nice power integration which your points relating to power could fix and then the height. If they still wanted to keep it small just a little more length and height would solve only having a few direct fit as it would open it to many of the smaller cards.

Guess that is not much to add as you covered most of the concerns I had.

Brion

- For portability I would suggest some lighter material, the inner chassis is very heavy at the moment

- The outer chassis could be thinner too

- if I was to design the new box, I would use aluminum for the outer shell

- Keep the price at the same level, supporting full length cards may mean expensive price

There is a group of people who want the best performing cards for GPGPU purposes like me. I don’t care much about portability. Maybe this is more what they have been thinking as they mentioned "2U Thunderbolt2 rack". This should be totally different product including/not including fanless Flex, SFX, or ATX size PSU with small footprint, a “tower model” would be ideal and PSU placed at the bottom, GPU positioned vertically. The truth is that this kind of design will be rejected by Intel immediately if affordable.

So better to focus on ITX sized cards, powered by external power brick and 6pin/8-pin power splitting possibility.

- resolve the R9 270X / 280X low power problem

- design the board with up to 75W power resource, because that is a standard. We don’t know what are the requirements of Intel certification process, but considering these, and if Intel requires 25W, make it easily DIY’able (such as bigger 4-pin molex connectors) so that Intel won’t put stop to it.

Hello Nando4 - this seams very promising !

I like the idea about room for larger cards, and pre-cut holes for air ventilation.

In general my concern was the size.

I would like to see some hardware controlled with internal switches for the fan (eg. Silent, normal, extreme mode), and maybe another fan in the front .

I'm using a Henge Dock, and the Akitio Thunderbolt cable is not the same dimensions as the original apple, which makes it really hard to use with the dock.

I know it's a item quiet unrelated, however I just wanted to air the thought.

I think your ideas are great with total priority to:

* additional capacitors to get AMD video card stability

* a new power connector (8 pin din or ATX),

* longer and higher

* drilled holes for ventilation

I would also add:

* A version sold without the PSU

* slimmer edge because DVI connectors at the bottom of the card cannot be inserted but that's very minor since DVI cables can easily be trimmed/cut to fit (I didt it once)

* a single or dual 120mm silent fan on the side instead of the small noisier one

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I think it would increase the price of the unit a lot, however a premium edition with lan, usb3.0 line in/out etc. However no gfx output, that will be done by the gpu.

I think that will happen with TB3 for sure. With official eGPU support they can combine TB docking stations and eGPUs. With the current price of TB docks in mind I doubt that it's going to be cheap (600-700$).

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If as noted Intel has given the eGPU's a green light then the best thing Akitio could do is to Make an eGPU Case by providing the following:

#1 - Power supply connector that can handle upwards of say 300-400 watts (possibly supplied with a 200watt min power adaptor so that it would be able to handle most cards right off the bat)

#2 - On circuit board Dual PCIe 6 pin ports with (3) 12v and (3) Ground pins, By PCIe standards this would allow people with 8 pin cards to use a PCIe 6 pin to 8Pin adapter. My set-up is ONLY capable of running 6pin cards as I reduced the power lines by one to my PCIe connectors for compactness.

Other than that it is all cosmetic and packaging.

If the really want to get fancy they could have an external SLI connection so you could add Akitios next to each other for SLI if you wanted later but at that point you might as well not really have an eGPU and move on to a full case set-up.

I still like the compactness even though I wasn't going for portability myself so a case just a little longer to be able to facilitate more cards internally with the ability to maybe remove the front plate for the that want longer cards.

The internal dimension of the case does need to be about 10mm taller to facilitate using just standard PCIe plugs with low profile cards.. It probably needs about 20-25mm in height to facilitate tall cards and plugs

As I mentioned in the private correspondence posted dual front fans or the ability to add an additional front fan with a little trimming, like they did on older computers where they stamped the port openings but if you wanted to use them you had to break out the tab. Power port on card would need to be available for use. On the additions aspect possibly a temperature based fan curve.

The current price is good granted additions and changes normally bring about more cost the competing point here would be that someone would say I'm spending too much I will just build a new PC. Granted using this for the Mac side is different as you are generally stuck with the card they hand up to you with your purchase.

Brion

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Exactly! Pico PSUs can transfer 19,5V input voltage into a 12V output. An awesome way to create small eGPU systems.

Since that high wattage PSUs are expensive (PICO + external PSU), I would assume that a small internal PSU could be cheaper and more efficient.

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