eGPU experiences [version 2.0]

[WonderGoal]

So... I upgraded my CPU from a T9550 (2,66GHz @ 2,8GHz) to a T9900 (3,06GHz @ 3,2GHz), Benchmarks with the new Nvidia 314.07 driver:

My new benchmark results:

- 14174 points in 3dmark06 (1280x1024) - old results: 12637 with 314.07, 12600 with 310.90

- 1274 points in heaven (1280x800, DX9, High)

- 3046 points 3dmark11 mit 314.07 (1280x800) - old result: 2980 mit 306.23

- 9703 points 3dmark vantage (1280x800) - old result: 8753 mit 306.23

- 88,4 fps in RE5 (1280x800) - old result: 79,1 mit 306.23

Specs:

15.6" Lenovo T500

Intel T9900 (ICH9M) with Switchable Graphics: Intel 4500MHD & ATI HD3650

NVIDIA GTX 460 1GB (MSI HAWK) - [email protected]

Windows 7 / 64 Bit

8 GB DDR3 1066 RAM

128 GB SSD

eGPU setup:

PE4H v2.4a with EC2C

450W SFX-PSU

Setup 1.x (110b5)

external: 22" 1680x1050 LCD

Nvidia driver 314.07

Probably I would try next to establish an x2-Lane via PM3N.

@Tech Inferno Fan: If you read this post, in your table in post #2 are still two of my old results published. You can delete them and replace it with this new results. Thanks!

[MystPhysX]

Just tried it right now. Works well, no problems here.

Did you run into any problems with your card?

Yeah I'm pretty much stuck at the moment. I'm using a 560ti with a rMBP and a Mercury Helios. I've managed to get the GPU to show up in Win 7 x64 with no errors whatsoever and have also managed to install the drivers without a hitch. The problem I have is my external display continues to display a cable not connected image even after Win 7 boots up and the eGPU is connected. I've confirmed that the display works with my other laptop and have confirmed that the DVI-VGA adapter works using my desktop (where the card was originally installed). When I try to open the Nvidia Control Panel it throws up an error which tells me that the GPU isn't connected to a display for some strange reason. Any ideas?

Thanks for replying!

[fzrashid]

HI everyone, I have a quick question. I have a 2012 macbook pro 13 with Sonnet Echo Pro Expresscard. I am confused about which component to get, should I go with PE4H-EC060A V3.2 or PE4L-EC060A V2.1? I would be immensely grateful if someone could answer quickly.

[M-Low]

I read, some where a while back, that one of the limiting factors of the TH05 setup is the thunderbolt cable itself. The regular copper cables over-heat and don't transfer signals as fast over distances, which creates a potential limitation of the TH05 board and/or the thunderbolt port setup. (this could be an erroneous post - I'm not an expert at all). What I wanted to show the group was new optical cables!!! This should be a pretty decent performance boost, no? (not sure if this is old news, but it is exciting news)

Products - Optical Cables by Corning

Legit!!! Corning such an awesome/cool company.

[naturbo2000]

We should, especially as I went to very little effort to make my system tidy :-) (T420 with an external 560ti448 in a CoolerMaster Eilte 120).

The missus really doesn't mind my gaming PC now that it's not housed in a TJ09.

Setup is clean and the laptop itself is mobile, but I might aim somewhere else if I wanted the whole system for LAN parties etc. (though even then Optimus would mean there's no need to take a monitor).

I'll make sure I take a piccy real soon.

I've gone a step further and watercooled my gpu, as I couldn't stand the racket of it and found a good price on a Corsair H40.

Not silent, but a vast improvement. It's allowed me a small overclock without driving the noise up, to a 3dmark11 graphics score of 5513 (external monitor)

[Tech Inferno Fan]

hi everyone!

I am planning to get a MacBook pro for eGPU; either MacBook Pro 13 or Retina MacBook Pro 13. Could anyone please suggest which one would provide the best and reliable egpu experience?

Either will do the job. What we know of as of today summarized below. The Macbook Pro (non Retina) version having more versatility since a EFI Win8 install is plug'n'play.

Macbook Pro 13: EFI install = plug n' play, MBR/BIOS install requires PERST# delay and DIY eGPU Setup 1.20

Macboot Pro 13" Retina: EFI install = problems. MBR/BIOS install requires PERST# on hardware and DIY eGPU Setup 1.20

HI everyone, I have a quick question. I have a 2012 macbook pro 13 with Sonnet Echo Pro Expresscard. I am confused about which component to get, should I go with PE4H-EC060A V3.2 or PE4L-EC060A V2.1? I would be immensely grateful if someone could answer quickly.

Either will do the job at x1 2.0 link speed. The PE4H-EC060A V3.2 giving a nice enclosure option + external ATX jack that can use multi-rail PSUs but observe the limits on size and pci-e power connectors it imposes. The PE4L V2.1 can only make use of the first rail if using a multi-rail ATX PSU.

Though you might want to hold of on either. Why? You may soon see a writeup by MystPhysX about how to modify a US$5 x8/x16 pci-e riser adapter (PERST# delay) for use together with a $320 Sonnet Echo Express SE or $320 OWC Helios so it works with a MBP/MBPr. You'd need the $40-$50 Thunderbolt cable too. Going that route will give you a native Thunderbolt link with more than double the bandwidth of the PE4L/PE4H + Sonnet TB-to-expresscard adapter solutions. You'd be seeing x2 2.0 + 12.5% levels of bandwidth which makes a considerable difference if wanting to use the internal LCD mode using NVidia Optimus or LucidLogix Virtu.

Still lamenting how we had then the US$180 (inc Thunderbolt cable) TH05 Thunderbolt eGPU adapter due to (Intel/Apple??) product recall. Worked out of the box without needed any mods and imposed no chassis limitations since it had no enclosure for it.

[polish33]

Hi guys! In connection with the fact that I badly know the English language and for writing this text use the translator may not everyone will understand what I wrote. Please forgive me,but I need Your help

And so, two days ago was my adapter PE4H ver2.4+EC2C,after connecting in him GTX560Ti all earned with the use of an external monitor 1080p and my laptop. The question here is when playing Battlefield 3 and World of tanks Fps significantly sinks,as well as present a stuttering. How can I solve this problem? Thank you in advance!

Specs:

15.6" MSI GX640

Intel i5 430м (HM55)

dGpu Ati Radeon 5850m

Windows 7 / 64 Bit

4 GB DDR3 1066 RAM

128 GB SSD

eGPU setup:

PE4H v2.4a with EC2C

600W THERMALTAKE

GTX560TI

external: 32" 1920×1080

Nvidia driver 314.07 desktop driver

[fzrashid]

@Tech Inferno Fan thank you. Just placed an order for PE4L-EC060A. Will power it through modified XBox 360 175W Power Adapter. The Native thunderbolt solution is too expensive for me (I'm in UK). If anything affordable come out in the future, Ill replace it a heart beat.

[kizwan]

Hi guys! In connection with the fact that I badly know the English language and for writing this text use the translator may not everyone will understand what I wrote. Please forgive me,but I need Your help

And so, two days ago was my adapter PE4H ver2.4+EC2C,after connecting in him GTX560Ti all earned with the use of an external monitor 1080p and my laptop. The question here is when playing Battlefield 3 and World of tanks Fps significantly sinks,as well as present a stuttering. How can I solve this problem? Thank you in advance!

Specs:

15.6" MSI GX640

Intel i5 430м (HM55)

dGpu Ati Radeon 5850m

Windows 7 / 64 Bit

4 GB DDR3 1066 RAM

128 GB SSD

eGPU setup:

PE4H v2.4a with EC2C

600W THERMALTAKE

GTX560TI

external: 32" 1920×1080

Nvidia driver 314.07 desktop driver

Your eGPU is running at PCIe rev 1.0 speed. This is why you are experiencing stuttering when playing games. Your laptop only support PCIe rev 1.0. Only Sandy Bridge laptop & above support PCIe rev 2.0 speed. Stuttering should be less with PCIe rev 2.0.

[prizm3d]

First of all thank you to all you guys for this wonderful project!

I have successfully setup a egpu with my Lenovo X220 (i7, 8GB, 160GB SSD) paired with a GTX 560Ti 448 through a PE4L 2.1b.

The system detects the card just fine, i installed the drivers and everything (even did a 3dmark 11 performance benchmark and got a score of 4525)

Sleeping dogs worked great and all, but when i tried to pay saints row 3, the game always crashes in the flashbang part in the first mission.

Crysis 3 also crashes

Just cause 2 worked just fine for a while until that too crashed.

All of the crashes gave a BSOD with nvlddmkm.sys error.

I also installed furmark and everytime i simply click the button to start a benchmark the computer immediately crashes!

did anyone experience this or by any chance know how to fix it?

thanks very much!

[fzrashid]

First of all thank you to all you guys for this wonderful project!

I have successfully setup a egpu with my Lenovo X220 (i7, 8GB, 160GB SSD) paired with a GTX 560Ti 448 through a PE4L 2.1b.

The system detects the card just fine, i installed the drivers and everything (even did a 3dmark 11 performance benchmark and got a score of 4525)

Sleeping dogs worked great and all, but when i tried to pay saints row 3, the game always crashes in the flashbang part in the first mission.

Crysis 3 also crashes

Just cause 2 worked just fine for a while until that too crashed.

All of the crashes gave a BSOD with nvlddmkm.sys error.

I also installed furmark and everytime i simply click the button to start a benchmark the computer immediately crashes!

did anyone experience this or by any chance know how to fix it?

thanks very much!

whats your PSW? Are you sure it's getting adequate power?

[polish33]

My problem, other than a change of laptop do not solve?

[Tech Inferno Fan]

First of all thank you to all you guys for this wonderful project!

I have successfully setup a egpu with my Lenovo X220 (i7, 8GB, 160GB SSD) paired with a GTX 560Ti 448 through a PE4L 2.1b.

The system detects the card just fine, i installed the drivers and everything (even did a 3dmark 11 performance benchmark and got a score of 4525)

Sleeping dogs worked great and all, but when i tried to pay saints row 3, the game always crashes in the flashbang part in the first mission.

Crysis 3 also crashes

Just cause 2 worked just fine for a while until that too crashed.

All of the crashes gave a BSOD with nvlddmkm.sys error.

I also installed furmark and everytime i simply click the button to start a benchmark the computer immediately crashes!

did anyone experience this or by any chance know how to fix it?

thanks very much!

Furmark crashing indicates you probably have power starvation. Try a higher specced PSU. A GTX560Ti448 is pretty much like a GTX570 which can require up to 298W at full load. You'd need a PSU with a single rail capable of supplying at least 12V/25A to reliably drive it.

My problem, other than a change of laptop do not solve?

Your GX640 has a Series-5 chipset (pci-e 1.x), a H5850M dGPU and no iGPU. So you would see straight x1 1.0 stuttering/poor performance from your GTX560TI. Only way of improving it would be doing a x2 1.0 implementation requiring an accessible adjacent mPCIe port. You would still find the HD5850M dGPU performs better than the eGPU even after doing that.

A more cost effective solution would be to offload the notebook and replace it with an inexpensive Series-6/7 one (pci-e 2.0) with an iGPU, eg: HP Probook 4530s, and purchased a pci-e 2.0 capable PE4L-ECxxx/PMxxx 2.1. Then you'd see x1.2Opt performance which is considerably better. How much better? See the x1 1.0 versus x1.2Opt comparison at http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2747-12-5-dell-e6230-gtx660%40x1-2opt-hd7870%40x1-2-pe4l-ec060a-2-1b.html#post37197

[amgclevo]

So, with the bandwidth provided by an i7 3630qm on HM77 with thunderbolt, a GTX680 or HD7970 can reach its full potential?

[prizm3d]

Furmark crashing indicates you probably have power starvation. Try a higher specced PSU. A GTX560Ti448 is pretty much like a GTX570 which can require up to 298W at full load. You'd need a PSU with a single rail capable of supplying at least 12V/25A to reliably drive it.

WOW! And I thought the max power consumption is the TDP which is 210W and im running the card using an xbox PSU!

Thanks for the quick reply, ill try to get my hands on a PC PSU with that rating and see if furmark runs.

[fzrashid]

WOW! And I thought the max power consumption is the TDP which is 210W and im running the card using an xbox PSU!

Thanks for the quick reply, ill try to get my hands on a PC PSU with that rating and see if furmark runs.

Were you using the old XBox 360 (175W) adapter, or the newer slim one (135W)?

[prizm3d]

Were you using the old XBox 360 (175W) adapter, or the newer slim one (135W)?

I used the 203W one....

[Han1984]

Guys,

I currently have a HP Probook 4730s with PE4L 2.1b setup along with my Geforce 660 TI.

Things are working beautifully ever since Nando's driver tip. Thank you again Nando, you're a lifesaver.

I have some questions to any of you if I may..

1. I am thinking of returning my card and getting the EVGA Geforce 660 TI superclocked with 3GB of ram. Is this worth it or will it be bottlenecked by the PE4L and not make any difference. Overall, is it worth it at all to upgrade from my current card?

2. After a few crashes, I no longer have a "hibernate" option on the start menu of my windows 7. I looked everywhere for a solution but they're all saying switch things in the power settings, which I already have. Nothing's getting my hibernate button back. Any ideas?

3. Now that I've got my setup working, I'd be glad to volunteer to do some benchmarking and add onto Nando's stat collection. How can I help?

[Northern-Loop]

Hello, I have a Dell M6700 with a EC 2 Slot and I have purchased a Vidock to use with GTX 670 but I can only seem to run it at 1x @ 1.1/2.0? Is the 1x the best I can hope for? The performance isn't the best using that.

1 other thing if I enable the Intel 4000 GPU the Nvidia control panel complains that I don't have a Nvidia GPU installed? dGPU is Quadro k3000M

[mrbauer]

Hello,

1x is the best you can get with an EC2 Slot. So you best go with [email protected] and try to enable optimus, since you have a GTX 670.

X2 and higher are only possible with more than one ECSlot or mpie slot or a combination of both. And I think they wont work at 2.0 speed.

[Northern-Loop]

Hello,

1x is the best you can get with an EC2 Slot. So you best go with [email protected] and try to enable optimus, since you have a GTX 670.

X2 and higher are only possible with more than one ECSlot or mpie slot or a combination of both. And I think they wont work at 2.0 speed.

Ah right thanks,

I have 3 GPUs installed,

Intel 4000

Quadro k3000M

GTX 670

The Nvidia control panel says I dont have a Nvidia GPU installed when the GTX is installed. If I disable the Intel 4000 I can get in there with the 2 Nvidia GPUs but I dont have optimus setting. Not sure how to get it working?

[Northern-Loop]

Hello,

1x is the best you can get with an EC2 Slot. So you best go with [email protected] and try to enable optimus, since you have a GTX 670.

X2 and higher are only possible with more than one ECSlot or mpie slot or a combination of both. And I think they wont work at 2.0 speed.

Do you have the Nvidia GTX 670 driver with the optimus enabled? - I have tried to amend the NVAM.INF file but the Nvidia control panel still complains that there is no Nvidia GPU enabled.

[rhx123]

Well I'm doing an eGPU project very soon (some of the parts have been ordered) but I have a few questions.

-What is the USB port on the PE4L for?

-I have Thinkpad X220 Tablet with 8GB RAM. Do you think I will need to use Setup 1.x?

-What is the different between Opt1.2x and Opt1.1x and which will I end up with?

Thanks

[Renovatio]

What happened to nando´s eGPU guide on the first page (first post)? His post is completely gone, including the FAQ...

[Northern-Loop]

Do I need the Setup 1x to enable optimus? My GTX670 is enabled and working but I can't get into the Nvidia control panel because it says there is no Nvidia GPUs installed.

I have 2, the disabled dGPU Quadro 3000m and my eGPU GTX670