eGPU experiences [version 2.0]

[ald3r]

Hi

I am new to the eGPU scene, actually just came across a lifehacker article. I figured i might post a few of my pc specs to see if you guys think it would be worth it to try and hook up an external graphics card. i got my laptop a while ago in 2009,

sony VGN-AW390 running windows 8.

integrated nVIDIA video card,

i do have an expresscard slot.

processor is intel centrino 2.

1920x1080 18" display.

are there any other specs you would need to make a suggestion?

thanks for your time

[Everonfan]

Hello everyone! It's my first post here...

I would like to know how would it work an eGPU with my laptop... I'm really interested in acquring a Vidock 4 Plus Overdrive for my system. The specifications are as follows:

Toshiba Qosmio F50-10Q

Intel PM45 Express chipset

Nvidia 9700m GTS dGPU

Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme X9100 processor

4 gb RAM 800 Mhz

Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bits

And of course... An empty Express Card 1.1 slot.

With this configuration I'm able to play Directx 9.0c based games pretty good (30 - 60 FPS in Resident Evil 5 maxed out, for example), but it's not working so well for Directx 10 and of course it's also not compatible with Directx 11. And that's pretty annoying for me!

My intention is to play on an external Samsung Led 32" at 720p (a native resolution in this LED wich gives a FANTASTIC quality at 1176 x 664... I really don't need more), using FXAA and I would also be very happy if a get around 60 FPS in games like Crysis 2 or Max Payne 3.

So these are my questions:

1. What is the best Nvidia card that I can get for my requirements?

2. There is a way of enabling Nvidia Optimus (or a similar driver) for my system? I know that PM45 can be a bit difficult... But I want to be sure. I'm afraid that Express Card x1 would make a huge bottleneck even with modern graphic cards like GTX 600 series.

3. It's necessary to install extra software (appart of Nvidia drivers, of course) on my laptop to make the Vidock 4 Plus Overdrive work?

Thank you very much for your help and patience!

Greetings from Spain.

Everonfan.

[Tech Inferno Fan]

Hi

I am new to the eGPU scene, actually just came across a lifehacker article. I figured i might post a few of my pc specs to see if you guys think it would be worth it to try and hook up an external graphics card. i got my laptop a while ago in 2009,

sony VGN-AW390 running windows 8.

integrated nVIDIA video card,

i do have an expresscard slot.

processor is intel centrino 2.

1920x1080 18" display.

are there any other specs you would need to make a suggestion?

thanks for your time

Hello everyone! It's my first post here...

I would like to know how would it work an eGPU with my laptop... I'm really interested in acquring a Vidock 4 Plus Overdrive for my system. The specifications are as follows:

Toshiba Qosmio F50-10Q

Intel PM45 Express chipset

Nvidia 9700m GTS dGPU

Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme X9100 processor

4 gb RAM 800 Mhz

Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bits

And of course... An empty Express Card 1.1 slot.

With this configuration I'm able to play Directx 9.0c based games pretty good (30 - 60 FPS in Resident Evil 5 maxed out, for example), but it's not working so well for Directx 10 and of course it's also not compatible with Directx 11. And that's pretty annoying for me!

My intention is to play on an external Samsung Led 32" at 720p (a native resolution in this LED wich gives a FANTASTIC quality at 1176 x 664... I really don't need more), using FXAA and I would also be very happy if a get around 60 FPS in games like Crysis 2 or Max Payne 3.

So these are my questions:

1. What is the best Nvidia card that I can get for my requirements?

2. There is a way of enabling Nvidia Optimus (or a similar driver) for my system? I know that PM45 can be a bit difficult... But I want to be sure. I'm afraid that Express Card x1 would make a huge bottleneck even with modern graphic cards like GTX 600 series.

3. It's necessary to install extra software (appart of Nvidia drivers, of course) on my laptop to make the Vidock 4 Plus Overdrive work?

Thank you very much for your help and patience!

Greetings from Spain.

Everonfan.

@Everonfan and @ald3r - you both have poor eGPU candidate systems because (1) neither has an Intel iGPU and both are older systems capable of only pci-e 1.1. @Everonfan , it would be quite a poor investment of money to purchase a ViDock 4 Plus for your system as the performance would be unacceptably choppy.

Instead I recommend you both consider offloading your systems replacing them with inexpensive Sandy Bridge, iGPU-equipped systems with expresscard slots. Good candidates there being: HP 4530b, Lenovo E520/T520 or Dell 3550/E6520. Just pair it with a US$91-shipped PE4L-EC060A 2.1b, ATX PSU and a GTX560Ti/GTX660Ti to get very good x1.2Opt performance (pci-e 2.0 + pci-e compression).

REF:

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

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/3062-13-mbp-gtx660ti-hd7870-th05-%40-x2-2-0-a.html#post42483

[Everonfan]

@Everonfan and @ald3r - you both have poor eGPU candidate systems because (1) neither has an Intel iGPU and both are older systems capable of only pci-e 1.1. @Everonfan , it would be quite a poor investment of money to purchase a ViDock 4 Plus for your system as the performance would be unacceptably choppy.

Instead I recommend you both consider offloading your systems replacing them with inexpensive Sandy Bridge, iGPU-equipped systems with expresscard slots. Good candidates there being: HP 4530b, Lenovo E520/T520 or Dell 3550/E6520. Just pair it with a US$91-shipped PE4L-EC060A 2.1b, ATX PSU and a GTX560Ti/GTX660Ti to get very good x1.2Opt performance (pci-e 2.0 + pci-e compression).

REF:

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

http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/3062-13-mbp-gtx660ti-hd7870-th05-%40-x2-2-0-a.html#post42483

Thank you very much for your answer, Nando!

But I'm sorry to hear that... My intention was keep using my old Qosmio for a while. I love this laptop!

I thought that even with the limited bandwidth of an Express Card 1.1, with a Vidock 4 Plus Overdrive combined with a GTX 660 ti I would be able to play demanding Directx 11 games at 1176 x 664 (720p) on my external LED TV with medium to high details while using FXAA and still be able to get 30 - 60 FPS. I don't really need more than that! Are your sure that I will no be able to reach that level with my Toshiba?

I know that it's an expensive solution for a sub-optimal performance... But I don't care if I'm still able to keep my actual system.

Thank you very much again for your help and this fantastic forum.

Everonfan.

[naturbo2000]

About the closest example of what you might achieve is nando's own testing here: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2904-12-1-hp-2530p-gtx560t-gtx460%40x1-opt-pe4h-2-4-a.html#post40076

You are going to be massively bandwidth constrained. Will there be enough bandwidth for 720p on modern dx11 games? Maybe just, but it will be mighty close. Dirt 2 isn't very demanding and only just gets almost 30fps at 1080p with high settings. I'd guess on a 660 being maybe 10% faster in your system (ti might be 20%) and there would be some gain from dropping to 720p, but I don't think that's enough for crysis 2 on high (I'm thinking more like 20-30fps on med!).

Of course - this is speculation. I don't think we have data for anyone trying this, because it would be cheaper and better performance to use a lower spec graphics card with a higher spec laptop.

[Tech Inferno Fan]

Thank you very much for your answer, Nando!

But I'm sorry to hear that... My intention was keep using my old Qosmio for a while. I love this laptop!

I thought that even with the limited bandwidth of an Express Card 1.1, with a Vidock 4 Plus Overdrive combined with a GTX 660 ti I would be able to play demanding Directx 11 games at 1176 x 664 (720p) on my external LED TV with medium to high details while using FXAA and still be able to get 30 - 60 FPS. I don't really need more than that! Are your sure that I will no be able to reach that level with my Toshiba?

I know that it's an expensive solution for a sub-optimal performance... But I don't care if I'm still able to keep my actual system.

Thank you very much again for your help and this fantastic forum.

Everonfan.

As much as you may like your Qosmio it's now a 4 generations old system. If going to the trouble of improving performance then why keep it? A Sandy Bridge i5 system like a HP 4530s will run rings around it. Consider the savings in getting a US$91-shipped PE4L-EC060A + basic ATX PSU (salvaged) + GTX560Ti over a ViDock could be put towards such a budget Sandy Bridge notebook capable of x1.2Opt. Then end configuration will provide significantly better CPU, GPU and battery life than your existing system. A HP 4530s can also be retrofitted with a 1080P LCD. REF: HP Probook 4530s screen upgrade 900P, 1080P .

Or you could even consider more portable systems like a 12.5" HP 2560P/2570P or Lenovo X220/X230. The former can even be upgraded to a i7-quad via it's socketted CPU. Those too are capable of x1.2Opt.

Now if you do decide to go down your suggested Villagetronic path with your existing system, which I do not recommend due to the poor performance, then note vendor and community support for that Villagetronic products is at http://www.facebook.com/VillageViDock .

About the closest example of what you might achieve is nando's own testing here: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2904-12-1-hp-2530p-gtx560t-gtx460%40x1-opt-pe4h-2-4-a.html#post40076

You are going to be massively bandwidth constrained. Will there be enough bandwidth for 720p on modern dx11 games? Maybe just, but it will be mighty close. Dirt 2 isn't very demanding and only just gets almost 30fps at 1080p with high settings. I'd guess on a 660 being maybe 10% faster in your system (ti might be 20%) and there would be some gain from dropping to 720p, but I don't think that's enough for crysis 2 on high (I'm thinking more like 20-30fps on med!).

Of course - this is speculation. I don't think we have data for anyone trying this, because it would be cheaper and better performance to use a lower spec graphics card with a higher spec laptop.

Everonfan won't see the level of performance my 2530P implementation had as his system has no iGPU. Meaning it won't see the pci-e compression (x1.Opt). DX9 and to a less extent DX10 games would see very choppy performance when using a NVidia card. An AMD card will give better DX9 performance on his system but will see worse DX10/DX11 performance as runs half-duplex bandwidth on those older chipsets.

[Renovatio]

[News] Intel confirms that faster Thunderbolt (20Gbs) is coming 2014

New Intel Thunderbolt™ Advancements at the NAB Show

[Lafius]

ok guys the only thing that i know is that i have a 34mm expresscard slot (not even sure), and i need a gpu boost:D

i want to set it up but i need your help please ... here's my questions :

- can i run the eGPU using a charger (like the one with the laptop)? without a PSU ? because i want it to be portable as much as possible.

- can i run this setup on the laptop LCD ? ( i have i3 330m with integrated HD400 ).

- i have 4GB of ram and im not sure if it's gonna work... can someone read me this :

- i can't tell what's best for me PE4L or PE4H?

- does the egpu help with cad programs ? ( autocad. sketchup, ... )

- my budget is about 120$, how much do i need ( with cheap gpu )?

i could do anything to make it work ( kind of ) but the problem is i don't know how.

thank you very much guys.

[daver160]

ok guys the only thing that i know is that i have a 34mm expresscard slot (not even sure), and i need a gpu boost:D

i want to set it up but i need your help please ... here's my questions :

- can i run the eGPU using a charger (like the one with the laptop)? without a PSU ? because i want it to be portable as much as possible.

This might answer all your questions below:

short answer is "No". You still require some sort of extra power supply, whether it's a pico, a modded Xbox 360, or regular desktop PSU, to drive the eGPU assembly as well as the graphics card. You could get away with a GPU that doesn't require extra power (powered directly from the PCI-board), but that's about as portable as it gets.

If you are looking for a completely passive eGPU solution (powered straight from the laptop), sorry I don't think any such thing exists right now.

- can i run this setup on the laptop LCD ? ( i have i3 330m with integrated HD400 )

Yes, as long as you use an Nvidia card. It's also possible with an ATI card, but the effort-to-investment ratio isn't worth it.

- i have 4GB of ram and im not sure if it's gonna work... can someone read me this :

You should be fine. As I recall, almost all systems with 4GB or less shouldn't have a problem in terms of memroy/PCI space and allocation

- i can't tell what's best for me PE4L or PE4H?

PE4L 2.1 or PE4H 3.4 (or was it 3.2? can't remember) will both give you identical performance. The only real difference between the two are how they are physically assembled. PE4L is more DIY in that you need to build your own enclosure for it, PE4H 3.4 usually comes with one.

- does the egpu help with cad programs ? ( autocad. sketchup, ... )

yes, as long as those applications recognize the eGPU you are using. eGPU will simply add/replace your current dGPU. If the application supports GPU acceleration, then it will support your eGPU.

- my budget is about 120$, how much do i need ( with cheap gpu )?

Not to sound pessimistic, but good luck getting a brand new eGPU kit up and running on $120. The cheapest eGPU package is the PE4L at $71USD. Add to that shipping and you're looking at $80 or more for the eGPU package alone. Now further to that, you have to source a GPU which will cost anywhere from $50-$500 (quick search: $50 GeForce GT 520 @ Newegg) and a power supply, which could cost anywhere between $20 and $200.

I don't mean to be negative about it, but for brand new parts (new PE4L, new GPU, new PSU) I doubt you'll be able to get everything for under $120 is all I mean.

However, you might be able to squeeze by if you can source the GPU and PSU from buy/sell boards. For example, you might be able to get a GPU for $25-50 and a PSU for the same or less (or even free from a dead desktop system). I would say that you should be able to buy a used GPU + PSU for $75 after taxes (shipping is another matter).

[M-Low]

Hey all - It's been a while; I've been enjoying my eGPU setup ever since @Tech Inferno Fan and @Shelltoe helped get it working a couple months back. I have a small problem regarding sound and wanted to see if there was a quick fix.

I'm currently using the headphone-jack on my monitor for sound >> makes sense because the eGPU card would drive the sound through the Display Port to the monitor as intended. However, if I attempt to plug in the mic into the input mic-jack, then all sound goes out. Said more simply, the moment when the mic is plugged-in, the headphones don't produce sound. The device manager does not recognize an audio recording device at any time. If only the headphones are plugged in, then (output) sound works just fine.

I'm wondering what's going on here. Why would device manager not even recognize the audio recording device (mic-jack) even if I have it plugged in on boot-up?

An obvious solution would be spend $50 and purchase a USB soundcard, but that's not very elegant and defeats the purpose of the eGPU setup. However, I'm not entirely sure this will even work... but it makes sense.

Comments/solutions are most welcome.

[Lafius]

thank u PMdaver160 that was a fine comprehensive answer.

now i have some follow up questions if u dont mind :

a modded Xbox 360, or regular desktop PSU,

i would look for modded xbox brick then , ( is it heavily modded? can u link me one?)

PE4L 2.1 or PE4H 3.4 (or was it 3.2? can't remember) will both give you identical performance. The only real difference between the two are how they are physically assembled. PE4L is more DIY in that you need to build your own enclosure for it, PE4H 3.4 usually comes with one.

- i would go with the PE4L then, its cheaper!

about the budget :

my priority is the eGPU kit excluding the gpu ( i have an old gt9xxx, i would try it first before buying a new GPU)

also, i could get up to 100$ for the GPU only. if i was sure that the whole setup is stable and capable, and can run me next year games on low at least.

one last thing ... where to buy the PE4L? (i prefer amazon paying, paypal also fine) and is it free shipping to the US?

i hope my questions don't bother u.

thanks for your answers, thanks for your time

and BTW im on Windows 8 enterprise 64

[daver160]

What are you full system specs? What make and model? This is just so that we can consider your hardware configuration in case there may be any known issues, etc.

i would look for modded xbox brick then , ( is it heavily modded? can u link me one?)

I can't link directly to a thread/post because I can't find it, but if you search this specific thread you'll see some discussion about modding an Xbox 360 power supply (230W) for use with an eGPU.

It's not a difficult procedure, but not advised for those who are not familiar with cutting and splicing cables. The procedure should be relatively easy if you are experienced with wiring, etc.

about the budget :

my priority is the eGPU kit excluding the gpu ( i have an old gt9xxx, i would try it first before buying a new GPU)

also, i could get up to 100$ for the GPU only. if i was sure that the whole setup is stable and capable, and can run me next year games on low at least.

Well, this is a bit subjective. your old GT 9xxx card will definitely work with the eGPU kit, but I don't know if you'll be able to use it for your internal LCD screen. As I understand it, your Nvidia card needs to support Optimus technology, and I don't know if the GT 9xxx series GPUs support Optimus proper. I recall that the 9xxx series GPUs supported some sort of switchable graphics technology, but I don't think this was Optimus proper.

If you have a budget for up to $100 for the GPU, I would advise using it if you want to get it to work on your internal LCD. Of course, you can test with your GT 9xxx card first to see if it works with the internal LCD, but if it doesn't you'll have to shop for a newer Nvidia GPU.

one last thing ... where to buy the PE4L? (i prefer amazon paying, paypal also fine) and is it free shipping to the US?

There are some on Amazon, so you could do some shopping there. I don't know if any of their sellers offer the Free shipping through Amazon. That would be a good play to start. Personally, I recommend Harmonic Inversion (Harmonic Inversion), but you do have to pay for shipping through them.

Depending on your hardware configuration, you may or may not need to use the Setup 1.x software to run a PCI compaction against your memory. However, as you are running Windows 8 + 4GB you might be able to install your eGPU without any issues (though never any guarantees).

[Lafius]

OK ...

here's my specs ...

about PE4L /PE4H

- what do u recommend PE4L or PE4H? why? i would choose PE4L for the price only.

- is every/most GPU card compatible with PE4L ?

- is there more than one PE4L model? if yes which best?

about PSU :

so as i can see that its better to go with a psu.

if i to choose one, what to consider?

[Everonfan]

About the closest example of what you might achieve is nando's own testing here: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2904-12-1-hp-2530p-gtx560t-gtx460%40x1-opt-pe4h-2-4-a.html#post40076

You are going to be massively bandwidth constrained. Will there be enough bandwidth for 720p on modern dx11 games? Maybe just, but it will be mighty close. Dirt 2 isn't very demanding and only just gets almost 30fps at 1080p with high settings. I'd guess on a 660 being maybe 10% faster in your system (ti might be 20%) and there would be some gain from dropping to 720p, but I don't think that's enough for crysis 2 on high (I'm thinking more like 20-30fps on med!).

Of course - this is speculation. I don't think we have data for anyone trying this, because it would be cheaper and better performance to use a lower spec graphics card with a higher spec laptop.

You will have some data soon... I've ordered my Vidock 4 Plus Overdrive + Evga GTX 660 ti FTW Signature 2 a few days ago, and I will have it soon installed on my Toshiba Qosmio F50 - 10q!

Let's see how it works! Sorry if I'm beeing stubborn, but I want to try myself! And of course, I will report my results here.

Thank you very much for your advice.

P.S.: If I'm not able to play Direcxt 11 games in the way I want (720p, 30 - 60 fps) I'll replace my Qosmio for one of the x1.Opt capable Laptops that Nando recommended.

[Lafius]

- i just opened my back of my laptop and found this :

is this mini sata or pci express slot ?

- does this supposed to double the eGPU performance/bandwidth (since my laptop doesnt support full speed out of PE4H ):

blue lines are hdmi cables of course ... and each of the two ends go into the laptop.

[timohour]

First of all I welcome myself back to this thread. I have been serving my military obligations and that's why I was away all that time.

A HP 4530s can also be retrofitted with a 1080P LCD. REF: HP Probook 4530s screen upgrade 900P, 1080P .

There is evidence that only some earlier HP 4530s models can be upgraded with 900p/1080p screens (XU0015T and some others). So please note that latest models won't accept the upgrade.

Also I am having a problem with a Gigabyte GTX460 OC 768MB. It won't get detected. Although it worked on a desktop system, when I tried to connect it to my PSU the fans work at full. Is it the PSU or it is a gpu that won't allow x1 connection?

Thanks

[daver160]

about PE4L /PE4H

- what do u recommend PE4L or PE4H? why? i would choose PE4L for the price only.

I would choose the PE4L because it gives me the freedom to build my own enclosure, as well as being the cheaper option.

- is every/most GPU card compatible with PE4L ?

As far as I know, yes, the PE4L is not only for GPU usage, you can plug in almost any PCI-E device into the PE4L kit. FOr example, sound cards, wireless cards.

- is there more than one PE4L model? if yes which best?

Yes, but don't worry about them. The PE4L v2.1 is the variant that you want.

about PSU :

so as i can see that its better to go with a psu.

if i to choose one, what to consider?

I only recommend the PSU because there's no fuss about cutting and splicing wires.

Any PSU that meets the requirements of the GPU you are going to use will be fine. As long as you have a PSU that has at least say 12amps on the 12 volt rail will do.

Take this PSU for example at Newegg:

Open the Details tab, scroll down to the "Output" line. Do you see the numbers?

+3.3V@20A, +5V@20A, +12V1@18A, +12V2@18A, [email protected], [email protected]

The numbers I highlighted in blue means that the 12 volt rail has 18 amps, which should be plenty enough to drive most GPUs that require a secondary power source (except for some of the really high end GPUs). My old GTS 8600 doesn't require a secondary power source, as an example, but my GTX 8800 does.

Most power supplies will satisfy this requirement, so just make sure you find one that outputs to the 12V rail.

- i just opened my back of my laptop and found this :

is this mini sata or pci express slot ?

That looks like the mini PCI-E slot, or mPCI-E for short.

This is where the PE4L will plug into your computer (the PMxxxa portion of the PE4L kit).

- does this supposed to double the eGPU performance/bandwidth (since my laptop doesnt support full speed out of PE4H ):

blue lines are hdmi cables of course ... and each of the two ends go into the laptop.

I don't know what you mean by "double the eGPU performance", but the PE4L 2.1 supports PCI-E 2.0 compatibility, so that means you are going to run the GPU at PCI-E 2.0. The PE4H v2.4 that I currently have only supports PCI-E 1.1 compatibility, so that means my GPU is only running at PCI-E 1.1 instead of 2.0, thus lower bandwidth/performance (if that's what you mean).

The two images you linked two are for the PE4H v2.4 kit, which you should avoid due to the lower performance. The PE4H kit seems like a better package due to the fact that you can disassemble it easily (unplug the mHDMI cable), but it in fact provides less bang for buck due to the limited PCI-E 1.1 performance.

[Lafius]

really appreciate your effort helping me, thanks.

i don't know if my system support PCI-E 2.0 or just PCI-E 1.0 ?

see here :

it seems to be PCI-E 2.0, but some say that my processor (i3 330m) does support only PCI-E 1.0.

if thats true, i'll go for the PE4H (that support PCI-E 1.0) with two connector going into my laptop (EC adapter + PM3N), like the previous image i posted.

again i'm not sure if i can do that too (the x2 PCI-E 1.0)!

[daver160]

No no, you don't need to plug in both the ExpressCard and mini PCI-E card, you only need to use one of the two. In this case, it's highly suggested that you use the ExpressCard since it's much easier to deal with than the mPCI-E card on the underside of the laptop.

Basically, with an eGPU you only need to use 1 slot on your computer to get it up and running. While it is possible to use both the ExpressCard slot and the mini PCI-E slot, it's not necessary. That is only if you want to really get as much performance out of the cards as possible. Since you aren't looking to invest in a high end GPU, you will not receive much benefit from using both slots.

It's better to get the PE4L v2.1 that supports PCI-E 2.0, because it will also work with PCI-E 1.0/1.1 devices. It is backwards compatible if that is what you are looking for. I am almost certain that your ExpressCard slot will support PCI-E 2.0, hopefully someone can confirm this or correct me on this!

[timohour]

Your system HM55 support PCI-E 2.0 regarding the power requirements but PCI-E 1.0 regarding speeds as you can find in Intel's specifications here

Your chipset is PCI-E 2.0 but it only handles 2.5GT/s. How is that possible? Anyway that's Intel

Despite all these your system runs faster @ x1.1 than older chipsets and if you can boot using Intel HD along with an Nvidia Fermi/Keplar card you can use Opt. compression to get better gaming performance.

[Lafius]

That is only if you want to really get as much performance out of the cards as possible.

sorry if i misled u but i might invest if someone can confirm that my system support PCI-E 2.0

i see form your signature :

"Dell XPS 15 L502x: i7-2760QM | 8GB | nVidia GT540M

eGPU: Gigabyte GTX 650 Ti OC 2GB, CoolerMaster 625W PSU, Shuttle XPC SN95G5"

- are satisfied with the performance u get ? ( bang to buck ratio)

- how to compare my system + eGPU kit ( say ASUS GTX650 ) with a GTX660m equipped laptop?

Your system HM55 support PCI-E 2.0

is that my system ... does it support PCI-E 2.0?

to get thing straight here : i'm looking for the higher performance/bandwidth i can get from the eGPU, and as i read i have two choices :

1- if my system support PCI-E 2.0 i'll shut up and take the PE4L, but i'm not sure yet. ( preferred choice )

2- if it doesn't, i'll go for x2 PCI-E 1.0 using the PE4H, but i dunno if it's gonna work.

[Tech Inferno Fan]

sorry if i misled u but i might invest if someone can confirm that my system support PCI-E 2.0

Per timohour's comments, your system supports only pci-e 1.x link speed. Furthermore, your mPCIe (wifi) slot is port1 with LAN being port2. Meaning it doesn't satisfy the requirement of adjacent ports (port1+2, port3+4 or port5+6) to be able to do a x2 1.0 link.

Your current system would be capable of x1.Opt (pci-e 1.x with pci-e compression) if you use a NVidia Fermi or Keplar card. That's because it has an active iGPU. If attaching an eGPU to your system then I'd still recommend purchasing a PE4L 2.1b over a PE4H 2.4 since only the former is pci-e 2.0 link speed capable from the two. Useful to have if you replaced your system with a pci-e 2.0 capable Sandy/Ivy Bridge one like a HP 4530s/8560p/8570p, Lenovo E520/T520/T530 or Dell 3550/E6520/E6530.

[M-Low]

Anyone? anyone? Beuller?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[timohour]

Hello nando, I am having trouble

I am having a problem with a Gigabyte GTX460 OC 768MB. It won't get detected. Although it worked on a desktop system, when I tried to connect it to my PSU the fans work at full. Is it the PSU or it is a gpu that won't allow x1 connection?

Thanks

[daver160]

Hello nando, I am having trouble

I am having a problem with a Gigabyte GTX460 OC 768MB. It won't get detected. Although it worked on a desktop system, when I tried to connect it to my PSU the fans work at full. Is it the PSU or it is a gpu that won't allow x1 connection?

Thanks

You mean that Windows doesn't detect it at all? It doesn't show up in your Device Manager?

What colour are the LEDs on your eGPU board?