External Graphics Card (DIY ViDock) for M11x?

Hey guys,

I stumbled upon this thing called the DIY ViDock (which lets you attach an external graphics card to a laptop) and was wondering if we could get it to work with the M11x. The problem is that the M11x lacks an ExpressCard slot and the other alternative port.

Any ideas? I hear a USB to ExpressCard adapter may not work because it's slow or something.

 

USB to Expresscard cannot be used since it's converting only 480MBps USB pins. You need 2.5GT/s pci-e link for the DIY ViDock.

m11xR1/R2 has a mPCIe wifi card. If that is accessible via rear covers or under then keyboard like this then you can DIY ViDock it using a PE4L-PM3N or PE4H-PM3N. The R1/R2 GT335M can be switched off and a GTX460 take it's place instead. See http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming-software-graphics-cards/418851-diy-vidock-experiences.html for ideas on what sort of performance you'd get.

 

You can use the wifi card's mPCIe slot. Problem with the ViDock is that it's running off very limited bandwidth, enough to cripple the cards enough the 335M is competitive. As far as I know, none of the tweaks to increase bandwidth are available so it will remain crippled. This is what I mean.

You're better off buying a laptop that can have those tweaks, only there you will notice an increase over the 335M.

 

x1.Opt (OPtimus) will run on a R1/R2. A R1 can even use setPLL to overclock the pci-e bus, probably by 20-30% as I'm doing with my 2530P. Not sure if the pci-e bus on the R2 can be overclocked.

A GTX460 x1.Opt DIY ViDock is approx equal to x2 1.0 in performance, or 8 times less bandwidth than the x16 1.0 the GT335M runs. So the desktop GTX460 GPU will certainly outpace the GT335M but games that are texture heavy will be faster on the GT335M's wider link.

 

Thinking about getting either a Sony SA or a m11x r3. Came across the egpu possibility.

Could I do a egpu set up on a m11x r3? If between a yes and a no, what potential problems would I be facing?

thanks

 

Access to the mPCIe slot + the pitfalls of a mPCIe setup as detailed in the blurb here. Same link contains a list of SB systems with and without expresscard slots and dGPUs.

We have been able to get an Optimus eGPU going on an existing XPS15 L502 with a GT540M. It required the use of Setup 1.x as noted in the BUG area here.

Do note that the m11xR3 is a 2kg monster, heavier than some 14" systems and certainly thicker.

It makes more sense to me to go a 12.5" Lenovo X220 + GTX550Ti 12V/120W 'portable' setup for gaming. That way don't need to mess with the mPCIe slot and can have gaming on the go using Optimus' internal LCD mode.

A GT550M 14" Lenovo Y470 offers a lot of bang-per-buck, i5-2410M for $674 or quad+BD for $854. 4.84lbs/2.2kgs with a 62Whr 6-cell. Though it requires a mPCIe eGPU setup.

I can however see the attraction to the 900P LCD of the Sony SA and it's HD6630M's gaming-on-the-go capability.

 

Thanks for that

The egpu set up for me isn't a immediate necessity (due to funds), though definitely would be a desirable option to have down the line. So I guess the m11x, for me, 'out of the box' is one of the better portable gaming options out there, hence why I am attracted to it.

I can get hold of a r3 m11x considerably cheaper than a Sony SA as well as warranty issue with the Sony, hence why I guess I am leaning towards that (I am planning on buying from the US and having it brought here with a friend). Which would give me room to play with, in terms of funds, to set up a egpu.

But I guess with comments like the one in the thread below, the egpu set up on a m11x r3 is at least problematic

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/580898-pci-e-ssd-possible.html

I really do like the x220 build but the 'out of the box' gaming attraction, combined with price, is what is pulling me towards the m11x.

If the SA was cheaper and didn't have the warranty issue (US to UK), I would snap that up I guess.

The y470 is definitely interesting, especially at those prices. Will look into battery life, etc

Oh the dilemma....!

 

Nando

What way does this, if any, thread ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/595698-mpci-e-sd-wwan-answer-inside.html) impact on the egpu on m11x talk?

thanks

 

wwan slot is a pci shaped USB port... so same as using a normal USB port.

 

and I guess one can forget about egpu on such a port?

 

The egpu would use the port that the wifi card is plugged into not the wwan slot.

 

Argh. I am too much of a confused simpleton with this egpu thing, though appreciate Nando's dedicated thread.

I guess I am being very greedy, in terms of wanting both 'out of the box gaming' ability (discounting Sony Z, due to price range) and good egpu potential.

So I reckon I'll just go with either the m11x or Sony SA, for the former option and be content.

I wish I didn't know about the egpu thread!

 

If you ever decide that you don't need a decent gpu in your notebook but you still want egpu potential, just get a cheap business laptop with a decent cpu and expresscard slot. A Dell 3450 for example. M11x isn't the best option for egpu because it has to use the mini pci-e slot which means you won't be able to use the M11x screen since you will have to turn your laptop upside down to plug in the egpu. Another disadvantage is that the M11x uses a low powered cpu compared to other laptops with a non ULV cpu. I might try the egpu eventually just to see what it can produce. I don't think anyone has done the egpu with an M11x yet.

 

If I do end up getting the m11x r3, I will probably have a play around with the egpu possibility on it, especially if I get help from you guys.

 

Has no impact. WWAN=USB, wifi=x1 pci-e. You'd be using the wifi slot to connect the eGPU. Though it has been found that Dell's WWAN slots often have pci-e lines connect to them as well, so the WWAN slot may work too. The reason WWAN (with pci-e lines) doesn't work with the mPCIe SATA is that it needs SATA lines instead of pci-e lines, as is supplied by netbooks OR systems with a mSATA slot.

 

Forgive me if this was answered but I couldnt find any answer to my egpu question for the m11x r3.

What if someone wanted to simply not use the 540m discrete card in favor of having a strong egpu solution? And before I get flamed, yes for some it would be very reasonable to have the m11x run off the IGP and dock it for additional external discrete GPU capability even if it might render the current mobile internal discrete GPU solution useless.

Sorry if I got any terms wrong, Im just noob at laptop internals but I hope my point gets across. If Im not mistaken there is a sony laptop with a egpu dock solution but out of the dock its still using the IGP.

Thanks in advance!

 

Yes, you could attach a more powerful NVidia desktop card to the m11xR3 via the wifi mPCIe slot. If docked gaming is OK then you may even do a system swap to say a 12.5" Lenovo X220, Dell E6220 or HP 2560P instead. Those systems all have expresscard slots making the eGPU docking a breeze. They also have full powered CPUs so would get better performance and are also lighter than a m11xR3. The 2560P having a socketted CPU so can even be user upgradeable to a i7-quad if you want to go all out on performance.

See http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming-software-graphics-cards/418851-diy-egpu-experiences.html for details.

 

Im very focused only on the m11x r3 for now. Also, Im new to this forum, how do I PM you just in case there might be an egpu kit I can purchase for my m11x r3?

 

You have to have 5 posts before you have PM privileges.

 

i don't see any point other than having too much money and time in doing this with the m11x... you won't get good performance due to mini pci-e slots either being hooked up through USB or just pci-e x1 as nando pointed out. I just can't imagine any circumstance where that would be practical or useful, as on a x1 line you wont get any bandwidth at all pretty much... and 335m and 540m are fairly respectful cards and my 540m does pretty much all i want at native resolution which includes mostly gaming other than that integrated is sufficient...

egpu kit would be useless... if you got friends who do repairs on motherboards (i'd gladly get a few of those in london ) you could source a better GPU and just replace the one which is on it now, though doing it on say R2 with I7 would be cheaper, and would get you similar performance. Again, that is if the motherboard can provide sufficient juice for it to work properly, also would likely need a cooler upgrade.

Then again, might as well just get a dedicated desktop since it would have way more bang for the buck performance-wise...

Good idea for a laptop project from hell i guess... would be awesome if it worked, though it would cost a lot of time and brain twisting... awesome non the less...

 

Maybe I misunderstood the capability. I thought a desktop eGPU was a significant improvement over the 540m, even for an m11x R3. As far as sticking with the m11x, I like the style of the laptop and have other items with the same Alienware theme, hoping I could incorporate the eGPU into a same styled dock somehow. Just brainstorming at this point.

 

A desktop eGPU such as a GTX460 or better will outbench the GT540M in a m11xR3. Only issue will be bandwidth where the GT540M will have the lead. The m11xR3 has a pci-e 2.0 capable mPCIe slot, so could run a x1.2Opt configuration. Problem is that the expresscard slot pci-e 2.0 kit was only announced this week. The mPCIe one requires more time, or otherwise can just get a x1 1.0 kit in the meantime. It around $200 for a GTX460-768MB eGPU, all inclusive. Could get that lower by using a s/h or free PSU or if can source the video card at rock bottom pricing via Craiglist/friends/forums.

We've just had a Acer 3820TG mPCIe DIY eGPU implementation at http://forum.notebookreview.com/gam...851-diy-egpu-experiences-777.html#post8246405 . Would love to see a m11xR3 one too

 

Just wondering from the comments above if the gt540 can be easily replaced with a connector or adapter that can hookup to an egpu and still maintain the full bandwidth that the 540m has now. TIA