External Graphic cards..

Do they exist for notebooks? If yes, does it worth to add an external graphic card to a notebook with shared graphic card from the ram?

 

The AMD puma system is the only decent one I know of, and it was ridiculously expensive.

 

Yes they do, but I know of only 1 system.
AMD GXP Amilo from Fujitsu
http://ts.fujitsu.com/home/products/notebooks/amilo_graphic_booster.html
Not sure if it's available in the US or how much, but it is a external GPU

 

They worth more than a laptop with 9600M GT if I remembered correctly. And the Asus XG station is basically dead.

 

my friend bought an xg station. he loves it.
but i think its quite stupid because you have to use an external screen.

 

The Fujitsu Amilo is the only "current" XGP solution. The ASUS XG station never really got steam.

 

Could you use and xgp on a laptop that already has 2 gpus inside? Lol I know, stupid question...

 

if you are thinking of triple crossfire, no they don't work that way.

 

External graphics in notebooks right now is EXTREMELY limited, I believe the only current available solution (and not that widely available) is ATI's XGP solution and right now it only works for the Fujitsu Amilo SA3650 model and is not available in North America.

I really hope this sort of technology can catch on soon and explode like the netbook market has.

 

I am really enthusastic about this technology. The ability to have a lightweight, low heat and high battery life notebook with a killer XGP is very attractive.

 

Personally this is a step closer to what I want but its not the most logical thing. To be honest. Its good, however GPUs in laptops should be easy to access and modular.

External GPU solutions for laptops are good if you need multiple screens. But for a graphic card update its kinda annoying.

MXM is good, but its ridicolous to rip open your laptop and break a million things along the way just to change the GPU. Well not break, but its sad to have to deal with such a pain. I think GPUs should just plug in, similar to how a PCIMIA network card plugs into a laptop. Just have a slot in the side of your laptop and bam you just plug the card in. Then they could sell the cards in computer shops just like desktop cards. Of course they will cost more, but who cares. This is the direction I want Mobile GPUs to go in.

 

Umm. It's not hard to change a GPU if you have a laptop designed to be upgraded (take a look at Sager/Clevo). If you don't, then it's unlikely it can be upgraded at all.

Good idea in theory, but how the heck would you cool it? The GPU has to touch a heatsink at some point (and a fan nearby to remove the heat). I can't think of a way of inserting it in the same way as a PCIMIA while using grease to make the heat transfer connection, keeping it snug, worrying about different MXM types, worrying about different GPU layouts and probably more I can't think of right now.

 

Good Point, first of all about the laptop changing GPU. Yes its not too hard, but it voids the warranty in most laptops. Also it keeps alot of newbies out from doing it, and its not something they will willingly do at future shop/best buy.etc.

As for the cooling, that is a problem. They could have it so its like a bay that pops out, maybe 2 screws that you undo and then it slides out, then it will be a spot/connector for the gpu and you just put it in and theres cooling in that bay. 2 fans or so.

Or, just make it like a desktop GPU. just were it pops in the side and the fan is on the GPU, but more squished. However that would redo the way laptops are made, and make them pretty chunky.

Perhaps a box is the GPU, bit bigger than a laptop hard drive, has a fan in there and the card, then you plug it in the side which goes into the slot and hooks up to power for the fan too. The GPU would just be a lil box with air vents in one side so when you pop it in the slot its like its own air vent for the GPU.

Its probably a bad idea, but let me dream. =P

It would dictate that laptop GPUs must be rectangle/square. Cannot be wider than Xcm. Cannot be taller than Xcm. Oh well, there goes that idea.

 

The problem with MXM for me is that you usually only have one or two upgrade options, if your laptop already isn't using the best card for that MXM class. Also it's not supported in many laptops.

 

Well, if you've got a laptop with upgradeable graphics, then you have to know something about computers (they don't sell these things in stores AFAIK), and with a Sager, it's trivial. Pop open the bottom, unscrew HSF, unscrew GPU, put in new GPU, reverse. Now, I will admit that it takes quite a bit of work to replace anything in a laptop not meant to be upgraded besides in the factory. My Toshiba for instance, I had to take apart the entire thing to swap the CPU, definitely not for those unsure of their abilities.

But as you said, that will make the laptop extremely thick as you'll need to create vents in both the bottom and side (or top, but how would that work?) to take in/expel air.
I think that the best possibility is having MXM as that allows user replaceable GPUs and with well designed laptops allows easy access and proper cooling.

EDIT:

True, but at least you have the possibility of upgrading, unlike anyone with integrated graphics.

 

How on earth would he be able to get one?

They're only in Australia!

 

I bought the entire Asus Corp last week. And I am playing with the XG station 2.0 right now with triple SLI GT280.

 

my friend and i live in Australia.
he told me were he got it from but i forget.
it was some website

 

I want one too!