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    What is an external video card?

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by popnpoper, Aug 14, 2006.

  1. popnpoper

    popnpoper Notebook Geek

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    What is it and what is it for...

    Thanks
     
    popnpoper, Aug 14, 2006
    #1
  2. coriolis

    coriolis Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Well, none are in existance, but the concept is simple.

    A video card, that is external and, possibly with a veyr good cooling system and power source which connects to your motherboard on a laptop, wielding high end graphic capability. It can be easily added on, and removed as well.

    Of course, all wishful thinking :)
     
    coriolis, Aug 14, 2006
    #2
  3. nferra2

    nferra2 Notebook Geek

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    I don't think any computer company would want that, they want you to buy a notebook AND a desktop. If you could have portability and great battery life on the road and then come plug your computer into a high end graphics card and nice widescreen moniter, you wouldn't have the need for two machines. Also, this will only apeal to gamers, since most computers sold today have integrated graphics, desktop or notebook.
     
    nferra2, Aug 14, 2006
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  4. zadillo

    zadillo Notebook Virtuoso

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    It seems like whatever is done with external graphics cards is going to be more about massive graphics power for high-end 3d rendering and that kind of thing..... a la this beast:

    http://www.gwn.com/news/story.php/id/10042/

    I think it would be sort of interesting to see some sort of external graphics card concept for notebooks (where you could buy, say, an ExpressCard based graphics card and stick it into your notebook for more powerful gaming capabilities when you needed it, and actually be able to upgrade), but I'm not sure how well it would really work.
     
    zadillo, Aug 14, 2006
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  5. Omneus

    Omneus Notebook Geek

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    Do you mean what is a dedicated graphics card and what is it for?

    A dedicated graphics card is a card which is seperate from the rest computer; seperate in the sense that it has its own built-in ram, cooling systems and such and can be removed/upgraded without usually having to buy a new computer.
     
    Omneus, Aug 14, 2006
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  6. popnpoper

    popnpoper Notebook Geek

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    I dunno, I just remember this guy that talks about computers on the radio and he was talking about "external video cards" or maybe it was "external graphics cards".

    Also, that graphics thing looks AMAZING, although I dont know who, in hte right mind would buy it, and what for.
     
    popnpoper, Aug 14, 2006
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  7. FunK A DunK

    FunK A DunK Notebook Consultant

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    ^I believe graphics card and video card are interchangeable. It's the word 'GPU' that is inside the graphics card that you can't get it mixed up with.

    It's funny, I read the discussions on these external graphics cards and about 3 weeks ago, my brother asked me if I could invent anything, what would it be? Thinking I was all sly and original, I said an external graphics card. Little did I know... Little did I know...
     
    FunK A DunK, Aug 14, 2006
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  8. drumfu

    drumfu super modfu

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    this is incorrect.

    99.999% of all notebook computers have graphic cards that you cannot upgrade
     
    drumfu, Aug 14, 2006
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  9. Jalf

    Jalf Comrade Santa

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    It is physically possible to do though. Unlike with an integrated graphics card. ;)
     
    Jalf, Aug 15, 2006
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  10. Lil Mayz

    Lil Mayz Notebook Deity

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    well Jalf, they could create a external PCI-E slot on the side of the laptop, because the transfter speeds of Firewire or USB 2 are sinply not good enough for an external GPU.
     
    Lil Mayz, Aug 15, 2006
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