Graphic Cards Through Thunderbolt

[RCBH928]

Look at this article:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4743/the- ... ressbox-3t

Seems like there is a way to add a graphics card through thunderbolt to your laptops. This means your laptop can run the latest games!

I know its very expensive and you might as well buy a new PC which might cost less, but think of the potential here. In 3 years this could be a cheap upgrade.

It can also work for smaller desktops like the Mac Mini

What do you think?

[Duane Dibbley]

It's never going to be as cheap as just buying a new graphics card, but for systems where the graphics are traditionally not upgradable, such as laptops and the Mac mini, it is a viable upgrade option. Personally, I hope Apple keeps the Mac Pro as a big upgradable box, but there have been rumors that they might be downsizing it, which might require something akin to what you're talking about.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

My previous experience with PCI-E systems like this tell me it probably wont work well, if at all for most people, and setting it up will be a complete bitch.

Don't get your hopes up.

[Anapan]

I think it's legit, and really cool.
I got an Audigy 2 ZS Notebook PCMCIA card that instantly gave even my crappiest laptop a full ASIO interface, Soundfont-capable 192Khz- 24 bit optical 7.1 soundcard and required almost nothing to support it (basically turns any economy-model laptop into a mastering studio with the right software). I'm currently using the card in my main server-tower since my old audigy wasn't supported by my motherboard.
Anyway, I read all the specs on the Thunderbolt interface when it was first unveiled. From what I read it is actually too-fast to be fully used/exploited yet, but the raw data rates are incredible - if limited by the wire-length severely (can't go across a room...). The interface architecture is built to support plug-and-play for nearly any application, and the new OSes have the protocols built-in. Having the interface plug will make hardware addons pretty transparent (plugging several screens into the Thunderbolt port is no problem - already doable in the demo video)
Very cool, and probably very expensive.

I still hate Apple's OS, software, policies, and hardware (of-course this is all on the new IOS) - Do not want until it's in my PC while running Windows XP

[Hobie-wan]

Seems like there is a way to add a graphics card through thunderbolt to your laptops. This means your laptop can run the latest games!

Sure, as long as your laptop is plugged into this other big box which also needs to be plugged into the wall. So you can only use it to your advantage to play shinier games while at home, or if you lug all this extra stuff and have access to a wall plug. You'd still be better off with a real desktop setup while at home and you'd lose a lot of the advantages of a laptop if you tried to take it with you.

[RCBH928]

I agree with everyone's input since it is not contradicting . The thing is , this will lengthen older hardware life's span, it will make impossible things possible like playing higher end games on non-upgradable laptops.

I am excited for the technology most of all, I am probably better off with a fully new desktop, but I think we might start seeing some pretty neat stuff happenng ith this technology.

for example, think of the new console ouya . If they add this port to it, it could be upgradable forever.

It is just like the expansion ports on older consoles that gave them extra power like N64 expansion pak and the Saturn's

[isiolia]

for example, think of the new console ouya . If they add this port to it, it could be upgradable forever.

It is just like the expansion ports on older consoles that gave them extra power like N64 expansion pak and the Saturn's

It's a nice idea, but with regard to Thunderbolt in particular, it's simply too expensive for that type of application. It'd probably cost more to include the Thunderbolt chip than the Tegra3 the Ouya is based on costs in the first place.

To extend the useful life or functions of a $2000 laptop, the cost is worth it. For something like the Ouya, which is made up of less than $50 in parts in the first place, it'd be simple to just sell a new one.

[RCBH928]

that is very understandable, but maybe in the future thunderbolt will come down in price? I am not sure why some electronic devices are more expensive than others since they are all built from the same material, probably to cover costs of R&D .



out of topic: $50 for Ouya? Thats too cheap, I thought it will at least have ps2 graphics power? thats a damn good price for something that will output graphics like God of War.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

that is very understandable, but maybe in the future thunderbolt will come down in price? I am not sure why some electronic devices are more expensive than others since they are all built from the same material, probably to cover costs of R&D .



out of topic: $50 for Ouya? Thats too cheap, I thought it will at least have ps2 graphics power? thats a damn good price for something that will output graphics like God of War.

The PS2 came out thirteen years ago (so the tech is circa 98/99). My phone can easily play games at much higher details and in higher resolution than the PS2 could ever hope to.

The Tegra 2 chipset does likely only cost them about $50. Considering how long that chipset has been around, and the price of the system is $99.

[isiolia]

The Tegra 2 chipset does likely only cost them about $50. Considering how long that chipset has been around, and the price of the system is $99.

It's a Tegra3 T33. Cost for the slightly slower variant in the Nexus 7 was $25 during the summer, but probably a little less now, and definitely so by next year when the Tegra4 comes out.

Cost estimates have the entire component list for the Ouya console at under $50. The $99 price point does include a controller as well, which is not included in that estimate, but they probably won't be taking a loss on 'em

Definitely more powerful than the PS2, and probably the Wii for that matter. It won't be 360/PS3 level, though it'll have a lot more RAM than those systems.

Eurogamer had an article about current Tegra3 games in possible relation to what the Ouya will be able to do here. As they mention too, tablet with HDMI out is a bit different, but it does give an idea of what general level we might expect from it.


Regarding Thunderbolt costs...some chips are harder to produce than others, though in the case of Thunderbolt I'd suspect it's a lot more a matter of patents and licensing fees.