Gigabyte demonstrates external graphics card

Laptops with compact external dimensions and compact desktop systems are gaining more and more market. Even if the development progresses, smaller volume still means compromises, where above all graphics performance often has to be ironed out.

The solution can be an external graphics card that is connected when needed, something that has been extensively explored over the years. Recently, both MSI and Silverstone have presented hardware according to the concept, but without finished products landing with consumers.

Now Gigabyte also joins the crowd that works with external graphics cards. During CES 2014, the company presents a slightly different solution which is connected via Mini-SAS HD, an interface normally found in a server environment. The advantage is substantial bandwidth – two connectors are enough for PCI Express 3.0 x8 and four connectors all the way to PCI Express 3.0 x16.

The external box itself is large enough to hold a full-size graphics card and is powered by a separate power supply of 750 watts. According to Gigabyte, more or less all models on the market work, and during the demonstration at CES, a lavish Nvidia Geforce GTX Titan is used.

However, not everything is straight pipes. As previously mentioned, the solution requires Mini-SAS HD, which is unusual in the category of consumer products. Switching to Thunderbolt or similar is problematic according to Gigabyte, as bandwidth and delays cause problems in the upper performance class.

It thus remains to be seen whether Gigabyte’s solution for external graphics cards will ever become a reality at the consumer level. However, the history of similar investments hardly speaks in favor of the project.