With advancements in technology, GPUs have become very powerful over time. In fact, the GPU is so powerful that it can play 4K games at over 60fps (NVIDIA’s latest RTX 3080 and AMD’s Radeon 6800 XT). But did you know there is another type in GPU called eGPU? In this article, we will learn what is eGPU? Stronger or weaker than traditional GPUs, will your laptop support this type of external device?
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Manufacturers are trying to design laptops as thin and light as possible, modern ultrabooks miss out on powerful GPUs, which creates demand for eGPUs.
What is eGPU?
eGPU stands for external GPU (External GPU), which can be connected externally to a Laptop or PC. If your laptop has an integrated GPU but is not powerful enough, you can buy an eGPU, connect the device to external ports to use, increase image processing performance.
So the graphics card inside the eGPU is no different from the discrete card inside your PC.
AMD recently stepped up the battery saving feature with Series 5000 gaming processors, but there’s no denying that the battery on a gaming laptop will still not be enough for Gamers if it’s not plugged in.
Another problem with gaming is: The laptop needs to be plugged in while gaming because the battery can’t provide the desired power to the GPU. In contrast, most eGPU devices require an external power source.
Disadvantages of eGPU
Why aren’t eGPUs popular?” That’s a good question, and the reason is: imagine you just bought a cheap laptop 20 million but the graphics performance is not enough for the job. To get started with the eGPU setup, you’ll need to spend at least a little more 10 million for an eGPU case (case) with a graphics card.
With the 30 million you spent, you can build a more powerful gaming computer or buy a 25 million gaming laptop and save another 5 million. Therefore, unless you have a lot of money, using an eGPU is not a viable option at all.
Advantages of eGPU
If you are looking for a used Windows Laptop or Macbook. While CPU performance might be fine for day-to-day use, high-profile gaming won’t be possible.
So in this case you can think of buying an external GPU (eGPU) and in the end you will have a complete gaming machine.
One of the other reasons to use an eGPU is portability. Gaming laptops are bulky for work, while you can have a lightweight MacBook or Windows laptop to use at work and plug in an eGPU at home to enjoy the weekend.
If you own a laptop with a “not too old” CPU and if you want to buy a gaming laptop or PC, you can save money by choosing to buy a relatively cheap eGPU like the AKiTio Node for about 7 million and adding RTX 2080 for 14 million. A super good gaming laptop RTX 2080 costs 30 million, which means you will save 20 million.
Not to mention, desktop graphics cards are almost twice as powerful as mobile graphics cards. As a result, the eGPU will outperform the laptop’s dedicated graphics.
Check whether the laptop supports eGPU?
If your laptop has a slot Type-C Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 2, M.2 NVMe, mini PCIe or slot ExpressCard, then your Laptop/PC supports eGPU. Most modern plug-in eGPU enclosures via the Thunderbolt 3 port, while some operate through the Thunderbolt 2 interface. Alternatively, you can also use any of the M.2 NVMe slots. any available space on your Laptop/PC or the mini PCIe slot where the WLAN (WiFi) mount is normally located.
One of the important things to remember is that Thunderbolt 3 uses USB Type-C ports, but all Type-C ports on laptops don’t have to be Thunderbolt ports. Most modern MacBooks use the Thunderbolt port for charging, but most Windows laptops, especially the inexpensive ones, don’t necessarily have Thunderbolt.
In addition to the Thunderbolt 3 port, a common approach to eGPUs, the use of slots such as M.2 NVMe, ExpressCard, and mini PCIe. These ports are usually located on the underside of the laptop.
To connect the GPU to an M.2 NVMe slot, you will need a separate accessory that costs about 2 million. One of the popular accessories we know is called GDC EXP.
Another thing worth mentioning is that Apple only offers eGPU support for Intel Macs. Newer Macs with M1 chip still doesn’t have this function. Apple has a own support page on how to connect and use the eGPU, as well as a list of eGPU boxes and GPUs that work with MacBook.
Comparing Discrete Graphics to eGPU: Which performs better?
It is discrete graphics that will work when the GPU is directly connected to the Mainboard. However, it won’t make a big difference when you feel that you are using an eGPU.
Slot M.2 NVMe and gate Thunderbolt 3 sometimes cause bottlenecks due to their connection type. Sometimes you will get a blue screen error if there is a hardware conflict.
Use eGPU to mine virtual currency
With the rise in popularity of cryptocurrencies, cryptocurrency mining has become one of the popular and profitable jobs. Mining requires a lot of CPU and GPU resources, so if you are going to mine, your laptop with integrated GPU may not be enough. Therefore, you can use the eGPU to mine virtual currency.
Although mining cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin is not feasible at the moment (as many large Bitcoin miners have too many powerful resources, they will eventually take all the resources mined, leaving individuals mostly alone). like nothing). You can mine cryptocurrencies like ETH and Litecoin
Should I buy an eGPU?
And the answer is: No, unless your laptop has a Thunderbolt 3 port and you have a lot of money to buy an eGPU box and a GPU. For those who need a more powerful GPU, it is best to buy a gaming laptop or build a new PC.
However, like any technology, expect to buy an eGPU cheaper in the future as well.
