EGPU And 5 Things Laptop Users Need To Know Before Buying

eGPU is becoming an effective support solution chosen by many people to overcome the limitations of space, temperature, battery life, ... of laptops. So what exactly is an eGPU? What are the advantages and disadvantages? What types are included? Connect to the laptop via which protocol port? How to connect the stars?

1. What is an eGPU?

EGPU And 5 Things Laptop Users Need To Know Before Buying

What is eGPU?

eGPU is an acronym for External Graphics Processing Unit, which means discrete graphics card. As the name suggests, the eGPU is not located inside the computer like the iGPU or dGPU but is located outside, connected to the machine through the connection ports.

The placement of GPUs in laptops has certain limitations such as reduced space, performance not reaching the maximum level, poor heat dissipation. Therefore, Intel has been brainstorming ideas for many years and come up with the eGPU. They make a big step forward, helping to upgrade the performance of the laptop without overheating the machine, draining the battery.

The eGPU is made up of one or more VGA graphics cards combined with a board, cables, power cord, and heatsink. There are also some other spare parts. After plugging in the eGPU, installing the driver, restarting the machine will automatically transfer all the default graphics processing tasks on the machine to the graphics card in the eGPU. Since then, the laptop's processing performance is increased many times without causing the device to heat up and consume the battery.

2. Pros and cons of eGPU

EGPU And 5 Things Laptop Users Need To Know Before Buying

Advantages and disadvantages of eGPU

Every product has its own pros and cons, and so does the eGPU.

2.1. Advantages of eGPU:

- Simple connection protocol, diverse number of connection ports.

- Compatible with many different smart devices.

- Easy to move, more flexible than a PC case while still ensuring powerful graphics capabilities.

2.2. Defect:

- Potentially high risk of damage due to force impacts during movement.

- Some laptops must use a separate screen because the screen does not meet the resolution, scanning frequency, ...

- The number of laptops supporting eGPU is not much.

- The cost of eGPU is still high.

3. eGPU connection ports

EGPU And 5 Things Laptop Users Need To Know Before Buying

eGPU connection ports

Currently the eGPU can connect to the laptop via the following protocol ports:

3.1. mPCie . port

This is a common connection port between eGPU and laptop. However, it is also the most inconvenient way to connect because you have to remove the laptop cover, remove the wifi card to be able to plug in the eGPU connection cable. Not only that, some computer lines have whitelists, wifi ports only accept genuine cards.

3.2. Express Card Ports 34 and 35

Connecting the eGPU to a computer via Express Card ports 34 and 35 is the most convenient way. Because just plugging the eGPU directly into that port on the laptop body is done, no need to remove the case.

3.3. NGFF . port

The NGFF (M.2) connection port is commonly found on CPU core i5 computers  and above, the bandwidth is larger than the mPCie port. The way to connect the eGPU through this port is similar to the mPCie port, it is necessary to remove the device.

3.4. Thunderbolt port

Because the Thunderbolt port has a large bandwidth, it becomes the best way to connect an eGPU to a laptop. However, the number of laptops with Thunderbolt ports is still not popular, and the price is high.

4. Steps to connect eGPU to laptop

How to connect the eGPU to the laptop is not too difficult, if you are not familiar, you can ask the seller for advice. For devices that do not need to remove the case, you just need to use the connection cord that comes with the eGPU to plug directly into the machine. But with devices that need to remove the case, the operation is a bit more complicated. Specifically, the steps are as follows:

Step 1: First, you need to uninstall the old graphics driver on your computer.

Step 2: Next, you turn off the power, unplug the power source from the machine.

Step 3: Next, use a screwdriver to remove the rear laptop cover.

Step 4: Then, you put the eGPU in the compatible slot.

Step 5: Finally, you reassemble the case, boot and run the new graphics driver.

EGPU And 5 Things Laptop Users Need To Know Before Buying

Popular types of eGPU today

In Vietnam, the eGPU market is still in its infancy. However, we can take a look at some popular brands that are popular with users around the world such as:

EXP GDC Beast: EXP GDC Beast is made in China. They support connection to the machine via mPCle, EC 34, EC 35, NGFF ports. Thanks to the low price, the eGPUs from EXP GDC Beast are popular and used by many people.

PE4C: eGPU PE4C connects to laptop via mPCIe, EC, NGFF protocol. This is a product originating from Taiwan, with the same features as EXP GDC Beast.

Akitio Node: eGPU Akitio Node is a high-end product line, connected via Thunderbolt port. However, due to their high price, they are not widely used in Vietnam.

Alienware Graphics Amplifier: The eGPU series connects via PCIe. They are designed specifically for Dell's Alienware computers, not for regular laptops.

Above is the basic information compiled by WebTech360  , users need to know about eGPU. Hopefully, through that, readers will have more useful knowledge, make buying decisions, and find the best eGPU products for their needs.

Leave a Comment

Trace the Save Callback When ONLYOFFICE Won’t Save to Nextcloud

Trace the Save Callback When ONLYOFFICE Won’t Save to Nextcloud

Diagnose failed ONLYOFFICE saves by checking the Nextcloud callback route, proxy redirects, and storage logs, then verify the edited file persists.

Stop ONLYOFFICE Document Server from Running Out of VPS Memory

Stop ONLYOFFICE Document Server from Running Out of VPS Memory

Find the cause of ONLYOFFICE memory crashes, check Docker limits, size VPS RAM correctly, add swap safely, and verify that documents open and save.

Trace a Failed ONLYOFFICE PDF Export to Its Source

Trace a Failed ONLYOFFICE PDF Export to Its Source

Separate browser download problems from server-side conversion errors and use the right log or access check to get your PDF export working.

Resolve ONLYOFFICE’s “Token Is Not Valid” Error in Nextcloud

Resolve ONLYOFFICE’s “Token Is Not Valid” Error in Nextcloud

Match the JWT secret used by ONLYOFFICE Docs and Nextcloud, apply it safely for Docker or Linux installs, and verify the connection without weakening authentication.

Deploy ONLYOFFICE Workspace Community on Ubuntu 24.04

Deploy ONLYOFFICE Workspace Community on Ubuntu 24.04

Install ONLYOFFICE Workspace Community on Ubuntu 24.04 with the official Docker script, check server requirements, skip Mail if needed, and verify the portal safely.

Set Up ONLYOFFICE JWT Secrets Across Server and Connector

Set Up ONLYOFFICE JWT Secrets Across Server and Connector

Configure matching JWT secrets for ONLYOFFICE Docs and its connector, with safe steps for Linux packages, Docker deployments, and verification.

Put ONLYOFFICE Docs Behind HAProxy Without Breaking Editing

Put ONLYOFFICE Docs Behind HAProxy Without Breaking Editing

Configure HAProxy HTTPS, forwarding headers, WebSocket timeouts, and health checks for ONLYOFFICE Docs, then verify editing and saves.

Brand ONLYOFFICE Docs with Your Logo and Theme Colors

Brand ONLYOFFICE Docs with Your Logo and Theme Colors

Give an embedded ONLYOFFICE Docs editor your company logo and interface colors with a custom theme file and editor configuration. See edition limits and deployment checks.

Keep Writer Revisions Visible When Exporting to DOCX

Keep Writer Revisions Visible When Exporting to DOCX

Track edits in Writer, preserve an editable ODT source, and check the exported DOCX in Word before sharing it.

Enable FIPS Mode on SLES 15 and Verify the Boot State

Enable FIPS Mode on SLES 15 and Verify the Boot State

Follow SUSE’s SP7 procedure to enable FIPS mode, reboot safely, verify the active policy, and check whether your compliance requirement calls for validated modules.