AMD launches external graphics card box (XGP)

AMD launches external graphics card box (XGP)

Daniel Fleshbourne on 06 June 2008 - 16:05 · 27 comments & 15775 views

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AMD used the Computex show in Taipei this week to propose XGP - eXternal Graphics Platform, a slimline box you connect your GPU-lite laptop to when you need more graphics horsepower.

Fujitsu Siemens (FSC) was on hand to demo the concept with its Amilo GraphicBooster, an AppleTV-like unit with an AMD ATI Radeon HD 3870 GPU built in and hooked up to 512MB of GDDR 3 memory. The box can drive four displays simultaneously, the company claimed.

AMD's pitch is that users will be able to connect their slim'n'light laptops to an XGP, which will supply the level of graphical grunt that they don't need when they're on the move and, more importantly, running on battery power.

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#1 neufuse on 06 Jun 2008 - 16:43

Sounds kinda like nvidia's tesla... just not for rendering farms

(3 replies) #2 betasp on 06 Jun 2008 - 16:47

This is long overdue, but it needs to be cost effective. I can't pay a $200 premium for it. It needs to be only ~$75-100 for it to be worth it.

#2.1 Marty2003 on 06 Jun 2008 - 17:02

So you expect an external graphics card to be half the price of the PCI-E version? I don't think that's possible.

#2.2 WICKO on 06 Jun 2008 - 20:15

(Marty2003 said @ #2.1)

So you expect an external graphics card to be half the price of the PCI-E version? I don't think that's possible.

The best solution would be to allow users to buy a card of their choosing, just like with harddrive kits.

But of course, I don't think AMD will do that.

#2.3 betasp on 07 Jun 2008 - 13:33

Did you actually read what I wrote? I said it does not need to be a permium, not $100 whole.

(4 replies) #3 PureLegend on 06 Jun 2008 - 16:54

So what connection does this use?

#3.1 Marty2003 on 06 Jun 2008 - 17:06

an XGP connection

#3.2 Foub on 06 Jun 2008 - 17:23

(Marty2003 said @ #3.1)

an XGP connection

Between the computer and the box, not between the box and the monitor.

#3.3 Sakesaru on 06 Jun 2008 - 19:04

(Foub said @ #3.2)

(Marty2003 said @ #3.1)

an XGP connection

Between the computer and the box, not between the box and the monitor.

I don't know where you got this "not between the box and the monitor" junk from. You seem to be in a fantasy land where XGP is a type of connector that connects a monitor to a graphics device.

Martys assumption that the connector between the laptop, and the graphics unit, would be called XGP is a pretty good guess IMO.

#3.4 Foub on 07 Jun 2008 - 01:18

(Sakesaru said @ #3.3)

Have you ever heard the term Anal Retentive?

(2 replies) #4 +Kushan on 06 Jun 2008 - 17:01

I can see this being useful for presentations and things - just have that little box in the booth you plug your laptop into so you can up the resolution of those powerpoint presentations and stuff.
Don't really see the point of it beyond that, though, I can't imagine it being very good for games, especially if it runs off of USB.

#4.1 Marty2003 on 06 Jun 2008 - 17:08

The resolution of powerpoint presentations is usually limited by the projector, not the graphics card.
It doesn't run off USB. It runs off an external PCI-E connection.

#4.2 LaXu on 08 Jun 2008 - 17:35

(Marty2003 said @ #4.1)

The resolution of powerpoint presentations is usually limited by the projector, not the graphics card.
It doesn't run off USB. It runs off an external PCI-E connection.

What laptops have the connector though? I haven't really looked into the newer laptops.

(4 replies) #5 seamer on 06 Jun 2008 - 17:45

Too bad it isnt USB based. Several of these could have run in SLI mode and supplemented any current setup, giving a cheap render farm or folding farm.

#5.1 WICKO on 06 Jun 2008 - 20:02

(seamer said @ #5)

Too bad it isnt USB based. Several of these could have run in SLI mode and supplemented any current setup, giving a cheap render farm or folding farm.

I don't think USB has the bandwidth required, and I'm relatively sure that 2 USB ports share the same bandwidth. If the laptop had more then 2, it might have worked.

PCI-E 1.1 is 4 GB/s maximum, and USB is 480 Mbits/s (~0.05GB/s).

#5.2 BBinder on 06 Jun 2008 - 20:16

(seamer said @ #5)

Too bad it isnt USB based. Several of these could have run in SLI mode and supplemented any current setup, giving a cheap render farm or folding farm.

ok since when was SLI to do with AMD?

#5.3 WICKO on 06 Jun 2008 - 20:25

(BBinder said @ #5.2)

(seamer said @ #5)

Too bad it isnt USB based. Several of these could have run in SLI mode and supplemented any current setup, giving a cheap render farm or folding farm.

ok since when was SLI to do with AMD?

He means crossfire

#5.4 greenmoon on 07 Jun 2008 - 14:58

If you're after USB solution, try http://www.evga.com. We use their UV Plus+ usb video card at work for use with projectors and those that just *need* a third monitor hooked up to their laptop! You'd never want to use it for gaming, but for normal office type work and dvd's, it's fine!

(1 reply) #6 +Ironman273 on 06 Jun 2008 - 20:45

Too bad it won't accelerate the screen on the laptop itself. That would be pretty cool.

#6.1 Circaflex on 06 Jun 2008 - 21:23

(Ironman273 said @ #6)

Too bad it won't accelerate the screen on the laptop itself. That would be pretty cool.

huh?
"The technology doesn't require an external monitor - the XGP can render images on the host laptop's own screen."

#7 RobertH on 06 Jun 2008 - 22:56

It sounds good, but it uses what seems to be a proprietary connector. For this to take off its going to have to be something that can be used easily by other companies other than AMD/ATI. At the moment it looks like your choice of upgrade will be ATI based only, which is fine i guess but not offering much choice. Somehow i dont think NVIDIA will accept this and will want to make their own standard.

(1 reply) #8 mayamaniac on 06 Jun 2008 - 23:23

Isn't this for a niche market for people who need to drive multiple monitors with their laptop? And even for that, I think there are other external devices that can output to multiple monitors from a single source. I don't see a huge market for this. This isn't for gamers. And it's not like it can accelerate the graphics on the laptop screen, you have to connect it to a separate monitor. You might as well game on a desktop.

#8.1 RobertH on 07 Jun 2008 - 00:12

+1 for not reading anything.

This isn't for gamers.

Yup, the ATI Radeon HD 3870 GPU built in and hooked up to 512MB of GDDR 3 isnt for gamers!

#9 kronik on 07 Jun 2008 - 14:05

This is great news for gamers that are always on the move, i.e LAN Party gamers.

And I agree it would be perfect if you can install any PCI-E video card of your choice inside the box, perhaps even several video cards.

(1 reply) #10 Hellgod on 07 Jun 2008 - 23:35

what i wanna know as if it will require a external display, if it does it's worthless to me, i want the enhancement on my laptop's lcd.

#10.1 RobertH on 10 Jun 2008 - 23:03

"The technology doesn't require an external monitor - the XGP can render images on the host laptop's own screen."

This was answered above your post. Are people even reading the articles they are commenting on nowerdays? :/

#11 ajua on 08 Jun 2008 - 21:55

This could be great. Hopefully we can read more information in the coming days/weeks.

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