external graphic cards for laptops?

[Gian]

I know it might be a stupid question, but are there any external graphic cards (i.e. with FireWire) on the market?
Or maybe are they planned?
I've got a 1.5 years-old ASUS L8400K laptop which, apart from the meagre S3 Savage card, was really a good choice.
I don't think I'll buy a new laptop; is my dream of an external device just a dream?

Thanks!

 

[TKH]

OK, first of all, if you want a powerful 3D card on USB2.0 or FireWire I can tell you it's impossible. The transfer rate (or bandwidth) on the FireWire and USB2.0 is too low to be used as grapahic card adapter. I can tell you graphic data is huge and you need very fast and high bus bandwidth to transfer the data. Unless you just want a small monochrome display then it may be able to do it but it'll be nowhere performs like your old S3 Savage. Anyhow, only those who has hopes and dreams can keep on living and advancing, may be some day we might have an external ATi Radeon 99900 or GeForce9 9900 Ultra...

You never know how stupid you are until you have done something stupid enough for you to realize it.
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[Gian]

Thanks for your answer, TKH.
I'll keep hope alive and in the meanwhile enjoy what I have.

 

[tombance]

So I take it your laptop doesnt have an AGP or PCI slot?

<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=5467618 " target="_new">Almost Breaking 12k!!</A>

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Which laptop DOES have a PCI (other than PCMCIA) slot or AGP? that allows an extrenal plug-in?
Never heard of that. Alienware and ECS have models that you can send back and have the graphics card replaced in shop, and I think ECS is even releaseing a modular one you can replace the component yourself, in the same way IBM's ultrabay changed things.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK

 

[Gian]

As long as Sandra2003pro says, my laptop has got one PCI and one AGP 2x slot (plus two PCMCIAs). I hope I'm not misundarstanding: I see "PCI Bus 0 (1x PCIClk) (ASUSTek blabla CPU to PCI Bridge (AGP Implemented)" and "AGP Bus 1 (2x PCIClk) (ASUSTek blabla)". ???
Could that mean that it is theoretically possible to insert a new card in the AGP slot?

Dreaming of a modular world...

 

[tombance]

The best way to find out is take it apart! If it does have AGP your in very good luck, as that means you can put anything in their (as long as your PSU can handle the power requirements) and get almost full performance (you will be slightly limited by AGP 2x, but not much)

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[jclw]

It may say it has AGP and PCI slots, but they'll probably be hardwired (ie: no real slot) , or at best a shrunken connector.

Most Dell laptops have proprietary video "boards" that you can swap out. You can find them from Dell or on eBay.

They look like this: <A HREF="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3409809405&category=31534" target="_new">click</A>

*Dual PIII-800 @900 i440BX and Tualeron 1.2 @1.74 i815*

 

[Crashman]

There are no PCI or AGP slots on any Laptop. When they say a laptop has AGP they mean the ONBOARD graphics uses the AGP controller of the chipset. Video daughter boards like those in some Dell's use a proprietary interface.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[Gian]

Shame! I hoped I could give some new life to my baby, but everything gets older (despite make-up and operations).
Thanks anyway for your help.

See u

 

[jihiggs]

some docking stations have a pci slot in them. they are generaly for nics.

my computer is so fast, it completes an endless loop in less than 4 seconds!