GTX 750 Ti running as external GPU

[Ohlins]

Hi I have a Gigabyte Brix Pro model number GB-BXi5-4570R, and as the model number suggest it is equipped with an Intel Core i5-4570R desktop class CPU,I installed 8GB of DDR3 1600 MHz SODIMM RAM and a Crucial 250GB msata SSD. It also as Intel Iris Pro 5200 GPU. I use this pc for work mostly running 3D Animation/Rendering software such as Maya 2016, I program using Android Studio etc and for the size I am very impressed with it so far. However I also play World of Warcraft and Heroes of the Storm on it on Low settings,as the Iris Pro graphics aren't very powerful. I was wondering whether I could purhcase a GTX 750 Ti, which uses no external power and install it on an external pci-express slot. Would that work at all? Would I need an external PSU anyway?

 

[ronintexas]

The GTX 750ti doesn't need a separate connection to the power supply - quite a few of the faster GPUs will need them. I use the 750ti - it is a big upgrade over integrated graphics, but it won't give you max settings.....you need the next level up as the 750ti is an entry level gaming card....you might get good performance on medium settings....

The 750ti is an internal GPU - you install it in an empty PCI slot on your motherboard.

 

[Karadjgne]

The Brix is an ultra compact chassis that doesn't have any user add-on capability such as an internal pcie x16 slot that would be necessary for the addition of a dedicated gpu. It's basically a more powerful version of a console, designed more for htpc use not gaming. As far as I know, there isn't any way to add an external gpu as the necessary connections on the motherboard itself don't exist and the usb3 port isn't equipped to handle that kind of power input

 

[bignastyid]

Exactly how do you even plan on connecting it to the system? the motherboard has no pci-e slots, it might be possible to remove the wireless card and use the mini pci-e port but it only has 1x bandwidth which will bottleneck the card to the point where it might be slower than the integrated gpu. An external gpu is going to require some kind of power supply. A pci-e 16x slot can deliver upto 75w and the 750ti gets close to that which is why some of the overclocked models have a 6-pin power connector.

 

[Ohlins]

Exactly how do you even plan on connecting it to the system? the motherboard has no pci-e slots, it might be possible to remove the wireless card and use the mini pci-e port but it only has 1x bandwidth which will bottleneck the card to the point where it might be slower than the integrated gpu. An external gpu is going to require some kind of power supply. A pci-e 16x slot can deliver upto 75w and the 750ti gets close to that which is why some of the overclocked models have a 6-pin power connector.

I was planning on getting a pci-e x16 to usb interface(most of these external pci-e boards have an express card slot at the other end for connecting to laptops). Then use one of the BRIX's available usb port and connect it there. I'm not sure if it will work but theoretically it is possible.

 

[bignastyid]

The usb port would be more of a bottleneck than the mini pci-e port.