External Gpu for Desktop

[wolfie572]

I'm fairly new to computer hardware, although I've been doing software development for a fair number of years, and I've heard and seen people use external gpu stations for laptops but I haven't seen one for desktops.I have a Lenovo ThinkCentre with integrated graphics and I'm looking for a small upgrade until I get parts for a gaming pc. Is this something you can do and if so does anyone have a recommendation for one to buy?

[ProjectBox153]

If you have a desktop, why not put the card inside?

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

1 hour ago, wolfie572 said:

I'm fairly new to computer hardware, although I've been doing software development for a fair number of years, and I've heard and seen people use external gpu stations for laptops but I haven't seen one for desktops. Is this something you can do and if so does anyone have a recommendation for one to buy?

You could do it if you have thunderbolt. The question though is why? If you already have full sized PCI-e lanes. If your board doesn't have a full sized PCI-e slot, chances are you were never customer for external GPUs in the first place.

 

It's like filling a hole in the pavement with flex seal. You could do that, but why? Why would you do that?

[SupaKomputa]

Some lenovo thinkcenter doesn't have a full pcie slots.

Maybe you could tell what type.

 

External GPU enclosure alone can cost a good budget pc.

[Jrasero]

26 minutes ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

You could do it if you have thunderbolt. The question though is why? If you already have full sized PCI-e lanes. If your board doesn't have a full sized PCI-e slot, chances are you were never customer for external GPUs in the first place.

 

It's like filling a hole in the pavement if flex seal. You could do that, but why? You would you do that?

If he has a ThinkCentre gaming or using a dedicated GPU was probably never the desire.  But the bigger question is why do you need a dedicated GPU now?  With an EGPU you probably will want to go with an enclosure which can range from $300-$500 to start and then you want at least a GTX 1060 or probably 1070 to make it worth while since with a TB3 there is loss of performance.  Even if you magically found a 1070 for $400 that's $700-$900 already on a setup that just isn't comparable to a full on desktop.  Even with the GPU crisis building a rig or finding a prebuilt with a graphics card is a better value and better for future upgrades.   

[wolfie572]

My ThinkCentre is a slim model and doesn't have full size slots. I'm looking into an external gpu because the integrated graphics aren't able to keep up with my designs anymore as they get more complex (both video games and engineering) and from what I've seen and heard using a gpu improves the performance for both. As for the cost, I have looked at the Pc's within my budget in comparison to an enclosure and they are either the same quality or worse when compared to the one I have right now. I am also planning on giving this to my cousin, who wants to use it for gaming and editing, once I get a new PC hence the enclosure vs just getting a new computer.

[KarathKasun]

You can use a PCIe x16 riser (x4 is easier to route though) to re-locate the PCIe slot on the outside of the case, assuming the motherboard has a physical PCIe slot connector internally.

 

There are also half height cards if it uses that kind of slot.

 

Ive done this to add a high performance GPU to a 1u server with no problems, you have to make/build your own case for the GPU though.

[Jay Deah]

A thinkcenter SFF will fit in a standard Atx case, bloke at work did it the other day. Buy a cheap case an PSU for around £60-£100 and swap the parts into the new case, you now have a full size desktop that accepts a normal graphics card and you’ve saved yourself £300+

 

plus if you chose to upgrade in a few in a few months the case/psu will work with the new kit so it’s win-win