Perhaps
the most sought-after thing by 98% of laptop owners is how to connect an
external graphics card to the laptop so that modern games and heavy programs
can run efficiently and with the best possible performance because laptops are
usually not designed for games like desktop computers, even those that contain
An integrated graphics card and an amazing external card from AMD or Nvidia,
and even if they are at ridiculous prices, you will not get the best efficiency
in games like desktop computers.
But
this will not prevent us from talking about how to connect an external graphics
card to the laptop. If you cannot bear the cost of assembling a computer
dedicated to “Gaming”, you can read the following lines to find out what
options are available to enhance the gaming experience on your laptop with
limited capabilities that It may not live up to your ambition.
Is it possible to upgrade the graphics card in the laptop?
Perhaps
you have thought about that before... Is there a possibility to upgrade the
graphics card that comes with the laptop to another card that is higher and
better efficient? The answer is simply “No.” Although the second graphics card
in the laptop is called an “external graphics card,” it is integrated into the
motherboard, like the processor, and it cannot be changed. It is not
impossible. There are indeed laptops (such as CLEVO P150EM) that support
upgrading the second graphics card via an external board because the graphics
card itself is separate from the main motherboard of the device. But even if
you upgrade the graphics card of the laptop, you will not notice any noticeable
difference in performance simply because all the graphics cards of the laptops
are not comparable to the graphics cards of the desktop computers. so, what's
the solution?
How to connect an external graphics card to the laptop?
What
if I told you that you could connect the external graphics card of the desktop
to the laptop and get a powerful graphic performance just like a desktop
computer (PC)? You can do this with an eGPU box and its name indicates an
external GPU or an external graphics card.
If
this is the first time you've heard the word "eGPU", it is a
relatively large box that includes everything needed to connect an external
graphics card to the laptop. The mother, in addition to a power supply (Power
Supply), delivers power to the external graphics card, in addition to the
cooling fan that maintains the temperature of the graphics card integrated with
it.
In
addition, these boxes come with support for the USB ports, Ethernet port, and
additional HDMI ports so you can connect other displays or connect keyboards
and more than one mouse with ease and convenience. As for the way this box is
connected to a laptop, this is usually done by cables that are characterized by
fast transfer, such as Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.0. Currently, the highest speed
that you can get from an external graphics card is by Thunderbolt 3 at a speed
of up to 40Gbps via the USB-C port, which is now available in modern laptops.
But
in any case, the speed still depends on the laptop's motherboard because it is
the one that manages the computing process. Then, after connecting to the
laptop, all that remains is to connect the power cable and turn on the eGPU
box, then install the drivers and drivers for the graphics card used in the
box. Once set up, the laptop will rely on the eGPU when high-resolution
graphics are needed instead of using the graphics card that came with the
laptop. With this, you will get the performance of desktop computers in games
but on your mobile device.
But
still, the only problem with the eGPU is the price, as buying an eGPU box will
cost you a few dollars because the options are very limited in the market and
not popular, do not be surprised when you see on Amazon the price of an eGPU
box reaches $ 300 or $ 600. And if you are always moving from one place to
another with the laptop, buying an eGPU box is another problem because you may
lose this mobility feature and it will become like a desktop to stay in one
place. But if the cost and portability issue is not your concern, then let's
take a look at the best eGPU boxes you can buy for laptops available in the
market right now.
Razer Core. Box
The
Razer Core box is considered the best device on the scene to add an external
graphics card to the laptop, as it is made of durable materials in addition to
a distinctive and wonderful design in black with green lighting at the bottom.
The Razer Core box works with a Thunderbolt 3 connector with a powerful
500-watt power supply, which is a good capability that allows you to use
powerful common graphics cards for desktop computers, and it also provides a
set of important ports to connect other accessories to the laptop in addition
to containing an Internet card to enjoy the gaming experience. Online at full
speed. But the drawback of the Razer Core box is the price, as it costs you $
500 without containing an external graphics card, but only the box, but it
works efficiently and with the best performance with the supported graphics
cards shown on the box page on the Razer website.
PowerColor Devil Box
The
PowerColor Devil Box is also the perfect choice if you want to connect an
external graphics card to your laptop. It comes in a very distinctive design
with transparent slots to see the internal components in action. The PowerColor
Devil Box supports connecting any external graphics card from Nvidia and AMD,
as long as the laptop supports Thunderbolt 3 port and runs on Windows, so you
can easily install huge graphics cards for desktop computers and use them on
your laptop and get fantastic gaming performance. The PowerColor Devil Box also
provides an "Ethernet" port to connect the Internet to the device and
pull the maximum Internet speed to play online games, in addition to a power
supply of 375 watts, which is excellent for running any graphics card.
Moreover, the 2.5-inch SSD is supported by the SATA 3 cable built into it. As
for the price, it is 450 dollars.
Alienware Graphics Amplifier Box
Alienware,
a subsidiary of Dell, is one of the most famous computer companies specializing
in selling computer accessories and accessories for games. It is the favorite
company for gamers. It provides an Alienware Graphics Amplifier box to connect
an external screen card to a laptop at the lowest possible price, which is only
$ 200, which is considered an eGPU box. The lowest price, perhaps because it
only relies on the USB 3.0 connector and also supports the installation of
graphics cards that do not exceed 10.5 inches in length, which means that you
will not be able to use the huge graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD in this
box, as well as you will only be able to use it on Alienware laptops only! It
justifies this low price.
AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
At
a cost of $ 600, you will be able to get a powerful performance that can
compete with any desktop in running the latest games at the highest possible
graphics settings with the AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box from the well-known
company GIGABYTE, and the box comes with an 8 GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 card
of memory It supports playback on 8K screens and can be connected to any laptop
you have as long as it supports the Thunderbolt 3 port and is running Windows
10. The box also comes with a 450W power supply with three USB 3.0 ports. The
great thing about this box is that it comes with very small dimensions and its
weight does not exceed 2.5 kg, which makes it easy to carry and move anywhere
you go.
That's
it, as game boxes or eGPUs are the best way to connect an external graphics
card to a laptop and get a gaming experience like what users of desktop
computers get. But if you have other ways to add an external graphics card to
your laptop, why not tell us about them through the comments below.