As some of you know, I'm using an incredibly crappy integrated graphics card. A while back I was looking at external cards, but I forgot about them. Now that I remembered, I just wanted some insight:

I found this which is just a USB 2.0 (or in the video it looks like a PCMCIA card) to PCI E (the other version is more expensive but has a card inside, I can get my own card).

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE5NmURV5P8...layer_embedded#

What are your opinions on this? Are there cheaper solutions than dropping $200 on just the box and then another $50 on a card?

There's really very little point in doing something like /that/. The problem with laptops and greater-than-IGP graphics is three-fold.

1) Heat and space are at a premium. To cool a decent graphics processor will take a pretty hefty heatsink. To fit that heatsink, the laptop typically grows greatly in both size and weight, not to mention taking away from battery life.
2) Prices are outrageous. Upgrades aren't available in 95% of cases, and I've not seen a laptop graphics card in years. nVidia or ATI can charge big bucks for even medium-level performance on a mobile system.
3) There are no universal high-bandwidth ports on laptops. 125mb/s seems fine, but it's not nearly enough. What's really needed is a sort of "super"-express card (which is a single-land PCI-E 1.0 slot), with 4+ PCI-E 2.0 lanes. If there was something "wider", then those external boxes would be a lot more feasible.

The problem with a graphics adapter via USB 2.0 is two-fold, all with bandwidth. First point is a port is rated for 480mbit/s PEAK. Packet overhead cuts ~12% of this, and you still have to divide that number by 8. Think about 54 mbyte/s. That again sounds like a lot, but it's really not. Using full-speed ("30 fps"), full-frame (1280x720--aka 720p) video with a 32-bit color gamet? That's roughly 105mbyte/s uncompressed and still too low resolution as well as too few frames-per-second for any real application. Add in any number of other variables, and you still have to realize on thing. Most computers have all the USB ports sharing one or two PCI lanes--133mb/s peak bandwidth. That bus is VERY busy, and also the primary thing that keeps a 1000mbit/s (1gbit/s) network from actually USING a full 125mbyte/s. The bus is simply too busy doing everything else, to consider doing full-speed USB transfers. The real limits are quite a bit lower, again, because of packet overhead.

Ok, that's what I was thinking, but how in that video did they get those frames?

And if I'm not mistaken, the "box" holds a regular desktop card. But yea, I was also wondering about heat since it's in that box with only a little bit of ventilation.

If I were you, I would just use 3danalyze with a fast processor. It is cheaper and more flexible.

I don't think I have the CPU power to do hardware emulations.

In short, they don't. A few tricks; lower resolution, lower quality, or lower frame-rates. Cutting from 32-bit (normal desktop) to 16-bit (stuff from YEARS ago) will cut out about half the required bandwidth. In addition, having the adapter run at, say, 1024x768, will make it easier to deal with than 720p. Last, expecting lower frame rates or using interlaced video. Asking for only 10fps or using 720i would make the task easier yet. Using USB is great for peripherals yet not feasible for anything more than VERY basic graphics output. I'm saying like running a Powerpoint presentation with USB--most of the time it's a single frame and nothing's moving or anything.

Darn I had my hopes up. Looks like I'm saving up for a desktop.

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

Most AMD laptops have an nVidia or AMD IGP that works decently. Faster than GMA3100/4500, and alright for relatively basic gaming. You could do FPS's at lower quality but full resolution, most RTS's, and quite a few other games. Other than that, check at Dell and HP for other options via laptops. MSI and Asus have some, as do quite a few other brands. Toshiba is making inroads on general consumers.

Ok well this is my problem, I'm going to college in two years and I'm stuck between a laptop or a desktop. I want to be able to play some games in college, and I won't have my xbox with me. So if I get a laptop it would probably bee 800-1000+ and I don't even know how great battery life would be. If I get a desktop, I'd also have to buy a monitor and a keyboard and I wouldn't have the flexibility to move the computer across the campus.

Is this because i showed you the 5800s? You can get a pretty decent desktop quite cheaply now though. I thought you were going to get a $300 one i suggested a while back...

Lol no not because of that. There was an article on gizmodo that sparked the thought.

And I was thinking about that, but I don't want to be at college stuck to a desktop in my dorm.

In 2 years, when you're at college, your laptop will be basically obsolete. Why are you spending money now? Other than that, if you're worried about size/weight, a 19" 1680x1050 LCD or a 22" 1080p LCD, and a micro-ATX system or even mini-ITX system should be fine. A C2D or maybe even i5-750, 4GB RAM, a 1TB drive, and anything from a HD4650 to a high-end gaming card (HD5890?) should work just fine. There are a lot of flex-ATX (look for Shuttle's offerings) and micro-ATX "cube" chassis. Silverstone has a rather nice one for mini-ITX, with a second slot for dual-slot graphics cards. The PSU is right over the CPU, which limits you (I'd say an E6300 or something with a low-profile cooler, like a Scythe Shuriken) but you still have space for almost any card, save dual-GPU cards.

The 5890 isn't going to be out for a while yet, and most certainly will not fit in an mATX case.

Lol if I were to buy a card, I would buy something that's 50-100 at most. I can't afford $300 cards (and tbh seems like a complete waste of money).

Ah, but red, here you are wrong!

To remind you, here are my specs:
Intel 2 Duo Core 2.20GHz 2MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB (A lot faster than it sounds)
4GB DDR2 RAM
320GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
512MB NVIDA GeForce 9600 512MB Dedicated Graphics... Aka, RuneScape HD Fullscreen, no lag.
Also, with a Webcam, Fingerprint Reader and TV Tuner

This is the HP HDX16t...
From eBay? $815.97...
Oh yeah, free Windows 7 Upgrade FTW.

Honestly, Getting something similar to mine would be a lot more worth it than buying a $200 graphics card.

A suggestion, but good luck.
~Vincent

EDIT: So yes, this would be a waste of money. Just get a new laptop for college.

Laptop or desktop... laptop will be slower for the same money but portable. Desktop will be better, upgradable, get to build it yourself but it won't be as portable.

Hmm yea I may get something like that if I can find a good deal on one later.


I guess I'm going for a laptop then, but I've always wanted a desktop. Maybe I'll just get one when I'm done with college (6 years from now lol).

Yea, I like to plan in advance.

Getting just another budget laptop isn't going to help with the problem you have now: graphics.

Red, an even better idea is to get a top of the line laptop (If you are willing to spend about $1500, so you can get all the features that will be standard when you graduate) and then get a docking station, so it will be like a desktop when you graduate. Though, it will be a "piece of crap" by then, so do what you think is best.
~Vincent

If you are going to buy a laptop, make sure it's durable and has long warranty. You know, laptops' repair prices are really high.

Yea warranties are kinda...not for me. I usually void them in the first 30 days.