Upgrading graphics for laptop

nemesis189

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Mar 2, 2017
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Is it possible in any way to use a desktop motherboard's pcie slot for external graphics connection to laptop?
 
Solution
Sorry, maybe it's lack of coffee this morning, but I'm still not understanding what it is you want to achieve?

Do you want to connect a desktop motherboard to a laptop? Can't be done.

Do you want to physically remove the PCIe slot and connect it to a laptop? No. Can't be done.
I'm not fully understanding the question - not sure where a desktop motherboard comes into it.

Generally, a laptop can't be upgraded. There are Thunderbolt external devices for GPUs, but requires a Thunderbolt connection.
There are also 'hacked' ways of installing a GPU externally with a laptop (usually using an ExpressCard port on some laptops), but are not easy or recommended.
 

nemesis189

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Mar 2, 2017
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@barty1884 i meant, like how there are external pcie expansion ports which can be connect via usb and hdmi and stuff......so like that is it possible to use a desktop motherboard's pcie slot.....
 
Sorry, maybe it's lack of coffee this morning, but I'm still not understanding what it is you want to achieve?

Do you want to connect a desktop motherboard to a laptop? Can't be done.

Do you want to physically remove the PCIe slot and connect it to a laptop? No. Can't be done.
 
Solution
You can rig your laptop to use an external graphics card through the express-card slot: http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/diy-egpu-experiences.418851/#prepurchasefaq

Now before you get excited:
This card slot only has 1 PCI-E lane on most laptops while the graphics card has 16. Now most cards wont saturate more then 8 lanes but that is still only 1/8 or 12.5% of the performance.
This will also require an external power supply AND an external monitor.
 

k1114

Distinguished
There are NO external pcie expansion ports which can be connect via usb and hdmi. Pcie requires pcie protocols to be used on the port. This limits pcie adapters to mpcie (usually used for the wireless card on laptops), expresscard (old, phased out and no longer on any laptops for a couple years now), m.2 nvme (msata replacement used for ssd, many laptops don't have it), and thunderbolt (the only external connections while the others are internal but many laptops don't have and expensive adapters $200+).

Pcie x1 is 1/16 the bandwidth but this translate to 50% performance. If you check benchmarks, many games are actually not getting down to 50%.
 

nemesis189

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Mar 2, 2017
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Well i dont hav in-depth knowledge abot ir so basically wat i inderstood is that this mpcie thing will only utilize 50% of the graphic card's capability, right?
 

k1114

Distinguished
Yes but if you hook up a desktop gpu that can do 60fps on ultra, then you could get 30fps on ultra, or at least high-med at 60fps depending what you want. It helps a lot if you're laptop can hardly do 5fps on low but that's assuming the rest of the laptop is not the issue and just the gpu is holding you back. Mpcie adapters are relatively cheap, $30 or so. As long as you understand the drawbacks and what you are getting yourself into.
 

nemesis189

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Mar 2, 2017
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Well thanks for the example it helped me get it better....well actually im thinking of steppig back coz unfortunately hardware parts are costlier here than in usa...if anything goes wrong or if the mpcie dies just after a year of usage or so, im pretty sure my parents wud never buy any upgrades even remotely related to 'computer'....