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0 pointsmox12y ago0 comments

I moved to egpus a few years back and it has been great. I have a desktop when I need one for gaming and a laptop when I am on the go.

anyone who uses a 2nd monitor is also “tethering” themselves to a desk, not sure that is a strong argument.

Futher, cpu speed increases have kind of plateaued, while GPUs have not.

Finally, most laptops max out around ~150-200watts of available power. While that $3000 Alienware laptop may have a 4080, its not a real desktop gpu, which in an egpu enclosure can pull 450 watts.

Finally, a goid egpu box is also a dock, one cable into the laptop, plug and go.

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dangus2y ago

If you're willing to carry around a second monitor and an eGPU, what's the point of even having a laptop as part of that setup?

For example, consider a small form factor desktop in a case like this one in the DAN C4-SFX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiCwDRzLHDk

What percentage of extra weight/space is this compared to carrying a laptop, eGPU, and second monitor? Could you not just carry two larger sized portable displays and the ITX desktop system and have the same outcome (but with better modularity and price/performance value)?

In my opinion, most people who want portable gaming are fine with buying a typical gaming laptop which they'll probably get many years of above-console quality gaming out of. That laptop-wattage 4080 you mentioned is more than good enough for playing literally any game. The people who feel like "as long as it fits in a duffel bag it's portable" and want the most performance possible should probably skip the eGPU and just travel with an ITX build desktop PC.

In other words, an eGPU fits in a weird middle zone between those two solutions that doesn't make a lot of sense. It's saving you a very slight amount of kit over just carrying a desktop around with you, and it's the most costly solution.

mox1OP2y ago

You don't carry a second monitor and eGPU around. Those sit at your desk and your mobile laptop becomes a gaming desktop / dev workstation whenever you want it to.

Then when you need your laptop back, you unplug 1 cord, put it into your backpack and go about your day.

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