Alienware's Graphics Amplifier adds a high-end GPU to their gaming laptop

[Scorpus]

Gaming on a laptop has always had a performance-related downside: mobile GPUs simply aren't as powerful as their desktop counterparts. You may have the upside of a portable and versatile machine, but you often won't be able to crank the graphics settings up as high as those who choose to play on a fixed system.

Alienware thinks they have a solution to this. It's called the Graphics Amplifier, a compact enough box with a full desktop graphics card and power supply inside. Plug Alienware's latest gaming laptop into the Amplifier, and suddenly you have a system that's gaming with desktop-class power.

The idea is to combine the portability of a standard laptop with the gaming power of a desktop. The Amplifier will stay on your desk as you travel with your laptop from place to place, and when you get back home for a gaming session, you power up the Amplifier and gain access to serious GPU performance. Plug in a keyboard and mouse to the USB ports on the Amplifier and you've basically got yourself a gaming desktop.

Unfortunately the Graphics Amplifier won't work with every laptop out there; in fact it only works with one, the new Alienware 13. This is because the cable from the Amplifier is a proprietary mix of USB and PCI Express, requiring a special port on Alienware's latest laptop. Although only this laptop is supported for now, Alienware says that their future models will also come with the necessary port.

The Graphics Amplifier will go on sale today, alongside the Alienware 13, for $299. No graphics card is included, though the Amplifier supports any desktop GPU with a TDP up to 375W.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/58597-alienware-graphics-amplifier-adds-high-end-gpu-their.html

 

[oldikes]

They could have had something really profitable had they not made it proprietary.

 

[RzmmDX]

They could have had something really profitable had they not made it proprietary.

MSI has also been sketchy on their connector too. So far the rumor is USB and works for other laptops.

 

[mosu]

So, basically a frame and an under 500W power supply for 300$...I'd better have a second computer for that kind of money(without graphic card, of course)

 

[ElShotte]

This is not something new, and it is already available for all laptops with either PCIe or Thunderbolt. Author please do your research. Doing a quick Google search I found a company called Magma, which makes PCI Express to Thunderbolt/PCIe powered boxes, see here:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...G1dYV_BA4gVHw_Q4muZ6bkNxLAezV90jkNhoCf3vw_wcB

I saw other manufacturers but didn't feel like doing the research. I saw one somewhere for like $350 a while ago and it had PCI Express 2.0 16x. Author please do your due diligence and research this topic further.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

This is not something new, and it is already available for all laptops with either PCIe or Thunderbolt. Author please do your research. Doing a quick Google search I found a company called Magma, which makes PCI Express to Thunderbolt/PCIe powered boxes, see here:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...G1dYV_BA4gVHw_Q4muZ6bkNxLAezV90jkNhoCf3vw_wcB

I saw other manufacturers but didn't feel like doing the research. I saw one somewhere for like $350 a while ago and it had PCI Express 2.0 16x. Author please do your due diligence and research this topic further.

He doesn't need to do research, He's just dishing up the latest news. If he has to research every article he posts he won't even find the time to die.

 

[Arris]

So, basically a frame and an under 500W power supply for 300$...I'd better have a second computer for that kind of money(without graphic card, of course)

Totally. But then again Alienware over pricing things is nothing new. And they are releasing it for their new 13inch gaming laptop. What does that say about the laptop? Makes it sound like it's under-powered even when new.

 

[Steve]

This is not something new, and it is already available for all laptops with either PCIe or Thunderbolt. Author please do your research. Doing a quick Google search I found a company called Magma, which makes PCI Express to Thunderbolt/PCIe powered boxes, see here:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...G1dYV_BA4gVHw_Q4muZ6bkNxLAezV90jkNhoCf3vw_wcB

I saw other manufacturers but didn't feel like doing the research. I saw one somewhere for like $350 a while ago and it had PCI Express 2.0 16x. Author please do your due diligence and research this topic further.

It is new, from Alienware.

 

[Scorpus]

Totally. But then again Alienware over pricing things is nothing new. And they are releasing it for their new 13inch gaming laptop. What does that say about the laptop? Makes it sound like it's under-powered even when new.

It probably didn't even need to be under-powered. Alienware could have chucked in a GTX 980M and it would have GPU power above many top-end desktop GPUs

 

[yukka]

This is not something new, and it is already available for all laptops with either PCIe or Thunderbolt. Author please do your research. Doing a quick Google search I found a company called Magma, which makes PCI Express to Thunderbolt/PCIe powered boxes, see here:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...G1dYV_BA4gVHw_Q4muZ6bkNxLAezV90jkNhoCf3vw_wcB

I saw other manufacturers but didn't feel like doing the research. I saw one somewhere for like $350 a while ago and it had PCI Express 2.0 16x. Author please do your due diligence and research this topic further.

Someone else brought out graphics cards before. Does that mean stop all coverage, its done now?

 

[SuperVeloce]

This pricing is ridiculous. I mean really, no matter the badge. Questionable power supply and a lump of plastic for $300? Gold-rated power supply and a 20kg tower for desktop costs that much. Just stupid.

 

[JohnCB]

At what point do you finally say "I should buy a desktop" ?

$2500-3000 for a "gaming" laptop, $300 for an adapter followed by another $400-800 for a video card... you may as well just build a gaming desktop for 1/3 the cost.

 

[VitalyT]

For the kind of money one is better off paying for gtx 980m inside a laptop and smoke'em all!

 

[RebelFlag]

Between the ridiculous price and the proprietary nature of the device, I don't see this lasting too long. Then again, people who buy alienware stuff are used to over-paying for their hardware.

 

[Guest]

The msi laptops with gtx980m and gtx970m are user upgradable. I hope all laptops would do the same where people can swap or trade video cards in laptops.

 

[Nobina]

Just today I found out about this.

http://www.banggood.com/EXP-GDC-Laptop-External-PCI-E-Graphics-Card-p-934367.html

You can use it to connect GPU to a laptop, but you need a power supply. There is a video on YouTube.

 

[Guest]

I think the point is if you have to use a large external graphics card, then the internal card is inadequate for gaming, so why does the laptop still cost so much? And if you buy a gaming laptop for portability but end up lugging around a bulky enclosure and power supply to play games then why not just buy a small form factor desktop gaming computer and save yourself the $299?

 

[Jad Chaar]

Interesting concept but Alienware is known for being overpriced.

 

[Adhmuz]

This is not something new, and it is already available for all laptops with either PCIe or Thunderbolt. Author please do your research. Doing a quick Google search I found a company called Magma, which makes PCI Express to Thunderbolt/PCIe powered boxes, see here:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...G1dYV_BA4gVHw_Q4muZ6bkNxLAezV90jkNhoCf3vw_wcB

I saw other manufacturers but didn't feel like doing the research. I saw one somewhere for like $350 a while ago and it had PCI Express 2.0 16x. Author please do your due diligence and research this topic further.

Macs don't game, whats the point. This concept has never been new, just too cost prohibitive. Alienware is just one of those companies good at separating PC suckers from their money. It just reflects as an insult to those who know a plastic box with a 375 watt PSU and a PCI-E port doesn't cost $300, closer to $100 and that's being generous.

Besides your Link is to a vastly inferior product, more expensive, less capable, Mac only. Another product designed to separate suckers from their wallets. Don't forget your $60 Thunderbolt cable...

The real problem here is by making a product that works with ALL laptops to improve graphics you also eliminate the gaming laptop market, because in reality a gaming laptop will rarely game away from an AC outlet. So in theory a product like this could stay at home and give you desktop level graphics yet you can disconnect and take your, now more power efficient, laptop with you. All that is required is a docking station and you'd have a viable desktop replacement. Heck if the price was right and the technology further developed a second mini version of the same product that can be portable with separate battery pack for graphics when you need it. But this is all just a big pipe dream.