Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Images of next generation Vaio Z leak, with possible external GPU?
- Thread starter dmx
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
My trusty 10+ year old Vaio finally chugged out on me last week, now replaced with a IBM Thinkpad (which to be honest, is just as slick and durable). Maybe it's time to plunge into the savings for a newen, as the Vaio brand is certainly one I trust a hell of a lot.
the eject be that it houses the optical drive as well. If so it is a nice touch since the only time that you put on external GPU is when you more than likely want to put other media in and at a desk.
To me the external GPU idea I know has floated around for a while. I have wonder how well it would really work it would be really cool if it would let you start using desktop GPU. Then you would be able to put some major graphic power on a laptop with out the power and heat restrictions because for on the go you have the light low power internal but at a desk you can run full power desktop power.
An optical drive when physical media is on the way out, with an external GPU in the same housing?
Sems like a dead-end deal all round. Certainly has no mainstream appeal. Might be alright for Pros and gamers (those who like to game on their notebooks.)
Sems like a dead-end deal all round. Certainly has no mainstream appeal. Might be alright for Pros and gamers (those who like to game on their notebooks.)
Yeah seems to be the point... Hence why its not included in the laptop in the first place.
Herp derp
I think that is the point.
Unless you want to go with the fact that under those rules the Mac Pro is a dead in and has no Mainstream Appeal so it is dead.
Correct, the Mac Pro does not have mainstream appeal. It's a workstation.
Except it's a complete solution.
What we're seeing here is a bad gimmick.
says you. If it came from Apple I can promise you that you would be singing its praises.
This is clearly designed to allow a laptop to function more as a work station. Sony knows it will be a nitch market.
It allow the computer to be portable with out having the weight and power issues of a high power graphic card. These means lets say you are someone who needs a graphic card at work but still have to go off and go to meeting and what not.
This allows you to take the laptop to those meetings with out the punishment of the weight of the full power graphic card but at your desk full power.
Also removes one of the largest issues with laptops is heat and power. Putting the graphic unit out side of the computer that gives you a lot more room for cooling and you can run it off external power so that is a non issue. Kills 2 birds 1 stone.
I honestly think it is a pretty good solution to take advantage of switching graphic cards that we have seen on computer were intel can flip between intergratic graphic to deticated graphics as needed.
Well that's just it. Something like this *wouldn't* come from Apple. Certainly not under today's circumstances.
In that case, it's all good. No argument then.
It would revolutionize mobile computing, he would say.
I like this concept. Low power and high battery time for when you're out and about, all of a sudden you've got a gaming computer when you put it on a desk.
The external looks too small to house an optical drive and GPU, considering the GPU will need cooling, power circuitry etc. Just looks like a slot-loading optical drive with no fancy bits.
Don't get me wrong, I love the concept. I'd like Apple to do this with the next MBA, using Thunderbolt obviously, allowing for the HD3000 on the move and a decent GPU at home...but I can't see it happening unfortunately.
Don't get me wrong, I love the concept. I'd like Apple to do this with the next MBA, using Thunderbolt obviously, allowing for the HD3000 on the move and a decent GPU at home...but I can't see it happening unfortunately.
Sure, this would mean way too much power for the MacBook Pro.
An i7 13" mba with an optional gpu/dvd box connected to a Cinema Display with just one thunderbolt plug to remove when you want to take the laptop with you would be pretty cool.
Last edited:
Seems its true. That thing looks really nice, but its going to be really expensive Im sure. If the external Thunderbolt GPU is upgradeable this is a huge win.
Edit: A decent rig going from European pricing looks to be $2300+
Edit: A decent rig going from European pricing looks to be $2300+
Last edited:
Not too bad, considering how much a 13" MBA costs, and Thunderbolt peripherals are crazy expensive anyway. The dock itself is going to be several hundred dollars itself. Then add the "tax" charged on good implementation of new technology, and the price doesn't seem so bad!
Sony want over £500 for the BD-ROM dock in the UK. That's a bloody stupid price for a Blu-Ray reader and a mid-range mobile GPU. Those components are worth £100 at best - even if you take retail markup in to account the external shouldn't be more than £200-250. The package cost of the laptop (base specs) plus the external is a shade under £2000 - that's double the price of a 13" MBA.
