Anyone here use an external pci-e slot?

JonnyTester

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I was thinking of downsixing my htpc to a slimline case, but that would rule out a decent videocard. But I was on endgadget earlier and saw a review of a pcmcia to external pci-e slot for using a proper graphics card with a gaming laptop. So, my interest piqued, I looked further into whether something similar is available for a standard pc. Which there are. But I wasn't able to find a proper review. So if any of you here have experience of these, can you give me an honest opinion please?
 
Do you mean thunderbolt external GPU enclosures? Right now they're over-priced and over-sized. Many of them are as big as compact cases that fit an entire system in along with a double slot GPU.

If you're not in any hurry then cases like the A4-SFX and Sentry should come into stock for general sale in a few months. If you want something like then currently available slimline graphics card capable cases like Silverstone's ML08 aren't that much bigger.
 
Thunderbolt is essentially external PCI-e, however it requires a TB controller in your system specifically a TB v3 controller which are only on newer PC's. If you have an Asus motherboard it's possible to add a TB controller but only for a select few, otherwise it means buying a PC with TB v3 support out of the box.

As EndlessWaves says the enclosures are fairly expensive at the moment but are slowly coming down in price. There was a nice external GPU out of the box on Kickstarter but they cancelled their own successful project as they wanted it to work on TB v2 controllers which a lot of older Mac's have but external GPU's wont work with that version. Hopefully they might come back with a v3 only version.
 
The type I'm referring to is a 16x pci-e slot mounted on a pcb, which then connects to an adapter in a pci-e slot on the motherboard, usually by a usb 3 connection. The pic is for a 1x to 16x version, but there are 16x to 16x versions as well. They can be powered or unpowered.

shopping
 
I've not come across those before, they look like riser/extender cables but using a USB cable instead of the usual ribbon cable.

USB 3.1 only has enough wires or enough bandwidth for 1x slots so I suspect the 16x USB versions run at 1x.

They're not really designed to be used as standalone external slots though, just components to build cases with. You would need a framework to hold the graphics card in place.
 
@JonnyTester

Can you put a link up please, what ever the use it looks like an interesting bit of kit.
ta
 
I've not come across those before, they look like riser/extender cables but using a USB cable instead of the usual ribbon cable.

USB 3.1 only has enough wires or enough bandwidth for 1x slots so I suspect the 16x USB versions run at 1x.

They're not really designed to be used as standalone external slots though, just components to build cases with. You would need a framework to hold the graphics card in place.

I think some sort of enclosure or base should be easily enogh knocked up. As I said in my original post, they seem to be an offshoot of pcmcia to pci-e versions designed for high end/gaming laptops.

Actually, now I come to think of it, the pcmcia version to a pc pcmcia adapter may be a better option.
 
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@JonnyTester

Can you put a link up please, what ever the use it looks like an interesting bit of kit.
ta

The pic was for one available from alibaba.com. They have loads of them in all sorts of configurations, and at a broad variety of prices. I'm not endorsing that site, personally I would prefer to do business with a UK or EU reseller.
 
It looks like it could work alright but be aware that the express card interface is a fraction of the speed of a modern PCI-e.

PCI-e v3.0 x16 internal offers 128 Gbits
Thunderbolt v3.0 is equivalent to a PCI-e v2.0 x16 link with 40 Gbits
Express card v2.0 gives you only 5000 Mbits
Mini PCI Express offers speed equivalent to an x1 link so if v3.0 thats 8 Gbits.

So that external GPU is going to be severely hobbled by the data transfer speeds if you go with the express card option.

The mini PCI-e connection is better but still not all that great.
 
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Would that be the case with a pci-e 16x to 16x adapter as well?

If both ends are capable of PCI-e 16x then there would be no issue at all.

But from what I can see mini PCI-e is used for WiFi cards almost exclusively, they don't need 16x links and information on wikipedia says mini PCI-e is a 1x link but maybe they are wrong and it can go faster.

You can see in the pictures they are plugging it into the WiFi mini PCI-e slot on laptops.
 
If both ends are capable of PCI-e 16x then there would be no issue at all.

But from what I can see mini PCI-e is used for WiFi cards almost exclusively, they don't need 16x links and information on wikipedia says mini PCI-e is a 1x link but maybe they are wrong and it can go faster.

You can see in the pictures they are plugging it into the WiFi mini PCI-e slot on laptops.

I see what you mean there. So the best way forward would be with a pc 16x to 16x adapter version.
 
Are you playing games? If not then why opt for another GPU. Get a decent one on the motherboard\cpu instead?
 
Alternatively get the Steam Link set top box if your a Steam user and have a wired ethernet link to the PC in the other room which handles the gaming, thats one way to side step it, doesn't cost a lot either. Wireless/powerline network links are not recommended, if your at all picky about latency a wired link is necessary.


If buying a new HTPC make sure it has Thunderbolt v3.0 as thats were all the good external GPU stuff is starting to happen, keeps your options open even if you settle on a HTPC with dedicated or integrated graphics.

PCI-e 16x extensions only exist in riser cards which are quite short, there is some super expensive and obscure external PCI-e standard but it's for industrial use and I dont think it would be viable for your needs.
 
I have an i7-6700K with 24GB DDR4 1866 ram. I also have an Nvidia Shield which I can use for streaming but it needs a decent Geforce card. My 750ti barely fits height wise in my current case
 
I have an i7-6700K with 24GB DDR4 1866 ram. I also have an Nvidia Shield which I can use for streaming but it needs a decent Geforce card. My 750ti barely fits height wise in my current case

What motherboard do you have as the i7-6700k is a higher end part.

Intel's USB 3.1 controller is also a Thunderbolt v3.0 controller on the high end motherboards, they use the same USB type C connector so you might not have noticed it.
 
Its an Asus ROG Maximus VIII Gene board. Its primarily for Star Wars Battlefront, but the framerate is terrible on the i7-6700K. Here's Tom's Hardware's verdict on gaming with the Skylake cpu's.

No it doesn't have it, Asus used as Asmedia USB 3.1 controller instead of the Intel one and although the full size ATX version of your board the Hero model is supported by Asus Thunderbolt card it uses a special header on the motherboard to connect internally alongside the PCI-e link and your board lacks that header connection.

If replacing the motherboard is an option Gigabyte are one of the most prolific supporters of Thunderbolt and even enabled it for free on some mATX boards. So despite what the specs might say on website TB support is there.
 

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