Laptop or Desktop? People on a budget always face this question. However, such is no longer the case.
Recently, MSI released its GS30 Shadow-001, an extremely thin and light gaming notebook made out of aluminum. It is powered by a 2.5GHz Intel i7-4870HQ processor and comes stock with 16GB of RAM. The 256GB SSD secures quick booting while the Iris Pro Graphics 5200 handles the graphics display. It also comes with all the basic computer amenities: ethernet port, USB 3.0, card reader, HDMI output and a backlit keyboard. All this already makes for a decent gaming notebook within the $2,000 range. However, there is one thing special about this laptop.
The GS30 Shadow comes with an external graphics card docking station. Using a full PCI Express 16x 3.0 interface at the back of the GS30, it can be mounted and locked to the docking station for a full speed link with the external graphics card of the owner's choosing. The external graphics card can then power an external monitor. The box comes with a built-in speaker, four USB ports, ethernet and two audio ports. Inside is a 450 watt power supply unit which can power a GTX Titan Black or an R9 290x, and the PCI Express 16x 3.0 slot on which the card can be mounted.
Although the MSI's docking station is not as flexible as Alienware's graphics amplifier, it offers bigger bandwidth, four times in fact, because Alienware's solution runs through a PCI Express 4x using an OcuLink, formerly Thunderbird, cable. Although the bandwidth is not a big issue now, it can become relevant in the coming years.
The main problems with both MSI and Alienware external graphics card solutions are the price and limited-model compatibility. At almost $300, it's not cheap. In addition, MSI's docking station is limited to RS30 Shadow and Alienware's Amplifier is limited to Alienware 13 R2, 15 R2 and 17 R2.
For those on a budget. A good and cheaper do-it-yourself solution would be to buy the PSU and the external graphics card mount separately. Prior to both brands' release (MSI and Alienware) of their docking stations and amplifiers, EXP GDC released its own version. The prices start at $70 on Amazon and $50 on Aliexpress and Banggood. A good and sturdy 450 watt PSU sells for approximately $80. With all the wires included, the total cost would be around $150, or half of what MSI and Alienware are asking for their products. Hence, people will actually be paying half of the cost, $150, for a box.
An instructional video on how to make the do-it-yourself external graphics card docking station functional can be found below.
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