ATi XGP External Graphics (aka LASSO) details

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TheGreatGrapeApe

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So probably not new to most, but I thought I'd consolidate the information in one quick post for later reference.

ATi launched it XGP external graphics solution at computex last week after over a year of it being known as Codename Lasso, a name still used sometimes to describe the interface. Providing full 8 lanes of PCIe 2.0 bandwidth to an external graphics solution via the proprietary connection.

http://ati.amd.com/technology/xgp/index.html

Witepaper;
http://ati.amd.com/technology/xgp/xgp_technology_brief.pdf

First Laptop to launch with it, the Fujitsu Amilo Sa 3650;
http://www.fujitsu-siemens.com/home/products/notebooks/amilo_sa_3650.html

Currently it's a single Mobile HD3850 and only works on an external display, however future updates and detail imply Xfire and other VPU options, and also support for Cross Display is mentioned where the external solution would power the laptop display, which currently is not an option.

This is more restrictive than other solutions like ViDock and Asus' XG station, but should also offer significantly higher performance by not being limited to the single PCIe 1.0 lane like those XpressCard solutions.

Still early, but nice to see options such as this developing for both the mobile and modular desktop crowd. [:thegreatgrapeape:6]
 
Yeah i have seen it, nice find anyway :)
Well i dont think the HD 3850 will beat the 8800MGTX but i have to see the benches

yeah its nice too see this kind of things for notebooks,and i think anandtech made a good prediction it said that in few years most users will have laptop instead of desktop
 

TheGreatGrapeApe

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Yeah I've been predicting that for a while, and actually Q4 of 2007 was the first time laptop sales outsold desktops; but I think it will take a little longer to reach 'more people/users have laptops' since there are so many people that will be on old desktops for a while, and likely the ratio will get better over time, but I think it'll be sometime after about 2010 that the N.American user base is more mobile than desktop, and a while after that for the rest of the world, where desktop sales are still strong, and where older computers remain in use a while longer.

As for performance, I would suspect that the HD3850M would be better than the GF8800M GTS and below the GTX. But either way it's still nice to have the option, so ultra portables don't have to me no power when you're at home or in the office. Something like a Lenovo or HP Tablet that easily hooks into a docking station would likely be the long term way to go for me.
 
Yeah it will be very good for Ultra portable laptops which doesnt have a good GPU

but i have a Question, can u use it with every laptop which has PUMA i mean for example if one of them has 8600MGT can u use this external GPU with it ?
 

TheGreatGrapeApe

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Probably can't use it on all Pumas, likely the only ones to get the XGP connector would be those by ATi/AMD, unless nV licenses the technology.

But really I'm less concerned about that than the unfortunate limitation of having to go with a Turion CPU, maybe the Turion Ultras can convince me otherwise, but I don't know compared to Montevina options it'll be tough.
 
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