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This week, Apple announced it was getting into the virtual reality market by adding powerful graphics chipsets to its newest Macs while also providing external GPU (EGPU) support for its Macbook Pro line of slim and powerful notebook computers. What are EGPUs? Most simply put, they are devices that use Thunderbolt connections to connect Ultrabooks and laptops/notebooks to enclosures that hold high-powered graphics cards. When utilized correctly, an EGPU can make a regular laptop a learn mean modular VR machine.
Why Should A VRPorn-head Care? Room-Scale Sex Simulations
In most cases, external GPUs can significantly increase the graphics capabilities of laptops making Oculus Rift high-powered and high-fidelity virtual reality simulation/gaming possible. This means if you have a high-powered laptop that can almost run VR, you might be in luck for an EGPU upgrade.
Getting an EGPU could raise your system to VR standards, therefore making room-scale virtual reality porn simulations possible (like that shown in the screen shot below). That said, EGPUs are a complicated solution. If you want to run high-quality room-scale VRPorn simulators on your laptop, read on to understand what you are getting into!
iCandy room-scale sex simulator. Image credit: iCandy: The Prototype
External GPU devices have been around for a while but have never really taken off for a number of reasons. That said, because of the emerging popularity of virtual reality hardware and software, EGPUs might be getting more popular. Device manufacturers are responding accordingly by releasing new hardware and software to support these new devices.
Background EGPUs: Why External?
For the longest time, hackers and modders have attempted to create devices that could connect powerful graphics processing units to laptops which have historically had underwhelming graphical capabilities. Only recently have laptops begun to include graphics processing units that can provide what a full PC can offer.
For the most part, even laptops with dedicated GPUs have trouble with high-end 3d graphics. This is because modern laptops are built to be as small and thin as possible. This thinness is great for your back and portability but it is terrible for the dedicated GPUs that are included.
Ask anyone, laptops with powerful dedicated internal GPUS run blazingly hot. This is horrible for laps which, for males, require low temperatures to produce the vast quantities of sperm required to inseminate multiple females.
Thunderbolt Required
External GPUs sidestep this issue by being outside of the laptop computer and therefore not contributing extra heat. Connecting a GPU externally to a laptop was impossible for the longest time because the external ports were not fast enough to run at speeds that a display requires. Around 2014, with the release of Thunderbolt 2 ports on Macbooks, many hackers and modders began projects to create external cases that connected GPUs to the new high-powered port.
DIY Thunderbolt 2 EGPU. Image credit: Odd One Out
One of the first hacky solutions used Thunderbolt 2 and the AKiTiO Thunder2 PCIe box. Designed to work as hard drive enclosure, the modding community used a variety of adapters to make the AKiTiO work with GPUs. Running on Mac hardware, this DIY solution had to run on Windows for driver compatibility reasons.
Although hackers/modders thought that Thunderbolt 2 was technically fast enough to work with external GPUs, the industry thought otherwise. Manufacturers like Alienware, HP, and Razer waited for Thunderbolt 3. The Thunderbolt 3 standard provided enough headroom for the laptop’s internals to work in tandem with the external GPU to produce 3d graphics.
HP Omen E GPU. Image credit: HP
Thunderbolt 3 Required
https://youtu.be/NlN7XCwDKnw
Today, EGPUs are sold by a few manufacturers including Apple, Razer, and HP. Apple’s offering sells for $599 which is not too bad considering that it includes a difficult-to-find Radeon RX 580. Razer’s system runs for $499 without a graphics card included. Compared to Apple’s developer offering, Razer’s offering seems like a sick overcharge.
There are more to from though. HP’s offering called the Omen Accelerator runs for $300 dollars and includes the new futuristic USB 5.0 ports. All of these EGPUs require Thunderbolt 3. All of these solutions could make your normal laptop into a badass VR machine perfect for iCandy.
Might still be pricey for some, but I tell you guys, it’s worth it.
man this is all great but a very expensive setup, mostly out of reach of common people.