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iRay using external gpu via Thunderbolt 3 Breakaway box?

joshgreiferjoshgreifer Posts: 1
in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

My Dell Precision-5720 (looks like an iMac)  has a built-in AMD Radeo Pro  graphics adapter, which seems to be pretty useless for iRay.   I'm considering using the Dell's Thunderbolt 3 ports and connecting a breakaway box with a chunky nVidia card (GeForce RTX 2080 if I can stretch to it).  I've never used a Thunderbolt 3/external box for rendering.

Will this work as I hope it will, improving Daz 3D iRay rendering?   Does Windows 10 play nice with Thunderbolt-connected external GPUS?

Josh

Comments

  • R25SR25S Posts: 595

    That`s the question / answer I was looking for, too.

    I`m going to buy a new laptop and have an eye on a alienware with external graphic card (with 11GB), and wondering if this will work with iRay.

  • EsemwyEsemwy Posts: 578
    edited March 2019

    Works for me. So long as it’s real TB3 on the host, and not just USB 3.1 via a USB C port, any of the TB3 eGPU boxes should work fine. My setup required an add in card to work. 

    Post edited by Esemwy on
  • joshgreiferjoshgreifer Posts: 1

    Great! This post also give me encouragement:  https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/comment/3727491/#Comment_3727491

  • bytescapesbytescapes Posts: 1,851

    Take a look at egpu.io, which is an enthusiast site for people running external GPUs. They have forums with a ton of information about software and hardware, lists of equipment that has been found to work or not work, etc.

  • R25SR25S Posts: 595
    Esemwy said:

    Works for me. So long as it’s real TB3 on the host, and not just USB 3.1 via a USB C port, any of the TB3 eGPU boxes should work fine. My setup required an add in card to work. 

     

    I see that Alienware Graphic Amplifier uses a PCIe link instead of a Thunderbolt 3. Some  say that this is a way better solution then the Thunderbolt 3 because it has a better performance.

  • kenshaw011267kenshaw011267 Posts: 3,805

    The Alienware box appears to use a proprietary connector to get that PCIEx4 connection. So be aware it appears to only be usable with alienware laptops.

  • magog_a4eb71abmagog_a4eb71ab Posts: 769
    kenshaw011267 said:

    The Alienware box appears to use a proprietary connector to get that PCIEx4 connection. So be aware it appears to only be usable with alienware laptops.

    heh, "proprietary". One of the many reasons why I will NEVER EVER buy Alienware again. I don't know how their laptop systems are nowadays, but the way the system preserves battery life on mine that I got back in 2013 has been nothing but headaches. I already had to do a hard reboot because the stupid battery decided to downcharge to under 7%(at which point the cpu underclocks) in the middle of a render, which caused the screen to shut off and no way to get it back on. Not to mention the fact that Dell charges almost DOUBLE for replacement batteries(or any other replacement parts) if you buy it from them(I got the exact same battery minus the Alienware logo for almost half the price). Overpriced systems loaded with bloatware that seems to do what it wants, usually at the most inconvenient time. For anyone that plans on getting an Alienware, be sure to ask them to get rid of any of the unnecessary bloatware. I heard they're starting to do this now for their systems if you ask, but I could be wrong.

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