An eGPU dock that's actually SFF (name TBD)

[Steph]

Hello guys,
I'm looking for an egpu for my new Razer Blade Stealth and came over your interesting project.
I dont wanna buy a Razer Core bye two reasons: first its to big and second its price is to high.

But first something about me: I'm new in this forum. My name is Stephan I'm an electrical engineer from germany.

I think the maximum power limit for the pcie of the Akitio Thunder3 isn't a big deal. Just grind off a little bit of varnish and solder a new powerconnector to provide more power.
The biggest question for me is, what do do with the charging problem on my Razer Blade Stealth. It needs 20V to charge, but the Akitio Thunder3 only provides 5V 3A as fahr as i have seen. I already thought about a little connector which will take the USB-C VBUS und CC Lines out of the charger and the rest out of the akitio, but i dont know if something like that is available at the moment.
An other way would be to modify the circiut board of the Thunder3 so it provides the needed 20V. Therfore it would be great if someone could take some high res pictures of the circuit boards front and back, because i dont have a Thunder3 at the moment and its really difficult to get one in germany.

Steph

 

[iFreilicht]

Welcome to the forum! An easy solution would be a Docking station designed for the new MacBooks, as those were designed to be charged with 20V as well. You simply connect the eGPU to one of the Thunderbolt 3 outputs on the docking station, the docking station to its PSU and the laptop to the thunderbolt input of the docking station. Laptop gets charged, eGPU is connected as it should be.

 

[Runamok81]

Steph,

Welcome to the SFF Forums! During the previous design discussion, I don't think anyone has discussed using the Mini eGPU to power laptops. I believe the Asus ROG XG Station 2 can charge laptops at rate of 100W. I'm not sure if a feature like that is practical or easy to add?

@Aibohphobia - Looks like winter storm Helena has delayed the delivery of the Thunder3.

 

[Steph]

a Docking station designed for the new MacBooks, as those were designed to be charged with 20V as well.

I already thought about this, but is there a cheap adapter with 1USB-C and a Charging Port? I didn't find one.

 

[jeshikat]

I think the maximum power limit for the pcie of the Akitio Thunder3 isn't a big deal. Just grind off a little bit of varnish and solder a new powerconnector to provide more power.

Ah, forgot about that issue too. If we had been able to get ahold of a Node it wouldn't be an issue but they're out of stock everywhere.

The PCB is basically the same though and that's what I really need, is measurements.

An other way would be to modify the circiut board of the Thunder3 so it provides the needed 20V. Therfore it would be great if someone could take some high res pictures of the circuit boards front and back,

I can definitely help you out on that! Pretty much all the pictures online are either poor quality, low resolution, the PCB is obscured, or all three.

Looks like winter storm Helena has delayed the delivery of the Thunder3.

Oh well, we'll just have to continue speculating on dimensions, layout, and connectors until it gets here then

 

[jeshikat]

I'll hop on in about 15 minutes to make sure everything is working then get the show rolling.

Link: https://beam.pro/SFFNetwork

 

[jeshikat]

Ok, archive footage of stream here: https://beam.pro/SFFNetwork?vod=761029

If I download that stream though there's weird sync issues with the audio. I don't have a local recording and I don't have time to fix it so once it's taken down that's it. So if you're interested in seeing me model a more accurate HDPLEX 300W AC-DC in SpaceClaim be sure to watch it before Jan 21.

 

[iFreilicht]

I already thought about this, but is there a cheap adapter with 1USB-C and a Charging Port? I didn't find one.

Nope, that doesn't exist to my knowledge either.

 

[ChainedHope]

Ok, archive footage of stream here: https://beam.pro/SFFNetwork?vod=761029

If I download that stream though there's weird sync issues with the audio. I don't have a local recording and I don't have time to fix it so once it's taken down that's it. So if you're interested in seeing me model a more accurate HDPLEX 300W AC-DC in SpaceClaim be sure to watch it before Jan 21.

If you would like I can try to rip it and sync the audio then email you the file. That way anyone can watch it at anytime.

 

[jeshikat]

Actually, I thought of that too and I may let OBS sit there and record it while I'm working tomorrow and see how that goes.

 

[iFreilicht]

Relevant XKCD:

Title text: “If you can read this, congratulations—the archive you’re using still knows about the mouseover text”!

 

[jeshikat]

Haha, as always there's a relevant XKCD.

I had tested downloading the video but I didn't realize on a long video it'd screw up like this. So I'll be be sure to do local recordings for future streams.

 

[jeshikat]

If you would like I can try to rip it and sync the audio then email you the file. That way anyone can watch it at anytime.

Ok, got it recorded, finally.


I love Beam for streaming but boy do they suck for archive playback. The video keep pausing and getting stuck so it took quite a few tries to get it all recorded and I had to stitch together different chunks.

So in the future I will definitely record locally for separate upload to YouTube.

 

[jeshikat]

@Runamok81 is the AKiTiO still trapped in a snowbank somewhere?

 

[Runamok81]

No, it's arrived, but I'm not there to forward it to you. I am currently enjoying the crap outta a vacation right now, Virgin Islands. Back on Monday.

 

[jeshikat]

Haha, escaping this chilly weather eh?

In that case I will do a livestream this Saturday, but it will be for modeling the Narrow ILM Noctua bracket instead.

 

[jeshikat]

Now I just need to find time to measure it

 

[HeroXLazer]

Now I just need to find time to measure it

Thanks for helping us all out. @Runamok81 We wouldn't get to see this and help without you "sponsoring" the Thunder3. I know I'm not the creator of this project, but still.

 

[jeshikat]

Ok, it's pretty rough but I have a basic model of the PCB and I've captured the standoff and PCIe slot locations, so good enough to start making decisions on the chassis.

I'll be live streaming tomorrow, Saturday Jan 21 at 3:00pm Central (click here to see in your local time zone) on Beam, link here: https://beam.pro/SFFNetwork

 

[Runamok81]

@HeroXLazer no thanks necessary, my man. @Aibohphobia, don't forget to snap some high resolution photos of the InXTron board inside. I belive @Steph was looking for those?