Coolermaster egpu enclosure to be expected anytime soon?

Framework Laptop 13
1

hi peepz,

I am a very happy framework 13 amd user. everything has already been said about what makes the laptop great. I bought the amd version mainly for the igpu and I am very happy with the performance. however, I keep looking around the egpu market and wondering if there will be an egpu case for the fw 16 graphics module from framework/coolermaster in the near future?

background: I can play graphically demanding games like rdr2, fo4, cyberpunk with the fw 13 and igpu (radeon 780m) with low mid settings and reasonably acceptable frames. older or less graphically demanding games are even better. nevertheless it is still (very impressive for an igpu and power efficient) lo-fi gaming when it comes to newer titles. with hunt showdown, which i’ve been playing with friends for years (before I got my framework with a shadow pc), it’s a bit different. with low settings and render resolution scaling (70), which really devalues the game graphically, I get 60-80 fps. now the big hunt update is coming and with it fsr support, and i’m curious to see what that will do.

if the fsr with the igpu is underwhelming, I will probably keep looking for an egpu solution. hence the question about a possible fw/coolermaster offer. of course I would like to stay in the fw ecosystem and continue to support the company and its cause for repairability and upgradability.

what are your thoughts on this?

2

I haven’t heard anything, but since the FW module is rather expensive, and any eGPU enclosure probably would be as well (needs external power supply, a USB/Thunderbolt endpoint, and possibly some input/output handling), I’d personally recommend one of the various third party eGPU solutions on the market, if it’s a need you want to meet. A standard desktop GPU and a third party dock is probably achievable for the same price as the FW module alone, and that tables all the issues the FW module would have when paired with a 13" FW machine (power is the big one that jumps to mind).

3

OK, thank you for those thoughts. I guess you’re right. I just wanted to make sure that I did not rush into buying a third party egpu solution while there might be one from framework coming in. What are your thoughts on the cooler master projects they said were in the pipeline? A dock? A display enclosure?

4

Absolutely, if you want to wait, go ahead and wait. I just haven’t heard anything about a FW eGPU dock or host, so I wouldn’t expect it soon.

I haven’t heard anything about docks or display enclosures. I generally wait till well after general availability before I buy things, I’ve purchased too many lemons in the past (not saying FW will ship lemons, just that I’ve been burned by preorders of many types, many times).