Could we get some AGPU options for Framework 12 / 13 ?
Like some custom or beefed-up simile of the Ryzen Z Extreme series? To give us small lap-topper enthusiasts some more capable integrated gaming-able machines?
This thought came out of staring at pricy eGPUs and lamenting the limits of USB3.2 for those enclosures, so half of thunderbolt 1? But even something as capable as what is in a Legion Go, or Rog Ally, hell even a more capable Steam Deck AGPU would be pretty enticing, and if it competes with budget eGPUs and portables many would get the upgrade, even as a swappable option.
One thing I think would be cool is to see the chipset used in the Framework desktop on the framework 12. The little guy would be a real all around maschine.
Speed wise 20Gbit usb 3.2 has about the bandwidth of TB2 (or castrated TB3 like on the t480s) but since it laaks pcie tunneling there isn’t a way to use that bandwidth for egpu use.
The 890m available in the 370 version of the FW13 is basically the same 16 cu rdna3.5 GPU from the z2 extreme, and it is much more powerful than what’s in the steam deck already, although framework’s implementation will be held back by sodimms by probably 10-15%.
The fw12 is probably a lost cause for iGPU performance no matter what you put in it because of the single channel ram, so unless they change that a fast iGPU is pointless.
that’s unfortunate, I must’ve missed that FW12 wouldn’t have usb4 cuz I got excited to order an egpu for it, it does make a good yet pricy replacement for my old MS surface, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping for some egpu options.
Some newer surfaces have TB3/4 but their cpus are awfully weak so an egpu would only help so much…
although if you made a mainboard replacement, wouldn’t adding some form of dual channel ram just be a design challenge? or is there just not enough space for a 2nd dimm? if so I suppose you could also pull a ROG and add integrated or replaceable mainboard ram that can work with the dimm… although that in and of itself will add lots of cost i’m sure…
I guess I’ll just monitor FW 13 upgrades and maybe wait to snag a Ryzen AI when / if the price goes down, or if they outright surprise me with a smaller form-factor FW or an unexpected FW 12 upgrade.
I was flirting with the idea of grabbing one of those GPD Win Max devices but the hardware glitches / failures noted across those devices has me terrified I’d just be tossing my money in a fire.
When I say lost cause, I mean that it wouldn’t make sense to put a faster iGPU in it without addressing the memory bandwidth bottleneck; so for example I don’t think it would be much faster if framework had offered an soc with one of the 96 EU iGPUs rather than the 80 EU iGPU in the top spec now.
Whether the existing performance is adequate if course depends entirely on whether the user is happy with it.
Yeah, I couldn’t play no man’s sky very well without it looking awfully buttery, and helldivers 2 was a lost cause on the FW12, so I just went and bought a FW13 7640U, the 760M is more than 2x capable than the Iris Xe that’s in the FW12, I debated getting the AI w 890m, looks nice, but the price difference convinced me to go for good enough w the usb 4 available if I want to get an egpu and I can look forward to upgrading the FW13 later.
No man’s sky works pretty well on it without reducing the resolution, whereas i have to ratchet it down to 35% on the FW12 to make it playable. And since helldivers 2 runs fairly on the bottom end on the Steam Deck, I’m sure it’ll run a little better on the FW13 + 760M.
I am a little smugly proud to have every FW laptop now, but I still would like a smaller profile laptop-ish FW with an AMD in it that can rival a handheld… (still w USB4+)
