@bleuthoot, Question, are you using the .5M or 1M cable? I’m curious if it works with a longer 1M cable ok or really need to keep it short?
Anyone using longer or any better cables that can be gotten to do so (ie. shielded)?
I understand electrical path crosstalk and things like retimers, but just wonder realistically how far you can push that distance of these components before you start seeing signaling problems or just dropping for lack of proper modulation on the bus with the random kit of the week from alibaba.
Most are no more than 1m I’ve seen, but they also look like their meant for an internal case connection as they began life with. I don’t know if someone has an exterior properly shielded and protected cable that perhaps handles the distance better beyond the 1m for PCI. Not that I’d want to particularly, but I can see cases it might be useful for some.
Thanks! Just confirming that this card is PCIe Gen 4, not 3? Somehow I couldn’t find this information anywhere on the Amazon listing posted by Aaron_Baff nor your AliExpress link. There was one mention but it was talking about the OcuLink standard, not this adapter.
Yep, OcuLink cables can’t signal to either end which PCIe spec they are so it’ll just be whatever the host can provide/device can receive as part of PCIe link training I believe
Still waiting on some final info from Framework, emailed them on the 30th of October, followed up on the 20th of November and just followed up again with no response
I’ve been waiting for the Radeon 8000 RDNA 4 series before even jumping into building an eGPU so I’m in no hurry. Even after release, they’ll have to work out kinks, and I’ll need to plan an Occulink 8i enclosure. Was hoping to see something on the market, but its looking more like you have to build what you want.
Seems like a great way to get some high-speed PCIe connectivity for an eGPU setup, but I’m curious if there might be any bottlenecks or data transfer issues to watch out for. Another thing I’m concerned about is removing the back panel plastic each time to access the M.2 slot—definitely not ideal if you’re planning to use the eGPU frequently. Very crude but thinking it would be feasible to modify the back portion of the expansion bay shell to screw in the M.2 to OcuLink adapter to have a connector passthrough for an OcuLink cable.
It would be great if it could work, but I suspect you may run into issues getting the FWL16 to cooperate. Framework had to have a new BIOS update made for their Dual M.2 Adapter. It may not deal with an OcuLink connected eGPU. And last I heard, they are still working with an outside company for all BIOS updates, which adds time and complexity. And would also explain Framework not getting back to Josh with what he needs to move forward.
But if anyone was going to get a Dual M.2 Adapter anyway and already has everything else, it sure would be worth a shot.
I’ve been wondering… how would an m.2 to Oculink set-up look like using the dual m.2 expansion bay? What connectors/cables would you use so that you can connect to the eGPU while the expansion bay remains enclosed?
I recently bought this for another laptop, but given I just ordered the Dual M.2 Adapter I am thinking whether it might work with that, by simply removing the small backcover which leaves an empty space at the back. Let’s see…
Certainly not elegant. But framework CEO certainly invited people to try in his blog about it… And just saw someone above has the exact same idea…
Exactly as @Philipp_Lamprecht mentioned. Hypothetically if it works without needing bios updates (@MJ1), it would be relatively easy to remove the back cover while installing the m2 adapter and use a high speed drill to make a >4mm rectangular hole in the back cover for the female Oculink port of this part (10 cm version) and hot-gluing the adjacent screw holders. Thinking of hooking it up to this eGPU. Gonna look ugly as hell but would be mind-blowing if it works! Getting the m2 adapter regardless but waiting till next month until the intel Arc B580 comes back in stock to test it.
So it’s very possible to make one with the connector on the side at just the right distance for the oculink port to go through the plastic part at the back of the expansion shell.
If it is well designed, it will stay in place just by attaching the nvme part to the expansion bay module. I will not be surprised if someone design and make one for the framework laptop.
Just to note that I will be using the exact same EGPU from Minisforum as it supposedly has a chip for signal integrity (whether it will be enough, let’s see).
Also, just to note that I will be tinkering around with this a bit, but I am still waiting for Josh to finish his parts - thanks again for all his work on this.
@Destroya could you ask internally about what is going on with my emails, since it’s seriously not a good look to be “supporting development” yet not responding to an email for 45 days with a relatively simple yes/no question
