Thunderbolt GPU's?

[HaukSwe]

So will, either a 3rd party or apple, make externally hosted GPU's connected via Thunderbolt? We saw that sony laptop with a GPU dock, fx.

Very interesting concept, my Macbook air does very well as a desktop with an external screen connected, with a decent gnu added it'd even take care of my casual gaming... it can already run starcraft..

 

[Emulex]

the macbookair thunderbolt is gimped it will probably be excluded. maybe the next version will not have a gimped air thunderbolt

 

[mmntech]

All signs point to maybe.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/04/external-thunderbolt-graphics-card-for-macs-to-be-developed-soon/

 

[ViRGE]

the macbookair thunderbolt is gimped it will probably be excluded. maybe the next version will not have a gimped air thunderbolt

Eh? What's wrong with TB on the Air?

 

[KeithP]

Eh? What's wrong with TB on the Air?

I believe he is referring to this...
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2...res-half-sized-sff-thunderbolt-controller.ars

According to AnandTech, Intel's first Thunderbolt controller chip is codenamed Light Ridge. This part, L051NB32, is what you will find in most other Thunderbolt-equipped Macs. It can support up to four bi-directional 10Gbps channels (or 80Gbps total) and up to two DisplayPort output channels.

However, Intel has a second Thunderbolt controller code named Eagle Ridge. This part, L123TA46, comes in two packages—one is like the standard packaging used for Light Ridge, and the other is a slim, SFF package. It can support two bi-directional 10Gbps channels and just one DisplayPort channel. It is essentially, as AnandTech describes it, "half of a Light Ridge chip."

Eagle Ridge's single DisplayPort channel is part of the reason the new MacBook Airs can only support one external display. Since the 13" MacBook Pro also only supports one external display, despite the higher-end Thunderbolt controller, the Intel HD 3000 also appears to be a limitation as well.

It's worth noting that a single Thunderbolt port only uses two bi-directional channels, so machines that don't need to support more than one external display and only have one Thunderbolt port could use easily use either version of Eagle Ridge.

As I read that, the performance of the single Thunderbolt port on the MBA would be the same performance as a single port on any other machine.

-KeithP