Computex: MSI shows external graphics solution

While several other vendors have started displaying external graphics solutions for notebooks, MSI had one on hand as well worth taking a look at.


The MSI GUS (Graphics Upgrade Solution) attempts to provide upgradeable graphics solutions for notebooks.  With such a device you could greatly increase your graphics performance and gaming ability, enabled Blu-ray acceleration if you don’t already have it and support multi-monitor support.


The MSI GUS uses an Express Card /34 interface and as such your notebook must have one in order to operate with it. 


GUS will support up to 90w on power although you cannot use a card that requires an additional PCIe power connector limiting you to mostly lower performing cards.  Even so, the graphics performance of say a Radeon HD 5670 will likely be faster and better than anything you have on a typical notebook.

Expect to pay $129 or so for the enclosure but you will have to add your own GPU to get it up and running.  We are working with MSI to get a unit for testing, so expect more on this soon!