External Video Cards

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pirahna590
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External Video Cards

Post by pirahna590 »

Quick question, does anyone know if using an external video card actually helps? Im asking because for xmas I was given by my gurl Thehunter: Call of the Wild and despite being ABOVE the minimum system requirements, all I get is a black screen and then crashes to desktop. I went to COTW's forum, and even contacted support about this, and while I have 2gb of Vram, minimum recommended is 1gb of Vram, I was told that if I compare my GTX850M to the recommended GTX660, that the GTX660 is actually a better card for various reasons.
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caledonianblues
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Re: External Video Cards

Post by caledonianblues »

Since you're running a laptop, you won't be able to add an external graphics card and have it run in SLI with your existing graphics card. Even if you could, it would have to be a matched card and nobody would use an M series card in an external GPU configuration. Unless your plan is to disable the GTX 850M and use an external graphics card exclusively. My advice would be not to bother. External graphics cards are fraught with caveats and you're essentially throwing money at a problem that can be solved in other ways, e.g. buying a desktop machine. If you're determined to do it though, you might want to check to make sure you have a Thunderbolt connection, which is what most eGPU units use. You should also look into the costs for an eGPU chassis. You could easily pay a couple of hundred dollars just for that bit of kit to put the GPU in.
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pirahna590
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Re: External Video Cards

Post by pirahna590 »

Unfortunately this laptop doesnt have the Thunderbolt connection :(. I cant begin to tell you how frustrated I am that this laptop that I spent GOOOOD money on, isnt up to the task of COTW. I mean, its an upgraded MSI ge60 2PL Apache, its upgraded with a solid state hd, I overclocked the CPU, GPU and Ram ... but wont even launch the game. At first I figured no biggie, will just get a PS4 and COTW for PS4 but after reading that the updates and DLC for consoles is seriously lacking, Id prefer to stay with the PC version, but not really looking to dump several thousand dollars to build a new gaming pc either. So frustrating :(
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caledonianblues
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Re: External Video Cards

Post by caledonianblues »

It's bizarre that you can't get the game to launch. That's not a GPU performance issue, that's something else, in my opinion. The recommended GPU for Call of the Wild is a GTX 760. If you compare your GTX 870M to that card, you can see that although it's lower in terms of performance, it's not a massive difference:

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/GeForce-GTX-870 ... ce-GTX-760

If you go to this site it should be able to give you a rough idea as to whether you can run Call of the Wild. The game should definitely run, but you obviously won't get great frame rates even at 1080p if you crank everything up to the max. Still, it sounds like you're having a different problem.

As for gaming laptops, I feel your pain. I've owned several of them throughout the years and still do, including SLI variants with non-mobile GPUs. They're huge, hot, noisy and really bad value for money. Great for when you're abroad on business, staying in hotels, or too lazy to get out of bed. But for performance, a desktop offers far more bang for your buck.
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mapache01
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Re: External Video Cards

Post by mapache01 »

In fact now you can add an external GPU with this device plus you have to buy the GPU Card, just level what's better buying new Laptop or loosing the portability since you need to install this device on laptop to use also an external Monitor
https://www.amazon.com/XCSOURCE-Externa ... ternal+gpu
Image
Image
https://www.banggood.com/es/EXP-GDC-Lap ... 34367.html
https://youtu.be/in2RYwjWFyA?list=PLE1A29E2A6ADC9E23

Here's another device, according to reviews you loose some performance if you Computer/Laptop does not have Thunderbolt port but works
https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Aorus-G ... ternal+gpu

Here's an article on Pcworld
https://www.pcworld.com/article/2984716 ... -card.html
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pirahna590
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Re: External Video Cards

Post by pirahna590 »

mapache01 wrote:In fact now you can add an external GPU with this device plus you have to buy the GPU Card, just level what's better buying new Laptop or loosing the portability since you need to install this device on laptop to use also an external Monitor
https://www.amazon.com/XCSOURCE-Externa ... ternal+gpu
Image
Image
https://www.banggood.com/es/EXP-GDC-Lap ... 34367.html
https://youtu.be/in2RYwjWFyA?list=PLE1A29E2A6ADC9E23

Here's another device, according to reviews you loose some performance if you Computer/Laptop does not have Thunderbolt port but works
https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Aorus-G ... ternal+gpu

Here's an article on Pcworld
https://www.pcworld.com/article/2984716 ... -card.html
All of this is just so confusing lol. From what Im understanding of this, I would need to remove my wifi card and install these type of adapters there? Then I would need a power supply unit and of course, the GPU itself? Im also seeing that not all GPU's work with these types of set ups? The more I look into this the more Im ready to just say F it and just get a ps4 but with the sheer number of console players on the forums asking where their updates and DLC is, Im a bit hesitant to go this route ... but as I say it I have a ps4 pro 1tb console sitting in my amazon cart, just waiting for my next check lol
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mapache01
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Re: External Video Cards

Post by mapache01 »

That's another option if you want to play just COTW on PS4, just check with Devs if you can play COTW on MP with your friends that DOES NOT HAVE PS4, I bought for my son SW Battlefront II on PS4 and I cannot play Multiplayer with him when I'm on SW Battelfront II on PC same with Battlefront I.
So we play only MP on PC and he play MP on PS3/4 with his friends.
You can play games on MP only on same system PS4-PS4 or PC-PC but not PC-PS4 that's on all the CDuty, Battlefield , Battlefront etc
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caledonianblues
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Re: External Video Cards

Post by caledonianblues »

mapache01 wrote:just check with Devs if you can play COTW on MP with your friends that DOES NOT HAVE PS4
You can't.
pirahna590 wrote:I have a ps4 pro 1tb console sitting in my amazon cart, just waiting for my next check lol
I honestly think there's something else at play. You should at least be able to play Call of the Wild with your GPU. Fix the issue then decide if the performance warrants buying a PS4.

Have you tried reinstalling the game?
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pirahna590
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Re: External Video Cards

Post by pirahna590 »

caledonianblues wrote:
mapache01 wrote:just check with Devs if you can play COTW on MP with your friends that DOES NOT HAVE PS4
You can't.
pirahna590 wrote:I have a ps4 pro 1tb console sitting in my amazon cart, just waiting for my next check lol
I honestly think there's something else at play. You should at least be able to play Call of the Wild with your GPU. Fix the issue then decide if the performance warrants buying a PS4.

Have you tried reinstalling the game?
Unfortuantely, yes, several times. I installed and uninstalled to reinstall from the box version two or three times, even went to steam and used their download to install, nothing. Theres a pinned post on the COTW forum with about 15 different " tips " to try and correct the issue of game not launching, everything from updating the GPU drivers, to uninstalling and reinstalling microsoft c++ 2015.

Im with you though, this laptop should at least launch the game, but it doesnt and I dont get why. When I sent in a support ticket with a report diagnostic test on my laptop, I was told that Im not showing a secondary video card and that Im only using the intel graphics, but I know for a fact this laptop has an nvidia GTX850m video card ... Ive also gone to the nvidia control panel an set thehunter COTW to run ONLY on the nvidia processor, tried running the game with the built in display only as well as a secondary monitor ... nothing seams to work but the weird thing is, if I go on steam an pul up COTW, it says Ive played the game an hour? It seams to be runing, but cant get it to display.
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