MSI “GUS” Adds External GPU to Notebooks via Expresscard

One of the most noticeable drawbacks to using a notebook versus a desktop is the inability to upgrade the graphics card. There have been several solutions over the years which promised to remedy this problem, but the MSI Graphics Upgrade Solution, or “GUS” may be the first to make it a reality.

The MSI Graphics Upgrade Solution is set to be officially unveiled at Computex, but bit-tech.net already has all the glorious details.  The GUS is an external GPU box which plugs into your computer via Expresscard and allows you to run an external GPU. This means older notebooks with an Expresscard but no discrete GPU can now have a realistic upgrade option for more graphics power.

In addition to adding more GPU muscle to your notebook the MSI GUS makes it easy to add 4 monitors to your notebook; 3 from the MSI GUS and 1 from the notebook itself. If you are a mobile user with a love for monitors at your desk this could be a good solution for connecting multiple monitors easily.

The MSI Graphics Upgrade Solution comes with a MSI Radeon HD 5670 1GB GPU for between $169 and $229 or can be used with your own PCI express graphics card for $99 to $109. If you plan to use your own graphics card you need to head over to bit-tech and look at the technical details which currently limit the card you can use.