eGPU and Thunderbolt 3 Compatability

[M5tt]

I want to add an external graphics card(eGPU) to my HP Pavilion 15-CS0064ST I received as a present. It has Intel I7, 16 GB ram, and only an Intel UHD 630 GPU. I found an eGPU that travels on a Thunderbolt 3 Cable i would like to use instead of the internal GPU. Is this possible on my pc, and if not what are some suggestions for better GPU?

[Photoray002 · Accepted solution]

Hello @M5tt 

Unfortunately, your Pavilion does not have Thunderbolt, even though it has a USB-C port. That port is only wired for USB 3 support in your case.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-pavilion-15-cs0000-laptop-pc/20284004/model/21925595/documen...

You cannot change out the gpu in pretty much any consumer type laptop. You would have to buy a different laptop like a gaming series unit that has a more powerful dedicated GPU, or a laptop that has Thunderbolt support for an eGPU.

If you went the eGPU route, you are still not portable for gaming. In such case I always suggest a person go for a good gaming desktop instead.

[M5tt]

Dang that sucks... What am i gonna do with all this ram.

[Photoray002]

Not much really, unless you were a heavy photoshop user or such. Sorry about the news.

[Rooki3]

According to manual (http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c06248419), your laptop has an M.2 NVME Slot.

Theoretically you could use it to connect an eGPU in it, with one of these (preferably the ADT-Link
R43SG), and achieve almost Desktop like performance.

https://egpu.io/external-gpu-buyers-guide-2019/#m2-interface

Here is an example.

https://egpu.io/forums/builds/2016-15-6-dell-latitude-e5570-r7-m370-gtx-1070-32gbps-m2-adt-r3g-win10...

But most probably Bios will not recognize it, cause of the known whitelist issue with the HP Bios.

And HP Bios are RSA signed and cannot be modded.

So, even if laptop is yours, you don't really own it.

HP has the final say and will decide what you can and what you can't do with it.

And all this awesome hardcore you have will remain underutilized, cause that's what HP decided it so.