Fujitsu Siemens' Lasso external graphics card get spotted, should hit retail soon

An external graphics card that's actually nearing release? Be still our hearts! Fujitsu Siemens' recently leaked external unit, which will be based on ATI XGP technology, is actually really, really close to hitting retail -- according to a piece over at Fudzilla, anyway. Slated to be titled Lasso, the RV670-based device should be more than enough to handle basic tasks, but unfortunately, benchmarks were off limits. On the upside, digital photography was not, so head on down to the read link for a few more snaps.

[thedesolate1 @ Jul 5th 2008 11:28AM]

But will it run every emulator you throw at it?

[NoAndThen @ Jul 5th 2008 2:03PM]

I don't see why not, thedesolate1, most integrated graphics can do that anyhow...

That being said though, I've been waiting for the for SOOOO long, i'd love to get a tiny graphically-underpowered notebook for cheap and beef it up with this thing. How long until we see this tech in other notebooks, I wonder?

Can you upgrade the graphics card in it? Although you'd still have bus bandwidth bottlenecks.. Hmm.

[Joe H @ Jul 5th 2008 2:55PM]

From what I read, the laptop has to have a special port on it in order to connect this to, doesn't it? I could've sworn that I read XGP has a proprietary port.

[meh @ Jul 5th 2008 7:16PM]

sadsa

[meh @ Jul 5th 2008 6:51PM]

..so when will this fucking thing stop sending confirmation emails?...

[GatgetMan @ Jul 6th 2008 12:18AM]

When you type in your password...

HINT: It's IN one of the confirmation e-mails...

[meh @ Jul 5th 2008 7:17PM]

dsdsadas

[GatgetMan @ Jul 6th 2008 12:27AM]

At least we can see why he's so adamant about remembering his password... Who would want to loose a screen name like "meh"?

[meh @ Jul 5th 2008 7:21PM]

old pw test

[GatgetMan @ Jul 6th 2008 12:22AM]

SUCCESS!
You have officially passed the "Old Panty Waste" test!

Congratulation!

[meh @ Jul 5th 2008 7:21PM]

engadget devs cant code...?

[GatgetMan @ Jul 6th 2008 12:25AM]

Welcome to Engadget Jepoardy!


Answer: "This Engadget User, who is an Old Panty Waste who should hold his breath until he passes out, once said this:"

(See above)

[tekdroid @ Jul 6th 2008 1:42AM]

what a snoozefest:

1) proprietary connector AMD/ATI has exclusive use of for one year and apparently many (?) will use from then on? I doubt it.
2) you can use an external monitor, not your laptop's LCD.
3) let me guess: it'll be priced 60% that of an entry-level or mainstream laptop, nobody will use it and/or it'll be riddled with bugs and poor compatibility/ support, and it'll be forgotten.

[NoAndThen @ Jul 6th 2008 11:12AM]

sounds about right, especially with only being able to use an external monitor, how effin weak.

[Frank @ Jul 6th 2008 11:47PM]

1) Correct, one year of use then they will open it up.
2) When i was talking to one of the project managers about this they stated that it could be used on the laptop's LCD, but I could have misunderstood him.
3) The cost will be around $475.00 for the box with a high end 3000 series Radeon card.

The XGP won't just be for graphics, but manufacterers can put just about anything inside the box. AMD basically provides driver/hardware support for the connector and the technology and the laptop manufacturer designs and decided how it will be used.

I can see this type of technology replacing docking stations in the future.

[Frank @ Jul 7th 2008 12:07AM]

This will be up to the manufacturer. AMD/ATI is just providing the support for the drivers/hardware technology. This is Fujitsu's version of the box, whoever makes the others will decide what capabilities it has and what it looks like.

[Frank @ Jul 7th 2008 12:09AM]

AMD/ATI will hold the technology for 1 year from August, then will open it up to other companies to use. For now the laptop will have to be powered by AMD/ATI.