Asus is launching an external graphics card unit for gamers that want the convenience of a laptop.

The XG Station launches with an Nvidia 7900GS graphics card within its chassis and has 5.1 virtual surround sound. It connects via a PCI Express card and gamers can overclock the graphics card while playing. Asus claims with the 7900GS, it is nine times faster than when using a laptop with Intel 945GM integrated graphics.

It comes out early Q2 and costs $300. The card can be upgraded and Asus plans to bring out a version without card, giving buyers the choice of which card they use (no news on the price in this configuration though). It’s not locked to Nvidia either, so ATI fans can also get their fill.

Marketing manager David Ray said: “The whole concept is to make it upgradeable….so that a year later you can still have the best card.”

It attracted a lot of interest at CES Unveiled, where it got an airing, but Asus missed a trick by not loading a game in the laptop it was attached too – so we haven’t seen it in action yet. We’ll swing by its stand in the coming days and if it’s with game, video a demo of it working.