GamingLaptopsPCTech Posts Best External Graphics Card Dock (eGPU) from AMD & Nvidia for Laptops February 27, 20188056 views0 Share By IG Share If you are into desktop building and stuff, or even if you are an average computer user, you know the difference between an external and Internal SSDs and HDDs. The same way there are External Graphics Cards. Yes, they are a thing, and there are many reasons or say advantages why you would want to use one. Most of the people use them because they make gaming on the laptop efficient. Following are main components of an external graphics card dock: Note: If you buy something from our links, we might earn a commission. See our disclosure statement. Independent Enclosure Independent Power Supply for GPU Dedicated Cooling System Desktop Version of Graphics Card When you use these with a Laptop, it merely generates less heat while performing graphics intensive operations since graphics card is in a dedicated enclosure, thus, ultimately boosting the overall performance. Other than for laptops, many people also use it to spare more space for their airflow intake system, in their main cabinet. It all depends on what you are expecting from these docks. Table of Contents Toggle External Graphics Card Dock: The List1. Asus ROG XG Docking Station 2:Power DeviceMiscellaneousInterface ProvidedNetworkingHeaderSystemAudio OutputDimensions & WeightExpansion SlotsCable DetailsGeneral2. Alienware Graphics Amplifier – System Bus Extender:Power DeviceMiscellaneousInterface ProvidedHeaderSystemAudio OutputInput DeviceDimensions & WeightExpansion SlotsGeneral3. PowerColor DEVIL BOX Thunderbolt 3 eGFX Enclosure: ModelDetails4. Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box:Power DeviceInterface ProvidedSystem RequirementsEnvironmental ParametersHeaderSystemAudio OutputDimensions & WeightExpansion BaysExpansion SlotsSlot RequiredCable DetailsService & SupportService & Support DetailsGeneralConclusion: External Graphics Card Dock: The List To use an eGPU, you need an External Graphics Dock that supports the GPU you are willing to use. Most of these graphics card docks support all modern GPU (PCIe) based graphics card. However, to make your task easy, we have prepared a list of top graphics dock available out there in the market. Since we have covered all the essential technical aspects along with what GPUs they support, this post will help you to find the right product for yourself: 1. Asus ROG XG Docking Station 2: Check On Amazon Check On Newegg It is a fabulous docking station that can even handle a GTX 1060 FW2 level video card. Moreover, you can also connect your USB devices. If you own an Asus device, the setup will be even more straightforward. It is a hot-swap-able device. In other words, you can plug it in and out while Windows is running. It seems costlier compared to other similar models, but it provides a Type B USB cable, which is more future proof. Thunderbolt connection enables all USB connections. However, you can use a Type B cable to separate the bandwidth and improve performance. The guild shipped with the unit is pretty detailed and includes most of the standard FAQs. Power Device Type power supply Power Provided 600 Watt Miscellaneous Cables Included 1 x USB 3.0 to USB 3.0 type B cable 1 x Thunderbolt cable Color matte black Interface Provided Type SuperSpeed USB 3.0, network Interface Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T Qty 1, 4 Connector Type 9 pin USB Type A, RJ-45 Networking Data Link Protocol Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet Header Brand ASUS Product Line ASUS Model ROG XG STATION 2 Packaged Quantity 1 Compatibility PC System Device Type the docking station Audio Output Type none Dimensions & Weight Width 6.2 in Depth 18 in Height 10.9 in Weight 11.24 lbs Expansion Slots Type PCI Express x16 Total Qty 1 Cable Details Type Thunderbolt cable, USB 3.0 to USB 3.0 type B cable Included Qty 1 General Manufacturer Asus 2. Alienware Graphics Amplifier – System Bus Extender: Check On Amazon Check On Newegg It is quite a powerful Graphics Enclosure that is capable of handling an EVGA GTX 1080 Founders Edition. It is specially designed for the longest possible graphics card. With this unit, you will have least cable management issues. It does not support hot swap, which means you need to plug it in before you run your machine and also start the unit and your laptop nearly at the same time. Once done, there are no issues while it’s running. However, the height of the graphics card should be within 5 inches to fit in this beast house. Here are some other technical aspects: Power Device Type video card power supply Power Provided 460 Watt Miscellaneous Features AlienFX Lighting Zones Color stealth black Interface Provided Type SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Qty 4 Header Brand Alienware Product Line Alienware Model Graphics Amplifier Packaged Quantity 1 Compatibility PC System Device Type: system bus extender Audio Output Type none Input Device Type none Dimensions & Weight Width 7.3 in Depth 16.1 in Height 6.8 in Weight 7.72 lbs Expansion Slots Type PCI Express x16 Form Factor full-length Total Qty 1 Free Qty 1 General Manufacturer Dell, Inc. 3. PowerColor DEVIL BOX Thunderbolt 3 eGFX Enclosure: Check On Amazon Check On Newegg Being a budget graphics card dock or enclosure, it has its pros and cons. First of all, unlike most of the other similar products, the initial installation and running for this one are pretty simple, and anyone can do it without much technical knowledge. Most of the screws used on the unit are thumb screws, which makes it pretty easy to assemble and disassemble. With some simple methods, you can implement a liquid cooling since it has pretty enough room for the purpose. A 500W 80Plus gold rated PSU is enough for it to work perfectly. There are some cons too, but they are quite considerable. It does not have screws for 2.5″ drive mount, there are no SATA cables, it is pretty bulky, and fans are quite noisy. Here is a look at technical aspect: Model Brand PowerColor Part Number DEVIL BOX Thunderbolt 3 eGFX Enclosure Details Connection to Host PC Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps cable) Features External Graphics for high-performance Gaming, Supports Radeon RX480 and Nvidia Geforce GTX 10 series ultra-fast 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 3 interface PCI Express x16 slot support high-performance graphics card (Max Gen3 x4 speed) Diverse and extension I/O port Thunderbolt 3 U5B-C port support USB Power Delivery (PD) for charging compatible laptops up to 60W Expansion Graphics card TYPE: PCI-Express x16 graphics cards Max Dimensions: 310 x 140 x 50mm 2-slot bracket Max GPU Power: 375 Watts GPU Support Qualified PowerColor graphics cards PowerColor RX 570 PowerColor RX 400 Series PowerColor R9 Fury PowerColor R9 Nano AMD Radeon R9 300 Series Supported NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards (finder edition) NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan X NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10 series NVIDIA GeForce GTX 900 series NVIDIA GeForce GTX 700 series I/O ports Thunderbolt 3 x 1 (for connection to PC) Ethernet 10/100/1000 SATA III x 1 (internal for 2.5″ HDD/SSD) USB 3.0 x 4 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C x 1 Internal Power Supply 500 Watts Chassis Size 400 x 172 x 242mm Operating System Requirements Windows 10 64-bit only Host Support Intel NUC(NUC6I7KYK) Razer Blade Stealth Not all computers with Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports support gfx PowerColor can only assure proper operation of our DEVIL BOX with systems in our compatible PC list If your PC is not on the compatible PC list, please check with your PC manufacturer on support for external graphics 4. Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box: Check On Amazon Check On Newegg If you are on Windows 10, the installation is going to be a piece of cake for you, regardless of what product/brand you are using. Windows will automatically detect it and install drivers for the card you have put in the dock. The process may take some time, but once done, there will be no issues. Just reboot the system, and it will be up and running. The only con we would like to point out that the Graphics card slot it lose. We don’t mean that its too lose, but if you move it around while it’s turned on, it will possibly turn itself off due to graphics card break-off. It is not a major issue if you put it on a steady, dedicated place. Following are some technical aspects you should consider: Power Device Type power adapter Power Provided 500 Watt Nominal Voltage AC 110/240 V Frequency Required 50/60 Hz Interface Provided Type Thunderbolt 3 Qty 1 System Requirements OS Required Apple macOS Sierra 10.12.6 or later, Windows 10 64-bit Edition Environmental Parameters Min Operating Temperature 32 °F Max Operating Temperature 95 °F Header Brand Sonnet Product Line Sonnet gfx Model Breakaway Box 350 Packaged Quantity 1 System Device Type: system bus extender Audio Output Type none Dimensions & Weight Width 7.3 in Depth 13.4 in Height 8 in Weight 7.05 lbs Expansion Bays Type none Expansion Slots Type PCI Express 3.0 x16 Form Factor full-length, full-height Total Qty 1 Free Qty 1 Slot Comments x4 mode Slot Required Type none Cable Details Type Thunderbolt cable Form Factor external Included Qty 1 Length 1.6 ft Service & Support Type 1-year warranty Service & Support Details Full Contract Period Full Contract Period General Manufacturer Sonnet Technologies, Inc. Conclusion: Before purchasing any of these products, please ensure that you confirm that it supports the GPU you own or are going to purchase or use. Moreover, you should also keep in mind the GPU length that they support. The cooling system should be the least of your concerns. It only matters if you are going for massive high-end GPUs. If you have any question, query or suggestions, feel free to use the comment box below. We are happy to help you! Thanks for visiting! Affiliate Disclosure: Faceofit.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Share What's your reaction? Excited 0 Happy 0 In Love 0 Not Sure 0 Silly 0
Gaming Best Wired Gaming Mouse in 2021 – Mice with High DPI If you are looking for the best wired gaming mouse in India and internationally, go ...
PC Logitech G920 vs G29 vs Thrustmaster TMX Specs Comparison If you are looking for a comparison of the Logitech G920 vs G29 vs Thrustmaster ...
Gaming Best Budget DDR4 RAM Memory for Your Laptop in 2018 (8 GB & 16 GB) Are you looking to upgrade the RAM on your PC? Well, opting for the latest DDR4 ...
Gaming List of Ray Tracing Supported GPUs from Nvidia and Upcoming AMD GPU Are you excited about the new Ray Tracing Supported GPUs from Nvidia? The concept of ...