Best External Graphics Card Dock (eGPU) from AMD & Nvidia for Laptops
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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:
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.
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:
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:
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:
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
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!
