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1. Visiontek thunderbolt™ 3 egfx external gpu enclosure install#
2. Visiontek thunderbolt™ 3 egfx external gpu enclosure full#
3. Visiontek thunderbolt™ 3 egfx external gpu enclosure pro#
4. Visiontek thunderbolt™ 3 egfx external gpu enclosure Pc#

But regardless, some things-like playing demanding modern games at 4K resolutions-usually aren't possible with an external graphics enclosure no matter how good the GPU is.Įxternal GPUs also don't save you a whole lot of space on your desk compared with a desktop PC. Not all GPUs need that much bandwidth to achieve peak speeds, and laptop processors usually restrict performance before PCIe bandwidth becomes a problem. In contrast, most desktop computer motherboards devote 16 PCIe lanes to connect the GPU to the rest of the system.

Visiontek thunderbolt™ 3 egfx external gpu enclosure Pc#

Thunderbolt 3 is a limitation, too: The interface allows your PC to communicate with external accessories using either two or four lanes of PCI Express 3.0 bandwidth. For starters, a laptop's processor can't run as fast for as long as a good desktop processor-more than any other factor, these slower laptop CPUs will hold a graphics card back when you're playing modern games, especially on 13-inch thin-and-light laptops. But the resulting setup isn't as fast as a desktop computer with the same GPU, an external box takes up about as much space as a small desktop, and an enclosure costs as much as a good graphics card all by itself.Įxternal GPUs make the most sense for people who have nice 13-inch ultrabooks or MacBooks with Thunderbolt 3 ports-these laptops typically have decent dual- or quad-core processors but rely on integrated graphics to maximize battery life while minimizing size and weight.ĭon't buy an eGPU enclosure if you need every bit of graphics performance you can get ( more on choosing a GPU below). They are for people who want to play games or do graphically intensive rendering work but don't want to own both a laptop and a desktop computer or to carry around a bulky gaming laptop or power notebook when they're away from their desk. Thunderbolt 3 graphics enclosures connect an external graphics card (also called a GPU, or graphics processing unit) to a laptop or mini PC with a Thunderbolt 3 port. I've been building, upgrading, and fixing PCs for more than 15 years, and I spent five of those years in IT departments buying and repairing laptops and desktops and helping people buy the best tech for their needs. Much of that work has involved testing the performance of processors and graphics chips. I spent more than six years testing, reviewing, and otherwise writing about PCs and other gadgets for AnandTech and Ars Technica, and I've put in almost two years doing the same thing for Wirecutter. These shortcomings are forgivable for the price, but most people will be better served by the Akitio Node Pro. But its design is more utilitarian than that of our other picks, it's not as easy to open, and its fan is a bit noisier. The 550 W version of Sonnet's eGFX Breakaway Box (which also comes in a 650 W version) typically costs between $100 and $150 less than our other picks, money that you could put toward a more powerful graphics card. If you're looking for a Thunderbolt 3 graphics card enclosure that can double as a laptop dock, this is the one to get.

Visiontek thunderbolt™ 3 egfx external gpu enclosure pro#

It can also provide up to 100 W of power to a connected laptop, enough for some 15-inch laptops like Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro (though others exceed USB-C's 100 W charging limit). The Razer Core X Chroma is bigger, boxier, and more expensive than the Node Pro, but it also includes a Gigabit Ethernet port, four USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports for connecting accessories, and customizable RGB lights that can add a flashy, colorful touch to your gaming setup.

And it has a neat retractable handle you can use to carry it from place to place. It can provide up to 60 W of power to a connected laptop, more than enough to keep most 13-inch notebooks charged while you use them.

Visiontek thunderbolt™ 3 egfx external gpu enclosure install#

You can open it and install or swap out graphics cards without any tools at all-on most enclosures you need at least a screwdriver to access the interior-its fan is relatively quiet, and it has a second Thunderbolt 3 port that you can use to connect other accessories. The Akitio Node Pro is a bit slimmer than other eGPU enclosures and has an understated, all-metal design that looks better than most of the plain black boxes in this category (it looks especially at home next to Macs). After researching nearly 30 Thunderbolt 3 eGPU enclosures and testing six, we think Akitio's Node Pro is the best box you can buy to put your graphics card in.

Visiontek thunderbolt™ 3 egfx external gpu enclosure full#

Read the full guide to external graphics card enclosures.įor laptops or mini PCs with Thunderbolt 3 ports, adding an external graphics card (or eGPU) can be a good way to play high-end games, run professional 3D apps, and connect as many as half a dozen monitors. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter.