External gpu enclosure thunderbolt laptop

External gpu enclosure thunderbolt laptop install#
External gpu enclosure thunderbolt laptop full#
External gpu enclosure thunderbolt laptop pro#

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.

External gpu enclosure thunderbolt laptop 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.

External gpu enclosure thunderbolt laptop 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.

External gpu enclosure thunderbolt laptop full#

Read the full guide to external graphics card enclosures.ДЇor 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.