Latest news with #Thunderbolt5
Digital Trends
3 days ago
- Digital Trends
Are external GPUs still worth it in 2025?
External GPUs (eGPUs) have long promised a tantalizing compromise: portability when you need it, and desktop-class performance when you don't. But as laptop GPUs get faster and AI workloads move to dedicated NPUs, the value proposition of an eGPU dock feels less straightforward than ever. For gamers and creative professionals tied to thin-and-light ultrabooks, eGPUs still offer a way to transform a modest machine into a graphics powerhouse. Thunderbolt 5 and the fairly new Oculink interfaces now offer significantly improved bandwidth over their predecessors, reducing bottlenecks that once plagued external GPU performance. However, that doesn't mean all the original drawbacks have been solved. Recommended Videos Take for instance, Razer's newly launched Core X V2, which showcases the current state of external GPU (eGPU) technology by adopting the latest Thunderbolt 5 interface. This upgrade significantly boosts bandwidth up to 80 Gbps in both directions (bi-directional) or can utilize a 'Bandwidth Boost' mode for up to 120 Gbps for video-intensive tasks in one direction while maintaining 40 Gbps in the other. These speeds allow desktop-grade GPUs to perform more effectively over a cable than ever before. However, the Core X V2 also reflects modern trade-offs by dropping the built-in power supply and I/O ports found in earlier models requiring users to bring their own power supply unit and, optionally, buy a separate $390 dock for connectivity. At $350, it's also more expensive than its predecessor despite being more stripped down. On top of that, compatibility is now limited to devices running on Windows with either a Thunderbolt 4/5 or USB4 port while Apple Silicon Macs remain unsupported. One of the biggest arguments against eGPUs in 2025 is diminishing returns. While they still offer a dramatic performance uplift over integrated graphics, many premium laptops come with capable discrete GPUs that can handle most modern games at respectable settings and resolutions. For creators, the line between desktop and mobile GPUs has narrowed since render times and AI-assisted workflows are often bottlenecked more by CPU and memory than by pure GPU horsepower. Performance: Gains and Limitations Even with fast Thunderbolt links, eGPUs still lose some speed compared to an internal GPU slot. PC Gamer conducted a detailed performance analysis of eGPU setups using two fairly modern graphics cards including an RTX 4070 Ti and an RTX 4090. The testing was done across four different configurations including a Thunderbolt eGPU dock, an OCuLink eGPU dock (via Minisforum DEG-1), PCIe x8 (Beelink EX Dock), and a native desktop PCIe x16 connection. All tests were run on up-to-date hardware platforms with DDR5 memory and PCIe 4.0 support to ensure consistency. Benchmarks were performed at 1440p using ultra settings, measuring both average framerates and 1% lows to assess frame pacing and stutter. The goal was to evaluate how each connection standard affected GPU performance in real-world gaming scenarios. The RTX 4070 Ti results showed that Thunderbolt was by far the most limiting setup, running approximately 25% slower than OCuLink and showing pronounced frame stutter and poor 1% lows. OCuLink, despite also being limited to four PCIe lanes, performed noticeably better and approached desktop-like averages in many cases, though some minor stutter remained. Interestingly, the PCIe x8 configuration performed nearly identically to full PCIe x16 desktop usage, proving that eight lanes are sufficient for this mid-range GPU. In our own testing of the Minisforum DEG1, a $99 open-air eGPU dock using the OCuLink standard, we found that it manages to deliver good real-world performance with only modest impact even when paired with high-end GPUs. When tested with an RTX 4080 Super, Cyberpunk 2077 and Returnal ran nearly identically to a desktop setup, while demanding titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Forza Horizon 5 showed a 12% drop. Horizon Zero Dawn was the exception, with a ~35% performance decline, but this still outperforms much older eGPU systems. In benchmarks like 3DMark Time Spy on a 4060 Ti, the DEG1 achieved graphics scores between ~9,600 and 13,500, depending on the host, with PCIe‑Gen4 bandwidth measured around 6–6.7 GB/s—indicating its ability to preserve the majority of a card's potential in realistic scenarios. It is fair to conclude that eGPUs still carry notable bandwidth limitations, particularly when paired with high-end GPUs. While newer interfaces like Thunderbolt 5 and OCuLink improve average framerates, stuttering remains a major bottleneck that undermines the experience. As such, it is recommended that eGPU users are better off pairing their enclosures with upper mid-range cards which are less likely to be choked by the limited bandwidth and can still deliver solid performance without the drawbacks of stutter-heavy frame pacing. In short, expect roughly 70–80% of desktop performance from an external setup, and diminishing returns as you push the GPU size upward. If you plan to output to the laptop's own screen rather than an external monitor, prepare for even more overhead as some tests found the performance penalty shrinks with an external display because data doesn't have to double-hop back into the laptop. Cost and Portability A core drawback of eGPUs is the price of admission. The enclosure itself can cost hundreds of dollars. Razer's Core X V2 is $350 on its own, not including the GPU or even a power supply. Many older TB4 enclosures similarly went for $200–400. Then you must buy a desktop-class GPU which is a luxury on its own and, in most cases, an ATX power supply unless the enclosure includes one. Compare that to buying a new gaming laptop or compact desktop for a similar investment, you could get a machine that already has a GPU with no latency penalty. Portability is another concern. An eGPU setup is far from 'light and portable' especially the ones that allow you to install a desktop class GPU. You'd dock it at home or office, not toss it in a backpack on a plane. By contrast, a high-end gaming laptop contains its GPU internally and requires only one power cord. Some companies have tried truly portable eGPUs for instance, the ROG XG Mobile dock from Asus. While the previous version included a proprietary connector, the latest variant has moved to TB5 expanding compatibility to a wider range of devices. However, it is important to know that Asus could only make the dock portable by including laptop-class GPUs instead of the more powerful desktop counterparts . Compatibility quirks also add to the hassle. You need a Thunderbolt or USB4 port with proper support, with some Windows laptops still lacking a TB port entirely. Hot-plugging is generally supported on PC, but modern Macs with Apple Silicon simply do not support any sort of external GPUs. Additionally, driver issues can crop up. While Windows 11 handles many eGPUs better than older Windows 10 did, it's not flawless. In short, an eGPU is a power-up for your laptop, but only when docked, so you must accept that you're essentially carrying a desktop GPU in one giant box, plus another dongle for ports if needed. Alternatives and Outlook Given these trade-offs, many look at alternatives. Laptops have soldered or integrated GPUs that can't be swapped. Thus, in many cases, buying a new laptop with a better GPU is simpler than an eGPU. With every laptop refresh cycle, vendors cram more GPU power into slim machines, so a consumer might choose to buy a new $1500 gaming laptop instead of spending on an eGPU setup for their old ultrabook. Additionally, services like Nvidia GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Amazon Luna have matured. These let users stream AAA games to any device without a local GPU. For gamers with good internet connection, cloud services can deliver 4K at 60–120 FPS with minimal local hardware. Creative professionals likewise have cloud rendering options (e.g. Blender or Adobe cloud rendering). The upside is no hardware purchase, only a subscription. The downside is latency and variable image quality which is unacceptable for competitive play or precision tasks. But for some, cloud gaming can entirely replace the need for an eGPU or even a powerful PC, especially on portable devices like tablets. External GPU docks are more of a specialty solution than a mass-market trend. They've never been as popular as once hoped, and advances in laptop hardware and cloud services have only chipped away at their appeal. That said, they aren't completely dead. For a subset of users say, a Linux mini-PC or Windows handheld, an eGPU might be the only way to run high-end games or CUDA workloads. Ultimately, eGPUs remain a niche tool, useful if you already have a compatible laptop and an extra graphics card you want to reuse. They offer a clear benefit (big jump in GPU power on demand) but demand tradeoffs in cost, weight, and complexity.
Gizmodo
4 days ago
- Gizmodo
Gaming Laptops Have a Secret Weapon Against Desktop PCs, and It Looks a Lot Like the Switch 2
I want a future where we don't need a desktop PC to get the best gaming graphics. Maybe I'm a dreamer who needs to keep on dreaming, but I think that that pie-in-the-sky wonderland is closer to reality than you may think, and all PC component makers need to do is hop on the eGPU train. Better yet, they need to make something that's as easily dockable as a Switch 2, but with the added power of a discrete graphics card that could push a laptop or gaming handheld into a full desktop experience. The recently revealed Razer Core X V2 has been weighing on my mind as much as it seems it would weigh down my desk. At its core, it's an eGPU, or external graphics processing unit. The GPU normally handles the most intensive rendering tasks necessary for high-end creative apps or gaming. Razer's latest version is a $350 shoebox filled with surplus PC parts that could bump up the gaming potential of your average lightweight laptop. It makes use of Thunderbolt 5 connectivity to allow for faster data transfer speeds, though it will only grant those 80 Gbps bidirectional speeds with a compatible device that also has a Thunderbolt 5 port. It's compatible with USB-C-based Thunderbolt 4 laptops and USB 4 handhelds, but those devices also need to support external graphics to get the juice from the discrete GPU. We've seen similar designs from companies like Gigabyte with its recently announced Aorus RTX 5090 AI Box. It's the opposite of what I want to see from an eGPU. Even after you spend the Benjamins on Razer's case, you have to source your own graphics card and power supply with enough wattage to power it. This means you're already halfway there to a mini ATX desktop. It could be so much more. Why does it have to be in a box, anyway? Couldn't an eGPU enclosure be a complete docking station for your laptop or handheld? Imagine how nice it would be, after schlepping around town all day, to take your lightweight laptop, slot it into your desktop battle station, and then be set up for a console-like gaming experience. To keep it low-profile, you would need to engineer some novel ways to power the device and still manage excess heat. Smaller companies like Ayaneo sell the $600 Graphics Starship with an AMD Radeon 7600M XT housed inside. That eGPU has reverse power support for up to four monitors. It's still pretty chunky, which is why the better options for some kind of dockable device lie in laptop GPUs. We could have slimmer boxes with a device-specific slot for a laptop or handheld. It could have enough ports to support multiple monitors and include USB and Ethernet. What I'm saying is: what if Razer combined its Dock Chroma with a laptop-level eGPU? Asus kicked off 2025 with the promise of the XG Mobile eGPU with Thunderbolt 5 support and up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090-level graphics. Gizmodo first saw it in January this year, but it has yet to see the light of day. Asus promised it would be compatible with a $900 Asus ROG Ally X, but we don't yet know how well this could improve the graphics capabilities of the company's most expensive handheld. The upcoming ROG Xbox Ally X with the all-new Xbox-ified version of Windows has the same USB 4 connection, so it will similarly support the XG Mobile should it arrive sometime later this year. As for pricing, all we have right now are rumors, but I don't expect either the Xbox Ally or XG Mobile to be cheap. Desktops will still have the edge in graphics capability above any mobile dock, especially if they house a solid gaming CPU like AMD's leading Ryzen 7 9800X3D. The data speeds will continue to be a hindrance. USB 4's bandwidth maxes out at 40 Gbps, which may not be enough for the highest-end GPUs. Plus, so few handhelds have USB 4 compatibility. You can't hook up a Steam Deck unless you do surgery on your device to enable Oculink—a separate type of fast data connection. We need to wait for the next era of handheld APUs—AKA accelerated processing units—to see if their performance matches up with an external graphics card and makes the setup worth the cost. I'll just keep dreaming until some saint-like Santa figure finally hears my pleas.
Digital Trends
6 days ago
- Digital Trends
Razer's Core X V2 eGPU has blazing speeds, but no built-In power?
Why it matters: External GPUs (eGPUs) like Razer's latest could supercharge slim laptops and handhelds for AAA gaming or creative work, especially as Thunderbolt 5 ramps up bandwidth. But with fewer all-in-one features, it's a mixed bag for users craving simplicity. You need to buy more accessories for the Core X V2 encloser to make sense. The big idea: Razer is back in the eGPU game after a six-year hiatus, unveiling the Core X V2 enclosure alongside a new Thunderbolt 5 Dock. This steel beast promises desktop-grade graphics via Thunderbolt 5's blazing speeds, but it strips away built-in power and ports to keep things focused — and pricey at $350. Go deeper: Specs at a glance: Supports full-size PCIe Gen 4 GPUs, including beefy quad-slot cards like upcoming RTX 50-series. It delivers up to 140W USB PD charging and uses a 120mm fan for cooling. Thunderbolt 5 offers 120Gbps one-way bandwidth (80Gbps bidirectional), though eGPU bandwidth tops at 64Gbps — still a leap over Thunderbolt 4. Supports full-size PCIe Gen 4 GPUs, including beefy quad-slot cards like upcoming RTX 50-series. It delivers up to 140W USB PD charging and uses a 120mm fan for cooling. Thunderbolt 5 offers 120Gbps one-way bandwidth (80Gbps bidirectional), though eGPU bandwidth tops at 64Gbps — still a leap over Thunderbolt 4. What's changed: Unlike the older Core X Chroma (which we called the best eGPU buy at the time for its PSU and RGB flair), the V2 ditches the integrated 650W power supply, USB ports, Ethernet, and lighting. You'll need your own ATX PSU and the separate $390 Thunderbolt 5 Dock for extra I/O like HDMI or Ethernet. Unlike the older Core X Chroma (which we called the best eGPU buy at the time for its PSU and RGB flair), the V2 ditches the integrated 650W power supply, USB ports, Ethernet, and lighting. You'll need your own ATX PSU and the separate $390 Thunderbolt 5 Dock for extra I/O like HDMI or Ethernet. Compatibility check: Works with Windows laptops or handhelds via Thunderbolt 4/5 — think high-end rigs like the Razer Blade 18. No macOS support, as Apple Silicon dropped eGPUs. Thunderbolt 5 devices are scarce now, but expect more soon. Works with Windows laptops or handhelds via Thunderbolt 4/5 — think high-end rigs like the Razer Blade 18. No macOS support, as Apple Silicon dropped eGPUs. Thunderbolt 5 devices are scarce now, but expect more soon. Pros and cons: Plug-and-play appeal for boosting performance on the go, but the modular approach means extra costs and hassle. At $350 (up from the original Core X's $299 launch), it's a premium pick for dedicated gamers. Recommended Videos What's next: Availability starts soon via Razer's site, with broader rollout expected. As Thunderbolt 5 laptops proliferate, eGPUs could make a comeback — watch for hands-on tests later from Digital Trends to see if the bandwidth truly transforms portable gaming or if it's just another gimmick.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Razer revives its eGPU line with a Thunderbolt 5 dock
Razer is back with a new addition to its Core line of external graphics enclosures. The Razer Core X V2 external graphics enclosure can house recent GPUs from brands including NVIDIA GeForce and AMD Radeon. It uses a single Thunderbolt 5 cable to the host device; in its press materials, Razer claims this tech delivers up to twice the bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4. This is true, but Thunderbolt 5 still isn't on the level of a modern desktop GPU connection, being roughly equivalent to 8 lanes of PCIe Gen 3. The Core X V2 s not available yet, but will retail for $350 when it does go on sale some time "soon." An eGPU can beef up the visual power of a gaming laptop or handheld. Razer has had several available over the years, starting with the Core alongside its Blade Stealth model in 2016. It followed up with the Core X in 2018 and the colorful Core X Chroma in 2019. The availability of Thunderbolt 5 ports has renewed interest in this product category since it increases the maximum bandwidth for an eGPU. ASUS also introduced an eGPU of its own at CES 2025.
The Verge
6 days ago
- The Verge
Razer's $350 eGPU chassis only comes with a Thunderbolt 5 cable
Razer is launching a new $350 external graphics enclosure that can boost the visual performance of gaming laptops or handhelds, provided you make a few other investments. The Razer Core X V2 is the first of Razer's Core X eGPU chassis lineup to support the faster Thunderbolt 5 connectivity standard, providing a single cable that provides up to 140W of power to connected host devices. Some generational upgrades provided by the Core X V2 include support for larger four-slot AMD and Nvidia GPUs, and backwards compatibility with Thunderbolt 4. Laptops equipped with Thunderbolt 5 are still pretty rare, but the Core X V2 should theoretically support bandwidth speeds of up to 80 Gbps for devices that can make use of it. Aside from a 120mm cooling fan, that single Thunderbolt 5 cable is the only other accessory, however. That means customers will not only need to purchase a compatible desktop graphics card (which can get pricey for the more powerful models), but also a standard ATX power supply that meets their GPU requirements in addition to the 230W for the Core X V2 itself. Previous Razer Core enclosure models, like the $399 Core X Chroma, came with a pre-installed power supply. The change perhaps offers more flexibility for GPUs with lofty power requirements, but for everyone else, it's just an additional expense. The Razer Core X V2 also loses the integrated USB and Ethernet ports provided by its predecessors. Users who need more connectivity for peripherals will therefore also need to buy a compatible Thunderbolt 5 dock — just like the $390 one that Razer conveniently announced alongside the Core X V2. The Thunderbolt 5 Dock is currently available to buy on Razer's website. The Core X V2 is also listed, but isn't on sale yet. We have asked Razer to share when the eGPU will be available to purchase.
