Update: The eGPU landscape has changed since we originally published this article in 2017. Here are our picks for the best eGPUs in 2020. The Best eGPU Options On the Market Right Now Some more general options, as well as older standards like USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 2, offer more options but poorer graphics performance. This is some complex stuff, so universal solutions are rare, and companies like Dell and Razer only support external graphics on specific laptop models. Right now most external GPU systems rely on fairly complex and specific drivers, enabling laptops to hand over the load from their integrated graphics chip to the dedicated NVIDIA or AMD graphics card. And since it uses the standardized USB-C port (the one found on the new Macbook, later revisions of the XPS 13, and more and more laptops every day), it’s becoming more adaptable from a pure hardware perspective. With a 40 Gbps connection that can handle simultaneous video, audio, data, and an Internet connection, plus up to 100 watts of power on supported hardware, it’s a single cable that really can do it all.
An extra bonus: a lot of external GPUs come with extra USB ports, Ethernet, and more, which means it’s easy to plug and play with a ton of extra hardware, like multiple monitors or gaming keyboards and mice.Īt the moment, the de facto standard for this high-bandwidth operation is Thunderbolt 3. The high data and video bandwidth in single-cable connections like USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 3 has finally enabled the kind of lightning-quick connections needed to offload GPU processing to external hardware, while still relying on a laptop’s internal motherboard for standard computing. This sort of thing has been attempted before, but recently there has been a rise in these products. When you do, you have gaming desktop power and connectivity without sacrificing those svelte modern laptop designs. What Is an eGPU?Īn external GPU (or eGPU for short) is a dedicated box that combines an open PCIe slot, a desktop-style power supply, and a full-sized graphics card that plugs into your laptop. An external graphics card let you have your cake (no lie) and eat it too. Smaller machines are lighter and easier to travel with, but bigger, heavier boxes offer the dedicated graphics cards necessary for high-end gaming. Laptops, especially gaming laptops, are a study in compromises.
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