Gigabyte launches a water-cooled external graphics solution

[Humza]

In brief: Gigabyte claims to have the world's first liquid-cooled eGPU solution in the shape of the new Aorus Gaming Box, equipped with the OEM's GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11G graphics card. Powered by a built-in 450W PSU, the Gaming Box also features a network chip to connect over a wired network for minimal transmission interference during gaming.

Gigabyte's Aorus RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box is here to bridge the gap between portability and performance. Like all eGPU products, the Gaming Box is going to add a lot of graphics horsepower to any Thunderbolt 3-equipped ultrabook. Since this peripheral sports a very powerful GPU, Gigabyte has also equipped it with its Waterforce liquid cooling solution, making it the world's first eGPU to do so.

Apart from all the features and enhancements of the RTX 2080 Ti 11G, the Gaming Box comes packed with plenty of I/O for connectivity. A USB 3.0 is located on the lower front, while the back contains two more USB 3.0 ports, an Ethernet port, and a Thunderbolt 3 type-C port for connecting the Gaming Box to a laptop PC, capable of providing 100W for charging and up to 40 Gbps transfer speeds.

Video output is handled by three DisplayPorts, a single HDMI and USB-C (VirtualLink) port. A reset button, power inlet and a vent for the cooling fan of the 450W PSU rounds off the rest of the back.

The Gaming Box measures 300 mm (L) x 140 mm (W) x 173 mm (H) and weighs nearly 3.7 kgs. It also comes with Gigabyte's AORUS engine and RGB fusion 2.0 for synchronizing light effects across supported hardware and games.

Besides the Gaming Box, Gigabyte will also include a 500 mm Thunderbolt 3 type-C cable and a carry bag, along with other items in the package. The official price of the Gaming Box is yet to be announced, but it's widely expected to cost around $2,000.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/82605-gigabyte-launches-water-cooled-external-graphics-solution.html

 

[VitalyT]

If it comes out without HDMI 2.1 and/or DisplayPort 2.0, then it is not interesting.

 

[Nobina]

I'm waiting until external GPUs become a standard, if ever, where you can hook it up on any modern laptop and you can put your own GPU/PSU without getting ripped off.

Top of the line gaming laptops already have powerful GPUs in them so having another GPU is a waste, plus you're spending $2000 on this and a gaming laptop is probably around the same price, if not more, so you're getting rinsed.

eGPUs are needed mostly for laptops with integrated GPU and a decent processor. And for something like that this is way overpowered and will be bottlenecked anyway. Why bother buying a $2000 eGPU on a $600-$800 laptop?

I feel like people who will need this the most, AKA people with mid-range laptops with an iGPU get shafted because it's unreasonable to spend that much money on an eGPU.

 

[Uncle Al]

I've got a neighbor that loves to tinker. He came up with an external "tank" that he routed his card and heat sink off the main CPU through. he can vary the pump speed and keep the entire unit well within range even when he's got everything "pumped up" to maximum speeds. Total for equipment, tank, motor, and tubes was $200. Now, it's ain't pretty but it does the job and at that price I'm having two built for my computers! Sorry, we won't be taking orders for other customers .....