Final Thoughts
There's a lot to like about the Aorus GTX 1070 Gaming Box, and that all stems from the performance and price. Those with an ultraportable or other laptop without a dedicated graphics card will see the Gaming Box transform their system into something genuinely capable of playing modern games. And it doesn't just make games playable: you'll be able to run intensive titles at high to ultra quality settings at either 1080p or even 1440p, while maintaining respectable frame rates.
The Gaming Box is simple to set up, with plug-and-play functionality making it fast to switch between a docked setup for gaming, and a traditional ultraportable for work on the go. Power delivery, extra USB ports, and a very compact design are great complementary features as well, though its RGB lighting is a bit laughable.
The best aspect to the Gaming Box, though, is its price. At $600 with the included GTX 1070 it's a lot cheaper than the Razer Core, which sits at $500 without a graphics card. It even manages to undercut some other external graphics solutions by around $100, making it a highly attractive option for those looking to game on their existing ultraportable.
There are some cases where I wouldn't recommend the Gaming Box. If you're tossing up between this solution and a gaming laptop, the gaming laptop will provide better performance in most cases at a similar price to the cost of an entry-level ultraportable plus the Gaming Box. You won't get the same portability advantages, but gaming laptops are still a good choice for those more concerned about gaming than working on a laptop.
I also had a few concerns during my testing, which you should be aware of, like the tendency for the Core i5-7200U in my test laptop to cause a bottleneck, and some stuttering issues in a handful of games. External graphics is far from a perfect solution right now, and your experience may vary depending on what laptop you hook it up to.
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In general, though, the Aorus GTX 1070 Gaming Box is the best external graphics solution I've seen so far. It should definitely be on your radar if you want to transform your Thunderbolt 3-equipped laptop into a genuine gaming machine.
Pros: Transforms an ultraportable laptop into a genuine gaming machine. Very simple to set up, with plug-and-play functionality. Outstanding price relative to the competition. Compact, well-built design.
Cons: Performance heavily depends on your laptop's processor. Compact design could limit upgradeability. Thin and light powerful gaming laptops are not as far fetched as they were 2-3 years ago.