E-GPUs are enclosures that lets you use a full-size dedicated graphics card with your laptop/low power computer. They do NOT include the GPU and you need to check your laptop has a 40GBps Thunderbolt 3 port.
This is one of the best + cheapest ones but has been difficult to source in Australia.
Price is $399 + 1% credit card fee, or 2% PayPal fee. Free shipping until the 18th.
Good point. Though from Akitio's compatibility chart, it looks like it's a power issue. The real limit of the PSU might be closer to 365W and not 400W:
https://www.akitio.com/information-center/node-gpu-compatibi…
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/msi-geforce-gtx-1080-ti-…
just to clarify, this is an empty box to put a graphics card in, which costs more than an entire xbox one or ps4??
You are correct!
It's 42.8cm x 14.5cm x 22.7cm so you can also fill it with peanuts, coins, small animals, whatever will fit.
Think of it as replacing the need for both a gaming desktop and laptop. Also giving you the option of getting a slim notebook for daily use that turns into a gaming powerhouse when plugged in to this. I have been a bit surprised these haven't come down in price more but it's still a strong value proposition.
it doesnt scale very good.
The Node Lite is not for eGPU use. 25W power, no GPU exhaust outlet, could only fit super short cards and requires a PSU with a paperclip sitting outside to work.
its cheaper from Ebay (380.15AUD) not including cashrewards http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AKiTiO-Node-Lite-Thunderbolt-3-PC…
That's the Node Lite, not the Node.
my bad
you could buy a GIGABYTE Aorus GTX 1070 Gaming Box from Kogan/DSE for about $800 dollars when they had 20% ebay sale going on. That might be a better purchase instead since it's already equipped with a high-end GPU.
exactly!
good find.
this unit likely to work in osx?
NVIDIA's a no go apparently
hmmm…tempting. But the point of the akitio node is the upgrade ability of the video card later on with a larger card. Seems that gaming box fits only the mini version of 1070 from the pictures
I think the difference between spending $400 and $800 is no small consideration. If you already own a GPU there's no reason to spend more many than you need to. A GTX 1070 + Akitio Node is $800, and an Aorus Gaming Box is $800. If you own a 1170, 1270, 1370 etc later on, would you really spend $800 on the Aorus only to swap out the card?
This is exactly what I did as the 1070 GPU alone is closer to $600 at the moment.
I got the Auros 1070 off Amazon for ~$770 shipped (when the exchange rate was a bit better), sold off the 1070 it came with and put my existing 1060 in it. Not only is it good for gaming on the 2-in-1, but it meant I didn't really need a desktop any more, as I hook this up to my laptop and it docks to monitors + KB + mouse + Ethernet, plus charges the laptop.
The Gigabyte is also much smaller, which is the main reason as to why I chose to get it and go through the hassle of selling off the card, rather than buying an empty box. This could be a disadvantage of course, as it means you can only fit 'ITX' sized graphics cards in it (which do go up to a 1080 though).
How much did you manage to sell the 1070 for? I must admit I didn't even think of that as it seemed like I'd definitely make a loss vs buying just an enclosure.
The massive empty chasm of the Akitio is one of my main gripes so it's cool to see the compact Gigabyte working really well for you.
The scalability is important going into the future, but yes the price of these needs to go down first.
3-5 years from now, you'll be brandishing a low-power 2-in-1 with a sweet screen that will clock up and use an eGPU and cooling solution in a dock.
So many better alternatives in the comments. A $400 emtpy box to me sounds stupid
Have eGPUs or equivalent become a thing? As well as the cost issues and an easier/cheaper desktop build, I didn't think it'd be any fun gaming on anything smaller than 24".
You can hook up to an external monitor. In fact, in most cases, it's a good idea to use an external monitor as it gives you slightly higher frame rates.
This is handy for those of us who want a very portable laptop but want to game at home or something. So instead of spending $3000+ plus on a laptop with a 1070 in it, you can spend $1000 or so for the laptop and $800 for Aorus item linked in the comments and use it for gaming. It means that your laptop will usually get great battery life when being used as a laptop, but you can also game after hours too. It's not for everyone, but in the right scenario it means you can use a lighter, more portable laptop and still game occasionally or do some graphically intensive work back at the office, editing and rendering videos etc.
Depends on your use case. I have a high-end laptop with no dedicated graphics + spare high-end GPU. If I want a working gaming PC, my options are getting:
A) Mobo, case, CPU, PSU, RAM, storage + peripherals to match my laptop's performance - ~$1000
B) eGPU - $400
If you're just looking for a dedicated gaming box at home, I think you're right and money is best spent in other ways. BTW I've been gaming on a 21" screen for years and I don't see why it's inconceivable that I have "any fun".
This product would have to have very limited appeal. I guess the low volume nature of it dictates it's crazy price.
why the box cost that much anyway? it has chips ?
Texas Instrument TPS65983 powered board and 400W PSU.
Thunderbolt is getting pretty prevalent these days.
Tempted but can't really justify dropping $400 on an empty case.
It seems that device doesn't support for 1080Ti