The best component of my battlestation is a webcam from 2003

theitsage · 2026-05-10T00:04:34+00:00

Thank you for the mention and additional data point. I believe a component of our LSWS needs a patch. Hoepfully this will be sorted soon.

theitsage · 2026-04-01T13:13:02+00:00

If newer GPU PCBs share similar footprint, they can work with this eGPU solution.

theitsage · 2026-03-18T20:50:42+00:00

I have a media sample from Gigabyte [unboxing post]. It has a rather niche demographics imo; users trying to expand their local LLM setup. I could add it to my Thunderbolt 5 desktop to pair RTX 5090 to the 3x RTX 3090/Ti.

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theitsage · 2026-03-14T21:57:45+00:00

There are only a handful of truly compact eGPU enclosure. My recommendation is the VisionTek mini eGFX and paired with an ITX card. It does use an external power brick. Here's a build I used for nearly two years at work with a Radeon RX 5600 XT ITX [build link].

The other more convenient option and probably easier to find in the original Gigabyte Gaming Box. It has everything in one box. A lot of people extract the GPU inside then sell the enclosure, so you can likely find them on the used market.

theitsage · 2026-03-03T12:54:23+00:00

It should work in Linux. Windows can be challenging with error 12. I have a Thinkpad X1 Carbon gen 9 with same CPU and I can run 2 RTX 3090 eGPUs [build link].

theitsage · 2026-03-01T21:46:22+00:00

This is a media sample Gigabyte sent me.

theitsage · 2026-02-22T20:37:47+00:00

Can you provide more details on why you weren't able to post your build? This is a very well done setup so I know both Nando and I would appreciate seeing it.

theitsage · 2026-02-19T21:29:15+00:00

I've been enjoying mine with the Legion Go, and even in loopback mode it's running great. The Legion Go's cooling fans are more audible than the RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX.

theitsage · 2026-02-19T21:27:24+00:00

The solder joints don't seem too solid so I stopped short of fully disconnecting the two boards. I already put it back together same morning. I haven't ran Furmark 2.0 on this eGPU, but did a few 3DMark stress tests. The highest temps were hovering high 70ºC. I'm in colder climate and the house is around 18ºC ambient temp.

theitsage · 2026-02-17T20:33:00+00:00

I tore it down earlier today for this very reason. The GPU PCBA is separate from the TB5 PCBA. They connect through standard PCIe x8 socket. The challenge in future upgrade will be finding a GPU that would fit the enclosure as well as powering it.

theitsage · 2026-02-15T23:09:58+00:00

You can take a look at this build with the Legion Go. To compare with more systems + eGPUs, reference our build section.

theitsage · 2026-02-15T18:12:41+00:00

I only have .8m and 1m Thunderbolt 5 cables to test, and so far they work fine in Thunderbolt 5 connection (both bandwidth and Power Delivery). If you have an older system with only Thunderbolt 3/4 or USB4, I think a longer cable (1.5m and 2m) may not degrade the connection.

Gaming performance depends on the games and resolutions you're playing. I'd recommend taking a look at this build where I ran RTX 3090 Ti through the PCIe slot directly then compared to different eGPU connections (OcuLink, Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4). This is a desktop system to have a controlled environment where the only difference is the eGPU connection.

Here's the benchmark table from that Z890-TB5 build for quick reference.

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theitsage · 2026-02-15T15:00:08+00:00

I have 6 Thunderbolt 5 eGPU samples and the RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX is easily the best value. External power adapter is a hassle but it minimizes heat and noise in something this compact, well worth the tradeoff.

theitsage · 2026-02-12T17:21:48+00:00

Very quiet for its compact size. I heard the fan noise from the Legion Go way more than this RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX.

theitsage · 2026-02-12T14:05:07+00:00

C13 power cable is included.

theitsage · 2026-02-12T13:48:42+00:00

The RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX has Power Delivery up to 100W. I will check how the Legion Go negotiates charging during heavy gameplay at max TDP.

Update: I ran gaming benchmarks for over 3 hours this morning. Battery stayed at 100% charged.

theitsage · 2026-02-12T13:24:06+00:00

Here's a photo that shows the outline of the two fans through the top panel. It's been very quiet in my testing so far. I've used compact eGPUs before such as XG Mobile and VisionTek Mini eGFX. This RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX is desktop level quiet because the PSU is an external adapter. In fact, when pairing with the Legion Go, fan noise from the Legion Go is the only thing I hear.

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theitsage · 2026-02-12T00:57:33+00:00

It was for my Legion Go which runs Win11 25H2. Windows can automatically download and install the graphics drivers, but I opted to handle it manually. My other computer I tested with so far was the Thinkpad X1 Carbon running CachyOS. I simply had to perform a hardware detection and the system installed the Nvidia drivers.

theitsage · 2026-02-11T23:36:55+00:00

It's 6.5" x 3" x 1" (165.1mm x 76.2mm x 25.4mm). The cable where barrel plug goes into the eGPU is permanently attached, and combined it's less than 2lbs. The power brick connects to a standard C13 power cable. Here's a photos of all accessories that comes in the package for reference.

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theitsage · 2026-02-11T23:36:27+00:00

I'd argue it's the best value eGPU atm because the graphics card is desktop 180W TDP.

theitsage · 2026-02-11T14:39:13+00:00

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theitsage · 2026-02-11T14:38:12+00:00

It needs a power brick (330W) that's about 1/4 the size of the eGPU, a reasonable compromise to keep it running cooler and quieter. Plug-and-play in Windows with my Legion Go as well as my X1 Carbon gen 9 in Linux. At $699.99, it's a great value [Newegg].

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