The external box for a video card is very popular among laptop users, as it can be used to make a real gaming platform out of a regular laptop or ultrabook. Connecting this equipment will require powerful laptops. Unfortunately, only new generation laptops have connectors that allow you to connect external graphics cards to them with Thunderbolt support and transfer data at speeds up to 40 gigabits per second.
5 manufacturers of external boxes for video cards
In the rating at the moment there are only five popular manufacturers for external graphics processors. The first one is the Gigabyte Aorus GTX 1080 Gaming Box 8 Gb.
In second place in the ranking of video boxes is eGFX Breakaway Puck, which was released by Sonnet.
In the middle of the rating is KFA2 from Galaxy, which places on its board one of the most powerful video cards of the Pascal generation - the GeForce GTX 1060.
The fourth representative is the Bizon BOX 3, which can only interact with equipment from Apple.
The HIS Multi View ll Adapter completes the rating. True, this representative of the external boxes cannot be called a video card. This is a device for displaying images from a laptop to another screen.
Gigabyte Aorus GTX 1080 Gaming Box 8 Gb
The unit comes with a special bag that will be needed for its transportation. You can connect an external box for a video card using the connector on a laptop or a candy bar called Thunderbolt. To connect to this connector, the kit includes an adapter cord. Also in the box there is a disk with installation drivers for the video card and everything that is attached to it. To power this device, the kit includes a triple cable designed for these purposes.
The dimensions of the box itself are 21.2x9.6x16.2, and weighs more than two kilograms. There is a built-in 450 Watt power supply and a quality guarantee in the form of a certificate of 80+ gold level. There is the possibility of overclocking, in this case, the frequency of the video card will be 1733 Megahertz. The video memory format has been upgraded to version GDDR5X. The maximum permissible screen resolution should not exceed 7680x4320 dpi.
The disadvantage of this boxing is not only the great weight, but also the high price.
eGFX Breakaway Puck
Unlike the previous box, this case for a video card has a video adapter from Radeon, whose model is RX 560. This video card has a small size, which makes the box more compact. There is a built-in cooling controller that allows you to independently adjust the airflow of the system.
One of the useful features of this gaming box is recharging the laptop. The connection is through the third-generation Thunderbolt port, which provides high-speed signal transmission.
Among the notable shortcomings, meager support for operating systems can be noted - boxing works only with Win10. Also a minus is the lack of USB ports.
KFA2 GeForce GTX 1060
The completely steel case of the external box with the GeForce graphics card on board is lightweight, which can be considered a good plus. 6 gigabytes of video memory is enough for smooth and detailed image reproduction, and the Pascal architecture used in this generation is able to unleash the full potential of the GPU.
Light weight, not reaching even one and a half kilograms, demonstrates the compactness and practicality of this box. Two coolers provide sufficiently high-quality cooling, which positively affects its performance.
A big minus is the lack of a built-in power supply, so users will have to take care of additional charging.
Bizon BOX 3
The presence of such a box will undoubtedly improve the graphics capabilities of the Apple device. Connecting an external video card to a laptop is possible only through the Thunderbolt eGPU port, which is only available on MacBooks. Using this equipment, you can display an image not only on a laptop, but also on other displays. The price range will depend on which video card is inside. For example, if there is a box with a GTX 760 graphics card, the price will be no more than 16 thousand rubles, and with a filling of TITAN X the price rises to 120.
The appearance is quite stylish, and two handles on the sides make it easy to transport the device. There is perforation throughout the box, allowing you to remove hot air from the system.
Unlike other representatives, this box starts working with a laptop without any additional manipulations, such as installing drivers. However, there are also disadvantages - when you purchase it with a more powerful graphics card, you will need additional power with an efficiency of at least 400 watts.
HIS Multi View ll Adapter
The smallest adapter for displaying images on the screen, which fits even in a cosmetic bag. It differs from previous representatives in the way it connects to the display - the device has a DVI-I connector that supports digital and analog signals. This adapter works well with devices from the manufacturer Apple. An external video card is connected to the laptop via the USB 2.0 port.
One of the advantages of this small device is its high-quality cooling system, which prevents the temperature from rising above 39 degrees even at maximum load.
The disadvantage is the plastic shell, which is easy to heat during operation. If an HDMI controller is not installed on the monitor, then you cannot connect via this digital port.
Thunderbolt Port Benefits
In 2011, Intel presented the world with a platform called Thunderbolt. The first version of this port could transmit data at a speed of 10 gigabits per second, when the then popular USB 3.0 port could accelerate to five gigabits.
The second version was able to reach 20 gigabits per second, which was twice the first version. The latest version of Thunderbolt 3.0 has reached a maximum data transfer rate of 40 gigabits per second. This version of the port appeared in 2015, when Intel released the processors of the Sky Lake family.
The versatility of Thunderbolt 3.0 is that you can connect both a display and a portable drive using a single USB 3.1 cable. Using the same cable, you can charge devices that consume no more than 100 watts. In addition, the power of the cable allows you to display the image immediately on two monitors that support 4K video format.
It is known that Apple uses Thunderbolt 3.0 in the latest versions of its laptops to achieve the highest speeds during data transfer. Such a socket can only be seen in devices that support Intel processors.