Mini-PC and eGPU maker Aoostar has added yet another eGPU dock to its arsenal of products. On Reddit, the company announced the EG01, a Thunderbolt 5 graphics card dock that supports full-size desktop graphics cards, ATX/SFX power supplies, and features an optional mini-PC holder on top. Pricing and a release date have yet to be disclosed.
Not much information has been publicly revealed about the dock; however, Notebookcheck was able to get some in-depth information about the EG01. But the outlet was able to find that the dock allegedly takes advantage of a Thunderbolt 5 interface and is compatible with OCuLink, making it one of the first docks to feature both connectivity standards. Thunderbolt 5 and OCuLink provide a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface from the host system to the graphics card, offering the best connectivity you'll see on eGPU docks right now.
The EG01 differs significantly from most of Aoostar's other eGPU docks, featuring full compatibility for desktop GPUs, but having no embedded PSU, instead having a mount for aftermarket units. For those who want to upgrade power supplies down the road, this is a great feature and allows the user to choose whatever ATX or SFX PSU they want to use, significantly increasing the dock's flexibility. Past iterations of Aoostar docks have featured embedded power supplies, ranging from 400W to 800W of power output. Besides its 800W offerings, Aoostar's older trims, sporting 400W or 500W power supplies, would limit GPU power draw to a max of 250W or 350W, respectively, limiting GPU options to AMD or Nvidia's mid-range desktop graphics cards.
With the EG01, you have the option of building a GPU setup that only needs enough power for what you need in the current moment, with an upgrade path down the road. If you find you want to upgrade to a more power-hungry GPU in the future, you can easily swap out the PSU with a more potent unit if necessary.
The dock can be used with any Thunderbolt or OCuLink capable device; however, the dock has also been designed with mini-PCs in mind. The power supply bracket includes an optional mini-PC mounting solution on the top, turning the eGPU dock into a computer that mimics a mini-ITX PC. This will inevitably be a highly used feature for those who plan on daily driving the EG01 with a mini-PC or NUC-like device rather than a laptop or handheld gaming PC.
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