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The Best external thunderbolt graphics card of 2023 – Reviewed and Top Rated

After hours researching and comparing all models on the market, we find out the Best external thunderbolt graphics card of 2023. Check our ranking below.

2,403 Reviews Scanned

Rank No. #1

AKiTiO Node Titan Thunderbolt 3 External GPU Enclosure (eGPU), Aluminum, 85W Charging, up to six 4K displays, 650W PSU, Thunderbolt Cable, Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Equipped Mac and PC

Device Ports: 1) Host Port - Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) up to 40 Gb/s (5000 MB/s); Host Port Requirements: Thunderbolt (USB) port, Host computer must support external graphics cards (eGPUs); 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Connect up to six 4K displays (AMD Eyefinity technology supports up to six DisplayPort monitors on an enabled graphics card. Supported display quantity, type and resolution vary by model and board design); Play or work while charging: up to 85W for notebook charging (via One Thunderbolt 3 port with 85W power delivery), eliminates need for separate notebook power adapter
Expansion Slots: Supports up to PCIe x16 mechanical, x4 electrical; PCIe (x16 mechanical) slot provides up to 75W of power, but additional power can be supplied to the PCIe card by connecting a pair of 8-pin (6+2) PCIe connectors up to a maximum of 500W
Supports up to a full-length (max 12.59 in / 32 cm), full-height (max 6.69 in / 17 cm), and double-width (max 2.5 slots) PCIe card; Check manufacturer’s power requirements; maximum of 500W supplied to card
Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 equipped PC, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, iMac; eGPUs are supported by any Mac with an Intel processor and Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports running macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 or later; Mac models with Apple silicon, including M1, M2, and later processors, do not support eGPUs; Not compatible with Boot Camp; XFX Cards not recommended on macOS; Apple recommends AMD branded or Sapphire cards; Windows 10 64-bit build 1809 should be considered the baseline for eGPU

SaleRank No. #2

Razer Core X Aluminum External GPU Enclosure (eGPU): Compatible with Windows & MacOS Thunderbolt 3 Laptops, NVIDIA/AMD PCIe Support, 650W PSU, Mercury White

Desktop Grade Performance: Boosts Thunderbolt 3 laptop performance with support for up to 3 slot wide PCIe full sized desktop graphics cards (graphics card not included)
Built-In Power Supply: Includes a 650W ATX PSU with 100W laptop charging via Thunderbolt 3
Compatibility (Windows): Requires Thunderbolt 3 external graphics (eGPU) support with RS45 or later and compatible NVIDIA or AMD graphics cards
Compatibility (macOS): Requires Thunderbolt 3 and High Sierra 10.13.4 or later and compatible AMD graphics cards only (NVIDIA cards not supported)

Rank No. #3

ADT-LINK M.2 Key M NVMe External Graphics Card Stand Bracket with PCIe3.0 x4 Riser Cable 25cm 50cm 32Gbs for ITX STX NUC VEGA64 GTX1080ti (50CM,R43SG)

Graphics card compatibility: Only support for new graphics cards shipped after 2015 (old graphics cards shipped before 2014 are not supported).Does not support Mac.
Motherboard compatibility: Notebook, ITX/STX motherboard, NUC, only supports M.2 NVMe interface Does not support M.2 SATA interface, does not support M.2 WiFi interface, does not support M.2 WWAN interface
Power Description: The model that supports the power supply is DELL 12V/18A/220W power supply, or the standard ATX power supply. Please prepare or purchase the power separately.
Bandwidth speed: PCIe3.0x4 (32G/s)
Supporting power supply is DELL 8-pin 12V/18A/220W, or standard PSU power supply. The power supply should be prepared by the buyer or purchased separately.

Rank No. #4

StarTech.com Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Expansion Chassis, External Enclosure With One PCI Express Slot, PCIe Box for Laptops / Desktops / All-In-Ones, 5K/4K Output Via TB3/DP, TAA Compliant (TB31PCIEX16)

THUNDERBOLT 3 PCIE EXPANSION CHASSIS: Add PCI Express support to a Thunderbolt 3/4 capable laptop / desktop computer; Increased productivity with Thunderbolt 3 and up to 40Gbps bandwidth; One external PCIe 3.0 x16 slot; Thunderbolt cable included
EXPANDABILITY FOR LAPTOPS: Integrate video capture cards, high-speed fiber / ethernet connectivity, NVMe drives, FireWire cards, and more to unlock the potential of a notebook using this Thunderbolt 3 to PCIe chassis; Toolless design; Aluminum construction
5K & 4K DISPLAY SUPPORT: Connect a display through the external PCIe enclosure; The DisplayPort and TB3 ports support various video outputs up to 4K/5K 60Hz (other video resolutions are also supported); PCIe Box does not support GPU graphic cards
ROBUST POWER: The chassis delivers 25W via the PCIe slot and the LP4 port on the other side of the unit supports up to 30W between the 12V and 5V rails.; 12V 5A (65W) universal power adapter is included and is compatible w/ NA/JP, UK, EU, and ANZ regions
COMPATIBILITY: Use single-width cards up to 8in (20.3cm) long; Built-in fan for active cooling; Daisy chain compatible with multiple TB3/4 devices; The chassis is driverless and is compatible with macOS, Windows, and Linux; TAA-compliant

Rank No. #5

Razer Core X External Graphics Card Case with Thunderbolt 3 for Windows 10

RC21-01430100-R351
Fully loaded: 15.6" Full HD, 9th Gen Intel Core i7-750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 T, 2TB HDD+256GB PCIe SSD, 16GB RAM, thin and compact CNC aluminum unibody anodized Black finish.
Edge-to-edge action: Colorful and accurate visuals to the thin bezel factory calibrated 15.6" full HD display, for an immersive experience.
Packed with power: Driven by the latest 8th Gen Intel processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, and paired with accessible 16GB dual-channel memory and fast 256GB SSD storage and 2TB HDD, for amazing performance.
Precision crafted: CNC aluminum unibody houses incredible performance in the most compact footprint possible, while remaining remarkably durable and just /0.58" Thin/ 2.89 lbs

Rank No. #6

Sonnet eGPU Breakaway Box 750 - External GPU Chassis - Not Compatible with M1 Macs

Boosts Graphics Performance - Connects a high-performance GPU card to your computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports. Mac & Windows Compatible. *M1 Macs are NOT compatible with GPUs. Not Compatible with Thunderbolt 2 or USB-C ports. (GPU Card not Included)
Cuts Application Task Times - Enables GPU acceleration to significantly improve editing, rendering, color grading, animation, and special effects performance.
750W Power Supply - Support the power requirements of the latest compatible GPU cards; future-proof design handles higher power requirements of cards to come.
Supports Many of the Latest GPU Cards - Includes AMD Radeon VII, RX, RX Vega, Pro W and Pro WX models; and NVIDIA GeForce RTX series, TITAN, and Quadro models. (See Compatibility Charts)
Quietest Configurable eGPU System Available Large built-in, variable-speed, temperature-controlled fan quietly and effectively cools whatever card you install.

Rank No. #7

GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 3080 Gaming Box (REV2.0) eGPU, WATERFORCE All-in-One Cooling System, LHR, Thunderbolt 3, GV-N3080IXEB-10GD REV2.0 External Graphics Card

Digital Max Resolution:7680x4320
Powerful GeForce RTX 3080 delivers incredible performance for games, creators and A.I.
WATERFORCE all-in-one cooling system
Thunderbolt 3 plug and play.Avoid using unofficial software
Supports 3x USB 3.0 for peripherals

Rank No. #8

Laptop External Independent Video Card Dock for Mini PCI-E Without Power Supply

Support dual TD compatible switch (hardware conflict resolution), multistage anti-interference circuit and data line reinforcement. Compatible with graphics card, sound card, array card, video card, collect card, etc.
8p power output interface can connect 220W power supply and ATX cable with ATX desktop power. Reinforcement design for data transfer line. High quality electronic components. Isolation protection circuit. Use for engineering measurement, data collection, server debugging, GPU computing and other industrial applications, most of the graphics card to play the game.
Unsupported models:Not fit for Asus N55SF/N75SL/ASUS/A53XI24/1SV-SL/K43SD/A73S /K53SD/X8dij/A43s/N55SL/K45dr, Not fit for Lenovo E530/L430/E43/U410/E49/K49/G50-75M(New Add),Not fit for HP H533OM/6910/5310M,Not fit for Hasee ui45/EVI4,Not fit for Haier T68,Not fit for Acer 4739z/E1-451G,Not fit for Samsung 450R/270e5k/np450r5j-x05cn,Not fit for Dell 5437/N55SL
Instructions: Disable the built-in independent graphic card in the BIOS and turn off the network. Update BIOS of the notebook to the latest version. (You can see the update method in the official website of your laptop.) Enter in Computer-Device Management-System. Disable PCI related port until the built-in independent graphics card is gone.
Instructions 2: Restart the notebook after the hardware installation is complete. The external graphics card power supply is controlled by the laptop, the external graphics card start when the laptop is activated, the external graphics card can close when the laptop is closed. The 6Pin interface of the graphics card must be connected correctly, otherwise the power supply is insufficient.

Rank No. #9

ADT-LINK M.2 Key M NVMe External Graphics Card Stand Bracket with PCIe3.0 X4 to Thunderbolt 3 Riser Cable PCI-Express External Adapter Cable EGPU Adapter 25cm 50cm 32Gbs for ITX STX NUC (25CM)

Graphics card compatibility: support for new graphics cards shipped after 2015 (old graphics cards shipped before 2014 are not supported)
Motherboard compatibility: Notebook, ITX/STX motherboard, NUC, only supports thunderbolt3 Thunderbolt 3 interface
Power Description: The model that supports the power supply is DELL 12V/18A/220W power supply, or the standard ATX power supply. Please prepare or purchase the power separately.
Maximum Speed: PCIe Gen3.0 32Gbps.
Product accessories: with 50cm lightning 3 cable?Hexagonal copper posts and related screws for fixed graphics cards, and single 6P to dual 8P graphics card power adapters

Rank No. #10

Laptop External Independent Video Card Dock,for Mini PCIE,Expresscard,6Pin+ Interface Output,Without Power Supply

【Support Interface】Support dual TD compatible switch (hardware conflict resolution), multistage anti-interference circuit and data line reinforcement;Compatible with graphics card, sound card, array card, video card, collect card, etc.
【Data line Interface】For Mini PCI-E, Expresscard, NGFF(M.2)A/E Key or M Key, PCI-E X4 Converter Cable; Supports RTX.T(make sure you have correct connections)
【Support 6Pin+ Interface Output】 power output interface can connect 220W power supply and ATX cable with ATX desktop power.High quality electronic components,Reinforcement design for data transfer line,Isolation protection circuit function.
【USB Interface】This interface only provides 500mA voltage output and does not have any other functions(The interface of M.2 M Key and PCI-E X4 is data cable interface, and the type of the interface is HDMI.)
【Laptop External Independent Video Card Dock】Use for engineering measurement, data collection, server debugging, GPU computing and other industrial applications, most of the graphics card to play the game.

Rank No. #11

PowerColor AMD Radeon RX 480,dram Gaming Station Graphic Cards THUNDERBOLT EGPU BOX

External Graphics for high-performance gaming
Ultra fast 40Gbps Thunderbolt3 interface
Pci Express x16 slot supports high Performance Graphics cards
Thunderbolt3 USB-C port supports USB Power Delivery for charging compatible laptops up to 87W

SaleRank No. #12

StarTech.com USB 3.0 to HDMI / DVI Adapter - 2048x1152 - External Video & Graphics Card - Dual Monitor Display Adapter Cable - Supports Mac & Windows (USB32HDDVII)

HIGH QUALITY SUPPORT: The Dual Head Adapter turns an available USB 3.0 port into one DVI-I/VGA port and one HDMI output, supporting 1080p and 1920x1200 video and 5.1 surround sound audio.
MAXIMUM COMPATIBILITY: The adapter makes it easy to add multi-monitor capability to a USB enabled desktop or laptop computer (optimal performance from USB 3.0, backward compatible with USB 2.0).
EASY INSTALLATION: Leveraging the high-bandwidth (5 Gbps) SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface, the USB video adapter functions as a convenient external graphics card making it easy to install the video card.
OS COMPATIBILITY: This USB 3.0 to HDMI / DVI Adapter is compatible with Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11; macOS 10.6; 10.12, 10.14; 10.15; Ubuntu 18.04, 20.04; Chrome OS v55+

SaleRank No. #13

Visiontek 901252 Thunderbolt 3 Mini EGFX External Graphics Accelerator

Material: Aluminum
Form Factor: Desktop
Height: 8.5"
Width: 6"
Depth: 2.8"

Rank No. #14

TH3P4G3 Graphics Docking Station External Graphics Card for Thunderbolt GPU Dock 3/4 Laptop PC, ATX, SFX for Flex and Other Power Supplies, 60W PD Charging

Easy To Install: Equipped with SFX and ATX brackets for easy installation of graphics cards, power supplies and docking.
Function: Compatible with GPU dock, you can use the docking station to connect external graphics cards to improve gaming performance.
Power Supply: Support ATX, SFX for FLEX and other power supplies. Supports PD charging (up to 60W).
Daisy Chain Support: The port supports daisy chain for excellent performance. Enables 32Gbps data transfer with PCIE3.0X4.
For GPU Dock: For intel's device chip JHL7440 used to break the 22Gbps limitation of JHL6 series and the neutering of JHL8 series PCIE X1.

Rank No. #15

Gigabyte AORUS RTX 3080 Ti Gaming Box eGPU, WATERFORCE All-in-One Cooling System, Thunderbolt 3, GV-N308TIXEB-12GD External Graphics Card

Powerful GeForce RTX 3080 Ti delivers incredible performance for games, creators and A.I.
WATERFORCE all-in-one cooling system
Thunderbolt 3 plug and play
Supports 3x USB 3.0 for peripherals
Supports 1x Ethernet port

SaleRank No. #16

Capture Card, Audio Video Capture Card with Microphone 4K HDMI Loop-Out, 1080p 60fps Video Recorder for Gaming/Live Streaming/Video Conference, Works for Nintendo Switch/PS4/OBS/Camera/PC

【4K HDMI Game Capture Card】: TKHIN game video capture card is designed with high-end smart chip, stylish and compact by decent Aluminum Alloy shell. Supports up to 4K@60fps HDMI input, plug and play let the device work instantly with stream media like OBS. Ideal for live streaming, gaming broadcast, video recording, conference rooms, etc.
【HD 1080P 60fps Signal Loop Out】: This HDMI capture card for Nintendo Switch has maximum HDMI output resolution up to 4K@30fps, and streams 1080p@60fps video signal through USB 3.0 port. It outputs a clean and clear excellent inage quality without frame lag. You can enjoy recording specific moments in video game adventures.
【3.5mm Microphone and Audio Input/Output Port】: You can connect the audio video capture device with your earphone with 3.5.mm audio out port, you can also connect the video capture device with 3.5mm Microphone so that you can stream your voice and record your voice by the ports easily. you can also use it to add external commentary when playing a game.
【Wide Compatible with Multiple Systems】: 4K PC capture card is suitable for Windows 7/ 8/ 10, Mac OS X 10.9 or above, Linux and many other systems. Compatible with PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Camera, Webcame, DSLR, be real-time streaming on Twitch/Youtube/OBS/Potplayer/VLC more easily with your gameplay.
【Quality service and Notice】: You will get 1xHDMI capture card, 1xUSB 3.0 cable, and 1xuser manual. Please note that the OBS Studio software needs to be restarted after audio settings are completed, otherwise it will cause no sound output. And you will get actual 1080p records by connecting USB port monitor after insert MIC/Audio Output devices

Rank No. #17

Amazon Basics Thunderbolt 3 Docking Station - 20V 6A Desktop Power Supply Attached, US Plug, Includes 0.5M Thunderbolt 3 Cable

10 ports: 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x RJ45 Ethernet, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen2 (10 Gbps), 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen2 (10 Gbps), 1x 3.5mm audio port, 1x SD 4.0 socket, 1x mSD 4.0 socket, 1x DC 120-watt power jack (20V/6A; 60-watt bypass to host), and 1x Thunderbolt 3 daisy-chain port
Dual-video support: the DP 1.4 port supports dual high-definition dual-output (DP 1.4 8K/30Hz + 4K/30Hz or dual 4K/60Hz) for enhanced workspace versatility and productivity
Daisy chain: use the daisy-chain port to connect up to 6 additional Thunderbolt 3 compatible devices, including Thunderbolt 3 docks and displays
Universal compatibility: equipped with Intel Titan Ridge technology, the docking station works with either a Thunderbolt 3 or a Type-C host using Mac OS or Windows; a great choice for a wide range of systems and hosts
Charging, accessories, and warranty: conveniently charge a Thunderbolt 3 compatible laptop or notebook computer while in use (up to 60 watts); includes a 1.5-foot Thunderbolt 3 cable (capable of up to 40 Gbps); backed by an AmazonBasics 1-year limited warranty

Rank No. #18

ASUS ThunderboltEX 4 with Intel® Thunderbolt™ 4 JHL 8540 Controller, 2 USB Type-C Ports, up to 40Gb/s bi-Directional Bandwidth, DisplayPort 1.4 Support, up to 100W Quick Charge.

1. Intel Thunderbolt 4 JHL 8540 controller
2. Ultrafast connectivity: Two Type-C ports with USB 4 support, up to 40Gb/s bi-directional bandwidth, per port allows you to connect up to five Thunderbolt-enabled devices in a daisy-chain configuration using Thunderbolt cables.
DisplayPort 1.4: support up to 8K resolution monitors
Quick charge solution: up to 100W quick charge

Rank No. #19

BulletProof Mining Graphics Card PCIe Riser VER 009S 16x to 1x Powered Riser Adapter Card w/ USB 3.0 Extension Cable & 6-Pin PCI-E to SATA Power Cable | Bitcoin | Ethereum Mining

Mine Bitcoin, Etherium, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu coin! The crypto revolution is now!
Version 009S riser kits are the top of the line solution for setting up Ethereum mining rigs (or any other GPU-mined alt-coin)
4 High Quality Solid Capacitors, Voltage Regulation, and
60cm USB 3.0 riser cable enabling flexibility in the placement of your PCI-E devices. Overcurrent Protection. Gold plated contacts for flawless connectivity and a long lifespan.
6-pin PCI-E power to 15-pin SATA power cable for direct connection to your power supply reduces the power burden on your motherboard and ensures maximum compatibility with your power supply.

Rank No. #20

Sonnet eGPU Breakaway Box 750ex - External GPU Chassis

Boosts Graphics Performance - Connects a high-performance GPU card to your computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports. Mac & Windows Compatible. **M1 Macs are NOT compatible with GPUs.
Cuts Application Task Times - Enables GPU acceleration to significantly improve editing, rendering, color grading, animation, and special effects performance.
750W Power Supply - Support the power requirements of the latest compatible GPU cards; future-proof design handles higher power requirements of cards to come.
Supports Many of the Latest GPU Cards - Includes AMD Radeon VII, RX, RX Vega, Pro W and Pro WX models; and NVIDIA GeForce RTX series, TITAN, and Quadro models.
750ex Model: Additional Connectivity Adds four 5Gb/s USB Type A ports to connect peripherals, plus an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port for a wired network connectivity.

Last update on 2023-08-19 / Affiliate links / Product Titles, Images, Descriptions from Amazon Product Advertising API

How Do You Buy The Best external thunderbolt graphics card?

Do you get stressed out thinking about shopping for a great external thunderbolt graphics card? Do doubts keep creeping into your mind? We understand, because we’ve already gone through the whole process of researching external thunderbolt graphics card, which is why we have assembled a comprehensive list of the greatest external thunderbolt graphics card available in the current market. We’ve also come up with a list of questions that you probably have yourself.

We’ve done the best we can with our thoughts and recommendations, but it’s still crucial that you do thorough research on your own for external thunderbolt graphics card that you consider buying. Your questions might include the following:

Is it worth buying an external thunderbolt graphics card?
What benefits are there with buying an external thunderbolt graphics card?
What factors deserve consideration when shopping for an effective external thunderbolt graphics card?
Why is it crucial to invest in any external thunderbolt graphics card, much less the best one?
Which external thunderbolt graphics card are good in the current market?
Where can you find information like this about external thunderbolt graphics card?

We’re convinced that you likely have far more questions than just these regarding external thunderbolt graphics card, and the only real way to satisfy your need for knowledge is to get information from as many reputable online sources as you possibly can.

Potential sources can include buying guides for external thunderbolt graphics card, rating websites, word-of-mouth testimonials, online forums, and product reviews. Thorough and mindful research is crucial to making sure you get your hands on the best-possible external thunderbolt graphics card. Make sure that you are only using trustworthy and credible websites and sources.

We provide an external thunderbolt graphics card buying guide, and the information is totally objective and authentic. We employ both AI and big data in proofreading the collected information. How did we create this buying guide? We did it using a custom-created selection of algorithms that lets us manifest a top-10 list of the best available external thunderbolt graphics card currently available on the market.

This technology we use to assemble our list depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the following:

Brand Value: Every brand of external thunderbolt graphics card has a value all its own. Most brands offer some sort of unique selling proposition that’s supposed to bring something different to the table than their competitors.
Features: What bells and whistles matter for an external thunderbolt graphics card?
Specifications: How powerful they are can be measured.
Product Value: This simply is how much bang for the buck you get from your external thunderbolt graphics card.
Customer Ratings: Number ratings grade external thunderbolt graphics card objectively.
Customer Reviews: Closely related to ratings, these paragraphs give you first-hand and detailed information from real-world users about their external thunderbolt graphics card.
Product Quality: You don’t always get what you pay for with an external thunderbolt graphics card, sometimes less, and sometimes more.
Product Reliability: How sturdy and durable an external thunderbolt graphics card is should be an indication of how long it will work out for you.

We always remember that maintaining external thunderbolt graphics card information to stay current is a top priority, which is why we are constantly updating our websites. Learn more about us using online sources.

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FAQ:

Q: What is the best external graphics card?

A: The best external graphics card for desktop is by no doubt the Gigabyte AORUS Gaming Box. This is according to what the world has rated as the #1 eGPU and the editor’s choice on many popular online websites.

Q: What is an external GPU?

A: External GPU (eGPU) An external GPU is a graphics processor located outside of the housing of the computer. External graphics processors are sometimes used with laptop computers. Laptops might have a substantial amount of RAM and a sufficiently powerful central processing unit (CPU), but often lack a powerful graphics processor,…

Q: What is a thunderbolt hard drive?

A: Thunderbolt hard drives are commonly used in video editing and in professional video capture and encoding devices. Thunderbolt can also be used for other cool stuff, like external expansion bays for cards that support the PCI Express (PCIe) standard.