Aoostar EG01 to launch at $109

It has been a busy period for external GPUs, where the main focus was on Thunderbolt 5 support after a long wait since its announcement. Practical use for Thunderbolt 5 is still limited to newer desktops and mini-PCs, but the same can be said about OCuLink. This direct PCIe connection standard has been adopted by many Chinese mini-PC and handheld makers, and it appears to be a good alternative.

Source: Aoostar

Thunderbolt 5 still has a few advantages, such as power delivery support, display output and daisy chaining. However, in real-world use, despite offering the same theoretical PCIe tunnel bandwidth of 64 Gbps (PCIe 4.0 x4), it is usually slower than OCuLink , which is dedicated solely to the data link.

The eGPU dock looks similar to the Minisforum DEG1 , which already has a successor announced. The layout is nearly the same, except for a frame designed to support the power supply and mini-PC above the GPU. It is unclear why Aoostar did not place the mini-PC next to the PSU, as many similar docks do. They likely aimed to keep cable routing simpler.

Source: Aoostar

The dock supports both ATX and SFX power supplies through a mounting frame that can be adjusted for either size. There is also a 6-pin to DC power adapter included, which allows powering certain mini-PCs directly from the same PSU. The OCuLink port has a locking mechanism to prevent accidental disconnects. The GPU slot is PCIe 4.0 x4 and uses metal shielding to reduce interference. Aoostar also notes compatibility with Lenovo TGX hot-swap on newer ThinkBook models (it’s the same standard as OCuLink but customized for Lenovo laptops).

Aoostar has not released a Thunderbolt 5 external GPU dock yet, but the new EG01 dock is now available for preorder in China for $67. For international customers, the price is $109 , which the company has now confirmed. The dock is set to launch on November 2.

Source: Aoostar , NotebookCheck