Best External Graphics Card 2022 (eGPU) – Complete Buying Guide and Reviews

The world of gaming is always changing.

It is possible that you will find many types of hardware to enhance your gaming.

Do you love gaming on a laptop?

If the answer is yes, then you know how straining it can be for your laptop whenever you do this. It is the reason you need to get yourself the best external graphics card.

If you might have tried before and ended up in disappointment, you can now redeem yourself with our list. We have compiled the top rated external graphic cards for you to pick.

Be sure to see some big names in the gaming world so that you understand it is a serious list.

Top 10 Best External Graphics Cards For The Money 2019 Reviews

1 Gigabyte AORUS Gaming Box GTX 1070 Graphic Card

This external GPU comes from a top brand Gigabyte. This brand has been around long enough for it to earn respect from people. Mostly it is because of the type of performance they provide to the user. The same thing applies to making this external GPU. The manufacturer made it to be compatible with the GeForce FTX 1070 graphics card. This is something that will enhance your gaming at all times. With 8GB of onboard video memory, there is so much performance you can expect at the end.

The model is made to have a compact size. This is for those people who need to have it mounted somewhere on the desktop. That being said, its compact size does not limit its capabilities. You could install a mini-ITX style graphics card in it. Since it comes already loaded with a graphics card, it cuts down the money you would have spent getting an additional graphics card for it.

For some reason, the design is often understated. Generally, it comes with a nice design with no much complications that should make it easy to use. The location of the ports is also great for ease of access. You get a reflective Aorus long on the front only. You can always place it somewhere so that people know the brand you are using.

Those LED lights are always going to get more people interested in buying the graphics card. You will now have a chance to customize the LED lighting always. This is important so that you get to only set up the LED color scheme that suits your gaming style. The Gigabyte Engine Software is included in the model so that changing the patterns is easy.

As for the ports, you will be spoilt for choice when using this model. It is easy to appreciate the USB ports located at the back for better data transfer. You also get two HDMI ports and two DVI-Connectors. Your connectivity just got better. There is also the thunderbolt port available important for more connectivity.

Our Rating: (4.3 / 5)

2 Alienware Graphics Amplifier

Alienware is not a new company when it comes to making the best gaming hardware. They have proven that is the case when it comes to using this model. The work of this amplifier is to help you with gaming better by providing a space for the top graphics cards. Of course you would mostly use it with laptops or even desktops when you do not want to build it from scratch for gaming entirely.

Many people have commented about its size and shape. Well, it does not have the best shape out there. For many, it just looks like a toaster. On the other hand, the size is quite big. It is big for a good reason. You will always be in a position to slot in your favorite graphics cards with ease.

Opening it up is not hard. With a simple switch, you can open up the model and start adding what you feel is necessary. The 460W power supply located inside is suitable to run any graphics card you can find on the market right now.

You will get up to four USB ports at the back where you can connect your laptop to give it an extra punch. The box uses the controversial PCIe 3.0×4 cable which can have some issues later while using it with the graphics card always.

The manufacturer also made it easier for the amplifier to breathe. This is thanks to having more vents important for proper ventilation. In general, you will find that it gives you the best airflow keeping the graphics card cool thus better performance.

Setting up the amplifier is not a problem at all. You simply open it up add the necessary components and you are good to go. It is important to note that this model can work for both the AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards. The commonly used cards include the Raedon RX 470 and the GTX 1070. You can always go for other powerful graphics cards if you have some funds to spare.

Our Rating: (4 / 5)

3 Akitio Node – Thunderbolt3 eGPU for Windows

This one is the cheapest ways to give your laptop a big boost when it comes to gaming better. The manufacturer did it a solid by equipping it with a 400-watt power supply unit. With this amount of power, it should not be a problem when it comes to dropping in any graphics card. Its power would easily run any graphics card on the market right now.

The best part is that this model will work with either AMD or NVidia graphics cards on the market. You may want to go for the newer and powerful graphics cards if you want to enjoy the performance at all times. You can connect to the laptop using the USB ports or the thunderbolt 3 port for those who have a mac.

When it comes to working, most users have found it being easy and smooth. Compared to other models on the market right now in the same price range, this one performs quite smoothly. You just have to make sure that you have installed the latest graphics cards drivers for it to working properly.

Some gamers would be happy to use the thunderbolt 3 port for gaming. This is because of its amazing speeds. You get up to 40Gbps when it comes to transfer speeds. The common downside is that when gaming for a MacBook, it is only the AMD graphics card that can be used. We all know that windows will always be versatile for its users.

If you have a wider card that you have to install, you are in luck with this enclosure. This is because it comes with a removable back panel. You can always remove it whenever the need arises. The presence of a carry handle makes it possible to transport the case with ease.

Our Rating: (4.2 / 5)

4 HP OMEN Accelerator Shell GA1-1000

If you are a fan of gaming on your laptop, then you could use any help you can get when it comes to enhancing laptop performance. This is possible by using the HP Omen accelerator at the moment. Coming from HP is a sure way of telling you that you just got yourself a top product. That being the case, the manufacturer has made it possible to work a wide range of graphics card. Whether you have an AMD or NVidia card, they will both work well while using this model.

If you want to know more about the specifics and type of cards supported, always check out the manufacturer website for the list.

HP prides itself for helping you experience better gaming without necessarily having to buy a new PC. Having a large door design is important for usability. The large door allows the user to easily slide in the graphics card with ease all the time. The impressive power supply is also important for gaming. Nothing to worry about as this model comes with a power supply to run any graphics card that you might have in mind.

The best part about using this type of accelerator is that it will provide you with hard drive expansion possibilities. It comes with provision for you to easily add more storage. You could either use the 2.5” SATA hard drive or the SSD option.

The accelerator software is all about helping you have the best performance from the graphics cards always. The software provides you with the option of tweaking the graphics card to work best. It also helps you with switching from the laptop GPU to the external GPU with ease. Since it is an accelerator, it eliminates the lag by giving the game a boost.

You will not have to worry about connectivity as there are numerous ports at the back of the accelerator. It comes with a Gigabit Ethernet which is often removed from the other models of external graphics card. You still get to use HMDI, DisplayPort and a lot more.

Our Rating: (4 / 5)

5 Mantiz Venus MZ-02 eGPU

This is another top eGPU that you can get for yourself at the moment. Many people who are looking for a functional and impressive model can always opt for this one. You will love the way it is easy to set up. As much as the manufacturer sends you with most of the parts already setup, addition a few components of your own is not much trouble. The best part is that you can slide the graphics card into its position without much of a hassle.

The model comes with impressive power supply option. The 550W power supply makes it ideal for running your top graphics card without a problem. You simply have to pick the top one on the market right now and get started with the process. Some people have complained about the noise level. They claim it can be a bit loud when operating. You might therefore want to keep it at a place that minimizes the vibrations.

Those who might have always wanted to game on a MacBook can now do it so by using this type of model. It will help you be the cool kid around gaming on a Mac. Make sure that you check out the setup details for a Mac straight from the manufacturer website. Do not worry as it is not that hard to set it up.

The performance with windows PCs is unrivaled. You will not have any issue when it comes to the connectivity and get down to gaming. The setup is simple and you can always have an easy time doing so.

The full aluminum anodizing case is another important of this product. This means that it comes with strong construction you could always use.

Our Rating: (4 / 5)

6 Sonnet eGFX Breakway Box, Thunderbolt 3 GPU-350W

This is what you need the need for intensive gaming arises. The model is designed to help those who are looking to game with their laptops have an easy time doing so.

The best part about this model is that it will work easily with the major brands when it comes to gaming. This means that you can add either the AMD or NVidia graphics cards with ease.

Some of the recommended chipsets to use include AMD Radeon, Radeon Pro, NVidia GeForce, TITAN X and Quadro cards. You can see that all of them are the top cards to use right now.

Sometimes there is no need to spend a lot of money buying the expensive gaming rigs and laptops. With such an option, it is possible for you to still enjoy the best gaming experience with ease. You will still be in a position to just your laptop’s display without the need of buying another gaming monitor. Many people also love this model as changing the graphics card will not be an issue. They can easily swap it for something new if it comes up.

Cooling is an essential part of keeping the box cool all the time. It is the reason you find that this model comes with an impressive fan assembly. It also features a liquid cooling support so that you have no problem at all. This type of cooling can be important, especially for those who would want to use it for overclocked scenarios.

When it comes to the data transfer, it is just amazing. The manufacturer made it to have a speed of 40Gbps. This is something you will always appreciate to make it possible to enjoy the gaming experience. There will be no issues such as lagging of the game.

Our Rating: (4.1 / 5)

7 ASUS ROG-XG-Station-2 Thunderbolt 3 External Graphics Dock

If you are looking to increase the gaming capabilities of your laptop, then you need to get yourself one of these. Coming from ASUS, then you can be sure that it is something you will love. As a brand, Asus never fails to impress its customers when it comes to the design. The aesthetics of this model will make you like it even more. It has some intricate detail across its body in addition to an odd shape.

Opening it up give you access to where you get to add the graphics card. One thing that you will note is that the model is quite spacious. It should make it easy for you to pick the best graphics you may want and also add a 2.5-inch SSD inside it. There is nothing to worry about when it comes to the power. You get up to 600W from the power supply. This is enough power for you to use to power the graphics cards with ease.

To look as part of the new trend in gaming hardware, this model comes with red LEDs. You have to agree that the lighting helps with improving the aesthetics even further. The red light will easily complement the black exterior of the model.

The setup process on the other hand is not a problem. It is quite the breeze for most users. You open the box by pushing a button at the top thus revealing the inside of the enclosure. You can setup the box using the graphics card that you want. Consider choosing the new models so that you can experience better performance at all times.

When it comes to performance, many have described it as being good. This is the case even though the Thunderbolt 3 throughput of this model is limited. Do not worry as it does not affect the performance that much.

The manufacturer has also equipped this model with 3 fans for cooling. You will always have a cooled external graphics card.

Our Rating: (3.2 / 5)

8 Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Puck Radeon RX 570

This is another top product you could use coming from Sonnet. The model is made to be ultra thin so that it is something different from what you are used to. Just because it is thin it does not mean it lacks performance. You will be surprised by the punch it packs when it comes to enhancing your laptop for the sake of gaming. The best part about being small sized makes it possible for you to move with it around without a problem. You can even pull it out in a coffee shop and get down to gaming.

It is possible that you might find yourself using the VESA mount option. This means mounting several screens on a bracket and then display different content. This model can also be mounted to the same mount and display several outputs. This is thanks to the several output options that you get with the model.

The model still comes with the option of multi-display for the several ultrabooks. You get up to 4 DisplayPorts, one HDMI, and one thunderbolt. This model still packs the AMD Eyefinity technology which means that it can support up to four 4K displays by just using a single Radeon GPU. For many people, this is quite the bargain they could have asked for when it comes to using an external graphics card.

There is no way we could forget to talk about the thunderbolt 3 port that comes with the model. This thunderbolt port allows an impressive data transfer rate of 40Gbps. This no small speed as you can now expect to have the best gaming experience always.

As for the setup process, it should not take long before you are good to go. The manufacturer sends you the model with all the necessary information to set up your rig. The performance on the overall is something most users have no problem with. You should also find it great.

Our Rating: (4.1 / 5)

9 Gigabyte Aorus GTX 1080 Gaming Box Graphics Cards

This is the latest installation from the giant in gaming Gigabyte. Coming from such a top brand makes a person know that you will end up with some of the best product ever. Gaming on your laptop just got easier. You will not have to specifically buy a gaming laptop when this type of model is available. The model boasts of having the thunderbolt 3 technology important for performance. This allows you to transfer the data at the rate of 40Gpbs.

For the video output, you get quite a number of options. The model comes with a HDMI, 3 DP, and 1 DVI-D port. There is no doubt that setting up multiple ports is not going to be an issue. You can now game also on multiple monitors other than your laptop display.

The model is also self-sufficient when it comes to performance. This is because it also comes with 3 USB ports where you can connect the keyboard, headset and even a USB storage. If you need an Ethernet connection, you could use the Ethernet LAN adaptor.

Charging up this type of model is not a problem. There is the quick charge option when it comes to charging. It is 4 times faster than when using the conventional charging. This device will only support the QC 3.0 important for charging. There is no doubt you will always have an easy time charging it up with ease.

You will also notice that there is the GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card that has been embedded in the model. This gives you an easy time of just powering the model and start gaming. You will not have to buy the graphics card separately. This graphics card is among the latest line up from NVidia. It is possible now to enjoy intense gaming without a problem.

Our Rating: (3.8 / 5)

10 Sonnet eGFX Breakway Box 550 (GPU-550w-TB3)

Sonnet lately has managed to remain relevant when it comes to performance. You can always find more people who are looking for something new and different. That is what you will get when it comes to picking this model right now. The manufacturer made this one to work with different types of graphics cards on the market. It is advisable that you get to use the AMD and NVidia graphics cards.

Sometimes the graphics cards will always take up more power. This means that you need a box that can deliver on the needed power. It is why you get this model having more power supply performance. This model gives you a power supply of 500W. This is more than what any graphics card will ever need.

How the box is cooled is always important for the performance of your game. Do not worry about the cooling part as you can always expect it to be cool and quiet all the time. The manufacturer has made sure that it comes with adequate number of fans to help with the cooling process. The fans are also speed variable so that you can always cool the graphics cards effectively. Keeping in mind that the graphics card would come with its own fans, cooling is always maintained.

The model still presents you with eco-friendly power options. This is because once you connect it to your laptop using the Thunderbolt port, it will power down and save energy the moment the computer shuts down. It will also provide charge to the PC even when it is put in the sleep mode.

Our Rating: (5 / 5)

External Graphics Card (eGPU) Buying Guide

Do a hardware research

Yes, not all the graphics cards are created the same. Some might be easy on compatibility, while others would be quite selective. There is need to make sure that you get to pick one that can deliver on performance without much of compatibility issues.

Look at the connectivity options that you get. The connectivity of some models might even allow you to easily set up multiple monitors. As much as you may not want to use each day, it just feels good knowing that you have the best product always.

The common hardware issue arises when you want to connect with MacBook. They tend to lead to some errors that would need a pro to sort out. It is a good thing that now most manufacturers are setting up guidelines for connecting these eGPUs to Macs.

Choosing the graphics card

It would not be complete as an external graphics card without the graphics card itself. It is important to mention that some of the enclosures would come embedded with a graphics card while other will not have them. This now comes down to choosing your graphics card to help with the gaming experience.

The giants when it comes to gaming is NVidia and AMD Raedon. These two will always assure you of performance. Although you might find that they are a bit expensive compared to the other models. You also do not have to buy the most expensive cards for the best performance. It is possible to get cheap cards from the two brands and will still give you impressive performance.

If they are still out of your budget, there is always the option of pick graphics cards from other brands. But make sure they are compatible with the enclosure.

The power supply

The power supply is often going to determine how extensive you can use the external graphics card. The amount of power needed to keep the graphics cards running will always differ. This means that you have to consider your power supply unit according to the card that you want to put in the unit.

If the card will need 300 watts, then the power supply should 500 watts are the rated power supply. This gives room to operate without strain.

You will also note that the power supply does not heat up always when the power drawn from it is lower than its rated one. You will always love experiencing the best gaming options with this type of model.

Setting up

The setup process is always going to be important for any user. Not all people are good with setting up components. For this reason, it would be better if the manufacturer made it to be easy for the setup process.

It starts by opening up the box. Some will be easy by using a simple latch, while others it might be through various methods. It should be hard to open a simple box and get started. Once the box is open, you should then be in a position to slip in the graphics card. For most of these enclosures, this should be easy. It can only be hard if the box has limited space. It might then need some pushing around to get the graphics card into position.

With all that done, you can proceed to set up the remaining components and get ready to start gaming.

Gaming from cloud capability

Gamers are always looking to explore what is beyond. It is the reason they are now demanding that the external graphics cards for their laptops can give them streaming. This option is not popular at the moment, but it will still catch on as the technology progresses.

Some of the top brands such as NVidia have launched this service. They would then charge you depending on the amount of hours you spend gaming online on the virtual PC. In general, you always make sure that you get to pick the right type of product that can give you more capabilities. It does not always have to the boring same old stuff.

Budget

Anyone would have a budget when it comes to buying the right external graphics card. It is crucial that to take more time to research more about such card before making up your mind.

Sometimes you get people going for models that cannot deliver thus wasting their money. It is also important that you keep the budget a bit flexible. This means that you can always add a few dollars to get a better product in the end.

Conclusion

Gaming has never to be boring again. You can always end up with the best gaming experience if you have the right hardware.

From our list of the best external graphics card, you can see that there is an option of picking something that works for you with ease. You would not have to spend a lot time and money to just end up with mediocre performance. All the models we have reviewed will always give you an impressive performance.