Thoughts on Thunderbolt 3 eGPUs, or an external graphics card for the Mac mini and laptops
After buying the 2018 Mac mini, I found that it needed a separate graphics card far less than I'd once assumed. Even with a UHD monitor, the little Mini works surprisingly well on its awful integrated graphics, and thanks to the T2 chip it renders video at iMac Pro speeds. So in the end I said I'd probably buy an eGPU someday, but more to eliminate the only weak link in my setup than out of any real need. I also said I'd mainly get one for uses unrelated to photography. A separate graphics card would occasionally help in Photoshop and Lightroom, but so rarely that it's hard to justify buying one. It would be more useful in other applications, for live video and set.a.light 3D.
Nothing has changed in my thinking or my needs, but I've had this computer for over six months now, so I might as well finally add that eGPU, since everyone knows I'll do it eventually anyway. I sometimes check what's changed in the Thunderbolt 3 enclosure market and look for deals, but there aren't any. Especially when you live in Bangkok rather than Warsaw. Unfortunately, in Thailand, the only option is to import a graphics card enclosure from abroad.
eGPU for a Mac
Regardless of where you live, only two models are worth considering. The first is the 650W Razer Core X ($300 + shipping, not to be confused with the Razer Core X Chroma). If I lived in Poland, I'd definitely give it serious consideration, but it's difficult to get in Bangkok even from abroad because hardly anyone ships it here. Besides, it isn't the most economical choice for a desktop computer because part of what you're paying for is very powerful laptop charging (100W). That's why it has a 650W power supply.
It's a great enclosure, and it even supports 3-slot cards. But I don't need that much. I want to buy something as cheaply as possible while keeping excellent specs and reasonably quiet operation.
That's why I've been most interested from the start in the Sonnet Breakaway Box, which comes in several versions with different power ratings.
- 350W - supports cards up to 300W and charges a laptop at 15W
- 500W - supports cards up to 375W and charges a laptop at 87W
- 650W - supports cards up to 375W and charges a laptop at 100W
The last model is the equivalent of the Razer Core X. There's also a fourth Sonnet option, sold with a graphics card inside:
- 350 W (TB3DEK) - with a Radeon RX 580 Pulse 8 GB. Charges a laptop at 60W.
I'm connecting a desktop computer, so the 650W option is completely unnecessary for me. The weakest one will easily be enough, and 550W would leave plenty of power to spare. Whether I'd buy it with a graphics card or separately would depend on whatever deal came along. The regular price remains $200 for 350W and $280 for 550W. Add $100 for shipping and taxes. In Poland, you could cut that cost substantially by ordering from somewhere in the EU. They're also available directly in Poland, but at less appealing prices. Another advantage of the Sonnet is that it has room for water cooling.
There are no more options worth considering, which is astonishing given how much time has passed since Thunderbolt 3 was introduced. There are supposedly around 20 enclosures in total, but at full price I wouldn't buy anything besides the Razer and Sonnet if I lived in Poland. Here, because those two models are harder to get, I'd consider no more than another 3-5. In other cases, I'd often think hard even about buying one at half price. For now, there's a good chance I'll follow Wojtek's advice below and wait for the next generation of graphics cards to come out, which should make the current generation cheaper:
Every now and then, I look at used eGPUs on eBay, but they almost never list shipping costs, and private sellers often don't ship internationally. With a package that size, there's also a very high risk of getting hit with customs duty, which would come to almost 30% with taxes. The eBay Global Shipping Program would solve that, but it's also nearly impossible to find among private sellers. I've decided that I'll only buy an eGPU if I can avoid massively overpaying relative to the price of the graphics card itself. I think paying more for the enclosure than for the card is ridiculous, and I'll keep waiting until something comes along at a good price.
Another interesting option seems to be building the setup myself with something called the ADT-Link R43SG-TB3. It's just the electronics, without an enclosure or power supply. Unfortunately, it doesn't make much financial sense: over PLN 1,000, plus a power supply, plus an enclosure, and you're up to the cost of a normal complete setup.