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5 Best External GPU Enclosures for 2025

By / Tech / March 27, 2025

Are you running low on GPU power in your laptop or mini PC? Check out our five best external GPU enclosures.

Best 5 E-GPU Enclosures
Exploring e-GPU enclosures (Image via ASUS, Razer, Deltia’s Gaming)

Compute power in TFLOPS has skyrocketed over the past decade; a GTX 760 could only do about 2 TFLOPS with its 2GB VRAM. APUs such as the AMD RX880M deliver what a GTX 1060 does, but it’s still insufficient. With the rise of this compute power race, power consumption figures are similar to those of portable fridges or microwaves when considering the RTX 5090.

Earlier, we used to be happy with 4GB system RAM and 128MB VRAM, thinking that was pretty high-end. Now, 12GB VRAM is irrelevant, and 32GB system RAM runs out quite often (Photoshop/Premiere). So, what will laptops do? Yes, they have some modularity, like swapping RAM or SSDs, but what about the GPU? Unfortunately, you will run into a lot of issues if you attempt that, which is why external GPU enclosures are a thing now.

For starters, you can plug in a desktop-class GPU to your laptop through the Thunderbolt port and finish your productive work. Please note that for gaming, you cannot expect flawless PCIe Gen 4/Gen 5-grade performance because that’s internal, and this is like plugging in a speedy SSD—it’s external, after all. This brings us to today’s topic: 5 Best External GPU Enclosures for 2025. Let’s get started.

Disclaimer: We are omitting pricing information because these devices have limited availability. Please check with the manufacturer for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

1. ASUS ROG XG Mobile (2025)

ASUS ROG XG Mobile (2025) - Thunderbolt 5 E-GPU Enclosure
ROG Series Thunderbolt 5 E-GPU Enclosure (Image via ASUS, Deltia’s Gaming)

Key Specifications

  • Equipped with Thunderbolt 5
  • Supports up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 (mobile variant) GPU
  • Includes HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.1, 5 Gb Ethernet, and an SD card reader
  • Proprietary connector

Verdict

The ASUS ROG XG Mobile is considerably faster with Thunderbolt 5 than the other enclosures available on the market. It uniquely supports the RTX 5090 Mobile variant, so the power requirements aren’t high. It also includes a 5 Gigabit Ethernet port, making it perfect for a network rendering station, should you prefer that route. The only catch here is that it’s limited to ASUS ROG laptops like the Flow X13, X16, and Z13, which share the same proprietary design.

2. Razer Core X Chroma

2. Razer Core X Chroma EGPU Enclosure
Core X Chroma GPU Enclosure (Image via Razer, Deltia’s Gaming)

Key Specifications

  • Equipped with Thunderbolt 3
  • Customizable RGB Lighting
  • Recommended GPUs to pair are up to RTX 4070 (desktop) or others up to 500W TDP.
  • Includes USB ports and Ethernet

Verdict

The Razer Core X Chroma is a fantastic option in the upper mid-range. Since it includes an Ethernet port, the network rendering use case can be mentioned here, too. On the other hand, Thunderbolt 3 is showing its age. Pairing anything above an RTX 4070 will result in untapped performance.

3. Akitio Node Titan

Akitio Node Titan egpu
Akito E-GPU Enclosure (Image via Akito, Deltia’s Gaming)

Key Specifications

  • Equipped with Thunderbolt 3
  • Recommended GPUs to pair are up to RTX 4070 (desktop) or others up to 500W TDP.
  • Tool-less GPU Installation
  • Supports full-length PCIe Cards
  • Efficient cooling design for a silent noise threshold

Verdict

The Akitio Node Titan is also a great option in the upper mid-range. However, it lacks an Ethernet port, making network rendering complicated. A workaround is to use another device on your network with it. For example, you could use Proxmox, pass the Node Titan to a VM, and then utilize the host’s Ethernet connection to manage network rendering. Additionally, Thunderbolt 3’s limitations restrict your GPU choices and use cases.

4. Sonnet eGPU Breakaway Box 750ex

Sonnet eGPU Breakaway Box 750ex
Sonnet External GPU Enclosure (Image via Sonnet, Deltia’s Gaming)

Key Specifications

  • Equipped with Thunderbolt 3
  • Recommended GPUs to pair are up to RTX 4070 (desktop) or others up to 750W TDP
  • Supports full-length PCIe Cards
  • No RGB Lighting
  • Silent operation
  • Includes USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports and Gigabit Ethernet

Verdict

Like the other options in this listicle, the Sonnet eGPU Breakaway Box 750ex is also a great contender in the upper mid-range segment. It provides USB 3.1 ports and Gigabit Ethernet, which means you can either pass it through a VM and have your network equipped with a capable rendering station or natively use it via the Thunderbolt 3 port.

Razer Core X

Razer Core X GPU Enclosure
Core X GPU Enclosure (Image via Razer, Deltia’s Gaming)

Key Specifications

  • Equipped with Thunderbolt 3
  • Recommended GPUs to pair are up to RTX 4070 (desktop) or others up to 650W TDP.
  • Bare minimum for an E-GPU
  • No RGB Lighting

Verdict

Overall, the Razer Core X offers the bare minimum required to work with an E-GPU use case scenario. Thunderbolt 3 and a lack of network connectivity limit its functionality and make it complicated for the average user. Those who want the simplest plug-and-play solution might consider this an option.

Picking any of these will get you going with your work. Just be sure not to pair something like the RTX 3090 Ti / 4080 / 3080 Ti category GPUs. It’s not that they won’t work, but they will be severely bottlenecked by Thunderbolt 3. As for encoding and network rendering capabilities, the RTX 4070 should be more than enough for an overall fast network renderer, such as a 3D or video proxy.

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