It's no secret that many gamers today have difficulties running the newest PC games optimally on laptops, and will need an add-on like an external graphics processing unit (eGPU). Rather than resorting to buying a new, high-end laptop to avoid performance problems, gamers can instead purchase an eGPU. One important thing to know, is that eGPUs are not one-size-fits-all products and there are many different factors that make each eGPU what it is.

An eGPU is ideal for gamers that wish to play graphically-demanding games on their laptops. A laptop's built-in GPU might have issues running a modern PC game that could affect the player's experience, in addition to the life of the laptop itself. PC games today will automatically scale down graphics, frame rate, and other settings, to accommodate the laptop's hardware. For games that either don't do this or fail to, it can result in the laptop overheating, where the game would be wearing out components inside the hardware due to how hard it has to work to deliver an optimal game performance. How an eGPU alleviates these problems is by providing hardware with more processing power when needed to play modern PC games. Not only will the laptop be able to run easier, but the game will also look and play significantly better.

Related: How An eGPU Can Turn Your Laptop Into A Powerful Gaming Machine

There are a couple of things to keep in mind before shopping for an eGPU. Firstly, most eGPUs require the laptop to have a Thunderbolt 3 port. Thunderbolt 3 can transfer data up to 40 Gbps, which is extremely necessary for processing graphics and performance from an external device. If an eGPU does not support Thunderbolt 3, then chances are it's proprietary, meaning that both the laptop and eGPU must be the same brand for compatibility. Alienware is the prime example of this.

Factors & Features For eGPUs

Razer eGPU Setup

As most eGPUs boast an impressive degree of power, the type of eGPU can determine its full potential. The two main types are pre-installed and swappable. Pre-installed eGPUs come with a built-in graphics card. Swappable eGPUs may or may not come with a graphics card, but they often include a list of compatible cards that can be added at any time. If one considers a swappable eGPU, there is a wattage limit to how much power it can take from a graphics card. eGPUs with 300 to 500 max watts will provide decent performance, but ones up to 800 or higher can make a laptop more "future-proof" come the next generation of games. Another priority that consumers should have when buying an eGPU is noise. Quiet units will feature one or more cooling fans that will prevent the enclosure from burning up. Lastly, eGPUs may come with other appealing features to give customers a reason to choose them, including USB ports, extra card slots, or even storage or battery life for the laptop.

There are many great eGPUs for laptops to consider. For suggestions, Razer's Core X Chroma eGPU featuring a 700W capacity and three slots for graphics cards. AORUS develops its Gaming Box line of eGPUs that range in power and price, but each offer lots of compatibility. Lastly, BlackMagic's eGPU Pro has both HDMI and DisplayPort adapters, and gamers will enjoy how tame it sounds during gameplay. Depending on hardware, budget, and library of PC games, it can be easy to identify the perfect eGPU.

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Source: HP