Gigabyte says it's created the world’s first water-cooled external GPU using Nvidia’s new RTX 3000 graphics cards.
The Aorus RTX Gaming Box contains the RTX 3090 or the RTX 3080 inside a large case that can be carried around and connected to a laptop or desktop PC. Once plugged in, the box can then feed graphics data over a Thunderbolt 3 connection for gaming or 3D animation workloads.
The product appears to be a refresh of last year’s Aorus Gaming Box, an 8-pound unit that contained Nvidia’s older RTX 2080 Ti card. It currently retails for an insane $2,272. But for the high price, you’re getting an external GPU that’s not only portable, but also promises to run silently, thanks to the all-in-one Aorus Waterforce cooling system inside.
“We take care of not only the GPU but also the VRAM and MOSFET to ensure a stable operation and longer life,” the company said in the announcement. Specifically, the cooling system uses a large copper plate, a 240mm aluminum radiator and two 120mm fans, along with a pump and water block, for efficient cooling and a low noise level.
The company is hoping to sell the product to laptop users seeking to transform their computers into heavy-duty gaming machines. The box also contains some RGB lighting, which can be configured by installing the company’s software on your PC.
We reached out to Gigabyte on when the external GPU will be available and for what price, and will update the story if we hear back.