- Thunderbolt 5 brings external GPUs closer to delivering real desktop-class performance on thin laptops
- Gigabyte Aorus RTX 5090 AI Box is a dream for power users, not casual gamers
- Heat and power delivery are major concerns when running top-tier GPUs like the RTX 5090
At Computex 2025, Gigabyte introduced a new external GPU enclosure designed to deliver high-performance gaming and AI capabilities.
The Aorus RTX 5090 AI Box connects via Thunderbolt 5 and is powered by Nvidia’s flagship GeForce RTX 5090, following in the footsteps of previous models like the Aorus GTX 1070 and Aorus RTX 3080 Ti, which also featured top-tier Nvidia GPUs at the time.
With the RTX 5090 widely regarded as the best GPU on the market, the AI Box promises desktop-class performance for machines that previously maxed out with integrated graphics or modest discrete GPUs.
Thunderbolt 5 unlocks new performance potential
Thanks to Thunderbolt 5’s dramatically increased bandwidth, many of the bottlenecks that once plagued eGPU setups are being addressed, bringing users closer to the long-standing goal of running a high-end GPU on a lightweight, ultraportable machine.
Theoretically, the Aorus RTX 5090 AI Box checks nearly every box: cutting-edge graphics, future-proof connectivity, and plug-and-play flexibility. However, eGPU setups still come with inherent limitations.
Despite lower latency and higher throughput, external GPUs often fall short of matching the performance of internal GPUs due to data transfer overhead and potential driver inconsistencies.
Heat and power management also remain critical concerns, especially with a GPU as power-hungry as the RTX 5090.
There’s also the question of practicality. This setup will likely be overkill for casual gaming or office tasks, but it will be a compelling option for developers, video editors, and 3D artists who need the fastest PC performance with the flexibility of a mobile setup.
That said, pricing will be a key consideration. Gigabyte has yet to announce the price of the AI Box, but with the RTX 5090 already commanding a premium, and Thunderbolt 5 components adding to the cost, this device won’t come cheap.
For reference, the Gigabyte Aorus GV-N4090IXEB-24GD, launched two years ago, debuted at $2,000. The new model could very well surpass that figure.
Via PCWatch (originally published in Japanese)
