Sapphire Technology 34263-02-52G Sapphire GearBox Black, Silver

The SAPPHIRE GearBox Thunderbolt™ 3 External PCI-Express enclosure boosts the performance and future proofs laptops and Mini PCs by upgrading the GPU capability and other PCI-Express devices. It features a lightning quick 40Gbps Thunderbolt™ 3 (USB-C) connecting interface that handles various types of data as well as charge a Thunderbolt™ 3 configured laptop.

Thunderbolt™ 3: The USB-C that does it all
Thunderbolt™ 3 is the most advanced connecting interface through USB-C, that does it all. Thunderbolt ™3 delivers more speed with a 40 Gbps connection, improved performance with dual 4K Displays and additional features with a single connecting interface.

Boost Gaming Performance
Simple plug and play to immediately upgrades the Laptop and Mini PC performance.

The SAPPHIRE GearBox provides a seamless way to upgrade your computer’s performance. Simply plug and play to boost the Laptop and Mini PCs’

*Notebook / MiniPC requires a Thunderbolt ™ 3 output interface

Being even-handed, the Sapphire GearBox does exactly what it says on the tin, with the minimum of fuss, and succeeds in its remit of enabling a number of IGP-only Ultrabooks/MacBooks to play games that are way out of the reach of the baked-in graphics. It also offers Gigabit Ethernet, multi-monitor capability and USB peripheral'storage support for an easy, single-cable transition between mobile and desktop environments. And it doesn't hurt that it looks good and is priced attractively, too.

KitGuru says: If you want to go down the external GPU route, Sapphire’s GearBox is a great all-round option. A couple of things could be tweaked for the next iteration, but for £274.99 this is probably the best value eGPU solution on the market right now.

If you have to choose between gaming on integrated graphics or a hobbled add-in card via Thunderbolt 3, the GearBox looks like an all-star. Just be aware that the reality of its implementation means you’re going to leave a lot of rendering horsepower on the table in exchange for a convenient external connection. And at $259, you’re paying a premium on top of the cost of your add-in board. The alternatives don’t look much better, though. Enthusiasts willing to accept the frame rate hit can expect their best value from an external graphics enclosure like Sapphire’s GearBox.