Mini PC+GPU dock vs standard PC

jigger · 2026-01-24T20:12:47+0000

Rroff said:
I'm asking which that poster is talking about for their setup.

You fail to understand they are very much the same thing. Anyway the OP seem to have an AMD so that along with a connection over OCuLink resolves most of the issues.

jigger · 2026-01-24T20:17:48+0000

sandys said:
There are a couple of miniPCs like Beelink and Khadas that break out a PCIe5 x8 socket for eGPUs this is perfect but of course the question is why, you may as well have a desktop, though in the OPs niche case, it would work exactly how he wants with no loss.

Beelinks will take any GPU whereas Khadas is proprietary but at least their eGPU is compatible with other machines via TB.

Yeah, there was some EPYC boards that allow you to directly breakout PCIe that way, glad to see it’s filtered down. Hopefully that becomes an openly documented standard now.

Rroff · 2026-01-24T20:37:49+0000

jigger said:
You fail to understand they are very much the same thing. Anyway the OP seem to have an AMD so that along with a connection over OCuLink resolves most of the issues.

OCuLink appears more like a native PCI-e link to the OS without some of the driver mess of USB4/TB4 it makes a difference in compatibility.

sandys · 2026-01-24T20:38:19+0000

Oculink is native PCIe, I break out a couple of those interfaces on my PC.

sandys · 2026-01-24T22:27:24+0000

jigger said:
200 is a lot for a few hours a month. It’s like £10 per hour give or take.

I had to look this up as it sounded wrong, and it is, the limit is 100hrs a month, should be plenty for the casual gamer.