The system now announced, which supports triple-width GPU cards, is compatible with computers with Thunderbolt 5, 4, and USB4 ports. 

The new Sonnet Breakaway Box 850 T5 Thunderbolt 5 external graphics processing unit (eGPU) for Windows 11 computers boosts a computer’s performance by connecting a powerful desktop or workstation GPU card (sold separately) via a single Thunderbolt 5 connection, bypassing the computer’s onboard integrated or discrete GPU to deliver improved to greatly-enhanced performance, depending on the computer and task. 

 This PCIe card expansion system supports the latest NVIDIA and AMD GPU cards and employs a temperature-controlled fan to provide efficient and ultra-quiet cooling for the installed card. For added convenience, the company says, “an 80 Gbps Thunderbolt 5 dock is incorporated, adding a Thunderbolt/USB peripheral port, three 10 Gbps USB-A ports, and a 5 Gigabit Ethernet port.” 

The new Breakaway Box is designed for professionals who need to run GPU-intensive applications on their eGPU-compatible laptop or small-form-factor computers, with a focus on cool, quiet, and reliable operation without unnecessary bells and whistles. The built-in dock supports the connection of peripherals plus wired Ethernet and enables the connected computer to access those ports through the same Thunderbolt 5 cable.

Why It’s Important

For professional workflows, the mobile GPUs incorporated in laptops are often constrained by power, thermal and memory limitations when compared to desktop-class graphics cards. Desktop and workstation GPUs typically provide higher sustained clock speeds, more VRAM and higher memory bandwidth — offering critical advantages for demanding workloads such as video editing, 3D rendering, color grading, animation, and visual effects; as well as running local AI applications including image, audio, and text generation, and Large Language Models. Breakaway Box 850 T5 enables users to connect the latest GPU cards to their computers via a single Thunderbolt cable and exploit their high-performance processing power to complete tasks faster than before.

How It’s Unique 

The Breakaway Box 850 T5 is equipped with the highest-wattage power supply available in an eGPU today — some eGPUs sold now don’t include a power supply, forcing potential users to find a compatible one to make the product functional. The Breakaway Box power supply provides more than enough power for current generation GPU cards, and enough to support power-hungry cards expected in the future. For many users, the integration of a Thunderbolt 5 dock with 5 Gigabit Ethernet will enable them to connect their most-used accessories to the Breakaway Box Thunderbolt 5 dock and access them through a single Thunderbolt 5 cable connected to their laptop. 

Breakaway Box 850 T5 Thunderbolt 5 eGPU (part number GPU-850T5) is available now from Sonnet and its worldwide distribution and reseller partners at the suggested retail price of $599.99.