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AKiTiO Node vs Plugable Thunderbolt 5 AI eGPU Enclosure & Dock: Comparison
AKiTiO Node and Plugable Thunderbolt 5 AI eGPU Enclosure & Dock separate most on psu wattage: AKiTiO Node at 500, Plugable Thunderbolt 5 AI eGPU Enclosure & Dock at 850, 41% in favour of Plugable Thunderbolt 5 AI eGPU Enclosure & Dock. Max GPU Length splits them by another 13%, again favouring Plugable Thunderbolt 5 AI eGPU Enclosure & Dock.
Specs
| Specification |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Connection Standard | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt 5, 80Gbps (backward compatible with Thunderbolt 4 / USB4); internal PCIe Gen 4 x4 slot |
| Brand | AKiTiO | Plugable |
| Extra Ports | None onboard beyond the GPU's own outputs | 1x downstream Thunderbolt 5 (15W PD), 1x USB-C 10Gbps (15W), 3x USB-A 10Gbps (7.5W each), 2.5GbE Ethernet |
| PSU Wattage | 500-41% | 850 |
| Host Power Delivery | 85-11% | 96 |
| Max GPU Length | 300-13% | 346 |
| Cooling Type | Active Fan | Single internal enclosure fan; GPU must supply its own cooling solution |
| Model | Node | TBT5-AI |
| Price | Launched around $299 (2017) | $629.99 launch price, enclosure only (GPU sold separately) |
Price comparison
| Retailer | AKiTiO Node | Plugable Thunderbolt 5 AI eGPU Enclosure & Dock |
|---|---|---|
| B&H Photo | View on B&H Photo |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
AKiTiO Node
6 / 10 Expert Rating
A cheap, no-frills TB3 box that's been outclassed by AKiTiO's own Node Titan.
Plugable Thunderbolt 5 AI eGPU Enclosure & Dock
7 / 10 Expert Rating
A genuinely differentiated, well-specced Thunderbolt 5 eGPU box for local-AI GPU hosting, but it's brand new, Windows-only, and still awaiting independent benchmarking — treat the manufacturer's numbers as a starting point, not a verified ceiling.