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AOOSTAR AG03 vs OWC Mercury Helios 3: Comparison

AOOSTAR AG03 and OWC Mercury Helios 3 separate most on psu wattage: AOOSTAR AG03 at 800, OWC Mercury Helios 3 at 400, 50% in favour of AOOSTAR AG03.

AOOSTAR AG03 (Thunderbolt 5 + OCuLink Dual Connectivity / 800W PSU / Up to RTX 4090 / Best Overall for Most Users)
AOOSTARAOOSTAR AG03
OWC Mercury Helios 3 (Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure / 400W PSU / Bus-Powered Charging / Predecessor to Helios FX)
OWCOWC Mercury Helios 3

Specs

Specification
AOOSTAR AG03 (Thunderbolt 5 + OCuLink Dual Connectivity / 800W PSU / Up to RTX 4090 / Best Overall for Most Users)
AOOSTAR AG03
OWC Mercury Helios 3 (Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure / 400W PSU / Bus-Powered Charging / Predecessor to Helios FX)
OWC Mercury Helios 3
Connection StandardThunderbolt 5 + OCuLinkThunderbolt 3
BrandAOOSTAROWC
PSU Wattage800400-50%
ModelAG03Mercury Helios 3
GPU CompatibilityRTX 4060 up to RTX 4090GTX 10-series through RTX 20-series, dual-slot cards
PriceUnder $500Launched around $299 (2018)

Price comparison

RetailerAOOSTAR AG03OWC Mercury Helios 3
AmazonView on Amazon

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

AOOSTAR AG03

10 / 10 Expert Rating

Best overall — dual Thunderbolt 5/OCuLink connectivity and an 800W PSU handling up to an RTX 4090, all for under $500.

OWC Mercury Helios 3

6 / 10 Expert Rating

Solid basic Mac eGPU box, superseded by the Helios FX which OWC still actively sells.

More comparisons in External GPU Enclosures