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AOOSTAR EG01 OCuLink eGPU Dock vs OWC Mercury Helios 3: Comparison

AOOSTAR EG01 OCuLink eGPU Dock and OWC Mercury Helios 3 separate most on max gpu length: AOOSTAR EG01 OCuLink eGPU Dock at 16, OWC Mercury Helios 3 at 290, 94% in favour of OWC Mercury Helios 3. PSU Wattage splits them by another 63%, again favouring OWC Mercury Helios 3.

AOOSTAR EG01 OCuLink eGPU Dock (PCIe 4.0 x4 OCuLink / Compact Open-Frame / Budget External GPU Expansion)
AOOSTARAOOSTAR EG01 OCuLink eGPU Dock
OWC Mercury Helios 3 (Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure / 400W PSU / Bus-Powered Charging / Predecessor to Helios FX)
OWCOWC Mercury Helios 3

Specs

Specification
AOOSTAR EG01 OCuLink eGPU Dock (PCIe 4.0 x4 OCuLink / Compact Open-Frame / Budget External GPU Expansion)
AOOSTAR EG01 OCuLink eGPU Dock
OWC Mercury Helios 3 (Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure / 400W PSU / Bus-Powered Charging / Predecessor to Helios FX)
OWC Mercury Helios 3
Connection StandardOCuLink, PCIe 4.0 x4Thunderbolt 3
BrandAOOSTAROWC
Extra PortsNone beyond the OCuLink/PCIe interfaceNone onboard beyond the GPU's own outputs
PSU Wattage150-62%400
Max GPU Length16-94%290
Cooling TypeOpen-frame, relies on ambient airflow and the card's own coolerActive Fan
ModelEG01Mercury Helios 3
PriceAround $99-$150 (2025)Launched around $299 (2018)

Price comparison

RetailerAOOSTAR EG01 OCuLink eGPU DockOWC 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 EG01 OCuLink eGPU Dock

5 / 10 Expert Rating

A genuinely budget OCuLink option for small cards, but its limited power output rules out flagship GPUs.

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Solid basic Mac eGPU box, superseded by the Helios FX which OWC still actively sells.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