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GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box vs OWC Mercury Helios 3: Comparison
GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box vs OWC Mercury Helios 3: the psu wattage difference
Start with psu wattage, because it is the widest measured gap between them: GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box 1070 W against OWC Mercury Helios 3 400 W, 63% in favour of GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box. GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box also leads on host power delivery, 100 W on the GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box versus 85 W on the OWC Mercury Helios 3.
GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box vs OWC Mercury Helios 3: which one fits your build
Buy the GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box for buyers who don't want to source a separate desktop GPU and thin-and-light laptop owners needing quick gaming performance boosts, though it is the wrong buy for anyone wanting to upgrade the GPU later and users needing current-generation ray tracing performance. The OWC Mercury Helios 3 suits simple, no-frills dual-slot GPU builds under 400W, though it is not the pick for cards that need more than 290mm of clearance and Windows users wanting extra I/O built into the box. It is equally the pick for Mac users who find a used unit cheap and just need a bare Thunderbolt 3 enclosure. Avoid it for anyone buying new, since the Mercury Helios FX replaced it with more PSU headroom. Our rating of the GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box (6/10): A convenient plug-and-play eGPU for its era, but the fixed GTX 1070 is now well behind current GPU generations.
GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box vs OWC Mercury Helios 3 price
At the last price check the OWC Mercury Helios 3 was $299 and the GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box $550, a 84% premium.
Frequently asked questions
Do the GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box and OWC Mercury Helios 3 differ on cooling type?
Yes. Cooling Type reads Active dual-fan on the enclosed GTX 1070 blower card on the GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box versus Active Fan on the OWC Mercury Helios 3.
Is the Connection Standard the same on the GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box and OWC Mercury Helios 3?
It is. Both are listed at Thunderbolt 3, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
- GIGABYTE / AORUS
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- OWC
Connection Standard
- GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
- Thunderbolt 3
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- Thunderbolt 3
Model Number
- GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
- GV-N1070IXEB-8GD
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- Mercury Helios 3
Extra Ports
- GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
- 3
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- None onboard beyond the GPU's own outputs
PSU Wattage
- GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
- 1070 WBest
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- 400 W-63%
Host Power Delivery
- GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
- 100 WBest
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- 85 W-15%
Cooling Type
- GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
- Active dual-fan on the enclosed GTX 1070 blower card
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- Active Fan
Price
- GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
- Launched around $549.99 (2017)
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- Launched around $299 (2018)
Which one should you pick?
Choose GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box if you want the higher PSU wattage (1070 W vs 400 W) and the higher host power delivery (100 W vs 85 W).
Choose OWC Mercury Helios 3 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box | OWC Mercury Helios 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $549.99 View on Consumercarts listing | $299.00 View on Consumercarts listing |
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
GIGABYTE AORUS GTX 1070 Gaming Box
6 / 10 Expert Rating
A convenient plug-and-play eGPU for its era, but the fixed GTX 1070 is now well behind current GPU generations.
OWC Mercury Helios 3
6 / 10 Expert Rating
Solid basic Mac eGPU box, superseded by the Helios FX which OWC still actively sells.