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GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550: Comparison

GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 psu wattage compared

Psu wattage is where these two genuinely part company, GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box 2080 W against Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 550 W, a 74% lead for GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box. GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box also leads on host power delivery, 100 W on the GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box versus 87 W on the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550.

Who each one is for

Buy the GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box for buyers wanting flagship Turing performance with minimal fan noise and enthusiasts interested in liquid-cooled eGPU novelty, though it is the wrong buy for budget buyers and anyone wanting to upgrade the GPU later. Avoid it for users worried about long-term AIO pump reliability in a sealed unit. The Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 suits budget builds running GTX 10-series or RTX 20-series double-wide cards and buyers who find it discounted versus the newer 650, though it is not the pick for RTX 30-series or newer cards that want more PSU headroom and builds needing more than 300mm of card clearance. The same goes for Mac users wanting Sonnet's certified eGFX driver support on Thunderbolt 3. It is the wrong buy for anyone who can spend a little more for the Breakaway Box 650's extra 100W.

GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 price

The GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box asks 176% more, $1,100 against $399 for the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550.

Frequently asked questions

Do the GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box and Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 differ on cooling type?

Yes. Cooling Type reads All-in-one liquid cooling with internal radiator/pump, first water-cooled eGPU... on the GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box versus Active Fan on the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550.

Is the Connection Standard the same on the GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box and Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550?

It is. Both are listed at Thunderbolt 3, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Which is cheaper, GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box or Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550?

The GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box asks 176% more, $1,100 against $399 for the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box
    GIGABYTE / AORUS
    Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
    Sonnet
  • Connection Standard

    GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box
    Thunderbolt 3
    Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
    Thunderbolt 3
  • Model Number

    GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box
    GV-N208TIXEB-11GC
    Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
    eGFX Breakaway Box 550
  • Extra Ports

    GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box
    3
    Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
    None onboard beyond the GPU's own outputs
  • PSU Wattage

    GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box
    2080 WBest
    Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
    550 W-74%
  • Host Power Delivery

    GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box
    100 WBest
    Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
    87 W-13%
  • Cooling Type

    GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box
    All-in-one liquid cooling (AIO) with internal radiator/pump, first water-cooled eGPU on the market
    Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
    Active Fan
  • Price

    GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box
    Launched around $1,099.99 (CES 2020)
    Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
    Launched around $399 (2017)

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box if you want the higher PSU wattage (2080 W vs 550 W) and the higher host power delivery (100 W vs 87 W).

    Choose Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Price comparison

    RetailerGIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming BoxSonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
    Consumercarts listing

    $1,099.99

    View on Consumercarts listing
    Amazon

    $399.00

    View 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

    GIGABYTE AORUS RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Box

    7.5 / 10 Expert Rating

    A genuinely novel liquid-cooled eGPU that delivered flagship 2019-era performance quietly, at a steep fixed-GPU price.

    Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550

    6 / 10 Expert Rating

    A solid early Sonnet box, but the 650 offers more headroom for little extra cost.

    More comparisons in External GPU Enclosures