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OWC Mercury Helios 3 vs PowerColor Gaming Station: Comparison
What is the difference between OWC Mercury Helios 3 and PowerColor Gaming Station?
The gap that matters here is host power delivery: OWC Mercury Helios 3 85 W against PowerColor Gaming Station 60 W, which puts OWC Mercury Helios 3 29% ahead. Psu wattage runs the same way, 400 W on the OWC Mercury Helios 3 versus 500 W on the PowerColor Gaming Station, another win for PowerColor Gaming Station.
Who each one is for
The OWC Mercury Helios 3 is the one to take for simple, no-frills dual-slot GPU builds under 400W, though it is not built for cards that need more than 290mm of clearance and Windows users wanting extra I/O built into the box. It also earns its place with Mac users who find a used unit cheap and just need a bare Thunderbolt 3 enclosure. It is the wrong buy for anyone buying new, since the Mercury Helios FX replaced it with more PSU headroom. The PowerColor Gaming Station suits buyers who find remaining new-old-stock at a discount and anyone wanting a plain, RGB-free eGPU box with decent I/O, though it is not the pick for anyone wanting Thunderbolt 4/5 or USB4 bandwidth and buyers who need more than 60W of laptop charging. Avoid it for cards drawing near or above 375W, which push past its comfortable PSU headroom. Our rating of the OWC Mercury Helios 3 (6/10): solid basic Mac eGPU box, superseded by the Helios FX which OWC still actively sells.
Which is cheaper, OWC Mercury Helios 3 or PowerColor Gaming Station?
Cost splits them too. OWC Mercury Helios 3 sits at $299, PowerColor Gaming Station at $329, 10% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the OWC Mercury Helios 3 and PowerColor Gaming Station differ on max gpu length?
Yes. Max GPU Length reads 290 mm on the OWC Mercury Helios 3 versus 310 mm on the PowerColor Gaming Station.
Is the Cooling Type the same on the OWC Mercury Helios 3 and PowerColor Gaming Station?
It is. Both are listed at Active Fan, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- OWC
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- PowerColor
Connection Standard
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- Thunderbolt 3
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Thunderbolt 3
Model Number
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- Mercury Helios 3
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Gaming Station
Extra Ports
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- None onboard beyond the GPU's own outputs
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 1
PSU Wattage
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- 400 W-20%
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 500 WBest
Host Power Delivery
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- 85 WBest
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 60 W-29%
Max GPU Length
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- 290 mm-6%
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 310 mmBest
Cooling Type
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- Active Fan
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Active Fan
GPU Compatibility
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- GTX 10-series through RTX 20-series, dual-slot cards
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- AMD Radeon and NVIDIA cards up to RTX 20-series / RX 6000-series, dual-slot
Price
- OWC Mercury Helios 3
- Launched around $299 (2018)
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Launched around $329 (2018)
Which one should you pick?
Choose OWC Mercury Helios 3 if you want the higher host power delivery (85 W vs 60 W).
Choose PowerColor Gaming Station if you want the higher PSU wattage (500 W vs 400 W) and the higher max GPU length (310 mm vs 290 mm).
Price comparison
| Retailer | OWC Mercury Helios 3 | PowerColor Gaming Station |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $299.00 View on Consumercarts listing | |
| Amazon | $329.00 View on Amazon | |
| PowerColor | View on PowerColor |
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
OWC Mercury Helios 3
6 / 10 Expert Rating
Solid basic Mac eGPU box, superseded by the Helios FX which OWC still actively sells.
PowerColor Gaming Station
6 / 10 Expert Rating
Competent Thunderbolt 3 box from a GPU maker, but discontinued and outpaced by newer standards.