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PELADN Link S-3 vs PowerColor Gaming Station: Comparison
PELADN Link S-3 and PowerColor Gaming Station separate most on max gpu length: PELADN Link S-3 at 3.5, PowerColor Gaming Station at 310, 99% in favour of PowerColor Gaming Station. Host Power Delivery splits them by another 57%, this time favouring PELADN Link S-3.
Specs
| Specification |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Connection Standard | Two Thunderbolt 5 ports, theoretical 80Gbps bidirectional, with DisplayPort 2.1 Alt Mode; internal PCIe 4.0 x4 slot for the graphics card | Thunderbolt 3 |
| Brand | PELADN | PowerColor |
| Extra Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 5, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, 1x M.2 2280 SSD slot (PCIe 3.0 x1), 2.5GbE Ethernet (RTL8156B), SD card reader | 1x Gigabit Ethernet, 3x USB 3.0 Type-A |
| Host Power Delivery | 140 | 60-57% |
| Max GPU Length | 3.5-99% | 310 |
| Cooling Type | Passive/slim chassis cooling for the dock itself; GPU cooling is entirely down to the card, similar to most bare-bones eGPU docks | Active Fan |
| Model | Link S-3 | Gaming Station |
| Price | Roughly $278 USD equivalent in Canada (~$384 CAD) at launch, but reported as high as $460 USD via AliExpress for the US market due to tariffs — pricing has varied significantly by region, so treat any single figure as a snapshot rather than a fixed MSRP | Launched around $329 (2018) |
Price comparison
| Retailer | PELADN Link S-3 | PowerColor Gaming Station |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | 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
PELADN Link S-3
6 / 10 Expert Rating
An interesting, genuinely cheaper-to-build Thunderbolt 5 eGPU option for people who already have a spare ATX/SFX PSU, but inconsistent regional pricing and near-zero independent review coverage mean it's a bigger gamble than the budget framing suggests.
PowerColor Gaming Station
6 / 10 Expert Rating
Competent Thunderbolt 3 box from a GPU maker, but discontinued and outpaced by newer standards.