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PowerColor Gaming Station vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350: Comparison
What is the difference between PowerColor Gaming Station and Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350?
Host power delivery is where these two genuinely part company, PowerColor Gaming Station 60 W against Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350 15 W, a 75% lead for PowerColor Gaming Station. Psu wattage runs the same way, 500 W on the PowerColor Gaming Station versus 350 W on the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350, another win for PowerColor Gaming Station.
Which should you buy, PowerColor Gaming Station or Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350?
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. The Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350 is the one to take for buyers who specifically want a quieter Noctua-fan enclosure and compact desk setups where a full double-wide box is overkill, though it is not built for buyers wanting real laptop charging power (only 15W here) and anyone chasing high frame rates on a modern RTX card. It is equally the pick for video editors running single-slot acceleration cards for Avid HDX or similar workflows. It is the wrong buy for any double-wide gaming GPU, since the chassis physically won't fit one.
PowerColor Gaming Station vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350 price
At the last price check the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350 was $299 and the PowerColor Gaming Station $329, a 10% premium.
Frequently asked questions
Do the PowerColor Gaming Station and Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350 differ on cooling type?
Yes. Cooling Type reads Active Fan on the PowerColor Gaming Station versus Active, ultra-low-noise Noctua fan on the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350.
Is the Connection Standard the same on the PowerColor Gaming Station and Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350?
It is. Both are listed at Thunderbolt 3, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- PowerColor
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- Sonnet
Connection Standard
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Thunderbolt 3
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- Thunderbolt 3
Model Number
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Gaming Station
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- eGFX Breakaway Box 350
Extra Ports
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 1
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- None onboard beyond the GPU's own outputs
PSU Wattage
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 500 WBest
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- 350 W-30%
Host Power Delivery
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 60 WBest
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- 15 W-75%
Max GPU Length
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 310 mmBest
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- 220 mm-29%
Cooling Type
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Active Fan
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- Active, ultra-low-noise Noctua fan
GPU Compatibility
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- AMD Radeon and NVIDIA cards up to RTX 20-series / RX 6000-series, dual-slot
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- Single-slot cards, GTX 1050 Ti to mid-range single-slot workstation and gaming cards
Price
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Launched around $329 (2018)
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
- Launched around $299 (2017)
Which one should you pick?
Choose PowerColor Gaming Station if you want the higher PSU wattage (500 W vs 350 W), the higher host power delivery (60 W vs 15 W) and the higher max GPU length (310 mm vs 220 mm).
Choose Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | PowerColor Gaming Station | Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $329.00 View on Amazon | |
| PowerColor | View on PowerColor | |
| Full Compass | $299.00 View on Full Compass |
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
PowerColor Gaming Station
6 / 10 Expert Rating
Competent Thunderbolt 3 box from a GPU maker, but discontinued and outpaced by newer standards.
Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 350
6 / 10 Expert Rating
A niche but well-executed pick for single-slot cards and quiet operation, not for gaming-class GPUs.