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PowerColor Gaming Station vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550: Comparison
PowerColor Gaming Station vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550: the host power delivery difference
Start with host power delivery, because it is the widest measured gap between them: PowerColor Gaming Station 60 W against Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 87 W, 31% in favour of Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550.
PowerColor Gaming Station vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550: which one fits your build
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 built for anyone wanting Thunderbolt 4/5 or USB4 bandwidth and buyers who need more than 60W of laptop charging. It is not the one for cards drawing near or above 375W, which push past its comfortable PSU headroom. The Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 is the one to take for 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 the wrong buy 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. Avoid it for anyone who can spend a little more for the Breakaway Box 650's extra 100W. Our rating of the PowerColor Gaming Station (6/10): competent Thunderbolt 3 box from a GPU maker, but discontinued and outpaced by newer standards.
PowerColor Gaming Station vs Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 price
Cost splits them too. PowerColor Gaming Station sits at $329, Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 at $399, 21% more.
Frequently asked questions
Do the PowerColor Gaming Station and Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 differ on psu wattage?
Yes. PSU Wattage reads 500 W on the PowerColor Gaming Station versus 550 W on the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550.
Is the Cooling Type the same on the PowerColor Gaming Station and Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550?
It is. Both are listed at Active Fan, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- PowerColor
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
- Sonnet
Connection Standard
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Thunderbolt 3
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
- Thunderbolt 3
Model Number
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Gaming Station
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
- eGFX Breakaway Box 550
Extra Ports
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 1
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
- None onboard beyond the GPU's own outputs
PSU Wattage
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 500 W-9%
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
- 550 WBest
Host Power Delivery
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 60 W-31%
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
- 87 WBest
Max GPU Length
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- 310 mmBest
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
- 300 mm-3%
Cooling Type
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Active Fan
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
- Active 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 550
- GTX 10-series through RTX 20-series and equivalent AMD cards, double-wide
Price
- PowerColor Gaming Station
- Launched around $329 (2018)
- Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550
- Launched around $399 (2017)
Which one should you pick?
Choose PowerColor Gaming Station if you want the higher max GPU length (310 mm vs 300 mm).
Choose Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 if you want the higher PSU wattage (550 W vs 500 W) and the higher host power delivery (87 W vs 60 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | PowerColor Gaming Station | Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 550 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $329.00 View on Amazon | $399.00 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
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 550
6 / 10 Expert Rating
A solid early Sonnet box, but the 650 offers more headroom for little extra cost.
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