PEDALN launches its new GPU docking station with Thunderbolt 5

Anyone who mainly works with a laptop will be familiar with the problem: although a powerful processor is often available, you quickly reach your limits when gaming – either due to a weak integrated GPU or an outdated dedicated graphics card. Some companies offer external docking stations with GPU support as a solution to improve graphics performance. PEDALN also joins this ranks and presents the new PELADN Link S-3, an eGPU docking station that is designed to significantly improve the graphics and gaming performance of many laptops.

The PEDALN LINK S-3 has two Thunderbolt 5 ports, which should theoretically enable transfer rates of up to 80 Gbps. In practice, however, the maximum bandwidth is 64 Gbps, as only one PCIe 4.0 x4 connection is used, which limits the performance somewhat and is then comparable with the speed of the latest OCuLinks technology. Nevertheless, the device still has a lot to offer, as the upstream port supports Power Delivery with up to 140 W, while the downstream port offers an additional 30 W charging power and a DisplayPort 2.1 output. There are also many useful additional functions. For example, a LAN cable can be connected directly to the eGPU. This is made possible by the Realtek RTL8156B chip, which supports transfer rates of up to 2.5 Gbit/s. The docking station also integrates an SD card reader, an M.2 2280 slot (PCIe 3.0 x1) and a USB-A port with 10 Gbps to connect additional peripheral devices.

The price of the PELADN Link S-3 will be around 460 US dollars if you want to have it delivered to the United States. This is a higher price to pay. In Germany, the value is only $322.36 (289.39€). Those looking for an option could opt for this, but it’s important to note that not every laptop supports Thunderbolt 5. Although it is backwards compatible, it ultimately offers a lower transfer speed. Initially only available in China, the eGPU is also available globally.

Source: Aliexpress, notebookcheck