Power and Performance: Hands-On with the AOOSTAR AG02 eGPU Dock

AOOSTAR AG02 eGPU Dock is a fascinating new product in the growing field of external GPU solutions, especially for people who want to improve the performance of mini PCs and mobile devices. This eGPU dock can be a game-changer if you’re looking for greater graphical capability for rendering, gaming, or creative apps.

Built-in Power Supply and Connectivity Options

The 400W integrated power supply of the AG02 replaces the requirement for a separate ATX or SFX power source. It’s a tidy, one-stop shop for GPU powering, which streamlines and improves the appearance of the setup procedure. Additionally, this dock has USB 4 and Oculink connectivity, which increases its compatibility with a wider range of devices, such as different mini PCs and portable gaming consoles like the ROG Ally.

One restriction should be noted, though: the dock cannot supply electricity via its USB 4 connection. As a result, even if your graphics will be improved, you’ll still need to find a different way to charge the connected device. For those looking for a cleaner, single-cable solution, the ROG Ally’s requirement for a separate power source to sustain battery life may be a deal breaker.

GPU Compatibility and Setup

The AG02 is compatible with GPUs that have a maximum total Graphics Power (TGP) of 250 watts, such as the AMD RX 7700 XT and NVIDIA RTX 4070. The dock’s innovative design made setup easy for the Radeon RX 7700 XT, which was tested for this review. It does away with some of the more complicated bracket systems featured in other eGPU docks by securing the GPU with large thumb screws. Installing your graphics card is hassle-free thanks to our simple setup procedure.

All required cables, including an Oculink cable, a USB 4 cable, and PCIe 8-pin power connectors, are included with the dock. This guarantees that customers won’t need any extra accessories to start using productivity or gaming software right away.

Performance with USB 4 – A Pleasant Surprise

In the practical evaluation, the AOOSTAR AG02‘s performance was especially noteworthy when linked via USB 4. eGPU docks that use Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, or USB 4 have historically had bandwidth issues that limit the GPU to PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds. Nevertheless, the AG02 surprised everyone by offering PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds. Given that the majority of Thunderbolt or USB 4 connections still function at PCIe 3.0 x4, this is a major improvement. 

Even at 1440p resolution, this increased bandwidth enables higher-end GPUs, such as the RX 7700 XT, to be used more effectively, guaranteeing smoother performance in games and GPU-intensive tasks. For those hoping to use this dock for higher-performance work without experiencing the bottlenecks typical of other eGPU systems, it shows particular promise.

Power Delivery and Efficiency

Although the 400W power supply is supported by the dock, GPUs that need up to 250 watts of TGP are the ones that are advised to be used. During intense workloads like FurMark benchmarks, the RX 7700 XT consumed approximately 290 watts during the review; however, normal gaming workloads were closer to 250W. As a result, users have several options when selecting their GPU because the dock can easily handle spikes.

However, as was already indicated, there are no integrated charging features for linked devices, so you will need to control the power to your portable device or mini PC independently.

Performance and Benchmarks

First, Fire Strike was used as one of the artificial benchmarks to gauge the performance increase. The system scored 13,812, a big improvement over the 7,640 result obtained with the ROG Ally’s integrated iGPU operating at a maximum TDP of 35W. Time Spy achieved significantly better results, scoring 14,286 as opposed to 3,520 for the iGPU. These figures unequivocally demonstrate the benefits of installing a dedicated GPU.

But artificial benchmarks are only one aspect of the story, so real-world gaming tests at 1440p were conducted as well, and the results were striking:

• God of War Ragnarok (1440p, Ultra, no FSR): The game consistently ran at 60 frames per second. Gamers could now play with more fluidity thanks to AMD’s FSR 3.1 and frame generation, which increased performance to about 133 FPS. While frame generation may not be to everyone’s taste due to latency issues, it works well with more expensive GPUs such as the RX 7700 XT.
• Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p, Ray Tracing Ultra): AMD’s frame generation and FSR allowed the game to run at a remarkable 83 frames per second. Even with the top-of-the-line 7900 XTX, AMD cards have historically had difficulty with ray tracing; nevertheless, performance has greatly improved with the latest game update.
• Black Myth: Wukong (1440p, High, no FSR): At the highest settings, the game could not reach 60 frames per second; on average, it ran at 82 frames per second. It’s still very playable at these settings in spite of that.
• Red Dead Redemption 2 (1440p, Ultra, FSR): Playing with the settings fully maximized produced a highly fluid experience, while some other adjustments might raise the settings even further.

Pros and Cons

The AOOSTAR AG02 eGPU dock performs incredibly well, but there is a significant flaw: power delivery via USB 4 is not supported. This means that in order to power the device while it is in the dock, devices with a single USB 4 port—such as many handhelds—will need a second charger. Thankfully, this problem is lessened for devices with numerous USB-C connections, such as the ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go.

The dock’s ability to run PCIe 4.0 at x4 is another feature that sets it apart from other USB 4 eGPU docks, which typically only support PCIe 3.0. This makes the AOOSTAR AG02 unique since it guarantees quicker data transfer and enhanced GPU performance. 

Pricing and Value Proposition

The version of the AOOSTAR AG02 that supports Oculink and USB 4 costs $219. If the Oculink model is all you’re interested in, it costs a more reasonable $159 instead. These costs do not include a GPU, but for a dock with this degree of construction quality, an integrated power supply, and robust connectivity options, they are still quite reasonable.

Unlike a lot of other eGPU docks, which either don’t have a power supply or have a lot of performance limitations, the AG02 provides a complete solution with less sacrifices. The lack of USB 4 power delivery is the sole significant drawback, however many users may find this to be a minor annoyance given the performance improvements.

Final Thoughts

The AOOSTAR AG02 eGPU dock is a great option for people who want to dramatically increase their tiny PC and mobile gaming performance. Its integrated 400W power supply, compatibility with USB 4 and Oculink, and simplicity of setup make it a handy and potent choice for mid-range GPUs. A drawback of the dock is that it does not support USB 4, but overall performance and flexibility more than make up for it.

The AOOSTAR AG02 is a docking station for eGPUs that provides excellent performance in a small package size. Just be ready to supply your device with external power when playing games. Links to buy the dock and view more GPU tests will be made available soon for those who are interested.

Video review of Hands-On with the AOOSTAR AG02 eGPU Dock: External GPU Power Simplified