Gigabyte isn't holding back with its new RTX 5090 AI external GPU – but no gamer actually needs this

• Gigabyte has released the Aorus RTX 5090 AI Box external GPU, built for AI tasks and portable gaming
• It will feature Thunderbolt 5 and USB 4 ports
• Pricing isn't announced yet

Nvidia isn't slowing down with its RTX 5000 series lineup, with RTX 5000 Super series GPUs rumored to launch this fall, surely adding to the list of the best GPUs on the market – and now, one of Team Green's board partners has taken advantage of the Blackwell flagship GPU, with a new tool built to empower AI tasks and portable gaming.

As reported by our friends at PC Gamer, Gigabyte has released the Aorus RTX 5090 external GPU, which is now referred to as 'AI Box', targeting creativity with over 3,000 AI TOPS. This can be used on laptops and other portable PCs (even handhelds) via its Thunderbolt 5 and USB 4 ports, boosting performance for gaming and AI significantly.

For PC gamers, this is arguably overkill, as an RTX 5080 or RTX 5070 laptop GPU is more than enough to yield great performance results across several titles; having previously reviewed the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W and currently testing an RTX 5070-powered MSI system, I can safely say they're all that you need for great performance on a gaming laptop.

Now, it's worth highlighting that this is an eGPU built for empowering AI-intensive scenarios, and it has its own liquid cooling setup inside a mini chassis, which might make you do a double-take because it could easily pass as a mini-ITX desktop build. Regardless, Nvidia's GeForce RTX trademark is always going to catch the eye of PC gamers – and this is an eGPU you more than likely don't need.

There's no price announced just yet, but you can certainly expect this to cost more than the RTX 5090 desktop discrete counterpart and other pre-built gaming PCs altogether. Lower-end external GPUs are already expensive, so it's only reasonable for prices to skyrocket when using the best GPU on the market.

Analysis: you'd be better off buying a desktop rig or gaming laptop instead

Unless you already own a powerhouse gaming or professional laptop for creativity, or you have room to splurge, I wouldn't suggest buying this. I've been curious about eGPUs for a while, specifically with how they would impact handheld gaming PC performance, but certainly not with an RTX 5090.

I can see how this may be a good alternative to travelling with a desktop rig; the enclosure is essentially a mini-ITX case, so it's a lot more portable, and appears to be less prone to damage when having your suitcase dashed across conveyor belts. Then again, a small gaming laptop is the perfect answer to that, and if you needed the RTX 5090's AI power, you could buy a desktop rig.

A prime example would be the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 [2025] I tested, with its slim 14-inch display and lightweight build, powered by the RTX 5070 Ti. It's great for gaming and AI-intensive tasks, and at a £2,699 / AU$4,999 price, it'll almost certainly be cheaper than Gigabyte's new AI Box.

There are plenty of ways to get the best out of AI and gaming via Nvidia's Blackwell lineup, but I don't think the Aorus RTX 5090 AI Box is one of them – at least considering what I expect it to cost.

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