CES 2020 Lenovo’s first eGPU announced alongside new Legion gaming laptop…

Hands On: Lenovo’s Legion Y740s, a Slim Gaming Laptop, Gets Backed by a New eGPU

Lenovo’s new super-thin gaming laptopwithout a dedicated GPU!can become a slick gaming machine when paired with a companion external GPU enclosure, the Legion BoostStation.

I have been a technology journalist for almost 30 years and have covered just about every kind of computer gear—from the 386SX to 64-core processors—in my long tenure as an editor, a writer, and an advice columnist. For almost a quarter-century, I worked on the seminal, gigantic Computer Shopper magazine (and later, its digital counterpart), aka the phone book for PC buyers, and the nemesis of every postal delivery person. I was Computer Shopper’s editor in chief for its final nine years, after which much of its digital content was folded into PCMag.com. I also served, briefly, as the editor in chief of the well-known hardcore tech site Tom’s Hardware.

I’m one of the consumer PC experts at PCMag, with a particular love for PC gaming. I’ve played games on my computer for as long as I can remember, which eventually (as it does for many) led me to building and upgrading my own desktop. Through my years here, I’ve tested and reviewed many, many dozens of laptops and desktops, and I am always happy to recommend a PC for your needs and budget.

Among a whole heap of other CES announcements, Lenovo revealed the Legion Y740s laptop. On the surface, Lenovo says it’s a super-thin gaming laptop, but the truth is a bit more complicated. and interesting.

It is, in fact, a thin and relatively light laptop, but it offers only integrated graphics, with the gaming GPU left to a new companion product, the Legion BoostStation eGPU. If you install a desktop graphics card into the eGPU, you can connect it to the Y740s (Opens in a new window) via USB-C and have it power your games. We’ve seen card-swappable eGPUs before, but not from Lenovo, and this laptop is made with it in mind. As such, without the eGPU and a separate graphics card, the Y740s isn’t on its own truly a “gaming” laptop. It does still boast a nice design, other cool features, and Intel’s latest parts, though, so read on for specs, pricing, and availability for it and the BoostStation.

Meet the Legion Y740s

Stylistically, the Legion Y740s looks a lot like the previous Legion laptops. This is a good thing, as we have mostly liked the design on other Legion machines. It’s got the vibe of a good basic budget gaming machine, maybe a little understated for some shoppers (especially on a gaming laptop, where you may want more flair), but we’ll take minimal over overdone any day. It’s made of grey aluminum, too, so it’s sturdier-feeling than plastic, despite its relatively low starting price.

It’s Trim for a ‘Gamer’

The style may be very similar, but the size is not. You may have immediately noticed the admirable thinness of the Y740s, a calling card of this laptop. It’s not just a flattering design or a visual trick—it’s just 0.58 inch thick, and Lenovo says this is the thinnest and lightest gaming laptop it has ever made. That may technically be true, if you gauge a gaming machine by its looks rather than its contents, but the lack of a discrete GPU puts a big asterisk on that claim. It weighs 4.2 pounds, which, while not as light as many ultraportables, is respectable for a “gaming” unit.

Wait, a Gamer With No GPU?

As we noted earlier, both the thickness and the weight are made possible by excluding standalone graphics hardware. This laptop comes only with integrated graphics, which means it’s not really a gaming laptop in a functional sense under its own steam. Instead, Lenovo has also announced an external graphics card enclosure, or eGPU, to serve as the graphics-acceleration hub for when you’re home. We’ll get into that more below, but it basically means this is a thin-and-portable laptop for general use while traveling, but not a gaming laptop unless it’s hooked up to a graphics card in the eGPU at home. (Lenovo notes that there will also be a Legion Y740 Studio Edition for content creation pros that supports Nvidia GPUs, but that is technically a different laptop.)

A New CPU Inside

The Y740s does, however, include Intel’s latest processors. This thin system can take up to Core i9 CPUs in Intel’s forthcoming 10th Gen H series, which means plenty of all-purpose power at home or on the road. These full-fat H chips had not yet been outlined in detail by Intel. (The “Comet Lake” and “Ice Lake” CPUs in the 10th Generation on the market at the moment are meant more for ultraportables and mainstream machines.) But assuming these coming H-series chips are like earlier H-family silicon, this will be the silicon series you’d expect to see in 2020‘s power laptops and gaming machines, packing (presumably) more than six cores and supporting, in some SKUs, thread-doubling Hyper-Threading technology.

These sorts of high-powered CPUs will also be a good complement for the eGPU, so that your gaming does not end up CPU-limited, as can happen at times with ultraportables and their lighter-hitting chips when paired with eGPUs. The laptop also will feature switchable power modes to take advantage of the raw CPU speed or save battery life.

Display Variants

Despite a 14-inch frame, the Y740s features a 15.6-inch display. It’s available in both Full HD and 4K variants, covering a range of component and use-case scenarios. There is no high-refresh option, however, as both screen types will clock in at 60Hz. Both panels are IPS, with the 4K option rated at 500 nits of brightness and the HD model at 300 nits.

The hinge also features 180 degrees of rotation, though I’m admittedly not sure what the benefit of laying flat is with this type of laptop. Going flat can be useful for laptops meant for creative professionals, especially with a touch screen, but the Y740s isn’t that type of machine.

A Solid Keyboard

Lenovo has a history of making comfortable keyboards, and the company notes that this one is a redesigned “Legion TrueStrike” keyboard for improved ergonomics and with a keytop coating that increases durability. There’s also a fingerprint reader built into the power button for faster logins. In a few moments of typing on it, I found the board was comfortable enough for a gaming laptop.

The Legion Y740s will be available in May 2020 starting at 1,099.99. That seems a bit lofty, to our eyes, given the lack of a dedicated graphics chip, but it’s a unique offering.

Meet the Legion BoostStation eGPU

As for that eGPU, it’s called the Legion BoostStation. Most eGPUs look pretty similar, though this one does seem to have a lot in common with the Razer Core X. It’s all aluminum and weighs a hefty 18.7 pounds. Access is tool-free, so you can easily install a graphics card and connect the box to your laptop. From there, the GPU in the BoostStation will power any games and applications running on the Legion Y740s. At least, it should work that way in theory—with Razer’s solution and other eGPUs, we have in the past found consistent connectivity hard to come by at times.

Works With AMD and Intel Cards

The big question with eGPU products is also compatibility, as there are plenty of graphics cards out there. According to Lenovo, it will work with both Nvidia GeForce and AMD Radeon graphics cards, though we don’t have an exhaustive list of them at present. Signs point to most of the big cards being compatible, however, as Lenovo will bundle the BoostStation with a GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, a GeForce RTX 2060 Super, a GeForce RTX 2070 Super, or a GeForce RTX 2080 Super, or an AMD Radeon RX 5700XT. If those are compatible, most of Nvidia’s lineup likely is, as well. You can also buy the BoostStation bare and bring your own card to the party.

Connection: Thunderbolt 3

As with the other leading eGPUs, the BoostStation connects to the laptop through a USB Type-C connector that supports Thunderbolt 3. This also allows for fast charging of a connected laptop, delivering up to 100 watts, so you can quickly top off your laptop through the eGPU. Also, around back are two USB 3.1 ports, a USB 2.0 port, an HDMI connection, and an Ethernet jack.

It Takes Storage, Too

One cool feature of the BoostStation is its support for additional storage, letting you put a high-capacity drive in the chassis for added space for game libraries or other space-hogging items. The chassis has an internal bay that supports a SATA drive (a 3.5-inch hard drive, or a 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD), as well as two PCI Express SSD slots. Being able to plug in to several additional drives when you bring your Legion laptop back home is a great bonus. The laptop itself can be configured with up to one 1TB SSD.

A De Facto Dock

The USB ports and Ethernet jack on the back of the BoostStation also let you use the eGPU as a de facto dock. You can keep a desktop keyboard, mouse, and LCD monitor plugged into the dock and mount them all simply by plugging your laptop into the Thunderbolt 3 cable.

The Lenovo BoostStation eGPU will be available in May 2020 starting at 249.99 for the bare box, and up from there in the bundles with specific graphics cards.

[CES 2020] Lenovo’s first eGPU announced alongside new Legion gaming laptop, monitors, peripherals

After a bunch of pre-CES announcements a couple of days ago, Lenovo is announcing some new products in their Lenovo Legion gaming line-up, starting with their first-ever eGPU. Let’s jump right in and see what Lenovo has planned to kickstart your PC gaming this year.

Lenovo Legion BoostStation

The Lenovo Legion BoostStation eGPU.

While portable gaming laptops are gaining in popularity, it’s often impossible to upgrade their graphics cards. Not only that, the mobile graphics equivalent often slightly underperforms compared to their desktop counterparts. That’s where eGPUs come into play. With an eGPU, like the new Lenovo Legion BoostStation, gamers can connect their laptop to an externally enclosed desktop video card to boost their laptop’s graphic capabilities.

Supporting the heart-pounding graphics of both NVIDIA GeForce and AMD Radeon, the Lenovo Legion BoostStation with aluminum build and cool transparent side panel is compact and fits on virtually any playing surface at just under 20lbs (9.07kg); it’s also 100 percent tool-free and allows for super-fast charging. Mixed-reality features (augmented or virtual reality) are supported with applicable specifications via the eGPU.

Lenovo

As mentioned above, gaming laptops are gaining in popularity and Lenovo does make some decent options. The company is adding to its gaming laptop lineup with the new Lenovo Legion Y740S. With up to eight hours of battery life, the Y740S is the company’s thinnest and lightest gaming laptop to date.

With up to 10th Gen Intel Core i9 processors, the Lenovo Legion Y740S has Q-Control allowing users to shift gears with a simple press of their FnQ keys. Jump into Performance Mode for higher frame rates, down-shift into Quiet Mode for better battery life to watch a movie or stay the course in Balance Mode for day-to-day usage. And don’t forget to custom-tune the PC’s gameplay experience with software from Lenovo Vantage for Gaming.

Lenovo

With rear and side ports, the system is BoostStation eGPU ready.

• Processor: 10th Generation Intel Core OS Windows 10 Pro Graphics Integrated and eGPU Support
• Memory: Up to 32GB DDR4
• Storage: Up to 1TB PCIe SSD
• Display

• 15.6” UHD (3840×2160) IPS (500nits, 60Hz, 100% sRGB, DolbyVision)
• 15.6” FHD (1920×1080) IPS (300nits, 60Hz, 72% sRGB)

Lenovo Legion Gaming Monitors

Of course, a decent gaming monitor is essential to a great gaming experience. Lenovo is introducing three new gaming monitors, two of which are curved.

Y25-25 Gaming Monitor

The Lenovo Legion Y25-25 Gaming Monitor.

Stay focused on the game with the new Lenovo Legion Y25-25 Gaming Monitor with a 24.5-inch, Full HD IPS panel display built into the striking near-edgeless chassis. Crank up refresh rates all the way to 240Hz—more FPS means that more data flows between the GPU and monitor, helping to eliminate tearing in most multiplayer games boosted with AMD Radeon FreeSync.

The Lenovo Legion Y25-25 Gaming Monitor comes with anti-glare panel and up to 400 nits of brightness and is TÜV Rheinland Eye Comfort Certified to reduce eye strain; its ergonomic stand enables a myriad of comfortable playing angles including, tilt, lift, pivot, and swivel, and VESA mount allows for on-wall display.

Lenovo

• Panel Size: 24.5-inch
• Panel Type: IPS, HDR, 3-side near-edgeless
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Color Gamut: 99% Adobe sRGB
• Brightness: 400 cd/m²
• Contrast (typical): 1000:1
• Refresh Rate: 240Hz
• Response Time: 1ms
• Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DP 1.2, 1x Audio Out (3.5 mm), 4x USB 3.0
• Stand: Tilt, Lift, Swivel, and Pivot

G32qc Gaming Monitor

Whether it’s a social gamer who loves multiplayer team shooters and doesn’t take anything too seriously, or a hardcore competitive player, all types of gamers can enjoy every second of gameplay on the new 31.5-inch Lenovo G32qc Gaming Monitor with near-edgeless bezel QHD (2560 x 1440) screen resolution for clear visuals and superior picture quality. Catch every player movement with its wide viewing angle, high-screen brightness, excellent contrast ratio, and a 144Hz refresh rate.

Offered in Raven Black hue, both curved gaming monitors are TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light and Flicker Free Certified to help protect gamers’ eyesight during those uninterrupted sessions. They’re available with adjustable stands for ergonomic positioning, as well as a VESA mount if users prefer to affix their displays to the wall. Easy access to HDMI, DisplayPort, and audio out makes for seamless connectivity to gaming rigs for a better user experience.

Lenovo

• Panel Size: 31.5-inch
• Panel Type: VA, Anti-glare, 3-side near-edgeless
• Curvature: 1500R
• Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (16:9)
• Color Gamut: 72% Adobe sRGB
• Brightness: 350 cd/m²
• Contrast: 3000:1
• Refresh Rate: 144Hz
• Response Time: 4ms
• Sync Technology: AMD Radeon FreeSync
• Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DP 1.2, 1x Audio Out (3.5mm)
• Stand: Tilt, Lift
• Dimensions: 10.23 x 18.28 x 27.89” (259.85 x 464.25 x 708.45mm)
• Weight: 16.97lbs (7.7kg)

G27q Gaming Monitor

Or, choose the heavy-duty yet compact 27-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution display on the Lenovo G27c Gaming Monitor—both monitors have a curvature of 1500R for complete game immersion. Engineered to be tear-free and stutter-free gameplay with AMD Radeon FreeSync5technology, the Lenovo G27c is capable of an amazingly high refresh rate of up to 165Hz, helping to rid gaming distractions such as choppy images,streaks, and motion blur.

Offered in Raven Black hue, both curved gaming monitors are TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light and Flicker Free Certified to help protect gamers’ eyesight during those uninterrupted sessions. They’re available with adjustable stands for ergonomic positioning, as well as a VESA mount if users prefer to affix their displays to the wall. Easy access to HDMI, DisplayPort, and audio out makes for seamless connectivity to gaming rigs for a better user experience.

Lenovo

• Panel Size: 27-inch
• Panel Type: VA, Anti-glare, 3-side near-edgeless
• Curvature: 1500R
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (16:9)
• Color Gamut: 72% Adobe sRGB
• Brightness: 350 cd/m²
• Contrast: 3000:1
• Refresh Rate: 165Hz
• Response Time: 4ms
• Sync Technology: AMD Radeon FreeSync
• Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DP 1.2, 1x Audio Out (3.5mm)
• Stand: Tilt, Lift
• Dimensions: 9.24 x 19.31 x 24.09 inches (234.8 x 390.4 x 611.99 mm)
• Weight: 13.45lbs (6.1kg)

Lenovo Legion Gaming Accessories

In addition to a good system and monitor, gaming is always better with quality gaming accessories. Lenovo is introducing two new gaming mice (one wireless) and a new gaming keyboard.

M600 Wireless Gaming Mouse

The Lenovo Legion M600 Wireless Gaming Mouse.

Focus on the score and not the battery with its clever Rapid Charge USB-C port that allows for up to 10 hours of battery life with five minutes of charge and up to 200 hours of battery life when fully charged. gameplay advantages of the wireless Lenovo Legion M600 mouse include a Smart optical sensor (PixArt 3335) that can be used on multiple surfaces and is capable of reaction speeds as fast as 400 inches per second without skipping.

Lenovo

• Sensor Technology: Optical Pixart 3335
• Sensor Resolution: Up to 16,000 DPI
• Max. Moving Speed: 400 IPS
• Maximum Acceleration: 40 g
• USB Report Rate: 1000 Hz (1 ms)
• Scroll Wheel: Up/Down
• Button Durability: Omron 50 Million Clicks (L/R buttons)
• On-Board Memory: 1 Profile
• Programmable Buttons: 8
• Connection: 2.4 GHz or Bluetooth or Wired by USB 2.0
• Battery Capacity: 800 mAh
• Battery Life: Up to 200 Hours (with all lighting off)
• Rapid Charging: 3 Hrs. Charging to Full by USB-C / 5 mins, Charging for 10 Hrs. non-stop Use
• Backlight: 2-Zone Programmable RGB
• Color: Black or Iron Grey
• Dimensions (W x L x H): 127 x 70 x 42mm (5″ x 2.76″ x1.65″)
• Weight: Starting at 0.24 lb (110 g)

M300 RGB Gaming Mouse

The Lenovo Legion M300 RGB Gaming Mouse.

With a smarter design for right- or left-handed gamers, the new Lenovo Legion M300 RGB Gaming Mouse offers competitive performance that’s easy on the wallet, wrist, and grip—regardless if the gamer prefers the palm vs. ‘the claw’ grip. Play with the ultra-precision of up to 8,000 DPI with adjustable sensor tracking, solid 1000Hz polling rate, and appreciatethe mouse’s microswitches good for a lifetime of 10 million clicks for left and right buttons. Discover the customizable RGB LED backlighting on the Lenovo Legion logo7 and comfortable textured soft side-grips that stay dry even after long sessions—these are just a few more reasons why this new fully ambidextrous mouse will be a favorite accessory.

Lenovo

• Sensor Technology: Optical Pixart 3325
• Sensor Resolution: Up to 8,000 DPI
• Max. Moving Speed: 100 IPS
• Maximum Acceleration: 20 g
• USB Report Rate: 1000 Hz (1 ms)
• Scroll Wheel: Up/Down
• Button Durability: 10 Million Clicks (L/R buttons)
• Programmable Buttons: 8
• Connection: Wired by USB 2.0
• Backlight: 1 Zone Programmable RGB
• Color: Black
• Dimensions (W x L x H): 127 x 70 x 42mm (5″ x 2.76″ x 1.65″)
• Weight: Starting at 0.2 lb (90 g)

K300 RGB Gaming Keyboard

The Lenovo Legion K300 RGB Gaming Keyboard.

Play like the best for less with the light and full-size Lenovo Legion K300 RGB Gaming Keyboard with clean minimalist design, curved body, and customizable five-zone RGB illumination and lighting effects. Dominate with anti-ghosting and programmable 24-key rollover membrane that allows for simultaneous commands.

Fully adaptable with programmable keys with great travel for up to 20 million keypresses for lifelong durability and with spill-resistant draining holes to keep the user protected—gamers won’t be able to keep their hands off the tactile feel of this new quiet keyboard.

Lenovo

• Keys: Programmable
• Anti-Ghosting: Yes
• Roll-Over: 24 Keys
• Actuation Distance: 1.1 ± 0.5 mm
• Actuation Force: 55 ± 10 gf
• Total Travel Distance: 4.0 ± 0.2 mm
• Tilt Adjustable: 2.58° – 6.92°
• Backlight: 16.8 Million Colors, 5 Zone, Programmable RGB
• Interface: USB 2.0
• PC Systems (Ports): USB 2.0
• Color: Black
• Dimensions (W x L x H): 456 x 165 x 34.5mm (17.95″ x 6.50″ x 1.36″)
• Weight: Starting at 2.25 lbs. (1020 g)

Pricing Availability

In case you missed our previous Lenovo coverage, you can find it all on our Lenovo CES page. Be sure to check back often for the latest from Lenovo at CES 2020.

What do you think about the new Lenovo Legion gaming hardware and accessories? Let us know in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев below or on or MeWe and don’t forget to check out the rest of our CES 2020 coverage!

Last Updated on February 3, 2021.

eGPUs still aren’t worth it, right?

Intel recently integrated Ice Lake into their U-series processors, as well as switching to a more efficient 10nm process. Have these changes done anything to improve eGPU performance, and are eGPUs any more financially viable than before?

When looking for a bit of graphical performance in a laptop, one potential avenue is an eGPU. All you need for a Thunderbolt 3 eGPU is an enclosure, a GPU, and a laptop featuring Thunderbolt 3 that supports eGPUs. While this is a simple enough thing to do, the pricing of enclosures, GPUs, and even good Thunderbolt 3 equip laptops have been rather prohibitive.

However, the price of GPUs might not be as big of a problem soon. Rumors are that NVIDIA is going to reveal Ampere, their next generation GPU architecture, sometime this year. With the announcement of these new GPUs on the horizon, there’s the inevitable drop in price of current GPUs as well. Since a lot of GPUs from previous and current generations are currently entering the used market, the of these GPUs should fall even lower with the release of Ampere.

Of course, that’s only looking at the price of the GPUs themselves. There’s a number of other considerations you have to make when shopping for an eGPU setup as well.

What makes a good eGPU setup?

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This answer depends a lot on what you want your eGPU to do. If you’re just looking for something to run some light titles, then a lower-end eGPU setup with something like an NVIDIA GTX 1060, or even something as low-end as a GTX 1050 might be sufficient. If you want to play things more serious than low-setting GTA V, then picking something around the performance of a GTX 1080 Ti might be a good idea. Of course, don’t blow all of your money on more performance than you need (or can reasonably utilize).

Besides just a GPU and an enclosure, you’re going to need a laptop that can keep up with everything else. The thermal performance of your laptop is often something people overlook, but it’s very important to ensure you get good frame rates in your games. Games are getting more and more CPU-intensive all the time, so your CPU needs to be able to perform at its best during gameplay.

One of the perks of using an eGPU is that the GPU won’t raise ambient temps for the CPU, so all you need is an adequate thermal situation for your CPU to run well. I’ve written an article about this topic a while ago, but the contents of the article still hold true (assuming your not comparing between Ice Lake and Comet Lake or something like that). If you want a detailed run-down on laptop thermals, you can check that out here. Thermals aren’t just “case temperatures”. the more important temperatures are on the inside.

Another notable thing to look for in a laptop is 4-lane Thunderbolt 3 ports. If you plan on using an external monitor for whatever reason, or your GPU technically only uses PCIE-E x8 instead of x16, you might be okay with 2-lanes. However, if you plan on displaying your games on your laptop’s screen, 4-lanes is almost necessary if you don’t want to see performance degradation. There are still notable performance drops when using Thunderbolt 3 instead of straight PCI-E (like in a desktop), which you can check out our date on in this article. This article is fairly old, but things haven’t changed much for every non-Ice Lake part. Bandwidth limitation are still a major factor in eGPU performance.

Recently, Intel introduced Ice Lake (which I’m sure you’ve heard of by now). Not only did that bring the improvement of a 10nm process compared to 14nm (increasing performance per watt overall), but Intel also integrated the Thunderbolt 3 controller into their CPUs. This both standardized four-lane Thunderbolt 3 ports across all Ice Lake devices, but it also seems to have helped the performance degradation we’ve seen previously. A user on the Dell subreddit made a post about their XPS 13 7390 2-in-1 where they experienced a slight improvement in GPU performance compared to their older device. This might not be the case for all machines, however.

There aren’t any AMD Ryzen Mobile laptops with Thunderbolt 3 support at this time (or even announced), but that could always change. The performance implications of a setup like that are still unknown (since it hasn’t been done), but it’s unlikely they would perform much worse than pre-Ice Lake CPUs in eGPU applications.

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Should you consider brand new eGPU hardware?

The pricing of GPUs isn’t the real issue when it comes to eGPU adoption. The actual docks required to run and connect a GPU to a laptop can be quite pricey with some enclosures by themselves costing upwards of 400. Even on the lower end, it’s hard to find a decent Thunderbolt 3 enclosure under 250, let alone anything new at around 200 (the closest I could find was an ADT-Link kit, but even then you need to DIY the power input). The of these enclosures haven’t exactly gone down, despite Intel making the platform royalty-free. If you’re just looking at new enclosures products, you’re likely still out of luck.

Adding more insult to injury, a lot of the good, new laptops with Thunderbolt 3 are on the expensive side, such as the latest Dell XPS 13 with four PCI-E lanes on its Thunderbolt 3 port. Equip with an Ice Lake processor, the XPS 13 can get great performance out of its small form factor due to the 10nm efficiency gains. On top of that, during a Prime95 stress test, the XPS 13 was able to sustain a fluctuating power draw around 22w at a low 75C. Some tweaking on the device could likely crank that wattage higher, assuming you can tolerate the increase in fan noise and overall heat output of the device.

Things change when you take a look at the used market. Getting a deal on a used laptop equip with Thunderbolt 3 should save you a few hundred dollars (most of the time). Because of bandwidth limitations with Thunderbolt 3, your yields do decrease as you move past the performance levels of the GTX 1080, so sticking with Pascal GPUs might not be a terrible idea. And, again, since it’s likely their price will drop, the value proposition of a used enclosure, a used laptop, and a used Pascal (or comparable) GPU is pretty good. Assuming you can find a cheaper used laptop that suits your needs, you should be alright.

Regardless, buying everything new for a setup like this is likely a waste of money.

What about used hardware?

Used tech fluctuate all the time, so it’s hard to say if you’ll be able to find a good deal at any given time. While right now probably isn’t the best time to buy a GPU for a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure (as noted in the beginning of the article), it’s never a bad time to look for deals on enclosures. You’ll be hard pressed to find a day where nobody is selling any enclosures on eBay. You’re not always going to find a great deal (many of the good enclosures on eBay tend to be around 200 USD or more), but you’re bound to find something eventually.

Luckily, the pricing of your enclosure will be less of a concern when you see how cheap second-hand laptops are. For example, a last-gen XPS 13 9380 with slight cosmetic issues sold recently for roughly 700 USD after shipping. You might think that deals like that are rare, but that’s not the case. Plus, there are plenty of older machines that’ll work great for Thunderbolt 3 as well. While it’s worth checking out eGPU.io’s list of “Best Laptops for eGPU,” be sure to double-check the thermal performance of the laptops they’re suggesting before any sort of purchase. We stress-test our machines in our reviews, so just reference those if you’re not sure.

If you’re worried about wear, tear, or warranties on your used hardware, just look for it in the photos. Sites like eBay often have a Money Back Guarantee to protect people from scams and deceptive listings, so there’s little to worry about when shopping on them. Plus, there’s plenty of people selling near-mint devices for great prices. It’s worth taking a look, at least. Don’t be afraid to look at “old” hardware either. Anything quad core should be fine, assuming it has 4 PCI-E lanes and (importantly) good thermals.

It really depends on what you want and what you need. If you want GPU performance, but you need something in a 14″ (or smaller) formfactor, you’re likely going to be looking at an eGPU. Asus is introducing the G14 this year, a 14″ gaming laptop with an NVIDIA GPU and Ryzen 4000 processor. If that fits your needs, then that might be more up your alley. If you need something smaller (thinner, lighter, or just a smaller footprint overall), then you might have to get an eGPU. If you prioritize battery life and mobility over having performance at your fingertips at all times, then an eGPU might be for you.

It doesn’t have to be expensive if you’re a Smart shopper. Buying used products might make some of you cringe, but for folks on a budget, used is still the best option. Although, if you’re on a tight budget, you may want to consider some sort of gaming laptop in the first place. Unless you’re blessed with multiple amazing deals, you might end up sacrificing GPU performance for portability. Ultimately, the answer isn’t obvious, but it’s less of a “no” for people than it used to be.

What’s going on in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев?

A while ago, I mistakenly published this article while drafting it. Apologies to everyone who came across the skeleton of this piece, it was quite an error on my part. Regardless, kony shared some pictures of his old and new eGPU setup which are pretty neat. Cute hamster too. I opted to keep the Комментарии и мнения владельцев since they were pretty funny. Feel free to add your thoughts to the Комментарии и мнения владельцев as well.

Legion Y740Si and Legion BoostStation: Perfect when you’re not ready for a full rig

Alright, before you raise your tiny pitchforks at us with the argument over how building your own rig is more cost-effective among many other reasons, hear us out.

Some people have expiring leases, jobs that need them to move around, or crippling commitment issues. If you’re one of them, we’re sending you lots of love and support, kings and queens.

Not just commitment issues

Look, there are viable reasons as to why people aren’t ready to commit to constructing their own rig. Some don’t need it, don’t feel like they need it, or do need it but the task is either too daunting or too rigid of a concept to commit to. Which is why, with laptops screaming portability, people still see it as a great choice. If that’s the case, the Legion Y740Si is just the laptop for you.

The Legion Y740Si has a stunning 15.6-inch UHD In-Plane Switching (IPS) display and is powered by a 10th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of internal storage squeezed into a skinny 14.9 mm body—weighing in at only 1.7kg.

On top of all that, if you’re worried about overheating, the laptop is equipped with a Coldfront 2.0 thermal system featuring a Vapor Chamber and Quad-Fan technology to keep things cool.

The show-offs

The Legion Y740Si’s eye-catching 4k, Dolby Vision HDR Supported, and 100% Color Accurate display makes for amazing gameplay and viewing experience but, they didn’t stop there. Paired with the Legion BoostStation eGPU, the two are a staggering combination.

The god-tier pairing makes playing graphics-heavy tasks and games smooth and stutter-free. This is made possible with the Legion BoostStation housing an NVIDIA RTX 2060 graphics card.

What is the BoostStation?

The Legion BoostStation is an eGPU. It’s short for “External Graphics Processing Unit.” The general concept? Being able to hook up a regular laptop to an external graphics card through a single cable to take off the load on your laptop’s internal GPU and let the powerful extension do the heavy lifting.

Most gaming laptops we love can handle simple games like DOTA 2 and League of Legends on medium settings without losing a frame. But, oftentimes graphics-intensive AAA titles are the kryptonite to this set-up, leaving most laptop users missing out on big title plays.

The BoostStation name is apt in how eGPUs are essentially quick plug-in boosters for when you’re in the mood for a good gaming session.

God-tier pair and the perfect in-between

The Legion Y740Si and Legion BoostStation make for an absolute unit of a combo if or when you are looking for something in between a full desktop set-up and a laptop. The pipedream of having both portability and amazing performance finally exists. And Lenovo’s Legion brought it to life. When you need to be on-the-go, moving from home to work, the Legion Y740Si has you covered. And, when you’ve got graphics-intensive work and/or play to get to, you can quickly plug in the Legion BoostStation to do the heavy lifting for you.

This feature is a collaboration between GadgetMatch and Lenovo Philippines

Here are two Fancy iPhone 14 cases for the Full-on Fab

Already rocking the new iPhone 14 series but looking for cases that are fab and fancy? Well, Moshi is here to save you!

These cases are perfect regardless of how you identify yourself. And even if you’re a guy, you could rock these too.

Heck it’s 2023! Stop putting stereotypes on case designs and colors. Be confident and BE YOU!

Swift unboxing

While Moshi’s set of accessories aren’t limited to the new iPhone 14 series, what we have here are cases that are specially-meant for the new iPhones.

With its clear packaging, you can clearly see the case details including the leather texture as well as the golden touch of its logo.

Right out of the box, it already entices you with its 10-year warranty.

Unlike the previous Moshi iPhone 13 case collection I’ve held last year, the new Moshi cases for the iPhone 14 series now have MagSafe built-in instead of their in-house SnapTo technology which is limited to Moshi cases and accessories only.

For product authenticity, no need to worry as these have ready-to-scratch seals for serial code activation. All you have to do is to grab your iPhone, open the camera app, scan the QR code, and fill-in your necessary details to activate the product.

And if the photos above did not satisfy you at all, here’s the unboxing of the two fab cases caught on video.

Moshi Napa Slim in Lavender Purple

Most of you were probably looking at that golden camera cutout. Well, it’s not just painted in gold as this camera cover is an aircraft-grade aluminum for better durability when laid out flat on tables or put in rugged s.

And as already shown earlier, the back of the Moshi Napa Slim is crafted with a vegan premium leather for that added grip and better texture when held. Speaking of better texture, the inside of the case has a microfiber inner lining to avoid unwanted scratches when putting the phone in.

The Moshi Napa Slim case is lightweight at just 94 grams (or 0.2 pounds). Durability-wise, it features a hybrid shock-absorbing frame that resists shocks when dropped all throughout.

The power button and volume rockers are also made out of aluminum-grade aluminum for that tactile response.

Setting up a pretty lockscreen wallpaper and an #OOTD that adds complement to the case and completes that fab and fancy look.

The Moshi Napa Slim is also available in three more colors including Serene Gray, Midnight Black, and Juniper Green. The regular iPhone 14 and 14 Pro cases retail at US 45.95 while the bigger cases meant for the iPhone 14 Plus and Pro Max siblings sells for US 49.95.

Moshi Overture with Detachable Wallet in Serene Gray

On the outside, the Moshi Overture isn’t any different from its Napa Slim case sibling.

It features that strong anodized aluminum camera cover that is also raised — also for unwanted camera scratches.

The same can be said with its power and volume buttons — irresistibly tactile to the touch.

Et voilà! With MagSafe built-in onto the case itself, the wallet stand attachment perfectly snaps into place.

Like previously mentioned, this case also has a built-in wallet with up to three (3) slots for your debit, credit, and even transit cards.

And as already teased earlier, the Moshi Overture features this golden circular element when you completely cover your iPhone that blends well to its premium vegan leather skin as well as its microfiber lining and the same shock-absorbing frame.

And just like that, it looks classy and fabulous too — even if you’re a heterosexual male without an ounce of fragile masculinity

Moshi’s Overture case with Detachable Wallet is also available in a Midnight Black colorway. It retails for US 65.95 for the smaller-sized iPhone 14 and 14 Pro while a dollar more (US 66.95) for the larger iPhone 14 Plus and Pro Max variants.

Home away from home: Next-Gen Ford Everest makes long trips cozier

I don’t know how it gets better than this~

There’s an inexplicable poignance when you’re driving late at night, alone inside an elephantine 7-seater SUV while humming to the 10-minute version of “All Too Well”.

I took a long way home after dropping off my friends, sighing at every stoplight at 32nd Street. I was crestfallen that I was alone inside a big car, yearning for companionship and laughter. When I used to drive small cars, I didn’t have this longing but I guess it was the price to pay for being engulfed with joy after driving the Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium

After all, this automobile gave me an opportunity to bridge people together. I finally had ample space for my buddies and our luggage. Everything and everyone was able to fit in comfortably — stories, laughter, happy moments, and emotional baggage included.

It gave me a weekend full of core memories to cherish and remember.

Home is where the heart is, but that’s not where mine lives

When my mates Aureil and Miguel arrived at 30th East A parking at The Fort, they were amused at how comfortable I was. I transferred between seats with bare feet; scarves and blankets thrown everywhere; bags scattered across the trunk.

What can I say? The Everest has a cozy vibe, it’s impossible not to feel comfortable as if it’s your own home.

That afternoon, there was a downpour and we were watching the raindrops splatter on the panoramic moonroof. We were sitting in the backseat, waiting for the rain to stop, killing time while we listen to folklore.

We comfortably sat in the second row which accommodates three individuals, thanks to the spacious leg- and headroom. Even if I was sitting in the middle, there was enough room despite the high-center tunnel. This wasn’t anything like the Ford Everest two years ago.

The soft-touch materials and leather-padded seats kept us warm like a brittle fire, even with the air conditioner turned on at 16 degrees Celsius.

That’s one of the first things I liked about the Next-Gen Everest Titanium, everyone felt cozy in the homey atmosphere. We felt safe being in each other’s presence.

Even if we were traveling from East to South and up North, the long trip gave us a safe space to be comfortable in and with ourselves. Don’t you just like yourself more when you feel at home (with the right people)?

Drive out of the city, away from the crowds

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with driving, what with the never-ending bumper-to-bumper traffic across Metro Manila — be it on inner roads, national highways, and even expressways.

When there’s an opportunity, I switch with a trusted confidante of mine like Jomi who also got a chance to drive the Next-Gen Ford Ranger early in February, so I can sit in the front passenger seat, shake my iced coffee, and look at the side mirror while taking selfies and ~helping~ with the navigation… sometimes. Long live the passenger princess and the walls we crashed through!

But there are also moments when I want to drive and make an effort for people close to my heart. Primarily when I have a refined, tech-savvy vehicle that makes everything comfortable.

Everything inside the Next-Gen Everest parades sophistication. It has the right blend of modern interiors, accented by high technology accordingly.

The steering wheel is incorporated with quick access buttons so you won’t have to look away just to adjust your vehicle and audio controls.

There are also several storages upfront: Bottle holders, an upper glove box, and a center glove box. As a driver with lots of unnecessary “important” stuff, having plenty of storage options give me peace of mind that whatever I need can be stored easily should I need them.

Nine out of ten, I barely needed the stuff I put in glove boxes, but it’s still a nice touch for those who really need extra space.

Just the right amount of space

Speaking of space, there’s plenty for my short legs. With an 8-way power adjustment, the front seats are easy to calibrate to get our desired seating position. This has been extremely helpful for my friend, Jomi, and I who fall below 5’4” in height and struggle with reaching the pedals.

The electronic gear shifter is easily accessible, too, even if we have short hands, which was also designed ergonomically for better grip. It felt like a bulky gaming mouse, reminiscent of the ones I use when playing with the ROG Strix G16.

The fully digital instrument cluster shows everything I need to know, in signs that are easy to understand and comprehend. Simply put, the Next-Gen Everest Titanium made me want to be the driver more than the passenger princess.

I’m now at a point where I’m willing to drive and bear the traffic, even if I have to travel roads as far as 70 kilometers down South and be on the road for four hours or more. (Only if I have this car.)

Wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

When we picked up my friend Kalvin in Parañaque, he was astounded by the vehicle’s convenient and innovative features.

He was mesmerized, gasping at the sight of the hands-free Power Liftgate and the power-folding function for the third-row seats, which I pressed so we can have an adequate cargo space for all our luggage and essentials.

Miguel arranged the placement of our luggage upon opening the hands-free Power Liftgate.

When we let him ride the shotgun, he was astonished by how much technology you can tinker with inside the vehicle.

It all started with the massive, 12-inch portrait touchscreen infotainment system. He was ecstatic using the voice-activated controls using Wireless Apple Carplay with our iPhones, and the Android Auto Compatibility for his Samsung Galaxy S21.

Jomi’s iPhone 13 wirelessly charging at the pad.

Then, he saw how we used wireless charging for our iPhones, and how Miguel didn’t have any power bank and used the 230V inverter in the rear center console instead.

Of course, there are 12V sockets found in the front center console, third row, and in the cargo area — which we only got to use when we had to pick up more passengers during a heavy downpour around SM Clark and my power bank couldn’t accommodate everyone’s smartphones.

We were singing in the car, getting lost upstate

We opened the panoramic moonroof to let the light and wind in.

During our drives along C5, SLEX, Skyway, NLEX, SCTEX, and other major highways, we were blasting music using the Next-Gen Everest’s 8 speakers.

When the weather conspired in our favor, we opened the moonroof to let the light and fresh air in and sang our hearts out with Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”. Let’s run away and don’t ever look back~

Using Apple CarPlay, we were able to navigate the Clark Freeport Zone using Google Maps while playing on Spotify simultaneously. We felt young with no regrets, just love. (Almost 30 is still young, right?)

Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?

Perhaps, the thing that got me really excited about the Next-Gen Ford Everest is how I felt the security features and driver-assist technology. Even more-so compared to my previous rides with other Ford vehicles.

I came to the conclusion that it was the enormous veneer of the Everest Titanium. That, coupled with my lack of expertise in maneuvering 7-seater SUVs that triggered the features made me appreciate them.

With a recent mishap using my own car during a heavy downpour and I ended up rolling down a 70-degree slope, the Next-Gen Everest’s Hill Launch Assist, Roll Over Mitigation, and Hill Descent Control gave me reassurance that the accident won’t happen again while I was behind the steering wheel.

The front and rear parking sensors were also working hand-in-hand to alert me when vehicles, pedestrians, and other inanimate objects are too near or getting in the way while I was on the road.

While driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic in the incorrigible Ortigas Avenue Extension where motorcyclists and street vendors pop in a flash, prompting other vehicles for a sudden brake, the Pre-Collision Assist activates when I didn’t get to step on the brakes as quickly as I could.

The vehicle would vibrate, emitting an alarm loud enough to shake you off the driver’s seat. I got saved by the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), which works when you aren’t able to respond to a potential collision.

Remember when I pulled up and said “Get in the car”~

The evasive steer assist and lane-related features helped me navigate the hellish C5 traffic at night. But I found the parking assist even more commendable.

Parking small cars is a piece of cake for me — be it parallel, diagonal, or perpendicular. The Next-Gen Everest, however, is a different case. It’s enormous, and I found it difficult to squeeze in between other colossal automobiles.

What astounded my friends was the activation of the Active Park Assist 2.0. The vehicle used its 360-degree camera and parks on its own with the Park Aid assist.

But of course, we have the utmost confidence in our abilities to park the Next-Gen Everest properly. We simply used the infotainment system to give an overview of whether we were alighting in perfect symmetry.

The Terrain Management System also came into play when we were driving and parking across the lahar-filled concrete and gravel parking in Alviera and around Clark Freeport Zone.

It just has everything you can ask for, and maybe more.

I just wanna stay in that lavender haze

Photo-op before we hop on a ride to participate in our Spartan BEAST (21KM30 Obstacles) race in Alviera.

Riding the comforts of the Next-Gen Everest felt like finally finding someone whom you’ll want to clean up bottles with on New Year’s Day. It’s delicate and gorgeous at the same time — both the relationship and the experience of a shiny, new vehicle.

It lasted long enough with only less than half of the tank with over 500km ride in four days. Refueling the tank fully only happened on the fifth day as I drove back to the East.

Long trips used to be grueling, no matter how big a car is. But when it’s designed to look and feel like home, 500 kilometers on the road from East to South and to the North and back is just a breeze through time.

Not to mention, the exterior of the Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium comes with a tough, aggressive facade. It doesn’t give a cozy vibe, but we have to look beyond its appearance. Sometimes, we end up liking a person when we spend some time to know them more.

I guess that’s the lesson the Next-Gen Ford Everest Titanium wants to impart: Look beyond what you see, and get the best experience you can ever feel. 7-seater SUVs aren’t that intimidating to me anymore.

Price and availability

The Next-Gen Ford Everest comes in many finishes and colors. These are: Absolute Black, Aluminum Metallic, Arctic White, Equinox Bronze, Meteor Gray, Sedona Orange, Snowflake White Pearl, and Blue Lightning. It starts at PhP 1,799,000 for the Everest 2.0L Turbo Trend 4×2 AT. It goes up to PhP 2,495,000 for the Everest 2.0L Bi-Turbo Titanium 4×4 AT variant.

Lenovo Legion Y740S is a thin and light gaming laptop (external GPU required for serious gaming)

The Lenovo Legion Y740S is the thinnest, lightest gaming laptop from Lenovo to date, measuring just 0.6 inches thick and weighing just under 4.2 pounds.

There’s just one catch — the 15.6 inch laptop doesn’t have discrete graphics. While the laptop’s integrated Intel graphics may be good enough for some games, you’ll need to plug in an external graphics dock if you want to take advantage of an NVIDIA or AMD graphics card.

Fortunately, Lenovo’s got one of those too — the new Lenovo Legion BoostStation is an aluminum eGPU dock that lets you use a desktop-class graphics card when gaming at home.

The Legion Y740S laptop and the Legion BoostStation should be available in May with starting of 1100 and 250, respectively.

Lenovo says the laptop supports up to a 15.6 inch, 4K IPS display with Dolby Vision and support for up to 600 nits of brightness and a 60 Hz refresh rate.

The Legion Y740S will be powered by a 10th-gen Intel Core H-series processor with support for up to a Core i9 chip. Intel hasn’t officially announced these processors yet, but they’re said to be coming soon.

The laptop has a 60 Wh battery and supports up to 32GB of DDR4 memory and 1TB of PCIe solid state storage. It has a 60 Wh battery, and the laptop will be powered by one of Intel’s not-yet-announced 10th-gen Core H-series processors.

The notebook also features a 180-degree hinge that allows you to set the screen to the most comfortable angle, and the laptop has “exclusive thermals” with a 5-point sensor array and 4 fans. It also features Dolby Atmos audio, and the laptop’s keyboard features an oil and abrasion-resistant coating.

You can connect the optional Lenovo Legion BoostStation graphics dock via a Thunderbolt 3 port (which means you could also use the BoostStation with non-Lenovo laptops).

The 250 starting price for the graphics dock gets you an empty case that allows you to add your graphics card of choice. But Lenovo will also offer versions bundled with NVIDIA GeForce RTX2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT GPUs.

While the laptop is designed to be portable, the BoostStation is a lot less so — it weighs 20 pounds. The graphics dock has an aluminum body with one transparent side panel. In addition to allowing you to connect an external GPU, the dock has a few USB ports, an HDMI port and Ethernet jack, allowing you to use it as a desktop docking station.

Lenovo isn’t the first company to release a so-called gaming laptop that lacks discrete graphics. The Razer Blade Stealth notebook I reviewed a few years ago was ostensibly a gaming laptop… but it was really just a thin and light notebook that you could use for gaming if you plugged in an optional graphics dock — something you could do to turn any supported laptop into a gaming PC.

But in late 2018 Razer added discrete graphics to its Blade Stealth line of 13 inch gaming laptops.

Meanwhile, Lenovo is taking its discrete GPU away… sort of. If you really wanted a Lenovo Legion gaming notebook with built-in graphics, you can still buy the current-gen Lenovo Legion Y740. It sells for 1360 and up and features a 9th-gen Intel Core H processor and NVIDIA graphics. But with a starting weight of 4.9 pounds, it’s a bit heavier than the new Legion Y740S. It’s also bulkier, measuring about 0.9 inhces thick.

Lenovo is also introducing a new “Studio Edition” version of the Legion Y40 featuring NVIDIA Studio Drivers for folks that want the performance of a gaming laptop, but who plan to use it for graphic design, video editing, or other content creation tasks.

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