ASUS releases ROG XG Station 3 external graphics dock with Thunderbolt 5
ASUS has launched the ROG XG Station 3, an external graphics card enclosure featuring Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and proprietary GC-HPWR power delivery.
Eighteen months after its initial exhibition, ASUS has brought the ROG XG Station 3 to market. The device serves as an external housing for desktop graphics cards, allowing laptops to leverage high-performance GPU capabilities via a high-speed data connection.
The enclosure utilizes an open-frame chassis designed to accommodate large graphics cards measuring up to 361 x 139.3 x 93.9 mm. It requires a separate SFX or SFX-L power supply unit, with the manufacturer recommending a minimum output of 750W and 80 PLUS Gold efficiency.
Connectivity features include a GC-HPWR interface, which provides compatibility with the company's BTF (Back-to-the-Future) series of graphics cards that conceal power connectors. The unit also functions as a docking station, providing a Thunderbolt 5 upstream port with 140W USB Power Delivery, alongside additional USB-C 10Gbps ports.
The ROG XG Station 3 represents the company's attempt to standardize external GPU integration using the latest Thunderbolt interface, which offers increased bandwidth compared to previous iterations.