Adlink readies Pocket AI palm-sized portable Nvidia GPU for AI applications

With the fast developments brought by ChatGPT and text-to-image renderers, AI is really taking off right now, probably more so than the metaverse concept or cryptocurrencies. This aspect is in part made possible through the ease of use and the democratization of AI, even though AI-enabled hardware is not particularly affordable for general consumers as of yet. Gaming GPUs could fit in this category, but current prices strongly beg to differ. Adlink might have a solution in this sense, as it seeks to introduce portable external GPUs based on lower mid-range graphics solutions.

Adlink presented the Pocket AI portable GPU at Nvidia’s GTC last week. This first model is based on a 25 W Nvidia RTX A500 professional GPU with only 4 GB GDDR6 VRAM and comes in a palm-sized 106 x 72 x 25 mm form-factor that connects to computers through a Thunderbolt 3 port. Looking at the specs, the Pocket AI appears to be on the same level with an RTX 3050 laptop GPU. It is designed to serve as an introductory device for students and beginners in the field of AI, but professionals can still take advantage of the Pocket AI since the RTX A500 is optimized for CAD and 3D rendering applications.

The RTX A500 inside the Pocket AI appears to feature the MXM form-factor. Hopefully, Adlink could integrate some of its more potent MXM modules with this type of product in the future. AI applications really benefit from more VRAM, so something with at least 8 GB would greatly boost performance. For example, Adlink could maybe offer an advanced Pocket AI based on the RTX 5000 embedded MXM module with 16 GB that it has in its portfolio. Of course, this would require additional power, and Adlink will most likely need to provide a separate power adapter.

While the Pocket AI is expected to be up for pre-orders this April and ship later in June, the exact price is not yet known. MSRP should not exceed a US$250 considering the relatively modest performance of the RTX A500.

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