Minisforum intros DEG2 as new eGPU dock with Thunderbolt 5 and OCuLink

Minisforum has showcased a new eGPU dock at the Japan IT Week 2025 event, the DEG2. It's a direct successor to the DEG1, which is an OCuLink-only external GPU dock. The new model, on the other hand, offers a bit more flexibility, adding a Thunderbolt 5 upstream port alongside the OCuLink interface.

This makes the DEG2 compatible with systems that don't come with an OCuLink port, such as the recently launched Minisforum MS-S1 Max. Speaker of which, the Thunderbolt 5 interface of the dock will not only work with the new 80 Gbps USB4 v2 port, but also with last-gen Thunderbolt ports.

Of course, per recent test reports, it seems that OCuLink is still the way to go over Thunderbolt 5 when it comes to performance. Nonetheless, Minisforum highlights that the DEG2 relies on the Intel JHL9480 controller and comes with a full-length PCIe slot that can hold a full-sized desktop GPU.

The eGPU dock also offers other expansion options. For example, the Minisforum DEG2 features an M.2 2280 slot that can expand the storage of the connected system (2 TB Samsung 990 EVO Plus curr. $139.99 on Amazon), and it has the following additional ports:

• 1x Thunderbolt 5 downstream with 30 W PD
• 2.5 GbE Ethernet
• 1x 10 Gbps USB Type-A
• 1x 5 Gbps USB Type-A

Like the predecessor, the Minisforum DEG2 doesn't come with a built-in PSU. The good part is that it's compatible with both SFX and ATX PSUs. The brand has yet to share launch and pricing details of the eGPU dock, but these pieces of info should soon emerge.