Peladn Link S-3: Thunderbolt 5 eGPU dock released globally as OCuLink alternative with more versatile ports
Peladn's latest eGPU graphics dock is now available globally following the device's launch almost a month ago in China. To recap, the Link S-3 follows the Link S-2 that arrived towards the end of last year. As we discussed at the time, Peladn positioned the Link S-2 as a cheaper alternative to the Minisforum DEG1 (curr. $99 on Amazon) because of its reliance on OCuLink connectivity to bridge the gap between a desktop graphics card and a laptop, mini-PC or gaming handheld.
By contrast, Peladn has switched to Thunderbolt 5 for the Link S-3 for devices that support the relatively new standard. The Link S-3 should be compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 devices too, albeit only with 40 Gbps peak bandwidth. Meanwhile, Thunderbolt 5 provides up to 80 Gbps bandwidth but with the same 64 Gbps offered to graphics cards via PCIe 4.0 x4.
In other words, do not expect the Link S-3 to deliver better GPU performance than its predecessor or the Minisforum DEG1 just because Thunderbolt 5 supports a higher theoretical peak bandwidth than OCuLink. With that being said, Thunderbolt 5 contains several advantages over OCuLink, including hotswappable connections and the ability to transmit more than just video signals.
Thus, the Link S-3 also includes 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (Realtek RTL8156B), a USB Type-A port (10 Gbps), an SD card reader and an M.2 2280 slot that offers up to PCIe 3.0 x1 bandwidth to SSDs. The Link S-3 can recharge a connected device at up to 140 W as well, which is beyond the realms of OCuLink graphics docks. Currently, the Link S-3 can be picked up on AliExpress for £253.79/€291.99 (~$337) or CAD$384.38 (~$279). However, US tariffs on Chinese imports have pushed the price of the Link S-3 for US residents to $460.52.
Source(s)
AliExpress via Liliputing
