- Gigabyte Aorus RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX packs surprising desktop-level power with a full RTX 5060 Ti
- Backward compatibility ensures USB4 users are not excluded from upgrades
- WINDFORCE cooling system may face noise challenges in such compact housing
Gigabyte has launched the Aorus RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX, a compact external graphics solution aimed at professionals seeking desktop-grade GPU performance on portable devices.
Unveiled at its Beyond Edge online event, this device measures 117 x 243 x 45mm, making it closer in size to a hardcover dictionary than the bulky enclosures usually associated with external GPUs.
According to Gigabyte[1], the RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX brings higher graphical capabilities to premium laptops and mini PCs[2].
Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and bandwidth considerations
It supports Thunderbolt 5 with PCIe 4.0 x4 throughput, which Gigabyte says delivers bandwidth only about 5% below a full PCIe 4.0 x16 desktop slot.
While this suggests near-desktop responsiveness, adoption of Thunderbolt 5 remains limited to select mobile workstation[3] models and high-end notebooks.
Users restricted to USB4 ports are not left behind, since the enclosure maintains backward compatibility.
It can also work with integrated graphics under Project G-Assist to distribute workloads.
Unlike most external enclosures that depend on mobile Radeon chips, Gigabyte equipped this device with a desktop-class GeForce RTX 5060 Ti carrying 16GB of memory.
This doubles the VRAM compared to typical 8GB alternatives, making it stronger for video editing[4] or other demanding tasks.
The inclusion of the WINDFORCE cooling system is intended to keep temperatures stable, although whether it can maintain quiet operation within such a small chassis remains to be seen.
The use of Nvidia[5]’s Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4 support gives the box modern rendering and AI acceleration features.
Beyond raw performance, the Aorus RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX doubles as a docking solution.
It includes three USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, Ethernet networking, PD 3.0 charging, and daisy-chain functionality for additional Thunderbolt 5 peripherals.
RGB lighting and an illuminated Aorus logo add aesthetic flair, but for professionals, the real question is whether the device can reliably replace a fixed desktop setup in everyday workflows.
Gigabyte has not announced a launch date or retail pricing for the Aorus RTX 5060 Ti AI BOX.
However, the choice of a full desktop GPU with 16GB of memory rather than a cut-down mobile part suggests it will sit above the $460 MSRP of the standard GeForce RTX 5060 Ti desktop card.
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References
- ^ Gigabyte (www.gigabyte.com)
- ^ mini PCs (www.techradar.com)
- ^ mobile workstation (www.techradar.com)
- ^ video editing (www.techradar.com)
- ^ Nvidia (www.techradar.com)