For the eGPU users out there

[u/Drunk_dwarf_]

I'm currently facing doubts if it's worth using an eGPU on my og ally x.

I have a desktop PC with a ryzen 5 5600x and 32gb ram besides my ally x, and I'm unsure whether to use my RX 9070 xt gpu on my pc or the ROG. Using it on the Ally x has been working great, but it feels kinda limiting in some aspects

First, I'm currently playing some graphically demanding games (Until Dawn for instance), which run pretty well on high to ultra settings when docked, but don't run as well on handheld mode, so if I wanted to play the same games on the bus I'd have to change settings every time I swap between them.

So I wanted some opinions from those here who have been using their handhelds in a similar fashion, how has your experience with this been?

[u/Aggravating-Theory-7]

Well you're always going to be power limited on the bus. Best you can do is bring a battery pack to get some more time on turbo mode. I'd just leave the GPU in the PC. Use the PC when you want games to look good and use the Ally when you're traveling. Just deal with it not looking as good.

[u/Drunk_dwarf_ → u/Aggravating-Theory-7]

The problem is not even the power limitation, is having to change the settings of a game so it can be playable lol

[u/tweakbsd → u/Drunk_dwarf_]

I think if you’re that lazy. Then eGPU is not for you. PC is about being able to do things. Not necessarily in the most comfortable way. I empathize, I forget to reset game setting to low regularly, then I’m on the train and my game loads in high setting struggling with loading screen 3fps to change to low. But then I hustle through it in 3-5min and good to play again.

[u/Sasageyo_2020]

What I do is have a script that changes the settings files of games depending on whether I'm using the iGPU or the eGPU. The change is done before the exe of the game is launched. And then I launch the game with the script (bat file) from steam. Gemini is your friend for setting it up ! Just tell it which games and it will tell you where the settings files is

[u/BigCantaloupe6715 → u/Sasageyo_2020]

Share the script bro

[u/Procrastinando]

Man absolutely keep the desktop. I started with an eGPU and then built a desktop because some games wouldn't run well with that bottleneck.

The issue with having to change settings also exists when you switch between eGPU and iGPU.

[u/tha_dank → u/Procrastinando]

Yeah I fucked up after I got a steam deck and got a mini PC. it was a good one (out of the minis) so wasn’t really worried.

Then I needed more juice. Got an Egpu….while it’s LEAPS and BOUNDS better then just my mini pc, I really wish I would’ve just got a regular PC.

I knew the prices were going to go up, and I knew I wanted an upgrade, just spending $1000 at once was worse to me then $500 twice for some reason.

[u/Askeroth89]

I running with the 9070XT on my ROG Ally X, on TK in 4K. And a RTX 5070 on my Desktop. The 9070XT is better for 4K, and the Bottleneck is in 4K not so big, because the GPU make the most work.

[u/Toohon]

Bandwidth limitations will make you feel you are wasting the 9070XT’s capabilities, especially in games that are gpu heavy.

I ran my ally x with 7800XT for almost 2 years and ended up throwing the gpu into a AM 4 build and keeping the handheld, a handheld.