Desktop RTX 5080 vs Thunderbolt 5 eGPU vs Laptop RTX 5080 — The Ultimate Showdown!

Summary

In this video, the performance of three high-end setups is compared: a desktop with an RTX 5080, a Thunderbolt 5 eGPU with an RTX 5080, and a laptop with a mobile RTX 5080. Benchmarks reveal the desktop consistently delivers top performance, excelling in both gaming and CPU-heavy tasks. The eGPU setup impresses in gaming, only slightly behind the desktop, but struggles in creative workloads due to bandwidth limitations. The laptop sacrifices significant performance for portability. The video highlights cost, upgradeability, and practical use cases, offering insights for choosing between ultimate performance, mobility, or a balanced hybrid approach with Thunderbolt 5 eGPUs.

Takeaways

• 🖥️ The desktop RTX 5080 setup consistently delivers the highest performance across gaming and creative benchmarks.
• ⚡ The Thunderbolt 5 eGPU setup performs surprisingly well in gaming, only 7–22% slower than the desktop.
• 💻 The laptop RTX 5080 sacrifices significant performance, up to 55% slower than the desktop, for portability.
• 🎮 In gaming benchmarks like Cyberpunk 2077 and Dirt 5, the desktop generally leads, but the eGPU can sometimes match or slightly outperform it.
• 📊 CPU-heavy creative tasks reveal a bottleneck for eGPUs, where the laptop can outperform the eGPU despite lower GPU specs.
• 💰 Pre-built desktop costs around $3,500, while building yourself could save about $1,000 for similar performance.
• 🔌 eGPU setups require additional investment in the enclosure and PSU, bringing total costs close to $2,000 plus the laptop.
• 🚀 Thunderbolt 5 doubles PCIe bandwidth from 32 Gbps to 64 Gbps, improving eGPU performance compared to previous versions.
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• 📏 Most current Thunderbolt 5 laptops are thick gaming machines with dedicated GPUs, limiting the practicality of eGPU setups.
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• 🌍 The ideal future scenario for eGPUs would be thin, light laptops with good battery life that can pair with powerful eGPU systems for versatile use.
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• ⚖️ Choosing between desktop, eGPU, or laptop depends on a user’s priority: raw performance, portability, or a balance of both.
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• 🔍 Benchmark results highlight that while eGPUs are strong in gaming, CPU-dependent tasks still favor desktops and, sometimes, laptops.

Q & A

What are the three setups being compared in the video?

The three setups being compared are: a desktop computer with an RTX 5080, a Thunderbolt 5 eGPU setup with an RTX 5080, and a laptop with a mobile RTX 5080.

How does Thunderbolt 5 improve eGPU performance compared to previous versions?

Thunderbolt 5 doubles the PCIe bandwidth from 32 Gbps to 64 Gbps, which significantly improves the performance of eGPU setups.

What is the primary disadvantage of the desktop setup?

The primary disadvantage of the desktop setup is its high cost. The pre-built system is priced at around $3,500, while building it yourself costs around $2,500.

What is the cost breakdown for the eGPU setup?

The eGPU setup includes a Razer Core V2 enclosure priced at $350, an additional power supply unit (PSU) costing $120, and the cost of the laptop itself, bringing the total cost to about $2,000 plus the laptop price.

What synthetic benchmark was used to test the setups, and how did the desktop compare to the other setups?

The synthetic benchmark used was 3DMark X5. The desktop scored 27,525, which was 14% faster than the eGPU setup and 36% faster than the laptop.

Which setup performed the best in gaming tests like Cyberpunk 2077 and Black Myth: Wukong?

In Cyberpunk 2077, the desktop was about 10% faster than the eGPU and 47% faster than the laptop. In Black Myth: Wukong, the eGPU outperformed the desktop by a slight 3%, but both the desktop and eGPU were significantly faster than the laptop.

Why did the eGPU perform so well in gaming despite being slower in synthetic and creative tests?

The eGPU performed well in gaming because the bandwidth offered by Thunderbolt 5 was sufficient for most gaming tasks, while it struggled in creative tasks due to a CPU-GPU bottleneck, which affected performance in bandwidth-heavy workloads.

What gaming performance difference was observed between the eGPU and desktop setups in Doom and F1 24?

In Doom, the desktop scored 60 FPS, which was 22% faster than the eGPU. In F1 24, the desktop scored 204 FPS, 15% faster than the eGPU, with both setups significantly outperforming the laptop.

How did the desktop, eGPU, and laptop perform in creative benchmarks?

In the creative benchmark, the desktop scored 11,934, which was 19% faster than the laptop and 43% faster than the eGPU. The laptop was 21% faster than the eGPU, indicating that the eGPU setup faced a CPU bandwidth bottleneck during such tasks.

What are the main trade-offs when choosing a laptop with an RTX 5080 compared to a desktop or eGPU setup?

The main trade-off is performance. Laptops with an RTX 5080 sacrifice up to 55% in performance for portability. If portability is a priority, a laptop is the best choice, but for raw power and gaming performance, a desktop or eGPU setup is far superior.

Why do most laptops with Thunderbolt 5 not support eGPU setups effectively?

Most laptops with Thunderbolt 5 are thick, gaming-oriented models that already come with dedicated GPUs, so they don't require an eGPU. Laptops that are thin and light and can be paired with an eGPU for additional power while at home or in the office would be ideal for eGPU setups in the future.