- Dual Thunderbolt 5 and OCuLink give the AG03 excellent host connectivity
- 800W PSU is paired with a surprisingly limited 500W GPU power rating
- Lack of M.2 storage and Ethernet weakens its all in one appeal
- Competitive pricing but strong competition highlights its compromises
Aoostar’s latest external GPU dock, the AG03, arrives with the kind of specifications that immediately grab attention. An integrated 800W power supply, dual Thunderbolt 5 ports, OCuLink support, and PCIe 4.0 x4 bandwidth all signal serious intent.
On paper, this looks like a next generation eGPU enclosure designed to keep pace with modern laptops and high end graphics cards. In practice, however, the AG03 feels like a product caught between ambition and restraint.
Aoostar clearly wants the AG03 to be perceived as an all in one solution for users who want desktop class graphics without committing to a full PC build. Yet several notable omissions prevent it from fully earning that label.
The result is a capable but slightly frustrating dock that excels in some areas while falling short in others.
Strong connectivity and modern interfaces
One of the AG03’s biggest strengths is its host connectivity. Aoostar has moved beyond older, more limited designs by including dual Thunderbolt 5 ports alongside OCuLink.
This combination gives users flexibility depending on their laptop or mini PC, and it positions the AG03 as a forward looking option rather than a stopgap product.
Thunderbolt 5 and USB4 v2 promise higher bandwidth and improved stability, which is critical for external GPUs that already operate with inherent bottlenecks compared to internal PCIe slots.
The PCIe 4.0 x4 interface ensures compatibility with modern graphics cards and delivers enough throughput to make high performance GPUs worthwhile for gaming, content creation, and compute workloads.
Power delivery is another highlight. The AG03 can supply up to 140W to a connected laptop, allowing a single cable setup for both charging and data.
For users with power hungry notebooks, this eliminates the need for an extra charger on the desk. Some listings also mention an additional 27W allocation, though the exact distribution remains unclear.
From a usability standpoint, these choices show that Aoostar understands how people actually use eGPU docks today. Fewer cables, faster links, and broader compatibility all matter, and the AG03 delivers on those fronts.
An oversized PSU with underused potential
Where the AG03 starts to raise eyebrows is its power configuration. Despite housing an 800W internal power supply, the dock is rated to deliver only 500W to the graphics card. This is a noticeable step down from earlier Aoostar models that supported up to 600W for the GPU alone.
The mismatch between PSU capacity and GPU power output feels conservative to the point of being confusing.
An 800W supply should, in theory, provide ample headroom for flagship graphics cards, especially when factoring in power delivery to the host system. Instead, users are left with unused capacity and a lower ceiling that could limit future GPU upgrades.
Thermal constraints or cost considerations may have driven this design choice, but Aoostar has not been clear about its reasoning. For enthusiasts who carefully calculate power budgets, the decision undermines one of the AG03’s headline features.
Missing features that break the all in one promise
The most significant criticism of the AG03 centers on what is not included. Despite its premium positioning and modern interfaces, the dock lacks both an M.2 slot and an Ethernet port. These omissions are hard to ignore, especially as competing eGPU docks increasingly integrate storage expansion and wired networking.
An M.2 slot would have allowed users to add fast NVMe storage directly to the dock, turning it into a more complete workstation hub. Without it, anyone needing extra storage must rely on external drives or a separate dock, adding clutter and complexity.
The absence of a LAN port is equally disappointing. Wired Ethernet remains essential for many professionals, gamers, and remote workers who value low latency and stable connections. For an eGPU dock that aims to sit at the center of a desktop setup, forcing users to add another adapter feels like a missed opportunity.
Together, these gaps prevent the AG03 from functioning as a true single box solution. Instead, it becomes one part of a larger setup, which weakens its value proposition.
Pricing and positioning in a crowded market
Priced at around 1499 RMB, or roughly 214 US dollars, the AG03 sits close to Aoostar’s existing AGO2 system. At this level, buyers are likely to compare features closely, not just within Aoostar’s lineup but against rival products that offer more comprehensive port selections.
The AG03 is not a bad product. It delivers strong performance fundamentals, modern connectivity, and solid power delivery. But its conservative GPU power limit and missing ports make it feel less complete than it could have been.
For users who only need an external GPU enclosure with fast host connections, it will do the job well. For those seeking a true desktop replacement dock, it may fall short.
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