OWC launches Mercury Helios FX 650 eGPU, new portable storage, USB-C 'ClingOn' cable stabilizer

That ClingOn device is rather clever.  If I were OWC, I would make a point of including one for free with every USB-C device I sold.  They probably cost about 50c to make, and it would be a nice differentiator.

As annoying as the early heavy duty computer connectors were--with screws and clamps keeping them in place (like on the first Mac)--they stayed in place infinitely better than today's tiny connectors.  USB-C trades off a lot of connection integrity for it's virtues of compactness and symmetry.

Did OWC ever bring the DEC to market? All the references I see to it are from two years ago.

mikethemartian said:

Did OWC ever bring the DEC to market? All the references I see to it are from two years ago.

No, or not yet. Either.

We'll ask at CES.

AppleInsider said:

OWC Mercury Helios FX 650 eGPU enclosure

The Mercury Helios FX 650 eGPU is a graphics card enclosure that connects over Thunderbolt 3 to similarly-equipped Mac and MacBook models, as well as some PCs that use the connection. The chassis has a heftier power supply than previous models, and is upgradable allowing users to place their graphics card of choice and to switch it out with another in the future.

Offering connections to displays using HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI, the plug-and-play unit is also capable of providing power to its Thunderbolt 3-connected host, with its 100W power delivery capable of powering and recharging a MacBook Pro.

Supporting a graphics card inside the enclosure is a large variable-speed, temperature-controlled fan, which stays quiet when the inside of the enclosure is cool, but spins up to help chill the card down when it is under load. The enclosure is also made from recyclable materials, making it easier to dispose of in an environmentally friendly manner in the future.

Supplied with a Thunderbolt 3 cable, the Mercury Helios FX 650 eGPU is available to buy now, starting from $399 for the enclosure, rising to $549 in a bundle with a Radeon RX 580 graphics card.

One of the topics that comes up whenever eGPUs are discussed is how the Blackmagic units can not be upgraded with a better graphics card in the future whereas this one can. The question that comes up for me is whether or not that matters. Is this enclosure something that's likely to still be serviceable by the time one would want to upgrade the card? Won't newer Macs have moved on to newer interface busses by then? Will future graphics cards even use the same connections they do now? By the time tech has advanced to the point that one would be inclined to upgrade the card, isn't it likely the enclosure will be similarly outdated?

The second issue is noise. When Apple first introduced the smaller Mac mini body style, it offered us a look into how they mitigate fan noise. According to Apple, designers put a lot of effort into tweaking airflow to minimize turbulence, used high-quality fans that generate less noise to start with, and "tuned" the ports so the noise that does escape is in a frequency range that is less bothersome to human ears. It seems like at least some of that design approach has been applied to the Blackmagic eGPUs (I assume, based only on the fact that they're pretty quiet, not because of anything Apple or Blackmagic have published), but other suppliers seem focussed on power (which is good) but not so much on noise.

Is it a daunting task to make an enclosure that is powerful, upgradable, AND quiet?

lorin schultz said:

AppleInsider said:

OWC Mercury Helios FX 650 eGPU enclosure

The Mercury Helios FX 650 eGPU is a graphics card enclosure that connects over Thunderbolt 3 to similarly-equipped Mac and MacBook models, as well as some PCs that use the connection. The chassis has a heftier power supply than previous models, and is upgradable allowing users to place their graphics card of choice and to switch it out with another in the future.

Offering connections to displays using HDMI, DisplayPort, and DVI, the plug-and-play unit is also capable of providing power to its Thunderbolt 3-connected host, with its 100W power delivery capable of powering and recharging a MacBook Pro.

Supporting a graphics card inside the enclosure is a large variable-speed, temperature-controlled fan, which stays quiet when the inside of the enclosure is cool, but spins up to help chill the card down when it is under load. The enclosure is also made from recyclable materials, making it easier to dispose of in an environmentally friendly manner in the future.

Supplied with a Thunderbolt 3 cable, the Mercury Helios FX 650 eGPU is available to buy now, starting from $399 for the enclosure, rising to $549 in a bundle with a Radeon RX 580 graphics card.

One of the topics that comes up whenever eGPUs are discussed is how the Blackmagic units can not be upgraded with a better graphics card in the future whereas this one can. The question that comes up for me is whether or not that matters. Is this enclosure something that's likely to still be serviceable by the time one would want to upgrade the card? Won't newer Macs have moved on to newer interface busses by then? Will future graphics cards even use the same connections they do now? By the time tech has advanced to the point that one would be inclined to upgrade the card, isn't it likely the enclosure will be similarly outdated?

The second issue is noise. When Apple first introduced the smaller Mac mini body style, it offered us a look into how they mitigate fan noise. According to Apple, designers put a lot of effort into tweaking airflow to minimize turbulence, used high-quality fans that generate less noise to start with, and "tuned" the ports so the noise that does escape is in a frequency range that is less bothersome to human ears. It seems like at least some of that design approach has been applied to the Blackmagic eGPUs (I assume, based only on the fact that they're pretty quiet, not because of anything Apple or Blackmagic have published), but other suppliers seem focussed on power (which is good) but not so much on noise.

Is it a daunting task to make an enclosure that is powerful, upgradable, AND quiet?

I can't see USB-C going away anytime soon. How long do you think people are going to wait to change this card? People who are interested in this will change around 2-3yrs, maybe sooner if something good comes out. USB-C is only going to continue to grow IMO. I have a 2018 Mac mini with an eGPU case and I like it a lot. Works really well in both macOS and Windows 10. I just like the fact that I can install my own graphics card inside it whenever I want and yes, its pretty serviceable. Has a standard power supply and everything inside it.