Introduction

The birth of external graphics cards (graphics docks) can be traced back to the development of laptops. With the popularity of thin and light laptops and mini host PC, in pursuit of lighter, thinner and more compact designs, many manufacturers have begun to reduce internal space, resulting in limitations on graphics card performance. In order to solve this problem, external graphics cards came into being.

What is OCuLink?

OCuLink, short for "Optical-Copper Link," is a peripheral connection standard that allows you to connect PCIe devices using an external cable rather than an internal slot. 

The interface was developed by the PCI-SIG, the Body for standardization and norming of the PCI interface (Peripheral Component Interconnect Special Interest Group). It is designed to provide a smaller, more flexible, and more efficient PCIe expansion solution.

OCuLink delivered PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0 bandwidth. It also supports SATA and SAS. The common OCuLink interface on the market uses two different connectors, SFF-8611 and SFF-8612, which are used for the host side and the device side respectively. It provides 4 PCIe lanes, each with a bandwidth of 8GT/s (PCIe 3.0) or 16GT/s (PCIe 4.0), for a total bandwidth of up to 64Gbps.

OCuLink is a connection system for the PCI Express area. The interface has a Small-Form-factor which is optimized for internal and external enclosure usage. OCuLink cables are a cost-effective possibility for an external PCIe extension.

Compared to Thunderbolt which integrates DisplayPort and PCI-Express, OCuLink is a pure PCIe channel and does not include a DP channel. Its transmission loss is relatively low when connecting an external graphics card dock. OCuLink of PCIe 3.0×4 can reach a bandwidth of 32Gbps, while PCIe 4.0×4 can reach a bandwidth of 64Gbps, which is more advantageous than the maximum bandwidth of 22Gbps of Thunderbolt 3 and the maximum bandwidth of 32Gbps of Thunderbolt 4.

However, OCuLink may be slightly inferior to Thunderbolt in terms of compatibility, integrity, and completeness, but it has the characteristics of relatively lower price and better performance.

OCuLink Product Summary

The OCuLink products summarized this time include laptops, mini PCs, gaming consoles, graphics docks, and chips, including well-known PC manufacturers such as Lenovo, ROG, and THUNDEROBOT.

OCuLink Products

The following products are listed alphabetically.

Laptop

Lenovo

ThinkBook 14 i Gen 6+

The ThinkBook 14 i Gen 6+ is equipped with Intel's first-generation Core Ultra5/7 processor and the new NPU artificial intelligence acceleration engine. Its memory is 16/32GB LPDDR5x, the hard drive is a 512GB/1T M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 solid-state drive, the graphics card is Intel Arc, and it can be equipped with RTX4050 and 4060 independent graphics card versions.

The ThinkBook 14 i Gen 6+ is gray, weighs about 1.5 kg (3.31 pounds), and is as thin as 15.9 mm (0.63 inches). The screen is a 14.5-inch 2.5K/3K wide-viewing angle LED-backlit display that supports 90Hz/120Hz refresh rate and has a color gamut of 100% sRGB. Its interfaces include a headphone and microphone two-in-one interface, 1 x Thunderbolt 4 interface, a TGX graphics card expansion dock interface (based on OCuLink SFF-8611 interface), two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C interfaces, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A interfaces, an HDMI 2.1 interface, a hidden USB 2.0 Type-A interface, an RJ45 interface, and a 4-in-1 card reader interface.

ThinkBook 16 i Gen 6+

The ThinkBook 16 i Gen 6+ is a high-performance thin and light laptop suitable for professional users and gaming enthusiasts. It is equipped with Intel's first-generation Core Ultra series processor, with the highest optional Ultra7 155H. The graphics card can be selected as RTX4050 or RTX4060. The memory is DDR5, with dual memory slots, and the hard drive is a dual M2 2280 solid-state drive slot.

The ThinkBook 16 i Gen 6+ is gray, weighs about 1.9 kg (4.19 pounds), and is as thin as 16.9 mm (0.67 inches). The screen is 16 inches with a 90% screen-to-body ratio. The resolution is 2.5K, the refresh rate is 120Hz, and the color gamut is 100% sRGB. Its interfaces include a headphone and microphone two-in-one interface, a Thunderbolt 4 interface, a TGX graphics card expansion dock interface, three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A interfaces, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C interfaces, an HDMI 2.1 interface, a hidden USB 2.0 Type-A interface, a folding RJ45 interface, and a 4-in-1 card reader interface.

METAPHYUNI

2024 R7 8845HS AI Thin and Light Laptop

The 2024 R7 8845HS AI Thin and Light Laptop is equipped with an OCuLink interface, which can be used with an expansion dock to expand the graphics card and provide powerful computing power support. It is originally equipped with a 100W GaN charger and a 60Wh large-capacity battery for longer battery life.

It is originally equipped with a 100W GaN charger and a 60Wh large-capacity battery for longer battery life.

ROG

ROG Flow X13 2023

ROG Flow Z13 2023 is a high-performance, thin and light portable laptop, especially suitable for professional users who have high requirements for performance and portability. It weighs about 1.35 kg (2.98 pounds) and supports the flip touch function, allowing users to use it flexibly in different scenarios. It is equipped with an R9 7940HS processor and an RTX 4050 independent graphics card, with a performance release of more than 70W. It is equipped with 16GB LPDDR5 6400MHz memory and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, which combines powerful processing power with sufficient storage space.

ROG Flow Z13 2023 uses a 13.4-inch 2560x1600 resolution Nebula HDR display with a 165Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time, covering 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, a brightness of 500 nits, and supports color gamut switching. Its interfaces include a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB4 port, a ROG XG docking station port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a MicroSD 4.0 port. It has a built-in 75Wh battery and supports 130W PD fast charging.

ROG Flow X16 2023

ROG Flow X16 2023 is an all-in-one device designed for high-performance gaming and professional creation. It is equipped with the latest 13th generation Core i9-13900H processor, and the GPU offers RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 options, equipped with 8GB GDDR6 video memory to meet the needs of high-end games and professional creation. The cooling system includes 3 fans, 5 heat pipes, and liquid gold thermal conductive materials to ensure long-term and efficient heat dissipation.

ROG Flow X16 2023 has a unique hinge design that supports four usage modes: laptop, tablet, gaming, and sharing, greatly increasing the flexibility of usage scenarios. The screen uses a 16-inch touch-sensitive ROG Nebula HDR display with a Mini LED backlight panel, and the backlight partitions have been increased from 512 partitions in the previous generation to 1024 partitions. This screen also supports 2560×1600 resolution, 240Hz ultra-high refresh rate, 100000:1 contrast ratio, and Dolby Vision, HDR 1000, and color gamut switching. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Thunderbolt 4 port, a ROG XG docking station port, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a MicroSD port.

ROG Flow Z13 2023

ROG Flow Z13 2023 is a device designed for high performance and extreme portability, suitable for users who pursue advanced technology and multi-functional usage experience. It is equipped with the latest 13th generation Core i9-13900H processor, and the graphics card can be optional RTX4050 or RTX4060. The body is as thin as 12.9 mm (0.51 inches) and weighs about 1.2 kg (2.65 pounds). Combined with the magnetic detachable keyboard, it provides users with ultimate portability and multi-scenario usage capabilities.

ROG Flow Z13 2023 is equipped with a 16:10 2.5K Nebula HDR display, with a high refresh rate of 165Hz and a fast response time of 3ms, a brightness of up to 500 nits, and supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. The front and rear cameras have been upgraded to 5 million and 13 million pixels respectively. The Type-C port on the side supports 130W PD fast charging. In addition, it also supports the new version of the XG Mobile graphics expansion dock, further enhancing graphics processing capabilities. It also has a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, a MicroSD port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, making it a high-performance laptop that is suitable for both professional work and entertainment gaming needs.

THUNDEROBOT

THUNDEROBOT aibook 15

THUNDEROBOT aibook 15 is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra7 155H, independent graphics-card-level GPU, AI-exclusive NPU, and up to 70W performance release. 

THUNDEROBOT aibook 15 has an OCuLink graphics card dock interface, which can connect to graphics cards within 3080 level almost losslessly, taking into account the advantages of the lightness and thinness of a laptop while achieving the powerful performance of a desktop computer. It is equipped with Intel Core Ultra7 32G DDR5 1T, which has powerful performance and provides strong computing power support.

Mini PC

AOOSTAR

AOOSTAR GEM10 Mini PC

AOOSTAR GEM10 Mini PC is designed for high-performance computing and multi-tasking. It is equipped with a Ryzen R7-7840HS processor, with the highest optional R9-7940HS, and is equipped with LPDDR5 memory with a speed of 6400MT/s, ensuring excellent computing power and smooth multi-tasking performance. It is equipped with an independent OCuLink interface, which supports connecting external devices without occupying the internal NVMe interface. It weighs only 0.53 kg (1.17 pounds) and is made of aluminum alloy, making it both light and sturdy.

AOOSTAR GEM10 Mini PC adopts the innovative VSP motherboard architecture, which reduces the size of the motherboard while maintaining a rich number of interfaces and excellent CPU performance. It supports a three-screen 4K 120Hz display output. It has one USB4 port, one OCuLink port, and two 2.5G RJ45 network ports. It also supports a 100W DC power supply, taking into account both efficient energy supply and stable operation of the system.

AOOSTAR GEM12 Mini PC

AOOSTAR GEM12 Mini PC is equipped with an AMD R7-7840HS processor, with the highest optional R7-8845HS. The Pro version also adds a secondary screen and fingerprint recognition technology to enhance convenience and security.

AOOSTAR GEM12 Mini PC is made of aluminum alloy. It is equipped with an independent OCuLink interface, which supports connecting external devices without occupying the internal NVMe interface. In addition, it has two 2.5G RJ45 network ports, a 3.5mm audio port, four USB3.2 Gen2 ports, HDMI2.1, DP1.4, full-function Typc-C, and USB4 ports, supporting up to four screens.

METAPHYUNI

METAPHYUNI 80W Genesis Cube

The METAPHYUNI 80W Genesis Cube is powered by AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor. It is equipped with three USB-C and four USB-A interfaces, supports PD3.1 140W power supply, as well as DP2.0, HDMI2.1, dual USB4, four-screen display, and supports 4K240Hz/8K60Hz display.

The METAPHYUNI 80W Genesis Cube supports fingerprint startup. The OCuLink interface can expand high-performance desktop graphics cards, providing more powerful computing power support for professional creation and AI computing.

MINISFORUM

EliteMini UM780 XTX Mini PC

The EliteMini UM780 XTX Mini PC is equipped with an AMD R7 7840HS processor, which can achieve up to 70W of performance release. In addition, it is equipped with DDR5 5600 memory specifications and supports dual-channel memory configuration up to 96GB. It has two PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280 slots and supports RAID0/1 configuration, enhancing the speed and reliability of data storage. It uses Cold Wave 2.1, and the noise level is only 43dB even under full load, ensuring continuous high-performance output.

The EliteMini UM780 XTX Mini PC is compact and easy to carry, and is printed with a tiger logo. It is equipped with dual 2.5G RJ45 network ports and supports dual-link aggregation. The expansion interfaces include one USB4 interface, four USB 3.2 Gen2 interfaces, one DP interface, one HDMI interface, and one OCuLink interface.

Minisforum MS-A1 Mini PC

Minisforum MS-A1 Mini PC uses AMD Ryzen7 8700G desktop processor, Zen4 architecture, 8 cores and 16 threads. It is equipped with dual-channel DDR5 5200MHz, four M.2 PCIe4.0 NVME SSD card slots, and has HDMI2.1, DP2.0, and USB4 full video output interfaces, and can connect to three 8K monitors at the same time.

The Minisforum MS-A1 Mini PC can connect to a high-performance graphics card via OCuLink to achieve a significant performance leap, meeting the needs of gamers and creative workers for high-performance graphics processing capabilities.

Gaming Console

AYANEO

AYANEO FLIP KB

AYANEO FLIP KB is a clamshell Windows handheld gaming console. It is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U/8840U processor, providing 28W of powerful performance release, and a high-refresh-rate 120Hz high-brightness screen to ensure smooth use. It uses innovative VC liquid cooling plus air cooling technology to keep the device running cool under high load. 

The feature of AYANEO FLIP KB is its flip-up full keyboard design. The automatically lit RGB standard character full keyboard provides colorful lighting effects, allowing easy full keyboard input. The battery capacity is 16890mAh (65.02Wh) and is paired with a 100W GaN charger. It is equipped with OCuLink SFF-8612 interface, USB4 Type-C interface, USB 3.2 Gen2 interface, TF card slot, etc.

AYANEO FLIP DS

AYANEO FLIP DS adopts a 3:2 ratio and a resolution of 960*640, providing a more immersive experience for dual-screen gaming. It is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 7840U/8840U processor, combined with VC liquid cooling technology, to achieve 28W of performance release. 

AYANEO FLIP DS is equipped with OCuLink interface, USB4 Type-C interface, USB 3.2 Gen2 interface, and UHS-II high-speed TF card slot. The battery capacity is 16890mAh (65.02Wh) and is paired with a 100W GaN charger. 

GPD

GPD WIN Mini Gaming Console

GPD WIN Mini Gaming Console is a portable high-performance gaming device. It is equipped with AMD Ryzen 5 7640U / Ryzen 7 7840U processor, equipped with AMD Radeon 760M / 780M graphics card, and memory configuration options range from 16GB to 32GB LPDDR5-6400. Its hard drive space is a PCIe Gen4 M.2 NVMe 2230 SSD, with options ranging from 512GB to 2TB. 

The size of GPD WIN Mini is 168 × 109 × 26 mm (6.61 × 4.29 × 1.02 inches) and weighs 520g (18.34 oz). It is equipped with a 7-inch 120Hz high refresh rate screen, uses LTPS technology and sixth-generation Corning Gorilla Glass, has a brightness of up to 500 nits, and supports DC dimming and flicker-free technology. It has a battery capacity of 44.24Wh. It has a USB4 port with 40 Gbps bandwidth, an OCuLink SFF-8612 port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, and a MicroSD card reader.

GPD WIN MAX2 Gaming Console

GPD WIN MAX2 Gaming Console is a portable high-performance gaming device. It is equipped with a powerful R7 7840U processor and Radeon 780M core graphics. It supports the latest LPDDR5X-7500 specification, can be optionally expanded from 32GB to 64GB, and offers 1TB and 2TB SSD storage options. The OCuLink SFF-8612 interface of the GPD WIN MAX2 can be directly connected to PCIe and supports the expansion of the GPD G1 graphics dock.

GPD WIN MAX2 has a 10.1-inch screen that supports a default resolution of 1920x1200p, up to 2560x1600, and a brightness of 400 nits. It has a battery capacity of 67Wh. Support for an external GPD G1 eGPU via the OCuLink interface enhances its multimedia and expansion capabilities, making it a versatile, high-performance portable gaming console.

GPD WIN 4 Gaming Console

GPD WIN 4 Gaming Console is a portable high-performance gaming device. It provides two processor versions: AMD R7 7840U and AMD R5 7640U, equipped with high-speed LPDDR5x 7500 MT/s memory, and memory capacity has three options: 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. It offers 512GB, 2TB, and 4TB storage options.

GPD WIN 4 uses a 6-inch screen with a resolution of 1080P, covered with the 5th generation Corning Gorilla Glass, and supports 60Hz and 40Hz refresh rates. It is equipped with two USB-C ports.

ONE-NETBOOK

ONEXPLAYER X1 

ONEXPLAYER X1 is an innovative portable device. It offers Intel Core Ultra 5 125H or Ultra 7 155H processor options, with 8Xe or 7Xe graphics. The memory uses dual-channel LPDDR5X-7500, with an optional range from 16GB to 64GB, while the storage provides PCIe4.0*4 M.2 2280 specification SSD, with an optional range of 1TB to 4TB to meet the needs of different users.

ONEXPLAYER X1 uses a 10.95-inch 2.5K 120Hz display with a brightness of up to 540nit and supports DC dimming.  Its interfaces include USB 4.0 interface, TF card slot, USB-A 3.2 interface, 3.5mm headphone jack, and OCuLink graphics card dock interface, which supports external graphics card dock and has strong expandability. It has a battery capacity of 65.02Wh and is equipped with a 100W gallium nitride charger. It weighs 789g (27.83 oz). 

ROG

ROG Ally

ROG Ally runs Windows 11, supporting a wide range of games and applications with better compatibility. The screen is 7 inches with a 16:9 ratio, providing a high resolution of 1920x1080 and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, giving users a more immersive visual experience. It is equipped with an AMD custom processor.

Its unique XG Mobile composite slot combines the USB-C interface and the dedicated slot to provide up to 63Gbps of data transmission bandwidth and supports the connection of an external XG Mobile graphics expansion dock to achieve powerful computing power comparable to that of a desktop PC.

Graphics Dock

AOOSTAR

AOOSTAR AG01 EGPU Dock

AOOSTAR AG01 EGPU Dock is made of aluminum alloy. It has a built-in custom Huntkey 400W power supply.

AOOSTAR AG01 EGPU Dock is equipped with an OCuLink interface, supports PCIe connection, and provides 64Gbps bandwidth. Compared with USB 4 or Thunderbolt 4 interfaces, OCuLink provides users with lower-cost expansion solutions and faster connections. It supports the Lenovo TGX interface hot plug and is suitable for ThinkBook14+/16+ 2024 Core version laptops.

GPD

GPD G1 Graphics Dock

GPD G1 Graphics Dock has a built-in AMD Radeon RX7600M XT graphics card, which supports 6nm process and RDNA3.0 architecture. Its performance is similar to that of the RTX 4060 mobile version.

The GPD G1 Graphics Dock is equipped with multiple interfaces, including USB-A, RJ45, DP, HDMI, OCuLink PCIe 4.0x4, and USB-C USB4, as well as a built-in M.2 solid-state drive slot. It supports up to 330W power input and 65W PD fast charging.

GZOSMETA

GZOSMETA EG01C Graphics Dock

GZOSMETA EG01C Graphics Dock uses Great Wall CRPS550/800w platinum power supply.

GZOSMETA EG01C Graphics Dock has a new OCuLink interface that does not easily fall off and is durable. It is suitable for many products.

Lenovo

Lenovo ThinkBook TGX Graphics Dock

The Lenovo ThinkBook TGX Graphics Dock is made of aluminum. It won the German Reddot Design Award.

The Lenovo ThinkBook TGX Graphics Dock's TGX interface has a maximum data transfer rate of approximately 64Gbps, which is approximately twice the data transfer bandwidth of Thunderbolt 4 and three times the data transfer bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3. 

One XPlayer

ONEXGPU Graphics Dock

ONEXGPU Graphics Dock is a multi-functional expansion dock with a built-in graphics card. It has two USB-A 3.2 data interfaces, an RJ45 Gigabit wired network interface, two DP video interfaces, two HDMI interfaces, an OCuLink PCIe 4.0x4 graphics card direct connection interface, a USB-C USB4 40Gbps full-function interface, and a DC 330W power input interface. It has a built-in M.2 hard drive slot to expand the storage capacity of the device.

ONEXGPU Graphics Dock has a built-in AMD Radeon RX7600M XT graphics card and can be connected to the device via the USB4 interface or OCuLink interface. This GPU uses a 6nm process RDNA3.0 architecture, and its TimeSpy score can reach 10542, which is very close to the score of the RTX 4060 mobile version.

Chip

Parade Technologies

Parade PS8570

A unidirectional 4-channel linear redriver that supports PCI Express Gen4 with data rates up to 16.0GTps. The 2×2 crossbar switch supports multiplexing, demultiplexing, or cross-operation. Ideal for applications incorporating high lane count PCIe bus widths, such as workstations and enterprise data center systems including storage and servers. It also has very low power consumption, resulting in lower overall system power consumption and reduced heat dissipation for mobile applications.

Additionally, it increases reliability of data transmission by eliminating signal distortion that occurs in physical transmission interfaces such as PCIe interconnect cables, PCB traces, and connectors, allowing longer PCIe interconnect cables and PCB traces, and Enables system scalability. In a typical application, PS8570s are used in pairs, with one PS8570 used for the downstream PCIe channel and the other PS8570 used for the upstream PCIe channel.

Summary of ChargerLAB

Laptops that support OCuLink mainly come from brands such as Lenovo, ROG, and THUNDEROBOT. Mini PCs that support OCuLink are products from AOOSTAR, MINISFORUM, and METAPHYUNI. The five graphics dock products are from AOOSTAR, GPD, GZOSMETA, Lenovo, and One XPlayer. Through the OCuLink interface, thin and light laptops, mini PCs, gaming consoles, and graphics docks can be connected to powerful graphics cards to obtain better creation, gaming, AI, and other capabilities and improve productivity.

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