Sonnet eGFX Breakaway, eGFX Breakaway Box 550 User Manual

User’s Guide

For
Windows

for eGFX Breakaway™ Box and eGFX Breakaway Box 550

™

Thunderbolt

3 to eGPU PCIe Card Expansion Systems

Important GPU Card Compatibility and Installation
Information

For users installing a GPU card: Due to the quickly-evolving
status of external GPU (eGPU) support and compatibility, you

must visit the Sonnet web site for the latest information, and
download additional instructions not included in this guide.

Please visit the eGFX Breakaway Box support page at www.
sonnettech.com/support/kb/kb.php?cat= 524, click the Manual
tab, and then locate and download the OS-specific instructions.

For additonal information on supported cards and eGPU support,
visit sonnettech.com/product/egfx-breakaway-box.html.

Contents

1 Introduction and Compatibility Information 1

Introduction

Mac Compatibility (Non-GPU Cards)

Windows Compatibility (Non-GPU Cards)

GPU Card Compatibility

2 eGFX Breakaway Box Description 2

Exterior

Inner Assembly

Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) Cable

3 Card Installation Steps and Setup Completion Information 4

Install PCIe Card

eGPU Setup Completion Information

4 General Information and Known Issues 7

5 Precautions, FCC Compliance, and Support Information 8

Safety Precautions
FCC Compliance
Contacting Customer Service
Visit Our Website

Chapter 1 – Introduction and Compatibility Information

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Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase! The eGFX Breakaway Box
is a Thunderbolt 3 to PCI Express card expansion system for
desktop GPU or other PCIe cards. This user’s guide applies to the
eGFX Breakaway Box (part number GPU-350W-TB3Z) and eGFX
Breakaway Box 550 (part number GPU-550W-TB3), and covers
card installation steps.

Mac® Compatibility (Non-GPU Cards)

• Macs with Thunderbolt 3 ports

• Macs with Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 ports and Apple
Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

®

• macOS

10.12.6+

Windows® Compatibility (Non-GPU Cards)

• PCs with a Thunderbolt 3 port

• 64-bit editions of Windows 10, Version 1703 OS Build 15063
(Creator’s Update) or newer

GPU Card Compatibility

Visit the eGFX Breakaway Box product page on the Sonnet web
site at sonnettech.com/product/egfx-breakaway-box.html?tab =1
for a list of card families supported. For a table of graphics
cards’ power requirements, visit sonnettech.com/product/egfx­breakaway-box.html?tab =2. For OS-specific card compatibility
information, visit the at eGFX Breakaway Box support page
at www.sonnettech.com/support/kb/kb.php?cat= 524, click
the Manual tab, and then locate the OS-specific installation
instructions.

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Support Note: This document was up to date at the

time of printing. However, changes to the hardware or
software may have occurred since then. Please check the Sonnet
website for the latest documentation.

1. Go to www.sonnettech.com/support/kb/kb.php

2. Click the Thunderbolt Product link.

3. Click the eGFX Breakaway Box link, and then click the

Documentation link.

4. Click the eGFX Breakaway Box User’s Guide [English] link

and then check the Document Version information. If the
version listed on the last page of this manual is later than this
document (revision B), click the Download Now button for
the latest version.

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