ASUS has introduced the ROG XG Station 3, its latest external GPU dock designed to bring desktop graphics performance to compatible laptops through a Thunderbolt 5 connection.
The new dock supports modern graphics cards from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel, including the GeForce RTX 50 series and Radeon RX 9000 series.
It also supports ASUS BTF graphics cards, allowing compatible GPUs to receive power without a traditional external 16 pin connector.
Originally showcased at Computex 2025, the XG Station 3 is the first XG Station dock to feature Thunderbolt 5.
The product continues the XG Station series, which began in 2007, with improvements in connectivity, power delivery and graphics card compatibility.
Thunderbolt 5 Provides Up to 80 Gbps Bandwidth
The ROG XG Station 3 uses Thunderbolt 5 to connect a desktop graphics card to a compatible laptop.
The interface supports up to 80 Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth, with a bandwidth boost mode offering up to 120 Gbps for demanding video workloads.
However, the full bandwidth is not dedicated exclusively to graphics processing, meaning performance will still depend on the connected hardware and workload.
The dock includes two Thunderbolt 5 ports, with separate connections for the host laptop and additional devices.
Its upstream port also supports up to 140W USB Power Delivery, allowing compatible laptops to charge while connected.
The downstream port supports external displays, including configurations with up to three 4K monitors through daisy chaining.
Two additional USB Type C ports provide transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps for accessories and peripherals.
ASUS Adds BTF Compatibility for Modern Graphics Cards
One of the dock's notable features is support for ASUS BTF graphics cards through a dedicated GC-HPWR connection.
This enables compatible cards to receive power without requiring a separate external 16 pin GPU power cable.
The XG Station 3 also supports conventional graphics cards, including NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 and Intel Arc models.
However, buyers must provide their own SFX or SFX-L power supply because ASUS does not include one with the enclosure.
This requirement adds another component to the overall purchase cost.
ASUS has not disclosed pricing or regional availability details in the announcement.
For laptop owners seeking stronger graphics performance without replacing their computers, the XG Station 3 provides another external GPU option, although actual performance will depend on the installed card and Thunderbolt connection.
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