Special To FutureMusic
Razer has announced the Razer Core X, a Thunderbolt 3 external graphics enclosure for gaming-grade performance at a new value price. The Razer Core series of external graphics enclosures including the Core V2 and Core X are now compatible with Mac laptops with Thunderbolt 3. Now this is quite a big deal for MacBook T3 owners, especially if they like to get a little Fortnite in during long sessions in the studio. MacBooks are abysmal for gaming, and often struggle with other heavy graphics duties such as editing complex scenes in Premiere. By off-loading graphics duties to an external card, it could be a big boost for them when potential buyers are considering one of their laptops. But here’s the kicker…
We’ve been testing the Razer Core V2 and Stealth laptop for audio production duties and during our evaluations we’ve discovered that not all applications support graphics off-loading. We’re still awaiting a response from Razer on what exactly determines compatibility, but we can tell you without a doubt that neither Ableton Live or FL Studio employs the V2 at all when connected.
The idea behind the new Core X and the Core V2 external graphics enclosures is the ability to implement a higher-performing graphics card by utilizing the Thunderbolt 3 connection (USB-C). Users can also future-proof their laptops or unlock VR-Ready experiences by boosting the performance beyond the current laptop’s limits. In addition, as new video cards become available, you merely have to swap out the older model to get the upgraded performance boost.
Designed with a standard Thunderbolt 3 connection, the Core X is versatile and compatible with not only Razer Blade laptops but also systems running Windows and macOS- specifically Windows 10 Redstone 1 or later and macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 or later with compatible AMD Radeon cards (plug ‘n’ play). Razer compatible laptops include the Razer Blade Stealth, Razer Blade, and Razer Blade Pro (GTX 1060 version). Additional Windows 10 laptops require a Thunderbolt 3 port with external graphics (eGFX) support and some typical jumping through hoops to get it to work.
Crafted from the ground up, the Razer Core X features an expanded internal design with a wider aluminum shell to accommodate up to three-slot wide desktop graphics cards. The Core X supports the latest desktop PCIe graphics cards such as NVIDIA GeForce, NVIDIA Quadro, and AMD XConnect enabled Radeon and Radeon Pro cards. Harnessing the power of these high-performance graphics cards, the Core X accelerates creative workflow and creates a compact work- or battlestation. The Razer Core X embraces plug-and-play capabilities with the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) connection to the laptop. This eliminates the need for lengthy reboots every time the external graphics enclosure is connected. The convenient Thunderbolt 3 connection also yields fast speeds at up to 40Gbps.
The Razer Core X houses a massive 650W ATX power supply to provide adequate power for the latest and future graphics cards. A single Thunderbolt 3 connection to the laptop now provides 100W of power for laptop charging. The aluminum enclosure is designed with open vents and additional desktop cooling to quickly dispense heat and provide optimal thermal performance for lengthy sessions.
Physical installation of a desktop graphics card takes seconds with the Razer Core X. Its durable aluminum housing slides open with minimal effort and the graphics card is secured in place with a thumb screw for a tool less setup.
The Razer Core X is now available for $299 / €299 in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, and shipping soon to the Nordics, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan.
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