eGPU vs. new workstation

[Moe]

Hi, I couldn't find a thread with this specific question so I decided to start a new one. Please point me in the right direction if that is not correct.

I would like to know whether my laptop and use case is suitable to be boosted by an eGPU enclosure or not. I currently have an XPS 9750 with an i7-8750H, 16GB Ram and a GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q. I rarely use the built-in screen. And yes there is a Thunderbolt jack. I need to do more rendering in the future which uses GPU (Keyshot) but I also could use a bit more single-core performance for Rhino 7 since it can only utilize one core for geometry calculations.

The question is: What would do a better job, a new workstation for 4k or an eGPU (maybe with an extra CPU) + my current laptop for less?

Cheers, Moritz

 

[Jerry James]

The question is: What would do a better job, a new workstation for 4k or an eGPU (maybe with an extra CPU) + my current laptop for less?

If it's professional work for clients, I'd go workstation tbh. That i7 CPU is aging now and even an eGPU won't be enough to bolster it for much longer. The whole external GPU paraphernalia might turn out to be a bad investment in a year or so, but a workstation you build now will remain solid for several years without issue and will also outperform an eGPU setup right away.

 

[Moe]

Alright, thanks. Just got a ram issue with my laptop so I guess it's time for a new one.
Cheers