Peladn Unveils Link S-3, Its First Thunderbolt 5 eGPU Dock

Chinese company Peladn is preparing the Link S-3 as its first external GPU dock to feature Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, following its previous Link S-1 and Link S-2 models that used Thunderbolt 4 and OCuLink, respectively. This low-profile dock enables desktop graphics card connectivity for systems lacking dedicated GPUs. The device features dual Thunderbolt 5 ports with up to 80 Gbps bidirectional speeds; however, practical performance is limited to 64 Gbps due to constraints of its PCIe 4.0 x4 slot for the graphics card. The dock supports external ATX or SFX power supplies and 140 W Power Delivery through its Thunderbolt 5 connection. Its open-air design exposes the connected graphics card to ambient air for cooling, eliminating the need for built-in fans.

Peladn Link S-3 includes 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet connection via Realtek’s RTL8156B controller, an M.2 2280 slot for PCIe 3.0 x1 SSDs, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port at 10 Gbps, and an SD card reader. While Thunderbolt 5 offers higher theoretical bandwidth than OCuLink’s 64 Gbps, the practical advantage is minimal due to PCIe constraints. OCuLink connections may still provide lower latency in some scenarios, though the Link S-3’s Thunderbolt 5 implementation enables additional connectivity features that OCuLink docks typically lack. The Peladn Link S-3 is available for pre-order in China at CNY 1,599 (approximately $223), with shipping starting on July 26. Global availability has not been announced.