List of eGPUs for Pop! Linux

Hi Chinguun

Pop!_OS, developed by System76, is one of the most Linux-friendly distributions when it comes to external GPU (eGPU) support — especially because of its hybrid graphics mode and excellent NVIDIA/AMD driver integration.

Here’s a breakdown of **eGPUs that work well on Pop!_OS**, plus tips on what to look for:

✅ eGPU Enclosure Compatibility
Most Thunderbolt 3/4 eGPU enclosures will work, **provided the kernel and drivers support your GPU**. Pop!_OS usually includes modern kernel versions and updated Mesa/NVIDIA drivers, which helps a lot.

Popular enclosures known to work well:
- **Razer Core X / X Chroma**
- **Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box (350, 550, 750)**
- **Akitio Node / Node Pro**
- **Mantiz Venus MZ-02**
- **OWC Mercury Helios FX**

These are well-documented in the Linux community for good compatibility.

✅ GPU Compatibility (Inside the Enclosure)
Pop!_OS supports both **AMD** and **NVIDIA** GPUs, but some setups are smoother than others.

NVIDIA GPUs:
- Need proprietary drivers, which Pop!_OS handles quite well (you can even choose the NVIDIA version of the OS).
- GTX 10xx, RTX 20xx, 30xx, and even 40xx series are supported.
- Good for CUDA workloads, gaming, and AI/ML work.
- **Downside**: Hot-plugging is tricky; often requires log-out/restart.

AMD GPUs:
- Supported via open-source Mesa drivers (AMDGPU).
- Radeon RX 5000, 6000, and 7000 series work well.
- Excellent for Wayland, OpenCL, and gaming.
- **Upside**: Better hot-plug and display offloading support under Wayland.

🛠️ Tips for Smooth eGPU Experience:
1. **Enable Thunderbolt in BIOS** (set to “No Security” or allow pre-boot access).
2. Use **`egpu-switcher`** or **`set-eGPU`** to help set primary rendering GPU.
3. Use **Gnome Tweaks** or `xrandr`/`DRI_PRIME` to run specific apps on the eGPU.
4. On laptops, you can use **Hybrid Graphics Mode** in Pop!_OS for flexibility.

🔍 Resources & Tools:
- GitHub: [`egpu-switcher`](https://github.com/morpheusthewhite/egpu-switcher)
- Reddit: r/eGPU and r/pop_os for user setups
- Thunderbolt support tracker: [https://egpu.io](https://egpu.io)

If you want, I can help pick a setup that matches your exact hardware or goals — like gaming, ML, rendering, etc. What laptop/desktop and GPU are you thinking of pairing it with?

Paul