In one reported test, the same Radeon RX 9070 averaged about 175 FPS over a DIY USB4 connection in DOOM (2016), versus about 130 FPS over a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure. That is a striking result, but it does not prove USB4 is inherently faster: the setups used different bridge controllers and connection paths, and the test account leaves out important details such as the host computer and display routing.
What did the USB4 vs. Thunderbolt 3 eGPU test find?
A WindowsForum account of MakeUseOf writer Dipan Saha’s September 28, 2026 comparison reports that he moved the same AMD Radeon RX 9070 (non-XT) between two setups: an Acasis Thunderbolt 3 enclosure and a DIY USB4 arrangement. The report gives these results:
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| Game | Thunderbolt 3 setup | USB4 setup | What the figures support |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOOM (2016) | About 130 FPS | Locked at 175 FPS | A large difference in the reported run; no repeat runs or frame-time data are given. |
| The Blood of the Dawnwalker | Mid-50s FPS, with heavy stutter | Mostly mid-50s FPS, occasionally above 60 | Average frame rates appear similar; the claimed advantage is smoother, more stable play. |
These figures come from the secondary account of Saha’s article, not independently verified benchmark measurements. The report says testing used Arch Linux, the Niri compositor, Dank Material Shell, stable Mesa drivers and vulkan-radeon with hardware acceleration. For The Blood of the Dawnwalker, it reports mostly low settings, FSR Balanced and 3400×1440. It does not name the host computer or USB4 controller, say whether the display was connected to the eGPU or host, or provide repeat runs, 1% lows or frame-time graphs.
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Why the comparison does not prove USB4 itself is faster
The GPU was the same, but the rest of the path was not. The Thunderbolt 3 side used an Acasis enclosure with Intel’s JHL7440 (Titan Ridge) controller. The DIY USB4 side used a Minisforum DEG1, an OCuLink cable, an M.2-to-OCuLink adapter and a 40Gbps UGREEN M.2-to-USB-C adapter using ASMedia’s ASM2464PD. Because the bridge hardware and physical connection changed along with the interface, this was not a controlled comparison of USB4 against Thunderbolt 3 alone.
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The reported setup also leaves several variables unresolved: host hardware and controller, firmware, display routing and game-to-game behavior. The test is useful as an example of how different eGPU implementations can perform, but it cannot establish a general USB4-versus-Thunderbolt 3 ranking.
Is USB4 faster than Thunderbolt 3 for an eGPU?
Not as a general rule based on this test. The USB4 configuration won decisively in the reported DOOM run, while the two connections produced similar reported average FPS in The Blood of the Dawnwalker. The latter’s apparent difference was stutter and stability, not a substantially higher average. Saha’s experience is summarized by the secondary report as “playable versus a stuttery, unplayable mess”; that wording is attributed through the report rather than verified against the original article.
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Intel’s specification page identifies JHL7440 as a Thunderbolt 3 controller supporting PCI Express Gen 3: Intel JHL7440 specifications. ASMedia describes ASM2464PD as supporting USB4/Thunderbolt at 20Gbps x2 and PCIe Gen4 x4 downstream: ASMedia ASM2464PD specifications. Those are different bridge implementations and PCIe capabilities, but controller specifications alone do not predict the usable GPU bandwidth or performance of a complete host-enclosure setup.
Why a 40Gbps label does not tell you eGPU performance
A headline connection rate is not the same as usable PCIe traffic to a graphics card. Intel’s comparison page lists a 20Gbps minimum PC-port speed for USB4, while Thunderbolt 4 PC ports have minimum requirements of 40Gbps speed and 32Gbps PCIe data: Intel’s Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 comparison. Those Thunderbolt 4 requirements should not be assumed for every USB4 port, and neither a 40Gbps claim nor a USB-C connector alone proves that a computer supports eGPU use.
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The secondary account says Saha described the Thunderbolt 3 enclosure’s GPU path as roughly 32Gbps, with remaining bandwidth reserved for enclosure USB features, and said the USB4 bridge provided more bandwidth to the GPU. Treat that split as his explanation for that enclosure, not as a universal Intel specification. Actual results depend on the host, port capabilities, controller, enclosure, firmware, adapters and cable, drivers, game, and where the display is connected.
How to choose an eGPU enclosure or connection
Check the complete connection path rather than shopping by the port’s advertised speed alone:
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- Confirm the host’s capabilities. Check that the exact computer port supports the PCIe tunnelling and connection mode required by the enclosure. USB-C describes the connector, not guaranteed eGPU compatibility.
- Identify the bridge controller. Look for the enclosure’s controller model and PCIe generation instead of relying only on a USB4 or Thunderbolt label.
- Verify compatibility and firmware. Check the exact host-and-enclosure combination, including any firmware requirements.
- Compare what the enclosure provides. Consider power delivery, charging passthrough, extra USB ports and daisy-chaining against the setup complexity. The reported DIY USB4 arrangement lacked charging passthrough.
- Demand comparable performance evidence. Useful comparisons use the same host, GPU, drivers, settings and display connection, with repeated runs, frame-time graphs and 1% lows—not just a peak or average FPS figure.
The reported DIY adapter chain is one configuration, not a universal build recipe. An enclosure with the same controller may still behave differently with another host, firmware or display path.
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There is no single cause established by this comparison. The reported result involved a particular Thunderbolt 3 enclosure and a different USB4 bridge-and-adapter chain; it does not isolate a port standard as the cause. Host support, controller implementation, firmware, connection path, driver, game and display routing can all affect the effective result. Without matched hardware and repeated frame-time measurements, a slower run is not enough to diagnose the interface by itself.
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