[SOLVED] Is it worth the trouble pairing a discrete GPU with an all-in-one?

[NeroRomanus]

I have an aging iMac with an incredibly low-performing GT 640M, containing a whopping amount of 512MB of GDDR3 memory.

The processor is quite decent, an i5-3330S at around 3.0 - 3.1GHz base speed. Although the enclosures are quite expensive at around $300 USD, the cheapest option that I could find in the United States.

I'd like some advice or more interestingly, advice from someone who has used an eGPU.

 

[rgd1101]

imac using an egpu?

 

[NeroRomanus]

imac using an egpu?

Unfortunately, yes. The 640M is a terrible graphics card and can't hold up in games the way I want it, 30 FPS is a dream in my case.

 

[DSzymborski]

Unfortunately, yes. The 640M is a terrible graphics card and can't hold up in games the way I want it, 30 FPS is a dream in my case.

Honestly, paying $300 for the enclosure puts you $300 farther from something that's good. You could literally get a Ryzen 3100, a motherboard, and 16 GB of DDR4-3200 or so for like $350.

All-in-ones are basically disposable desktops.

 

[RTX 2080]

Honestly, paying $300 for the enclosure puts you $300 farther from something that's good. You could literally get a Ryzen 3100, a motherboard, and 16 GB of DDR4-3200 or so for like $350.

All-in-ones are basically disposable desktops.

I second this; eGPUs are finicky and never work as well as you think they should (talking from experience) and you'd simply be much better off with a completely different machine entirely. It doesn't sound like there is any very good hardware worth building around and investing in for the iMAC, so your best bet would be to take the $ you were planning to spend on an eGPU and invest it in something more purpose-built for games.