Upgrade dilemma: eGPU vs new build

[giorgos123]

I recently bought an Acer aspire v17 nitro black edition laptop, with these specs:

CPU: i7 6700HQ @ 2.60GHz

RAM: 2x4 DDR4 @ 2400MHz

GPU: GTX 960M

That suited my gaming needs when I was abroad, producing very stable and acceptable framerates, without having to sacrifice too much image quality. I use this laptop as my main PC at home, having connected it to an external display.

Now that I want an upgrade though, I have a dilemma. Should I build a new Desktop with a GTX 1070, that will cost me around 1000€ or should I get an external GPU box for 640€, since I have a TB3 port on my laptop?

What I am thinking is that if I build a new PC, the laptop will become obsolete at home, where I spent most of my time developing, and will only come in handy when I have to go to somewhere out of my house to get some work done, which frankly doesn't happen very often. So, if I spend 1000 euros for a gaming PC, the 900 euros I paid for the laptop lose their value. On the other hand, gaming with an eGPU has its disadvantages, one of them being that a normal PC with a 1070 would perform around 40-50% better.

So what would be the better choice for me here, eGPU box with a 1070 for 640 or a new budget gaming PC with a 1070?

 

[bjornl]

Build a new desktop. The eGPU is a short term fix with limited performance (compared to a desktop). In my mind this is not really a long term fix but a way to delay building a new PC by spending nearly the same amount on an external.