OWC

Name: OWC Mercury Helios FX 650 Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure
Brand: OWC
SKU: OWCHELIOSFX650
Price: 358.75 USD
Availability: OutOfStock
Rating: 5.00 (2 reviews)

Mercury Helios FX 650
Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure

Thunderbolt 3 / Mac / Windows

Your Mac or Windows PC Will Never Be the Same Again

Transform MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, iMac, or any Thunderbolt 3 equipped PC into a high-end graphics processing workstation. The OWC Mercury Helios FX 650 eGPU comes ready to have the GPU of your choice installed. With support built into the latest macOS and Windows 10, adding this processing power is as simple as plugging the Mercury Helios FX 650 into your computer's Thunderbolt 3 port.

Work Faster. Play Faster.

Modern software and operating systems utilize the massive power housed in the GPU to enhance the performance that spans nearly everything you do. And nowhere is GPU realized more than with graphics intensive programs, video editing suites and VR/AR software. With the graphics processing possibilities of the Mercury Helios FX 650 combined with your choice of GPU, you can experience shorter rendering times and faster effects operations with Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Avid, Adobe, and other video suites.

All that extra speed empowers you to iterate and experiment more. Allowing you to push that latest edit to the next level, or journey on a different path to see where it takes your creative vision.

When you need to take a break from work, the same horsepower delivers incredible gaming graphics and higher FPS at higher resolutions. With full support for Apple Metal as well as OpenGL/CL, there's no limit to what you can accomplish and experience.

Look Elsewhere for Planned Obsolescence

Unlike other eGPUs, the Helios FX 650 is upgradeable. When the time comes for a better GPU, we made upgrading super simple so you can reuse your investment for years to come. That's better for you, and produces much less e-waste. The high power capabilities will let you run the demanding GPUs of today and tomorrow. The chassis is made of recyclable materials as well, which makes the Helios FX 650 the smart upgradeable and recyclable choice.

Highlights

Enhance VR, AR, 3D and video workflows
Elevate gaming performance
Works with any Thunderbolt 3 laptop and desktop
Ready to go, plug in solution
Upgradeable eGPU chassis
Recyclable chassis
Mac and Windows compatible
100W notebook power and charging
Add HDMI, DisplayPort and DVI connectivity
Thunderbolt 3 cable included
3 Year OWC Limited Warranty

Designed for Excellence

Keeping this much graphics processing power cool and quiet is a tall order, but Mercury Helios FX 650 delivers. With a large variable speed, temperature-controlled fan, the Mercury Helios FX 650 plays nicely even in the most noise-sensitive environments. Minimal noise is only part of the equation. Reducing the number of cables going into your computer combines to create a clean and distraction free workspace. The Mercury Helios FX 650 provides up to 100W of power to a connected notebook computer, freeing up a Thunderbolt 3 port and letting you keep your power adapter in your bag for life on the move.

Turbo Boost Even the Latest Models

The latest computer models, even those with discrete GPUs, can experience a performance boost with the Mercury Helios FX 650. With more dedicated memory, more processing cores, and higher clock speeds, this external GPU can take your computer further.

GPU Compatibility

See OWC Mercury Helios FX GPU Compatibility Guide for detailed compatibility information.

SPECS
GALLERY
COMPATIBILITY
INCLUDES
RATINGS

Product Specifications:

Certifications

Mac OS Compatibility

macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later

PC OS Compatibility

Windows 10
Windows Server 2016

Other Requirements

Mac: requires macOS 10.13.4 or later
PC: requires Windows 10 64-bit v1709 or later

PCIe Cards Supported

Any driverless PCIe card or PCIe card with a Thunderbolt-aware driver

Housing Color

Black

Housing Material

Aluminum

External Connectivity

(1) Thunderbolt 3 port

Expansion Slots

(1) PCIe 3.0 (x4)

Chipset

Thunderbolt 3: Intel Alpine Ridge

Power

Internal Power Supply
10A, 50-60Hz, 100-240V
Supplies 650 W

RoHS Compliant

Ambient Temperature

Operating: 32°F to 95°F (0°C to 35°C)

Cable Length

0.50 m (1.64 ft.)

Dimensions

Height: 20.0 cm (7.9 in)
Length: 34.0 cm (13.4 in)
Width: 18.5 cm (7.3 in)

Weight

3200.0 g (7.05 lbs)

Notes

Not Compatible with Boot Camp.
2018 Mac mini: As of 10-18-19, not recommended with 10.15 Catalina (Click For Details).
2018 Mac mini owners can avoid potential problems by making sure the external display is connected directly to the mini when booting, then, after the macOS Desktop has loaded switch the display cable to the eGPU.
For easy setup OWC recommends cards that are 28 cm in length or less. Longer cards may require extra steps to remove the power supply, or may not fit at all depending on shroud design.

Manufacturer provided specifications for Other World Computing p/n HELIOSFX650 UPC#: 810586031127

Gallery

This product is compatible with... Learn how to find your Mac's model ID

Mac mini (Late 2018)

(November, 2018)

Model ID: Macmini8,1

3.6GHz i3, 3.0GHz i5, 3.2GHz i7

Detailed specs

Install Videos

As of 10-18-19, not recommended with 10.15 Catalina.
(click for more details)

iMac Pro
(27-inch Late 2017)

(December 2017)

Model ID: iMacPro1,1

3.2GHz 8-core, 3.0GHz 10-core, 2.3GHz 14-core, 2.5GHz 18-core

Detailed specs

Install Videos

iMac w/Retina 5K display
(27-inch Mid 2020)

(August 2020)

Model ID: iMac20,1; iMac20,2

3.1GHz i5, 3.3GHz i5, 3.8GHz i7, 3.6GHz i9

Detailed specs coming soon

Install Videos

iMac w/Retina 5K display
(27-inch Early 2019)

(March 2019)

Model ID: iMac19,1

3.0GHz i5, 3.1GHz i5, 3.7GHz i5, 3.6GHz i9

Detailed specs

Install Videos

iMac w/Retina 4K display
(21.5-inch Early 2019)

(March 2019)

Model ID:iMac19,2

3.6GHz i3, 3.0GHz i5, 3.2GHz i7

Detailed specs

Install Videos

iMac w/Retina 5K display
(27-inch Mid 2017)

(June 2017)

Model ID:iMac18,3

3.4GHz i5, 3.5GHz i5, 3.8GHz i5, 4.2GHz i7

Detailed specs

Install Videos

iMac w/Retina 4K display
(21.5-inch Mid 2017)

(June 2017)

Model ID:iMac18,2

3.0GHz i5, 3.4GHz i5, 3.6GHz i7

Detailed specs

Install Videos

iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2017)

(June 2017)

Model ID:iMac18,1

2.3GHz i5

Detailed specs

Install Videos

MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2020)

(May, 2020)

Model ID: MacBookPro16,3

1.4GHz i5, 1.7GHz i7

Detailed specs coming soon

Install Videos coming soon

MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2020)

(May, 2020)

Model ID: MacBookPro16,2

2.0GHz i5, 2.3GHz i7

Detailed specs coming soon

Install Videos coming soon

MacBook Pro (16-inch Touch Mid 2019)

(November, 2019)

Model ID: MacBookPro16,1 or MacBookPro16,4

2.6GHz i7, 2.3GHz i9, 2.4GHz i9

Detailed specs

Install Videos coming soon

MacBook Pro (15-inch Touch Mid 2019)

(May, 2019)

Model ID: MacBookPro15,1; MacBookPro15,3

2.6GHz i7, 2.3GHz i9, 2.4GHz i9

Detailed specs

Install Videos coming soon

MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2019)

(July, 2019)

Model ID: MacBookPro15,4

1.4GHz i5, 1.7GHz i7

Detailed specs

Install Videos coming soon

MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2019)

(May, 2019)

Model ID: MacBookPro15,2

2.4GHz i5, 2.8GHz i7

Detailed specs

Install Videos coming soon

MacBook Pro (15-inch Touch Mid 2018)

(July, 2018)

Model ID: MacBookPro15,1

2.2GHz i7, 2.6GHz i7, 2.9GHz i9

Detailed specs

Install Videos coming soon

MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2018)

(July, 2018)

Model ID: MacBookPro15,2

2.3GHz i5, 2.7GHz i7

Detailed specs

Install Videos coming soon

MacBook Pro (15-inch Touch Mid 2017)

(June, 2017)

Model ID: MacBookPro14,3

2.8GHz i7, 2.9GHz i7, 3.1GHz i7

Detailed specs

MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Mid 2017)

(June, 2017)

Model ID: MacBookPro14,2

3.1GHz i5, 3.3GHz i5, 3.5GHz i7

Detailed specs

MacBook Pro (13-inch Retina display Mid 2017)

(June, 2017)

Model ID: MacBookPro14,1

2.3GHz i5, 2.5GHz i7

Detailed specs

MacBook Pro (15-inch Touch Late 2016)

(October, 2016)

Model ID: MacBookPro13,3

2.6GHz, 2.7GHz, 2.9GHz

Detailed specs

MacBook Pro (13-inch Touch Late 2016)

(October, 2016)

Model ID: MacBookPro13,2

2.9GHz, 3.1GHz, 3.3GHz

Detailed specs

MacBook Pro (13-inch Retina display Late 2016)

(October, 2016)

Model ID: MacBookPro13,1

2.0GHz, 2.4GHz

Detailed specs

MacBook Air (13-inch Early 2020)

(March 2020)

Model ID: MacBookAir9,1

1.1GHz i3, 1.1GHz i5, 1.2GHz i7

Detailed specs

MacBook Air (13-inch Mid 2019)

(July 2019)

Model ID: MacBookAir8,2

1.6GHz i5

Detailed specs

MacBook Air (13-inch Late 2018)

(November 2018)

Model ID: MacBookAir8.1

1.6GHz i5

Detailed specs

Mac Pro Rack (Early 2020)

(January 2020)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

3.5GHz 8-Core

Detailed specs

Install videos coming soon

Mac Pro Rack (Early 2020)

(January 2020)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

3.3GHz 12-Core

Detailed specs

Install videos coming soon

Mac Pro Rack (Early 2020)

(January 2020)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

3.2GHz 16-Core

Detailed specs

Install videos coming soon

Mac Pro Rack (Early 2020)

(January 2020)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

2.7GHz 24-Core

Detailed specs

Install videos coming soon

Mac Pro Rack (Early 2020)

(January 2020)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

2.5GHz 28-Core

Detailed specs

Install videos coming soon

Mac Pro (Late 2019)

(December 2019)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

3.5GHz 8-Core

Detailed specs

Install Videos

Mac Pro (Late 2019)

(December 2019)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

3.3GHz 12-Core

Detailed specs

Install Videos

Mac Pro (Late 2019)

(December 2019)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

3.2GHz 16-Core

Detailed specs

Install Videos

Mac Pro (Late 2019)

(December 2019)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

2.7GHz 24-Core

Detailed specs

Install Videos

Mac Pro (Late 2019)

(December 2019)

Model ID: MacPro7,1

2.5GHz 28-Core

Detailed specs

Install Videos

PC Compatible

Compatible with Intel / AMD based desktop/laptop PCs with built-in Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Includes

Mercury Helios FX 650 Expansion Chassis
(1) Thunderbolt 3 cable (40Gbps)
(2) 6+2 pin internal power cables for GPUs requiring 6 or 8-pin power
(1) Power cable
Quick start guide
Mac Host Guide (download only)
Windows Host Guide (download only)
GPU Compatibility (download only)

Customer Ratings

Write a Review 5 / 5

Verified Buyer

Reviewer: EliDeuce Location: Auburn, AL Age: 45-54 Experience Level: Power User Owned Product: less than a month

Rating: 5/5 PnP Upgrade for iMac 18,1 Mojave July 1, 2019 Installed provided AMD RX 580 GPU in chassis, plugged in the power cord, connected the Thunderbolt 3 cable, powered up the eGPU, and powered up the iMac. Apps recognized the eGPU - no need to install any drivers. Fan only runs when necessary. Unit does get pretty warm under continuous use. Apps run ~10x faster on eGPU than on internal Intel GPU. Be aware that the included Thunderbolt 3 cable is only ~1 foot long. So, a longer cable is needed if you want to hide the unit under the desk.

I would recommend this item to a friend! This review is from OWC Helios FX with AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB Thunderbolt 3 eGPU solution.

Verified Buyer

Reviewer: Kier Location: Puyallup, WA Age: 45-54 Experience Level: Power User Owned Product: 3-4 months

Rating: 5/5 HOLY COW! June 18, 2019 Ok, so to start off it is HUGE. It's a fair bit bigger than I thought it would be, BUT I love it. I decided to ditch my 2009 Mac Pro and go to a 2018 MBP, but needed a boost for graphics when working at home and this fit the bill perfectly. When ever possible I buy from OWC, you know the products will work and you know they stand behind everything they sell. This was no exception and it really helped out with graphics (working and gaming).

I would recommend this item to a friend! This review is from OWC Helios FX with AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB Thunderbolt 3 eGPU solution.

Verified Buyer

Reviewer: albetonpete Location: Sacramento, CA Age: 18-24 Experience Level: Power User Owned Product: less than a month

Rating: 5/5 Quiet, good ventilation, user friendly December 4, 2018 Perfect for my needs, I'm using a 2018 Mac Mini with the provided graphics card in this bundle, a Radeon™ RX 580 Gaming 8G. After setting up the GPU in the enclosure and plugging into an external monitor, it was good to go! Only thing that was a downside was that the GPU's software is intended only for Windows and Linux OS and there was no actual way of finding that out until purchasing the bundle, nonetheless it is not necessary to work with the enclosure. I am very satisfied with my purchase, it's hard to beat OWC's three year warranty!

I would recommend this item to a friend! This review is from OWC Helios FX with AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB Thunderbolt 3 eGPU solution.

Reviewer: Cogset Location: Portland, Maine Age: 55-65 Experience Level: Power User Owned Product: 1-3 months

Rating: 5/5 Simple install, super quiet, works great September 29, 2018 I bought the Helios "kit" with Radeon RX 580. I'm not a gamer, but wanted more performance when batch processing photographs using my Macbook Pro 13" 2018. I tested the performance of a few machines doing image exports (using PhaseOne CaptureOne pro software) with hardware accleration turned on and off. (See image).

The 13" Macbook more than tripled export performance (from 22 to 76 images per minute) when the eGPU was used (second and third rows in the chart). The nice thing is the ability to swap out the RX 580 for a better card in the future.

Also, it's very quiet, surprisingly so. At one point in the test I got a lot of fan noise but it was from the Macbook itself rather than the eGPU.

This review is from OWC Mercury Helios FX Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure.

Verified Buyer

Reviewer: ReneBonvanie Location: Foster City, CA Age: 55-65 Experience Level: IT Professional Owned Product: 1-3 months

Rating: 5/5 Ready, set, go. April 18, 2018 To support the demanding graphics apps on my MacBook Pro 15, I needed a way to add a high-end graphics capability to it that was super easy to do. I had considered a few options but always favor it when OWC offers it. The card I picked was the Radeon Vega Frontier Edition Air with 16GB of memory. The installation took less than 5 minutes and as soon as I connected it to the laptop (obviously running MaxOS 10.13.4), it worked. Super easy, super quiet, and super fast.

I would recommend this item to a friend! This review is from OWC Mercury Helios FX Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure.

OWC Mercury Helios FX 650 Thunderbolt 3 eGPU Enclosure Mfr P/N: HELIOSFX650 OWC SKU: OWCHELIOSFX650 Elevate gaming performance or just add sheer computational power. Upgraded 650W power supply. Compatible with Mac and Windows. Includes Thunderbolt 3 cable. 3 Year OWC Limited Warranty

Reviews (2)

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