Upgrades for local AI: graphics cards, external boxes and memory kits
If a computer cannot hold the AI model you want, more memory is one way to change that. This page lists graphics cards, external graphics boxes and memory kits as their makers publish them, with the page we read and the day we read it. We have not tested any of them.
How to read this page
- Memory decides what runs. The model file, the document you give it and the rest of the computer share the memory the AI can use, so a model larger than that memory will run badly or not at all.
- A graphics card has its own memory. To run on the card alone, the whole model has to fit in that memory and the AI software has to work with the card. If it does not fit, part runs from ordinary memory, which is much slower. Check both before you buy.
- An external graphics box holds a graphics card outside the computer. We list the box; the card you put in it supplies the memory.
- A memory kit adds ordinary memory to a computer that has slots for it. Some computers have the memory fixed to the board, so a kit cannot be added. The mini PCs page shows what each maker says about it.
- Where a maker does not publish a figure, the table says not known. We do not fill gaps.
The list
Graphics cards
| Product | Chip | Memory | Memory type | Memory bandwidth the maker states | Connection | Sources | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Spec table is the Founders Edition/reference design; page says specs vary by add-in-card maker. Memory bus 512-bit; no GB/s or data rate stated. Page's 'prepare your system' block says 850W Minimum; spec table says 1000. |
GeForce RTX 5090 | 32 GB | GDDR7 | not known | PCI Express Gen 5 | nvidia.com | 2026-10-30 |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Spec table is the Founders Edition/reference design; page says specs vary by add-in-card maker. Memory bus 256-bit; no GB/s or data rate stated. The page's prepare-your-system block for the RTX 5080 says 850W Minimum, matching the spec table. |
GeForce RTX 5080 | 16 GB | GDDR7 | not known | PCI Express Gen 5 | nvidia.com | 2026-10-30 |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti From the RTX 5070 family page (5070 Ti and 5070 in separate columns). Spec table is the Founders Edition/reference design; page says specs vary by add-in-card maker. Memory bus 256-bit; no GB/s stated. The page's 'prepare your system' block is the RTX 5090 block (850W Minimum) and was not used. |
GeForce RTX 5070 Ti | 16 GB | GDDR7 | not known | PCI Express Gen 5 | nvidia.com | 2026-10-30 |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 From the RTX 5070 family page (second column). Spec table is the Founders Edition/reference design; page says specs vary by add-in-card maker. Memory bus 192-bit; no GB/s stated. The page's 'prepare your system' block is the RTX 5090 block (850W Minimum) and was not used. |
GeForce RTX 5070 | 12 GB | GDDR7 | not known | PCI Express Gen 5 | nvidia.com | 2026-10-30 |
| AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Bandwidth is the page's own figure ('Up to 640 GB/s'); page also lists 256-bit and up to 20 Gbps (256 x 20 / 8 = 640, consistent). Memory size is the page's 'Max Memory Size'. Board Type: Desktop. |
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT | 16 GB | GDDR6 | 640 GB/s | PCIe 5.0 x16 | amd.com | 2026-10-30 |
| AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT (16GB) Page is titled '(16GB)'. Bandwidth is the page's own figure ('Up to 320 GB/s'); page also lists 128-bit and up to 20 Gbps (128 x 20 / 8 = 320, consistent). Board Type: Desktop. |
AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT | 16 GB | GDDR6 | 320 GB/s | PCIe 5.0 x16 | amd.com | 2026-10-30 |
External graphics boxes
| Product | Connection | Sources | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Razer Core X V2 Enclosure only: graphics card and power supply sold separately. Fits PCIe desktop cards up to 4 slots wide. Page's '10-Year Warranty' line is about listed power supplies, not the enclosure. The maker's Tech Specs tab also lists specifications. |
Thunderbolt 5 cable (included) to the host device | razer.com | 2026-10-30 |
| Sonnet Technologies eGPU Breakaway Box 750ex Enclosure only, no card. Part GPU-750WEX-TB3. Slot: one x16 mechanical (x4 electrical, Thunderbolt 3 spec) PCIe 3.0; one full-length, full-height, double-width card. Some early TB3 Windows PCs and Acer Swift TB4 laptops lack eGPU support. Card limits: up to 312 x 160 x 55 mm; no more than two 8-pin connectors, or one 12-pin with a dual 8-pin to 12-pin adapter. |
One Thunderbolt 3 port | sonnettech.com sonnetstore.com |
2026-10-30 |
| Sonnet Technologies Breakaway Box 850 T5 Enclosure only, no card. Part GPU-850T5. Takes triple-wide cards up to 345 x 155 x 70 mm; power connectors: three 8-pin or one 16-pin (12VHPWR). |
Thunderbolt 5 computer port | sonnettech.com sonnetstore.com |
2026-10-30 |
Memory kits
| Product | Memory | Modules in the kit | Memory type | Sources | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crucial 32GB Kit (16GBx2) DDR5-5600 SODIMM Part CT2K16G56C46S5. PC speed PC5-44800 (page help-text: peak data transfer rate, MB/s). Page body says 'Desktop Memory' but its short description says 'Laptop Memory'; module type is SODIMM. |
32 GB | 2 | DDR5-5600 SODIMM | crucial.com | 2026-10-30 |
| Crucial 32GB Kit (16GBx2) DDR4-3200 SODIMM Part CT2K16G4SFRA32A. PC speed PC4-25600 (page help-text: peak data transfer rate, MB/s). Page body mentions 'Crucial Desktop Memory' but its short description says 'Crucial Laptop Memory'; module type is SODIMM. |
32 GB | 2 | DDR4-3200 SODIMM | crucial.com | 2026-10-30 |
| Crucial Pro DDR5-6000 32GB Kit (16GBx2) UDIMM: OC Gaming Memory Black Part CP2K16G60C36U5B. PC speed PC5-48000 (page help-text: peak data transfer rate, MB/s). Page also says Intel Core 13-14th Gen and AMD Ryzen 9000 compatible; for AMD 7000-8000 verify with your manufacturer. The page gives two country lists for the warranty: the product footnote says Austria, Belgium, France and Germany, the Warranty section says Germany and France. The cell uses the shorter list. |
32 GB | 2 | DDR5-6000 UDIMM | crucial.com | 2026-10-30 |
Questions to ask before you buy
Ask for the answers in writing, from the maker's own page where you can.
- Will this work with my exact computer? Ask the maker or the seller for a compatibility statement in writing.
- For a graphics card: how much memory does it have, and does my AI software work with this brand of card?
- For an external box: which connection does it use, and does my computer have that connection and support it?
- For a memory kit: which memory type and speed does my computer take, and does it have free slots?
- How much power does it need, and can my power supply provide it?
- What are the warranty and return terms, in writing?
What this page leaves out
- Nothing on this page was tested by us. The numbers are the makers' published specifications.
- No prices are shown. Prices change often and differ by country, so check the seller.
- A maker page for a graphics card can describe a reference design, and cards sold by shops can differ from it.
- The list holds only the parts we have read so far. A part that is missing is not a bad part.
- A maker can change a product after we read its page. Each row shows the day we read it.