Difference between the EX Dock and EX Dock Pro

scdang

Recently I learned that Bee-link came out with a pro version of the EX Dock that I purchased back in Oct’24. I have not yet used it, but now that I see a new dock, I’m curious to know if I should go ahead and replace my EX Dock with the newer version.

I’m a little confused about the interfaces between my GTi14 Ultra 9 185H that I bought with the dock, and the EX Dock I have. Last I checked the EX Dock supported a PCIe x8 slot, but it wasn’t clear what version of PCIe it supported. I had believed my GTi14 had a PCIe 4.0 ×8 interface since the EX Dock supported only PCIe 4.0 ×8. I assumed the interface between the dock and mini-PC was largely a pass-thru, but I think I’m mistaken.

So now comes along a pro dock, and I read it has a PCIe 5.0 ×8 interface. Going back to the website, I do see now that there are no “GTi14” minipc, jst a GTi Ultra, which indicates it has a PCIe 5.0 slot. Is an updated version from the GTi14 Ultra 9?

I am very curious to know if I should upgrade. The reason why I had not used the EX dock yet was because I was holding off on buying a 50-series nVidia GPU. Now that I have a 5070 Ti on the way, I’m a bit worried it would not work with the previous EX dock.
There was a video posted a week and a half ago, where a youtuber tried using a 5090 GPU card (by Palit), but couldn’t get windows to boot with it. This worries me, and I’m wondering if there is some intrinsic incompatibility the previous EX dock has with 50-series cards. 50-series nVidia GPU cards are all newly spec’d PCIe 5.0 cards, though they are obviously backwards compatible with PCIe 4.0 interfaces (since most people have yet to upgrade their systems to ones with motherboards utilizing the newer PCIe 5.0 slots), so I’m going to cross my fingers and chalk up his failure as a driver issue with that particular AIB model.

ps. Also, I noticed in the early reviews of the EX dock back in Sep-Oct’24, all the sample docks sent to reviewers would only support maximum of 2-slot rear bracket, but the EX dock I have seems to have the same form-factor as the pro model, which accommodates 3-slot rear bracketed cards). Makes me wonder if the EX dock I have is actually a pro model…

support1

scdang Hi there, Could you please send us a picture of SN on the back of your current dock ?

scdang

support1 Image description

I also have another question about my GT14 Ultra 9 185H.. When I look at the specs on beelink website, it says it has a PCIe 5.0 ×8 interface, however I recall it being only PCIe 4.0 ×8 when I bought it last October. Are these new versions of the same machine with updated specs?

[unknown]
Also, I also have another question about my GT14 Ultra 9 185H.. When I look at the specs on beelink website, it says it has a PCIe 5.0 ×8 interface, however I recall it being only PCIe 4.0 ×8 when I bought it last October. Are these new versions of the same machine with updated specs?

support1

Hi there, the PC is not updated , but the EX docking station upgraded.

scdang

support1

So you are saying my GTi14 Ultra 9 185H has a PCIe 5.0 ×8, as currently specified on your website?

terence

u may have forgotten to reply us about whether the pro version supports our 3-slot rear bracket 50 series graphic card..

support1

terence Yes, it supports 3-slot rear bracket 50 series graphic card

support1

scdang Yes, it is PCEi5.0X8

Hermes=8=

Image description
Hi there,
I bought an EX DOCKING STATION on November of 2024 and then was not any mantion about the “PRO” model and PCIe 5.0 × 8 upgrade only that the new version fits 3 slots cards which was the one I received. At the label of the serial number on my Docking Station I see in the end a “ PRO” but to be sure can you please confirm if my EX Docking Station is the “ PRO” version?

support1

Hermes=8= Hi there， it is not the EX PRO version.

scdang

Hermes=8=

I don’t think we have much to worry about, since the difference in GPU performance between a PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 was observed to be quite nominal (1-5%), despite the double bandwidth on the PCIe4.0… So the likelihood there will be an appreciable difference between the 4.0 and 5.0 is probably next to nil for anything but the highest spec cards, and even then I’m doubtful. The main bottleneck is usually GPU compute power, VRAM, or system memory, not PCIe bandwidth.

Still good on Bee-link to update the dock to current standards and improving signal quality. But given that the pcie slot on the dock is pass-through, it’s the improvements made is likely not going to change anything unless you had problems to begin with.