DIY XG Dock: Open-Source Project Unlocks ROG Potential
For users of the ROG Flow X tablet and ROG Ally handheld devices, the XG graphics dock is an excellent accessory. Due to its proprietary interface, its transfer speeds are significantly faster than typical Thunderbolt 3/4-based graphics docks, with higher performance ceilings. The only issue, however, is the limited selection of GPU models, typically only offering flagship options.
According to Liliputing, this situation may change. Recently, on Reddit, a hardware enthusiast named osy86 announced the successful development of an open-source XG graphics dock. Given that the original dock’s interface is proprietary, osy86 spent several months reverse-engineering both the software and hardware. For specifications, osy86 designed the PCB of this open-source graphics dock to be compatible with the ASUS XG Station Pro (an older Thunderbolt 3 graphics dock) to utilize its existing chassis and power supply. Of course, users can also create their enclosures using 3D printing or other methods.
This open-source dock can achieve PCIe 3.0 x8 speeds on the ROG Flow 2022/2023 models and PCIe 3.0 x4 speeds on the ROG Ally. It uses an STM32F030C8T6 MCU for connection detection and LED control, a TI USB PD controller for 100W PD charging, and a USB 3.1 Gen 2 hub to provide two USB-C ports.
On the ROG Ally, this graphics dock enabled osy86’s RTX 3060 Ti to achieve a Time Spy score of 11,356, which is quite close to its performance when installed on a desktop.
Osy86 stated that he would not be selling this dock’s hardware due to the complications of handling shipping and customer service. Instead, he suggested that individuals could assemble it themselves using PCBs printed by JLCPCB or organize group buys, which might be more cost-effective. He also mentioned that he is still testing the fourth version of the dock, acknowledging potential issues that need resolution, so there is no rush for users to make purchases.
