My guess, 1) according to Akitio compatibility footnote, is that the PSU isn’t quite strong enough for a 1080ti, and the firmware prevents connection, 2) that theres simply a Node Pro firmware

(Though I knew this going into my purchase)-The thunderbolt cable included is extremely short, so it needs to be placed right next to the laptop, which leads into my next point-The fan in the unit is fairly loud, though not the worst I've ever heardIn conclusion, even though this thing has some shortcomings - I still highly recommend it.