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[Got the Shakes]

Good to hear the performance is solid. I'm struggling with going 15" or 17", and getting one now or holding out hope for holiday discounts.

Can't speak to any sort of discounts. I hear you on the 15" or 17" dilemma. I knew I'd be lugging mine around a good amount so I wanted the smaller size because it's a bit lighter and a bit more portable. Purely for gaming I could easily justify the 17" because having more screen real estate is never a bad thing.

 

[K.Jack]

It feels too soon for the 1040 though no? Like I haven't heard rumors about it yet. And if it was a big boost you'd think they'd do Surface Book 2 instead of a refresh.

I guess the amazon listings might be mistaken.

I think there's no way Microsoft releases a new Surface Book until both Kaby Lake and the 1040 are available, which should be by the year's end. The Surface Pro only needs Kaby Lake, so that refresh I expect to hear of, any day now.

Videocardz leaked the 1050 Ti,1050, and 1040 specs months ago, and both 1050s checked out as correct just recently. That makes me trust their 1040 specs also.

Compared to the Surface Book's GPU:

1040 = 512:32:16, 128-bit, 1000MHz/1750MHz

940 = 384:24:8, 64-bit, 954MHz/1253MHz

At the same TDP? Monster.

I am looking to buy the MSI GS73vr with the 1060.

Anyone know how loud this laptop is under gaming load, I am worried it will be alot louder then my PS4...

It reaches 48db under load that's literally as low you should expect gaming laptops with decent cooling get. MSI smartly added a third fan in this generation. For comparison, the previous generation GS70 (GTX 970M) peaked at 54.5db.

 

[grumble]

I think there's no way Microsoft releases a new Surface Book until both Kaby Lake and the 1040 are available, which should be by the year's end. The Surface Pro only needs Kaby Lake, so that refresh I expect to hear of, any day now.

Videocardz leaked the 1050 Ti,1050, and 1040 specs months ago, and both 1050s checked out as correct just recently. That makes me trust their 1040 specs also.

Compared to the Surface Book's GPU:

1040 = 512:32:16, 128-bit, 1000MHz/1750MHz

940 = 384:24:8, 64-bit, 954MHz/1253MHz

At the same TDP? Monster.



It reaches 48db under load that's literally as low you should expect gaming laptops with decent cooling get. MSI smartly added a third fan in this generation. For comparison, the previous generation GS70 (GTX 970M) peaked at 54.5db.

Any idea of a 1050ti launch? I'm looking to buy an xps 15 with one soon!

Thanks for all the work on the thread!

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

wow! If a 1040 is that powerful!! What sort of gaming performance would that yield on the next Surface Book I wonder? Let alone Application performance!


Adobe CC is really heavy I feel.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Any idea of a 1050ti launch? I'm looking to buy an xps 15 with one soon!

1050/1050ti are launching this month, however don't expect them in an XPS15 until early next year.

 

[Kilrogg]

My experience with Dell's online store has been infuriating.

When there's a sale on a given model, they tell you when the sale ends, but not that stock is limited.
When you save a model in your online cart with a discounted price and it goes out of stock, they just delete it from your cart without so much as a warning.
Finally, when you visit the store again, lo and behold, the model still exists, except at its non-discounted price. When I asked a salesperson why it was still available but the discount wasn't, they just told me it's because the sale was available for a limited amount of units of that model.

Talk about obscure, misleading and annoying, especially when you can't customize your model and they try so hard to push their crappy 4K display on most higher-end SKUs of the XPS 15. The thing is almost all downsides compared with the 1080p screen at 15", AND it immediately raises the price by €400 or €500! Who the fuck needs 4K and touch at 15"? The scaling is shit anyway. Ugh.

 

[Clipse]

So it's finally time to replace my old desktop since I can't even sync/backup my new phone without the latest version of iTunes.

How does this build look? Paying extra for the Samsung SSD, Intel Wireless, IC Thermal Compound and Rush Build.

MSI GT62VR Dominator Pro-087
- 15.6" FHD eDP IPS (16:9) Matte Type Screen (1920x1080) w/ G-Sync Technology
- 6th Generation Intel® Skylake™ i7-6700HQ (2.6GHz - 3.5GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache) Processor
- NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1070 (8GB) GDDR5 (Pascal) DX12
- 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 2400MHz Dual Channel Memory - Default
- 250GB Samsung 850 EVO M.2 SSD (Read 540MB/s - Write 500MB/s)
- 1TB 7200RPM (SATA III - 6GB/s) - Default
- Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 M.2 AC Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Module
- IC Diamond Thermal Compound - GPU & CPU (XPC Service)
- Microsoft Windows 10 Home - 64-Bit - Default (Pre-installed - No Media)
- Rush Build (Ships in 1-4 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed) (XPC Service)
Total = $1,849.79

 

[Kilrogg]

If I had to choose between these two versions of the XPS 15, which one should I pick?

i7-6300HQ
1080p display
Geforce 960M 2GB
8GB of RAM (replaceable)
1TB SSHD (replaceable)
56Wh battery (apparently non-replaceable, as per Dell's website)

or

i7-6700HQ
1080p display
Geforce 960M 2GB
8GB of RAM (replaceable)
256 GB NVMe SSD (replaceable)
84Wh battery (apparently non-replaceable, as per Dell's website)


I would get either as a bonus from my work. First one is €100 cheaper, and I can and would replace it with a 512GB SSD, like a Samsung 850 EVO, but in that case, the money for the SSD would come from my pocket..
The main thing I'm wondering is if the higher-clocked CPU, the speed gain of the NVMe SSD and bigger battery of the second model are worth it over the bigger, cheaper-to-upgrade regular SSD if I'm gonna be using the laptop mostly for productivity and gaming. Right now, PCIe SSDs are much more expensive than SATA3 SSDs, and 256GB, while it won't be filled quickly, might be too little for me somewhere down the line. Are PCIe SSDs expected to come down in price significantly in the coming months/years?

 

[Awful Falafel]

I would definitely opt for the second one especially since it sounds like you're not paying the €100 premium anyway. All SSDs whether they're PCIe or 2.5" are expected to trend downward in price and temporarily dealing with a smaller SSD sounds like far less of a hassle than immediately having to replace a HDD.

 

[K.Jack]

Any idea of a 1050ti launch? I'm looking to buy an xps 15 with one soon!

Thanks for all the work on the thread!

1050 Ti won't be in the XPS fam. 1050 at most.

wow! If a 1040 is that powerful!! What sort of gaming performance would that yield on the next Surface Book I wonder? Let alone Application performance!


Adobe CC is really heavy I feel.

GTX 960M performance.

My experience with Dell's online store has been infuriating.

When there's a sale on a given model, they tell you when the sale ends, but not that stock is limited.
When you save a model in your online cart with a discounted price and it goes out of stock, they just delete it from your cart without so much as a warning.
Finally, when you visit the store again, lo and behold, the model still exists, except at its non-discounted price. When I asked a salesperson why it was still available but the discount wasn't, they just told me it's because the sale was available for a limited amount of units of that model.

Talk about obscure, misleading and annoying, especially when you can't customize your model and they try so hard to push their crappy 4K display on most higher-end SKUs of the XPS 15. The thing is almost all downsides compared with the 1080p screen at 15", AND it immediately raises the price by €400 or €500! Who the fuck needs 4K and touch at 15"? The scaling is shit anyway. Ugh.

Their entire store is a joke. The Alienware launch has been a train wreck.

So it's finally time to replace my old desktop since I can't even sync/backup my new phone without the latest version of iTunes.

How does this build look? Paying extra for the Samsung SSD, Intel Wireless, IC Thermal Compound and Rush Build.

MSI GT62VR Dominator Pro-087
- 15.6" FHD eDP IPS (16:9) Matte Type Screen (1920x1080) w/ G-Sync Technology
- 6th Generation Intel® Skylake™ i7-6700HQ (2.6GHz - 3.5GHz, 6MB Intel® Smart Cache) Processor
- NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1070 (8GB) GDDR5 (Pascal) DX12
- 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 2400MHz Dual Channel Memory - Default
- 250GB Samsung 850 EVO M.2 SSD (Read 540MB/s - Write 500MB/s)
- 1TB 7200RPM (SATA III - 6GB/s) - Default
- Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 M.2 AC Wireless LAN + Bluetooth Module
- IC Diamond Thermal Compound - GPU & CPU (XPC Service)
- Microsoft Windows 10 Home - 64-Bit - Default (Pre-installed - No Media)
- Rush Build (Ships in 1-4 Business Days After Order Is Successfully Processed) (XPC Service)
Total = $1,849.79

Looks good to me.

If I had to choose between these two versions of the XPS 15, which one should I pick?

i7-6300HQ
1080p display
Geforce 960M 2GB
8GB of RAM (replaceable)
1TB SSHD (replaceable)
56Wh battery (apparently non-replaceable, as per Dell's website)

or

i7-6700HQ
1080p display
Geforce 960M 2GB
8GB of RAM (replaceable)
256 GB NVMe SSD (replaceable)
84Wh battery (apparently non-replaceable, as per Dell's website)


I would get either as a bonus from my work. First one is €100 cheaper, and I can and would replace it with a 512GB SSD, like a Samsung 850 EVO, but in that case, the money for the SSD would come from my pocket..
The main thing I'm wondering is if the higher-clocked CPU, the speed gain of the NVMe SSD and bigger battery of the second model are worth it over the bigger, cheaper-to-upgrade regular SSD if I'm gonna be using the laptop mostly for productivity and gaming. Right now, PCIe SSDs are much more expensive than SATA3 SSDs, and 256GB, while it won't be filled quickly, might be too little for me somewhere down the line. Are PCIe SSDs expected to come down in price significantly in the coming months/years?

If you're buying the EVO, option 1 is the best choice.

 

[Kilrogg]

1050 Ti won't be in the XPS fam. 1050 at most.

What makes you think this? Also, will there be any real benefit of a 1050 over a 960M? Lower TDP maybe? Or is just gonna be a small gain in performance?

Their entire store is a joke. The Alienware launch has been a train wreck.

What happened?

If you're buying the EVO, option 1 is the best choice.

Just so I understand, why is that?

 

[stan423321]

So my 4yo MSI laptop hinges got broken and I can't close the thing anymore, service guys said to just not close it since no one makes the hinges nor screen support shell anymore. Looking for something in Poland while slightly considering family import from US but before posting exact configs and shops I would like to hear some things explained.

- How much of a deal is Kaby Lake compared to Skylake if I'm going to run games on dGPU? Is there a reason for it being mostly absent on GTX 10x0 laptops where I look?
- Is there a standard vocabulary for types of hinges? What breaks most? Are similar constructions from different brands similarly robust? Can I even reliably assert hinge type from photos as a noob?
- Am I correct in understanding that the hidden killer feature of G-Sync laptops is disabling nV Optimus and allowing manual switching instead? G-Sync looks pricey, but man, no nV Optimus is a dream come true. It seems to never resolve to dGPU unless manually corrected, and that's assuming game won't get confused.
- Can I assume no one forces Secure Boot on?
- Any new killer features I probably missed? Buttons for disabling HDD? HDMI IN on gaming laptops? Toaster feature? Drone option by means of better cooling fans? Hardware accelerated mind control?

 

[K.Jack]

What makes you think this? Also, will there be any real benefit of a 1050 over a 960M? Lower TDP maybe? Or is just gonna be a small gain in performance?

What happened?

Just so I understand, why is that?

1. The mobile 1050 Ti will have the same TDP as the GTX 965M, which never appeared in the XPS,while the mobile 1050 will have the TDP of the 960M. The XPS 15 can't handle the heat of the Ti, unless they make it thicker.

The benefit of the 1050, is that it'll be 2x the speed of the 960M, at the same thermal output.

2. The configurations of the AW machines keep changing. One day you can choose an option, the next it's gone. Customer support is clueless.

3. Well, it has an M.2 SSD slot, and a 2.5" HDD slot. So you either buy the one that comes with the M.2 SSD, then decide on a 2.5" HDD or SSD, or, you buy the one comes with the 2.5" HDD, and you add the M.2 SSD of your choice.

So my 4yo MSI laptop hinges got broken and I can't close the thing anymore, service guys said to just not close it since no one makes the hinges nor screen support shell anymore. Looking for something in Poland while slightly considering family import from US but before posting exact configs and shops I would like to hear some things explained.

- How much of a deal is Kaby Lake compared to Skylake if I'm going to run games on dGPU? Is there a reason for it being mostly absent on GTX 10x0 laptops where I look?
- Is there a standard vocabulary for types of hinges? What breaks most? Are similar constructions from different brands similarly robust? Can I even reliably assert hinge type from photos as a noob?
- Am I correct in understanding that the hidden killer feature of G-Sync laptops is disabling nV Optimus and allowing manual switching instead? G-Sync looks pricey, but man, no nV Optimus is a dream come true. It seems to never resolve to dGPU unless manually corrected, and that's assuming game won't get confused.
- Can I assume no one forces Secure Boot on?
- Any new killer features I probably missed? Buttons for disabling HDD? HDMI IN on gaming laptops? Toaster feature? Drone option by means of better cooling fans? Hardware accelerated mind control?

Kaby lake isn't a deal at all. The following generation, Cannonlake, which is supposedly bringing a six core mobile CPU, may be a big deal. The full bore Kaby CPUs aren't coming out until next year, that's why you don't see them.

Yes, no Optimus is awesome.

A hinge is a hinge, to me. Shit happens.

I know nothing of secure boot.

You've missed nothing.

 

[Muffin Awesome]

Friend in the navy wants a handheld gaming device.

I am trying to tell him 3ds/Vita are on the way out. He is an xbox guy and has an old PC with a steam library.

He has a ~400$ budget, any recommendations for not playing current gen titles at 720p and 4-5 year old games at 1080?

Thanks a ton!

 

[Marche90]

Friend in the navy wants a handheld gaming device.

I am trying to tell him 3ds/Vita are on the way out. He is an xbox guy and has an old PC with a steam library.

He has a ~400$ budget, any recommendations for not playing current gen titles at 720p and 4-5 year old games at 1080?

Thanks a ton!

This is the best you'll find near that price point. It still goes over budget by $150. I'm not sure how well AMD performs so I can't recommend anything from the red team, sadly.

Tbh, at that price point he might have a better experience with the "on the way out" consoles. My recommendation? Find a Mario-themed N3DS (retails for $150) and a few RPG's and platformers.

 

[Blam]

1050/1050ti are launching this month, however don't expect them in an XPS15 until early next year.

Do you have a speculation on how much it'll be?

 

[Captain Pants]

It won't get here until next Friday, but I finally made a decision and I can't wait for it to get here. I'm getting the MSI GT72VR. I've never had something so top of the line before. This thing is going to be a beast!

 

[Mikaju]

Is i7-6700HQ going to bottleneck 1070 badly? I have HP Omen on order.

 

[Dylan]

Two seemingly very marked down MSI's from Canada Computers:

MSI GS70 6QE-004US Stealth Pro Notebook
- 17.3" FHD (1920x1080)
Intel i7-6700HQ(2.60GHz) 16GB DDR4,
128GB SSD+1TB (SATA) 7200rpm
- nVidia Geforce GTX 970M,
3GB GDDR5 DVD Super Multi Bluetooth v4.1
Windows 10 Home
Our Price$2,249.00
Discount $350.00
Mail-in Rebate $150.00Sale Price$1,899.00
After Mail-in Rebate$1,749.00

edit: looks like the same model on sale at amazon.

MSI GT72S 6QE-030US-K Dominator Pro G Notebook
- 17.3" FHD (1920x1080)
Intel Core i7-6820HK(2.70GHz) 24GB DDR4
1 TB HDD+128GB SSD
- nVidia Geforce GTX 980M,
4GB GDDR5 BD Writer BT4.1
Win 10 (with MSI Backpack, Headset, Mouse & Mousepad)
Our Price$2,899.00
Discount $150.00
Mail-in Rebate $300.00Sale Price$2,749.00
After Mail-in Rebate$2,449.00

 

[Kilrogg]

1. The mobile 1050 Ti will have the same TDP as the GTX 965M, which never appeared in the XPS,while the mobile 1050 will have the TDP of the 960M. The XPS 15 can't handle the heat of the Ti, unless they make it thicker.

The benefit of the 1050, is that it'll be 2x the speed of the 960M, at the same thermal output.

Looking up rumors and leaked specs, there seem to be reports of the 1050 Ti being roughly on par with the GTX 960. I don't know how much weaker the 1050 will be compared to the 1050 Ti, and I don't know what the performance gap between the desktop edition and the mobile edition will be, but is it really reasonable to expect the mobile regular 1050 to be twice as powerful as the 960M? Honest question. I know the 960M is much less powerful than the 960, but still.

2. The configurations of the AW machines keep changing. One day you can choose an option, the next it's gone. Customer support is clueless.

Sound like a Dell store alright. Real talk, I had no idea Alienware belonged to Dell.

3. Well, it has an M.2 SSD slot, and a 2.5" HDD slot. So you either buy the one that comes with the M.2 SSD, then decide on a 2.5" HDD or SSD, or, you buy the one comes with the 2.5" HDD, and you add the M.2 SSD of your choice.

That's the thing though: if I'm gonna buy an SSD, it's gotta be 512GB. But a 512GB M.2 SSD is too costly for me right now. I can only afford a 2.5" SSD for that capacity. Also, I'm wondering how much worse the battery life on the 56Whr battery is compared with the 84Whr battery, and how much of an upgrade the i7 6700HQ is over the 6300HQ. The specs alone don't really help me.

Yes, no Optimus is awesome.

What's wrong with Optimus? Never used it.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

It won't get here until next Friday, but I finally made a decision and I can't wait for it to get here. I'm getting the MSI GT72VR. I've never had something so top of the line before. This thing is going to be a beast!

Looks awesome.

I do have three general questions for the thread:
1. What is this 1050 that's coming out shortly vs. the 1060/1070/1080 line that's already available in laptops?

2. What kind of performance or issues might occur with a i7-6700 coupled with a 1060/1070/1080? Is that going to cause overheating? Everything I've been looking at leans toward an i7-6820.

3. Is there a consensus on the screen between going full 4K (3820x2160) or doing a 1920x1080 with G-SYNC? Are there any laptops already available with 4K and G-SYNC?

 

[Kilrogg]

3. Is there a consensus on the screen between going full 4K (3820x2160) or doing a 1920x1080 with G-SYNC? Are there any laptops already available with 4K and G-SYNC?

Can't say anything about G-Sync, but the general idea is that, for how small a laptop monitor is (I'm guessing you're going for 13-15"), 4K is not only useless since 1080p is already really sharp, but it also drains more battery and can be a pain with certain applications that don't scale properly. You can end up with program Windows and icons that are way too small as a result. Also, 4K screens on laptops are usually tactile and glossy, which some people don't like/don't care about (including myself).

I don't know about other laptops, but for the model I'm eyeing - the Dell XPS 15 -, there are 1080p and 4K variants of the same model. The only real upside of the 4K version, aside from being tactile if you need that, is that it has better colors. The 1080p screen is already really good though, so you'll only need the colors of the 4K screen for professional work, e.g. if you need it to be color-accurate for print. Keep in mind that I'm saying this in the context of the Dell XPS line. I don't know about other lines from other manufacturers.

Basically, 4K screens on laptops are one of the dumbest ideas in recent memory, especially when they typically raise prices of higher-end models by several hundred dollars compared with their 1080p counterparts.

 

[stan423321]

What's wrong with Optimus? Never used it.

The least of its problems is that it tends to think everything but a few recognized programs (say, Overwatch level of popularity) doesn't need a dGPU. You can give it a hint though, and arguably the reverse situation would be way more comical. However this can get really annoying depending on what you're doing; if you regularly download daily builds of a free game or an emulator and they come by default as separately named programs, you gotta mark them again, or rename them, or do other stupid things.

The second problem is that some games are more thorough than others in searching through the system, and they will detect Intel GPU running and use it even when you manually flag them in nVidia driver, or use the GeForce but don't use anything that wouldn't work on an Intel GPU, or attempt to use the GeForce and protest because they need stuff that doesn't work on an Intel GPU. Because nV Optimus is a poorly described proprietary technology, games behave weirdly, and laptop GPUs tended to be unsupported, this is somewhat hard to deal with.

The third problem that ties into the two above is that you can't just turn the damn thing off since nV Optimus is actually not just a power saving and user assistance technology, it's also, or maybe primarily, a hardware price reduction technology. The old switchable graphics laptops had to have some sort of, well, switch behind both GPUs that threw the picture onto the screen (and sometimes ports), or at the very least go and make a triple-way connection. All but oldest nV Optimus laptops instead connect the display exclusively to the Intel GPU and then manually transfers the GeForce frames to that when applicable. Now, I personally think it would be possible for nVidia to use such hardware shortcut and still make the thing work better (i.e. allowing a manual five second switch that would make Intel driver go away for all means but that final copying), but they don't care, probably. So I prefer the thing gone, even if it means rebooting.

tl;dr: nVidia Optimus is a source of additional mess that actually doesn't benefit me over a switch.

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Can't say anything about G-Sync, but the general idea is that, for how small a laptop monitor is (I'm guessing you're going for 13-15"), 4K is not only useless since 1080p is already really sharp, but it also drains more battery and can be a pain with certain applications that don't scale properly. You can end up with program Windows and icons that are way too small as a result. Also, 4K screens on laptops are usually tactile and glossy, which some people don't like/don't care about (including myself).

I don't know about other laptops, but for the model I'm eyeing - the Dell XPS 15 -, there are 1080p and 4K variants of the same model. The only real upside of the 4K version, aside from being tactile if you need that, is that it has better colors. The 1080p screen is already really good though, so you'll only need the colors of the 4K screen for professional work, e.g. if you need it to be color-accurate for print. Keep in mind that I'm saying this in the context of the Dell XPS line. I don't know about other lines from other manufacturers.

Basically, 4K screens on laptops are one of the dumbest ideas in recent memory, especially when they typically raise prices of higher-end models by several hundred dollars compared with their 1080p counterparts.

Hmm... does the same hold true for a 17"?

 

[Kilrogg]

The least of its problems is that it tends to think everything but a few recognized programs (say, Overwatch level of popularity) doesn't need a dGPU. You can give it a hint though, and arguably the reverse situation would be way more comical. However this can get really annoying depending on what you're doing; if you regularly download daily builds of a free game or an emulator and they come by default as separately named programs, you gotta mark them again, or rename them, or do other stupid things.

The second problem is that some games are more thorough than others in searching through the system, and they will detect Intel GPU running and use it even when you manually flag them in nVidia driver, or use the GeForce but don't use anything that wouldn't work on an Intel GPU, or attempt to use the GeForce and protest because they need stuff that doesn't work on an Intel GPU. Because nV Optimus is a poorly described proprietary technology, games behave weirdly, and laptop GPUs tended to be unsupported, this is somewhat hard to deal with.

The third problem that ties into the two above is that you can't just turn the damn thing off since nV Optimus is actually not just a power saving and user assistance technology, it's also, or maybe primarily, a hardware price reduction technology. The old switchable graphics laptops had to have some sort of, well, switch behind both GPUs that threw the picture onto the screen (and sometimes ports), or at the very least go and make a triple-way connection. All but oldest nV Optimus laptops instead connect the display exclusively to the Intel GPU and then manually transfers the GeForce frames to that when applicable. Now, I personally think it would be possible for nVidia to use such hardware shortcut and still make the thing work better (i.e. allowing a manual five second switch that would make Intel driver go away for all means but that final copying), but they don't care, probably. So I prefer the thing gone, even if it means rebooting.

tl;dr: nVidia Optimus is a source of additional mess that actually doesn't benefit me over a switch.

I didn't understand everything, but I get the gist of it. Thanks.

Hmm... does the same hold true for a 17"?

I mean, it all depends on your tolerance/sensitivity for lower dpi. Me? I'd be more than content with a 1080p 17" screen. My desktop, which I'm typing from right now, has a 24" 1080p screen, and that's still good enough for me. Honestly I'd worry more about the overall quality of the screen rather than focus specifically on resolution. I don't know about now, but laptops used to skimp on screen quality big time unless you went for high-end, pricier models. Not only that, but before 1080p was a standard, you could make a case for higher resolution because that literally meant more screen real estate. My father has an old 15" laptop at 720p, and it drives me crazy how little real estate the thing has for its size. But 1080p is fine for most people. So instead make sure your screen has good brightness, good black levels, nice colors, good response times for gaming, etc.

And while your resolution needs are a subjective thing, what I can objectively say is that, yes, 4K screens do shorten battery life and cause scaling problems (at least on Windows, don't know about Macs). Don't think I've ever seen one that's matte/non-touch. Glossy touch screens seem to be the norm for 4K laptop monitors.

 

[K.Jack]

I'm still of firm belief, that you should skip 4K in laptops. It brings more issues than it does benefits.

That's the thing though: if I'm gonna buy an SSD, it's gotta be 512GB. But a 512GB M.2 SSD is too costly for me right now. I can only afford a 2.5" SSD for that capacity. .

In that case it makes the most sense to buy the one with the SSD, so you can add the 2.5" drive later.

 

[TheRedSnifit]

Looking up rumors and leaked specs, there seem to be reports of the 1050 Ti being roughly on par with the GTX 960. I don't know how much weaker the 1050 will be compared to the 1050 Ti, and I don't know what the performance gap between the desktop edition and the mobile edition will be, but is it really reasonable to expect the mobile regular 1050 to be twice as powerful as the 960M? Honest question. I know the 960M is much less powerful than the 960, but still.

Looks awesome.

I do have three general questions for the thread:
1. What is this 1050 that's coming out shortly vs. the 1060/1070/1080 line that's already available in laptops?

I have pretty much the same questions myself.

 

[Kilrogg]

In that case it makes the most sense to buy the one with the SSD, so you can add the 2.5" drive later.

Alas, it's impossible. The model with the M2 drive has a bigger battery that fills the 2.5" bay, making it impossible to add a 2.5". Now you understand my dilemma .

But anyway, recent bad news at work means I'm not getting a computer after all, so it's all moot now. By the time I (hopefully) can get one as a bonus, chances are the line will be refreshed with a 10xx GPU.

 

[shockdude]

Surprised no one's yet posted about the 1050/1050Ti leak.
Both cards have a 75W TDP. This is the same TDP as the 960M, according to GPUBoss and TechPowerUp.
Fun times ahead.

 

[omg_mjd]

Planning to buy a new laptop for developing on Unreal Engine 4 and playing games like Overwatch and The Witcher 3.

For my needs, is there a noticeable difference between an i5 quad core without HT and an i7 quad core with HT? Given that both laptops have a 4GB GTX 960M, 16GB RAM and a fast SSD.

 

[Azzurri]

Hey guys,

What's the thinnest laptop that has the new GTX 1070?

 

[Spiderjericho]

Wish the 1070 wasn't so expensive. I'd upgrade from the 970.

 

[SwiftDeath]

Hey guys,

What's the thinnest laptop that has the new GTX 1070?

Probably a Gigabyte or Aorus

20.9mm thick Gigabyte w/ 1070


22.9mm thick Aorus w/ 1070

But previous versions of these laptops containing the 1070s predecessors ran burn your skin hot more or less. I'm not sure I'd recommend them.

 

[jetsetrez]

So how does the 1050 compare to the 960M? From a layman's perspective the 1050 doesn't seem very good, but it's compared to desktop cards that are all very powerful.

 

[K.Jack]

Planning to buy a new laptop for developing on Unreal Engine 4 and playing games like Overwatch and The Witcher 3.

For my needs, is there a noticeable difference between an i5 quad core without HT and an i7 quad core with HT? Given that both laptops have a 4GB GTX 960M, 16GB RAM and a fast SSD.

UE4 uses mulithreading.

Wish the 1070 wasn't so expensive. I'd upgrade from the 970.

The 1070 isn't the 970M replacement, that's the 1060.

So how does the 1050 compare to the 960M?

There are zero benchmarks out there, making it impossible to answer your question.

I will go ahead and wager that the 1050 crushes the 960M by around 45%.

 

[omg_mjd]

UE4 uses mulithreading.

Thanks! I'll get an i7 then.

Is the MSI GP62 Leopard Pro i7/960M ($1220) a decent choice? Few reviews for that model compared to the GE62 Apache Pro which is about $200 more for the same CPU/GPU.

The only other choices where I live are:
HP Pavilion 15 (i7/960M) $1040
HP Omen 15 (i7/965M) $1230
Asus ROG GL552 (i7/960M) $1250

The HPs look good in terms of price and lower weight but reviews say their screens are around 60% SRGB. And I don't like the designs.

The Asus on the other hand is heavier than the HPs but the screen is superior.

 

[anddo0]

Hey K.Jack, quick question.

My CPU (6820hk) hits 88c while playing Forza Horizon 3 should I be worried?
All other games barley hit 75-78c.

Normal browsing temps are as low as 30c.

Also is there an overclocking guide out there for the 6820hk?
Intel XTU won't install for me.. And every time I try to use Sager's OC tool my laptop reboots.

 

[dallow_bg]

Well, I ended up buying a laptop. I realized I'm not really going to game much (on the go) and I'd be better off making a small desktop build for gaming and just getting a premium speedy laptop for other misc PC needs.

I was going to order the new Kaby Lake XPS 13 and upgrade the SSD myself. It would have been an i5-7200U with 8GB of ram and a slower type 128GB SSD. Screen was FullHD.

For the same price, I saw in their Outlet store that they were selling a New (unopened) previous gen version with an i7-6560U, 16GB ram, and 512GB NVMe drive.
This was essentially the top of the line model as they're the only ones that come with 16GB ram and originally sold for $1800+. (still is here: Best Buy)
The screen is QHD which I don't really need, but I think the non-replaceable RAM upgrade is worth it. And the NVMe drive they use is the size I would have wanted, and actually a good model.
The other special thing is that this CPU has Intel's Iris Graphics 540 which is actually faster than the current integrated video in the Kaby Lake models.

It's here (link should work so long as stock is available):
http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnline...22&key=V6BxyGSlzQZUttvRrRR/NA==&puid=c1a0a260

Let's see if it ships.

 

[K.Jack]

I've figured out the 1050's relative position, now that EVGA states that it is 15% faster than the GTX 950.

So the GTX 960M is a GTX 750 Ti, clocked around 10% slower. The GTX 950 is, on average, 28% faster than the 750 Ti, thus 38% faster than the 960M.

The math then states the 1050 will be around 53% faster than the GTX 960M. Huge leap at the same TDP.

Thanks! I'll get an i7 then.

Is the MSI GP62 Leopard Pro i7/960M ($1220) a decent choice? Few reviews for that model compared to the GE62 Apache Pro which is about $200 more for the same CPU/GPU.

The only other choices where I live are:
HP Pavilion 15 (i7/960M) $1040
HP Omen 15 (i7/965M) $1230
Asus ROG GL552 (i7/960M) $1250

The HPs look good in terms of price and lower weight but reviews say their screens are around 60% SRGB. And I don't like the designs.

The Asus on the other hand is heavier than the HPs but the screen is superior.

Well I almost always say, "take the fastest GPU of the bunch", but that changes if color accuracy is a big deal. I can't really make that call for you.

Hey K.Jack, quick question.

My CPU (6820hk) hits 88c while playing Forza Horizon 3 should I be worried?
All other games barley hit 75-78c.

Normal browsing temps are as low as 30c.

Also is there an overclocking guide out there for the 6820hk?
Intel XTU won't install for me.. And every time I try to use Sager's OC tool my laptop reboots.

Nah I wouldn't worry about Forza getting hotter.

Have you tried right clicking the exe, installing XTU as administrator?

As far as the Sager tool, it auto-reboots at every altered multiplier? Is there a voltage modifier as well?

Well, I ended up buying a laptop. I realized I'm not really going to game much (on the go) and I'd be better off making a small desktop build for gaming and just getting a premium speedy laptop for other misc PC needs.

I was going to order the new Kaby Lake XPS 13 and upgrade the SSD myself. It would have been an i5-7200U with 8GB of ram and a slower type 128GB SSD. Screen was FullHD.

For the same price, I saw in their Outlet store that they were selling a New (unopened) previous gen version with an i7-6560U, 16GB ram, and 512GB NVMe drive.
This was essentially the top of the line model as they're the only ones that come with 16GB ram and originally sold for $1800+. (still is here: Best Buy)
The screen is QHD which I don't really need, but I think the non-replaceable RAM upgrade is worth it. And the NVMe drive they use is the size I would have wanted, and actually a good model.
The other special thing is that this CPU has Intel's Iris Graphics 540 which is actually faster than the current integrated video in the Kaby Lake models.

It's here (link should work so long as stock is available):
http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnline...22&key=V6BxyGSlzQZUttvRrRR/NA==&puid=c1a0a260

Let's see if it ships.

Well it either sold out, or they pulled it.

I hope you get it, that was a steal.

 

[anddo0]

Nah I wouldn't worry about Forza getting hotter.

Have you tried right clicking the exe, installing XTU as administrator?

As far as the Sager tool, it auto-reboots at every altered multiplier? Is there a voltage modifier as well?
.

Yeah Forza seems like an anomaly.. That game is all over the place performance wise. I watch the FPS counter more than I race.

Still a no go on XTU.. I've never been able to get it running; new or old laptops.

I messed around a bit with the Bios settings. I managed to OC to 4.0GHZ. However, the temps are to scary to keep it OCed, I want this thing to last. I'm currently working on a permanent under-voltage solution (1.25 V, -235Mv offset..Any lower and blue-screen) So far I'm down 6c-8c while remaining stable.

I should note that I live in NY, and have put away the AC for the fall. It's currently 83f, so ambient room temps could also be a factor.

 

[greekappi]

For budget PC lappy gaming, how's this?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DT4A2R4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[K.Jack]

Yeah Forza seems like an anomaly.. That game is all over the place performance wise. I watch the FPS counter more than I race.

Still a no go on XTU.. I've never been able to get it running; new or old laptops.

I messed around a bit with the Bios settings. I managed to OC to 4.0GHZ. However, the temps are to scary to keep it OCed, I want this thing to last. I'm currently working on a permanent under-voltage solution (1.25 V, -235Mv offset..Any lower and blue-screen) So far I'm down 6c-8c while remaining stable.

I should note that I live in NY, and have put away the AC for the fall. It's currently 83f, so ambient room temps could also be a factor.

What were the temps at 4Ghz?

For budget PC lappy gaming, how's this?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DT4A2R4/?tag=neogaf0e-20

You won't find a better deal.

 

[Heysoos]

Well, I ended up buying a laptop. I realized I'm not really going to game much (on the go) and I'd be better off making a small desktop build for gaming and just getting a premium speedy laptop for other misc PC needs.

I was going to order the new Kaby Lake XPS 13 and upgrade the SSD myself. It would have been an i5-7200U with 8GB of ram and a slower type 128GB SSD. Screen was FullHD.

For the same price, I saw in their Outlet store that they were selling a New (unopened) previous gen version with an i7-6560U, 16GB ram, and 512GB NVMe drive.
This was essentially the top of the line model as they're the only ones that come with 16GB ram and originally sold for $1800+. (still is here: Best Buy)
The screen is QHD which I don't really need, but I think the non-replaceable RAM upgrade is worth it. And the NVMe drive they use is the size I would have wanted, and actually a good model.
The other special thing is that this CPU has Intel's Iris Graphics 540 which is actually faster than the current integrated video in the Kaby Lake models.

It's here (link should work so long as stock is available):
http://outlet.us.dell.com/ARBOnline...22&key=V6BxyGSlzQZUttvRrRR/NA==&puid=c1a0a260

Let's see if it ships.

oh shit! just nabbed one! I was only seeing that one in the 1400 range in the outlet store. Then I saw a outlet new one hidden away with together with a dented one.

 

[anddo0]

What were the temps at 4Ghz?



You won't find a better deal.

idle- 64-83c
load 80-91c

I had to up the tdp from 45, to 100 (100 watts).. Default voltage
All cores at 40. , Changed the memory ratio to 9

Anyway, I'll run OCed one of these days. It's not really needed for anything I'm doing ATM. I know the 6820k is rated up to 100c. I just don't want to push it right out the gate.

 

[K.Jack]

idle- 64-83c
load 80-91c

I had to up the tdp from 45, to 100 (100 watts).. Default voltage
All cores at 40. , Changed the memory ratio to 9

Anyway, I'll run OCed one of these days. It's not really needed for anything I'm doing ATM. I know the 6820k is rated up to 100c. I just don't want to push it right out the gate.

It's impossible to break a CPU, might a well run it ball to the wall.

 

[Necrovex]

So I have seen recommendations for the Surface Book. Seems like a solid computer but the only question I have involves gaming. I want a laptop decent with new games. My motto if the game can run at a reasonable FPS, which for me is 25), then I'll be happy. I typically play games on low setting with my current computer, and had no personal issues with it.

So would a surface book be ok for my wants? I also don't plan to get one until next spring.

 

[VanquishUK]

New Razer Blade Pro has been announced and it's a beast.

- GTX 1080
- 32GB RAM
- i7 6700HQ
- up to 2TB PCIe m.2 SSD RAID 0 (2x 1TB)
- Low-Profile Mechanical Keyboard
- 4k G-Sync Display
- 0.88" thick

Expensive though. Starts at $3,699

http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade-pro

 

[Souldestroyer Reborn]

New Razer Blade Pro has been announced and it's a beast.

- GTX 1080
- 32GB RAM
- i7 6700HQ
- up to 2TB PCIe m.2 SSD RAID 0 (2x 1TB)
- Low-Profile Mechanical Keyboard
- 4k G-Sync Display
- 0.88" thick

Expensive though. Starts at $3,699

http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade-pro

Best but yes a bit expensive.

I just don't see why they're forcing a 4K screen in a laptop.

 

[K.Jack]

So I have seen recommendations for the Surface Book. Seems like a solid computer but the only question I have involves gaming. I want a laptop decent with new games. My motto if the game can run at a reasonable FPS, which for me is 25), then I'll be happy. I typically play games on low setting with my current computer, and had no personal issues with it.

So would a surface book be ok for my wants? I also don't plan to get one until next spring.

By next Spring, the SB2 will be out with a much faster GPU.

New Razer Blade Pro has been announced and it's a beast.

- GTX 1080
- 32GB RAM
- i7 6700HQ
- up to 2TB PCIe m.2 SSD RAID 0 (2x 1TB)
- Low-Profile Mechanical Keyboard
- 4k G-Sync Display
- 0.88" thick

Expensive though. Starts at $3,699

http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-blade-pro

1. .88" laptop, with a GTX 1080? Yeah that's not going to run super hot or anything.

2. Saddling a GTX 1080 to a 6700HQ is a joke. HK or go home.

3. Not having a 120Hz screen at that price is also a joke.

4. Why don't they just go o a regular fucking touchpad w/ buttons already? No one cares about the gimmick, they need to get over it. I swear the Razer Pro would take over the gaming laptop scene, with a traditionally placed touchpad. They're hurting their business by trying to be different.

Daily whine over.

 

[FunkyPajamas]

Hi guys,

Thinking about getting a new laptop for work (dev) that can also do some Ubuntu gaming.

Country where it will be purchased: US
Maximum budget: 1500USD
Max size 15" screen max, 6lbs tops.
Planned usage: This is primarily a work machine, and I will be running Ubuntu (exclusively, no Windows at all) on it so driver compatibility with Ubuntu is a must. After that I hope to play older games that are not very demanding (XCOM:EU/EW, Witcher 1&2, Deus Ex HR), classic games (Baldur's Gate collection, Fallout 1 & 2), as well as somewhat more contemporary games like Witcher 3, Deus Ex MD, XCOM 2, etc. I don't mind playing on medium settings as long as I'm getting 1920x1080 with solid 30 or 60fps.
Whatever else you find relevant: I work from home but I move all over my house while working so I don't want to be stuck to a desktop machine, which is why I prefer a laptop. Gaming is secondary but still part of the deal. I don't want an ugly gaming laptop (think: alienware) so would prefer something either classy or at least normal-looking (more ASUS, less MSI).

Extra info, if relevant:

My current laptop (5 years old) is a Dell XPS L502x which is without a doubt the best laptop I've ever had. I upgraded it with 16GB DDR3 and a 500GB SSD and I feel like I could continue to use this laptop for another 2-3 years. The only reason I'm getting a new laptop is because the built-in display won't go above 1366x768 which no longer cuts it for me (need more space for coding/debugging). Even the basic GTX 540M is enough to play some of the games I own (X:EU, DX:HR, etc), albeit on low settings.

My choices so far are either the new XPS 15 i7 6700HQ with GTX 960M 2GB GDDR5 (http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/xps-15-9550-laptop/fncwx1610h) or the Inspiron 15 7000 i7 6700HQ with GTX 960M 4GB GDDR5 (http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/productdetails/inspiron-15-7559-laptop). I like the XPS a lot because I know from experience XPSs are built better than Inpirons (keyboard, audio, components in general, touchpad, screen, etc) but I'm not sure if it's worth 500USD more. I also worry about the 2GB vs 4GB video memory but I don't know if that's relevant seeing how the 960M is a medium-range card, so perhaps 4GB is overkill for it?

I'm willing to look into other brands/laptops of course, as long as they're reliable and I don't have to deal with driver incompatibility for Ubuntu. Thank you guys.