Nvidia Stuffs Desktop Graphics, Water Cooling Into Laptops

[kewlguy239]

Nvidia, along with partner OEMs, has put desktop-class graphics performance (and all of its benefits) into laptops. Not just any graphics card either; a full-sized GM204 Maxwell-based graphics card, better known as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 980.

Nvidia Stuffs Desktop Graphics, Water Cooling Into Laptops : Read more

 

[Oldbutstillatit]

Desktop GPU's have been stuffed into laptops before. Like before, the cost will kill them.

 

[realnoize]

Ok. So either we get 15-min. game time on battery or these are packed with mega-huge (and heavy) batteries. Battery life in gaming laptops is already low at generally about an hour or less of game time with mobile GPUs, I can't imagine what it will be we a full desktop GPU in there.

 

[xenol]

I'm finding it ridiculous just how much they're stuffing in these notebooks. And at the end of the day I still won't consider anything high end not because of price, but because of how freakin' huge they get.

 

[realnoize]

I'm finding it ridiculous just how much they're stuffing in these notebooks. And at the end of the day I still won't consider anything high end not because of price, but because of how freakin' huge they get.

There are options out there which are, IMO, not really bigger than your average run-of-the-mill laptop. I'm currently looking to buy a gaming laptop as a desktop replacement, and I find some clevo-based models to be quite interesting in terms of both look and power. The Eurocom M5 Pro for instance got a 9/10 "Kick Ass" award from Maximum PC recently, and it's the model I'm considering, I'm just still not decided on the GPU (GTX 970m or 980m)?

Of course, getting Ultrabook-level slim gaming laptops isn't really something possible, unless you sacrifice a bit of power to get there. There are solutions out there that are quite slim and great-looking (mostly 13 inch models), although limited to the GTX 960m GPU, or sometimes a chipset from the 800 series...

But I agree, stuffing a desktop GPU in a laptop is ridiculous. Some already include desktop CPUs in laptop, and of course, battery life takes a hit doing so. I can't imagine putting desktop-class GPUs in there. Unless you plan on gaming only while plugged in. Then the reason for buying a laptop becomes only about being able to move it easily between one place and another. Maybe interesting for some. But then again, I can't help thinking that desktop components in laptops are not really "needed".

 

[TripGun]

Impractical nugatory tech.

 

[ohim]

They should consider AIO computers just like iMacs (i know they use mobile version of gpus), but here you can stuff a desktop GPU and still have room for decent cooling.

 

[photonboy]

The PURPOSE of these are often as "desktop replacements" where they don't often move the laptop but still want the capability such as going to COLLEGE or travelling between locations every week or so.

Most of these people likely just move to the new location then PLUG IT IN to wall power.

 

[red77star]

It will be better buy than Surface by looking at price point.

 

[mrmotion]

When is the last time you seen anyone running a laptop not plugged in? At this point they should just get rid of the battery and call it good. Very very rarely do I ever see someone running on battery power and when they do its cause they forgot to bring their power cord with them.

 

[Rhostam]

I just wanted to add two-cents re: why people would buy these sorts of rigs. a) people want a gaming rig with power available now, b) these people have disposable income and are ok with switching out rigs as new hardware comes out (since mobile GPU aren't supposed to be swappable by users - though I've seen the GPU on my laptop - it's easily removable), c) they value mobility, and d) NOT ONE PERSON THAT BUYS THESE RIGS EXPECTS TO BE MOBILE GAMING ON BATTERY FOR ANY USEFUL AMOUNT OF TIME - THAT IS JUST SILLY - they just want to be able to grab the rig and move somewhere and plug in to play. Simple as that. Expensive proposition? Sure as hell it is, but it's a choice. And for what it is worth, I've own "gaming laptops" in the past, starting with a Toshiba WAY back in the day. It was awesome. I then went back to desktops as my need for mobile diminished. Now, I'm back on a Alienware 18 (I chose this model because of cooling intake/exhaust position and CPU/ GPU placement relative to wrists). And, though I wish I had waited for Alienware's dual-GPU version of their Graphics Amplifier, I have to say that I love this laptop. It stays docked 95% of the time, sure. But I can go anywhere in the house or visit a friends and get some game time when remote isn't enough.

 

[bobjones300]

I go to lan party's and I would rather bring notebook then desktop. This does that with very little comprise in performance. The other issue the I would like them to tackle is to be able to upgrade the gpu. Without it costing arm and leg.

 

[darthrevan13]

So it was true all along! Nvidia can implement Variable Refresh Rate (G-Sync) over Display Port 1.2a using the VESA's Adaptive Sync standard but it's deactivated by the driver that searches that the display is strictly connected over eDP. OMG Nvidia, you are such assholes! I will never buy a G-Sync monitor with your proprietary stuff.

 

[balister]

My question is, is the Asus GX700VO (listed above) truly water cooled or is it just heat piping? If it's heat piping, that's been done before by several boutique builders years ago (Alienware and Voodoo did it in the mid to late 2000s). And that is not what I'd call really water cooling (as that's just using capillary action to move the water around, using a pump to move the water is what I consider true water cooling).

 

[braneman]

Now I don't get why they're doing this, 980m SLI performs practically the same if not better than a gtx 980 most of the time for about 300 watts(for the entire system). The only reason I can think of to do this would be for games that don't have SLI profiles.
Also nobody ever, in the history of the entire universe expects a desktop replacement laptop's battery to be used as anything but a UPS for the laptop.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Nothing really new here except the water cooling aspect. Clevo has been doing SLI builds with desktop GPUs for ages. My staff needs powerful laptops for CAD work and often this has to be done on the job site. I don't need a laptop to sit on my lap and entertain myself watching youtube or whatever. I need it to get work done wherever I am and a thin / light laptop doesn't cut it.

The category is oft referred to as "desktop replacement" and anything less than that is essentially worthless to me. I get 2.5 hours of battery life with the 17" screen and Optimus setup doing normal stuff, even CAD .... gaming cuts that down to about 1.5 hours. But I am just about never away from a power source, (12v source in every vehicle, construction trailers have 120v, hotel rooms, even vacation cabins have electricity).

I have a SLI build w/ 25% + overclocks on CPU / GPUs w/ two pumps, 2 rads, WB's on MoBo, CPU and GPUs and a laptop .... I spend 80 - 95% of my time at the laptop (plugged in).

 

[MrMakapuu]

My meager sub $1000 (that Ive upgraded over the years) laptop runs better than my 1st gen 750w i7 Desktop. I use my latop as a desktop replacement. Its plugged in for gaming, use battery for watching movies. Also can take with my on trips can you do that with your desktop? No need for ultra portability when you got smart phones... and someone always has a ipad or something like it around where you dont need one... To all you who still think the laptop is about battery only, its your thinking that way that has made things like the laptop suffer since the laptop debut... Stop thinking in the case... Time to think bigger!!! And bigger can be smaller!!!

Anyways

I sold my desktops to save up for something like this. Yes the video cards lets me only run stuff in med settings. But when I hook up my laptop to a 50" LED TV and sit 6 feet away I cant tell the difference. The CPU in the laptop these days rival desktops. My i7 4900 in my laptop will run circles around my old overclocked; i7930 and AMD 8350 systems. But then again I only buy laptops that where I can upgrade the bios see my signature for details. Ive been building PC's since 1994. And finally the laptop and even the Mini ATX and ITX are coming of age. Yes I use to have huge tower cases with 2 or even 3 video cards in them. But in the end they were a waste of space, money, power. I be upgrading it too often for meager increases in FPS. Take it from someone whos been around. Bigger isnt always better. The time has come... long live the laptop and small form factors. ATX is 20+ years old btw. Good for Nvidia and other companies who take on cutting edge steps! Lets get out of the dark ages of insanely stupid large components!

 

[JackNaylorPE]

It's really not a money thing.... you can get a very capable laptop suitable for most gaming (970M) for about $1600. It's ll about portability.

A desktop will always be superior to a laptop component for component simply because of the limited cooling capability. Yes, we can now have WC in our lappies but you are not going to fit 5 x 140mm of radiator and push / pull fans in a laptop. As I indicated, I can play most games on my laptop but, even if i could play Witcher 3 on my lappie, I would never do so. Why ?

The idea of playing W3 on a 17" screen is not attractive
The idea of playing W3 w/o a 7.1 sound system is not attractive

Just as there is no best tool to put in a toolbox, there is no best "one size fits all" computer solution. I have both a desktop and a laptop for that very reason and choose what I will use based upon the specific task I want to accomplish. I have both an air nailer and a hammer. The air nailer certainly kicks arse when I am re-roofing the house but I am not going to take it out and hook it up to the compressor to hang a picture on the wall. It's simply a matter of the bast tool for the job at hand, weighing the pluses and minuses of each and making a decision based thereon. There are no "best tools"; There's just "best tools for a particular task".

 

[hoofhearted]

The point is not to run off of battery, but to be able to take your addiction with you where ever you may go and plug in.

 

[wtfxxxgp]

Now I don't get why they're doing this, 980m SLI performs practically the same if not better than a gtx 980 most of the time for about 300 watts(for the entire system). The only reason I can think of to do this would be for games that don't have SLI profiles.
Also nobody ever, in the history of the entire universe expects a desktop replacement laptop's battery to be used as anything but a UPS for the laptop.

I thought this was a fair enough comment - don't understand the down-votes. I also see batteries in gaming laptops as being a UPS-like device (when used for gaming) and a normal battery when the laptop is being used for something less taxing. If I could afford something like this then it MAY replace my desktop - thing is, I still like the ability to buy a decent sound card instead of the crap (yes, crap) that comes along with a mobo (that's my opinion).

I just like the upgrade-options of desktops, but I do see a use for gaming laptops with this sort of configuration. If only the pricing were better.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Custom built laptops, like those from Clevo, can be upgradable. CPU, GPU, storage, opticals, RAM, etc . Most often if you can select options, you can swap out the parts.

http://www.lpc-digital.com/sager-np9758-special.html

 

[hst101rox]

/*Wait, so why bother putting in a full desktop size 980 video chipset into a laptop, when it's mobile variant only scores 15 points less on 3Dmark per article? Might as well stick with the more efficient mobile chipset, in which the 980m has been in the Alienware laptops for months now and the top Asus and MSI laptops already. */
Never mind I didn't read the article correctly.
I read on another article (Extreme Tech: Nvidia launches GTX 980M, almost closing the laptop-desktop performance gap) that a mobile 980m is about 75% the performance of the desktop GPU.
330W AC adapters will be standard on these laptops. Will be fun to see if they can keep the laptops under 9 pounds, I doubt it.

 

[Textfield]

What we really need is a spec that allows GPUs in laptops to be easily replaced and upgraded; that's the real issue. No matter how good your laptop is when you buy it, it quickly goes out of date because of how fast GPU tech progresses.

 

[hst101rox]

@Textfield, MSI's GT72 and GT80 allows for upgrading the GPU. Lenovo or maybe still today offers GPU swaps on some (one?) of their laptops because the GPU can be removed in less than a minute and swapped with another.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

What we really need is a spec that allows GPUs in laptops to be easily replaced and upgraded; that's the real issue. No matter how good your laptop is when you buy it, it quickly goes out of date because of how fast GPU tech progresses.

We already have this.... Just means buying from a vendor who actually "built" the laptop as opposed to just having an ODM slap a label on it. Just about every brand most people are familiar with don't actually build a single laptop. It's not in a laptop resellers interest to make their systems upgradable since they don't make money on the deal; they'd much rather sell you anew one.

Tho until recently I have never been able to justify upgrading anything in a desktop other than going from single card to SLI / CF unbless of course the user skimped on the original build. The stagnation of COU performance increases, at least with regard to gaming.