Memory CPU and GFX options

[daveeb]

Hi all

Been doing a bit of window shopping as i'm contemplating a new laptop to partially replace my slightly creaky but still useable Vortex IV.

I'm somewhat out of the loop with components, so a bit of advice would be very welcome.

On the machine I was looking at as an example (Optimus in this case) the memory at 2 X 8GB modules 2133 Mhz is the same price as 2400 Mhz. 2666 Mhz was £16 more. Is there any reason not to get the 2666 (or the 2400 to save £16)...are there any heat, power requirement or other issues with the faster ram ?

Again with the Optimus the CPU options were i5 8300H vs i7 8750H. I know from this forum that the i7 can run hot and i'm really keen to avoid heat where possible so would the i5 be suitable (moderate gaming in conjunction with the nvidia 1050 Ti). I tend to use the machine mainly for video conversion, moderate gaming, disc burning and general browsing / youtube etc. I do however like leaving lots of tabs open.

Actually looking at what I have just written I suspect my Vortex was probably overkill (at the time) for my requirements but I prefer this than having a system that is constantly being stretched especially when gaming.

If a purchase gets closer to reality I'll post a full spec and will be happy to be shot down in flames over my choices :tt2:

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[Oussebon]

On the machine I was looking at as an example (Optimus in this case) the memory at 2 X 8GB modules 2133 Mhz is the same price as 2400 Mhz. 2666 Mhz was £16 more. Is there any reason not to get the 2666 (or the 2400 to save £16)

Nope, just the vagaries of pricing. I speculate that the prices are based partly on what price PCS got their stock for when they bought X thousand units. Sometimes better/faster stuff is available for lower prices that 'budget' alternatives.

are there any heat, power requirement or other issues with the faster ram ?

None to speak of.

What is your budget for the new system?

 

[daveeb]

Hi Oussebon

Many thanks for the info. My budget will probably be around the £1200 mark although it's fairly fluid. Not that i'm particularly rolling in cash, but I only upgrade every four years or so so want to make it worth my while when I do.

 

[Oussebon]

A GTX 1050 ti is aiming much too low for a £1200 or so laptop, and would not be ideal as a once-in-4-years upgrade when you have this kind of budget.

You should be looking at at least a GTX 1060, possibly even an RTX 2060.

For instance you could do a 17" Defiance with an RTX 2060 for £1250: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/defiancev-rtx-17/ds4CUQVQYF/

Or a 15.6" Recoil with a similar spec for a bit under £1300

 

[daveeb]

A GTX 1050 ti is aiming much too low for a £1200 or so laptop, and would not be ideal as a once-in-4-years upgrade when you have this kind of budget.

You should be looking at at least a GTX 1060, possibly even an RTX 2060.

For instance you could do a 17" Defiance with an RTX 2060 for £1250: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/defiancev-rtx-17/ds4CUQVQYF/

Or a 15.6" Recoil with a similar spec for a bit under £1300

I'll take your point on the graphics card thanks.
I 'm keen on a 17 inch screen not just for the extra screen size but the chassis tends to be cooler I think...a system that's as cool as possible is high on my priorities.

Thanks Oussebon

 

[Oussebon]

For spec vs £ the Defiance lets you get the most powerful GPU. And since you're stuck with the GPU without being able to upgrade it, that makes it a very strong option. Obviously it stretches your budget and the spec i linked only has a 256gb SSD and 8gb RAM. But you can upgrade / add to those, unlike the GPU.

The Optimus and Recoils with 1060s and i7 CPUs aren't really very much cheaper than the Defiance.

For video conversion, the i7 would seem to make a lot of sense, and I'm not sure quite how much cooler the i5 would be anyway. Whichever spec you go for, you may find you want to undervolt the CPU after receiving the system if your aim is to keep temps as low as possible (undervolting can improve thermals, and performance as well). As well as using a cooling pad and the usual stuff.

 

[daveeb]

Great advice, thank you. My only concern with the i7 is that it does by all accounts seem to run rather hot which is why I'm leaning towards the i5...however as you point out the i7 would be better for the video work. I think undervolting might be outside my skill set which is somewhat limited these days.
I'll post a full build and rationale when I eventually decide to take the plunge. Thanks again Oussebon you've been really helpful.

 

[Oussebon]

The i5 is more or less the same as the i7 7700HQ from the previous generation, which also ran (just as?) hot. I5s in desktops you might expect to be a bit cooler than their i7 counterparts, and maybe i5s in previous gen laptops too, as they lacked hyperthreading. But the i5 8300H is a 4C/8T CPU like the 7700HQ before it. Buying the i5 is no guarantee you won't find yourself saying "Wow, that's warmer than I thought it'd be!".

Undervolting is pretty easy and more or less involves running something like throttlestop, putting a value in, and checking to make sure the system doesn't freeze because the value you put in is too high. I gather quite a few people have undervolts of around 100mv, some even more. It's even less fiddly than overclocking.

Keep us posted

 

[daveeb]

The i5 is more or less the same as the i7 7700HQ from the previous generation, which also ran (just as?) hot. I5s in desktops you might expect to be a bit cooler than their i7 counterparts, and maybe i5s in previous gen laptops too, as they lacked hyperthreading. But the i5 8300H is a 4C/8T CPU like the 7700HQ before it. Buying the i5 is no guarantee you won't find yourself saying "Wow, that's warmer than I thought it'd be!".

Undervolting is pretty easy and more or less involves running something like throttlestop, putting a value in, and checking to make sure the system doesn't freeze because the value you put in is too high. I gather quite a few people have undervolts of around 100mv, some even more. It's even less fiddly than overclocking.

Keep us posted

Yes Id looked at throttlestop recently, but i'm not that brave when it comes to tinkering outside my comfort zone. I guess I could try it first on my current laptop when I get the new one.