Thinking of a new machine, but would like to know how my current rig stacks up

[phillyg]

Hi All,

I bought my current machine around 5 years ago and at the time I think it was pretty top of the range. My primary use at the time of purchase was for gaming, but as is often the way I rarely get time to play games now and so I do not test the capabilities of my machine very often. I'm thinking of buying a new laptop but before I start taking a serious look, I would really appreciate some advice to see how my current set up compares to current technology. Am I way behind the times with my current machine or would it still perform admirably against a mid range 2017 laptop? Essentially some sort of benchmark would be really useful. .

Current spec:

Chassis & Display Vortex II:17.3" Matte Full HD LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU): Intel® CoreTMi7 Quad Core Mobile Processor i7-2670QM (2.20GHz) 6MB
Memory (RAM): 8GB SAMSUNG 1333MHz SODIMM DDR3 MEMORY (2 x 4GB)
Graphics Card: 1.5GB nVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 560M - DirectX® 11 (17.3" Vortex II)
Memory: 1st Hard Disk 500GB WD SCORPIO BLACK WD5000BPKT, SATA 3 Gb/s, 16MB CACHE (7200 rpm)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive: SONY BD-5730S 6x BLURAY WRITER & CYBERLINK SOFTWARE
Memory Card Reader: Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)
Thermal Paste: ARCTIC MX-4 EXTREME THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COMPOUND (£9)
Sound Card: Intel 5.1 Channel High Definition Audio + SPDIF/MIC/Headphone Jack
Network Facilities: GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS 802.11N CARD INC. BLUETOOTH 3.0
USB Options: 2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS AS STANDARD
Battery: Vortex Series 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (5,200 mAh/76.96WH)

How would this stack up against a current mid range 2017 machine? My current use is primarily day to day internet usage, downloading, working with office etc. Even using that, the fans start blowing pretty hard and it gets super hot. It may just need a good clean out, but I also wonder if it's just time for a replacement that would be suited for that, plus the occasional game now and then.

Thank you!

 

[Oussebon]

Your GPU is less powerful than the integrated graphics on some modern processors. These are the performance scores of various graphics cards measured using the 3DMark 11 benchmark.
Futuremark GPU benches: http://www.futuremark.com/hardware/gpu
Notebookcheck benches: http://tinyurl.com/gshxs7n
While a synthetic benchmark and performance in games may vary, it's widely used to get a rough sense of the relative performance of GPUs.

There aren't many actual games benched across GPUs of such different ages, but Notebookcheck have done benches for Diablo III:

http://tinyurl.com/hgyqonc
It's a pretty similar story. (The 965M is roughly equivalent to the new GTX 1050 in performance, and the 970M is similar to the 1050 ti).

-60 GPUs (e.g. GTX 560M) are traditionally mid-range cards. The top range mobile GPU back then would probably have been the 580M. If you look at the notebookcheck benchmarks you can see how the next series (GTX 660M) offered relatively modest, incremental performance improvements, but with Maxwell (GTX 860M) there was a much bigger performance jump. By the time you get to the 960M (also Maxwell) the -60 GPUs were over 3 times as powerful as what you had.

Bear in mind that the 960M is still less powerful than a ~£100 entry-level desktop graphics card from 2014 (the GTX 750 ti).

With Pascal, the newest gen released last year, there was a further large leap in performance per watt and mobile GPUs are now actually quite powerful and pretty close in performance to their desktop counterparts. There's also been a bit of a change where the -60 GPUs are perhaps better seen as high end GPUs rather than mid-range. Mid-range might now be something like the GTX 1050 ti (which is, give or take, 5 [SUP]1/2[/SUP] times more powerful than your GPU.

In real terms this means that the 1050 ti might run demanding modern games on high-ish settings. The 560M would be technically below the minimum requirements to run them, although it would still have a decent go of relatively less demanding games like Diablo III.

You won't necessarily have noticed this kind of slow down with your laptop doing office work as the increases to CPU performance have been far more incremental and it was a powerful CPU to begin with, plus the demands of office software probably haven't changed as much as gaming either

The heat/noise issue may well be fixable with a clean and potentially a repasting.

Given that your laptop still seems pretty decent for work purposes, you might consider getting a desktop for gaming. With a desktop you can actually upgrade the graphics card so when it's obsolete in a few years you can just pop in another. You can also get the same performance or better for much cheaper with a desktop. £800 (+£120 for a monitor) is enough to let you play most games on very high settings with a desktop. For a laptop ~£900-1000 may get you ~high settings. If you want to get back into gaming somewhat casually but it needs to be a laptop, consider the Optimus VIII with a GTX 1050 ti.

 

[phillyg]

Hi Oussebon,

Thanks for the reply - much appreciated! You also jogged my memory as I now remember choosing the 560M as i couldn't justify the cost difference for the 580M. I know they say that your PC is out of date as soon as you buy it, but it's truly remarkable just how much things change. Back in the day I was all over this sort of stuff, but sadly i'm very out of touch now.

I am caught in two minds over whether to stick with my current rig and give it a good clean (i'll probably do that regardless), or to buy something new. Whilst it will be fine for home use, the Vortex II is not exactly very portable or travel friendly and given my gaming days are in all likelihood going to be minimal at best, I think I could probably do with getting something more portable and lightweight that has a decent integrated graphics chip so I can still delve in to some games if I ever get the chance.

It looks like the Iris Plus is the best option for integrated graphics, so i'll take a look at something that uses that.

Maybe one day in the future i'll have the space and time to get another desktop machine - I think that's a while away yet though!

Thanks!

 

[Oussebon]

Note that even modern integrated graphics won't get you far. My comment about them being better than your old GPU was more to make the point that it's old and now weak, rather than saying integrated graphics would necessarily provide a substantial upgrade.

Also Iris Plus graphics seem to be available only on ULV CPUs. These CPUs trade off performance for lower power consumption and are typically found in ultrabooks and even the i7s are only dual cores with hyperthreading (2 cores, 4 threads) compared to your quad core i7 (4 cores, 8 threads). That would certainly fit the bill for something more portable, but might be something of a sideways move overall, especially for more intensive usage: http://tinyurl.com/h352jjm

Regular desktop CPUs like the i5 7300HQ and i7 7700HQ are a bit beefier. It's also quite common for laptops with these to have some form of dedicated graphics. At the lower end of the spectrum these might be like the 950M, which is pretty terrible as a gaming GPU but will at least kind of run most things and certainly smashes integrated graphics.

However, because the graphics are pretty weak, the laptop doens't need the kind of cooling you get on high end gaming ones so they still end up being fairly portable. And the cost doesn't necessarily add up to a great deal more than an ultrabook type laptop. It would still be significantly more portable than the Vortex II (which i gather is a Clevo P170HM, 412 x 276 x 51 mm, weighing about 4kg ?!).

For example:

Chassis & Display	Chassis & Display
UltraNote: 15.6" Matte Full HD IPS LED Backlit Widescreen (1920x1080)	Cosmos Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD IPS LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)	Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 Dual Core Processor i7-7500U (2.70GHz, 3.5GHz Turbo)	Intel® Core™ i5 Quad Core Processor 7300HQ (2.5GHz, 3.5GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM)	Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX IMPACT 2133MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 8GB)	16GB HyperX IMPACT 2133MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card	Graphics Card
INTEL® HD GRAPHICS 620 - 1.7GB Max DDR4 Video RAM - DirectX® 12	NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 950M - 2.0GB DDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12
Memory - Hard Disk	Memory - Hard Disk
1TB SLIM SERIAL ATA III 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 128MB CACHE (5,400rpm)	1TB SLIM SERIAL ATA III 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 128MB CACHE (5,400rpm)
M.2 SSD Drive	M.2 SSD Drive
256GB SAMSUNG SM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3100MB/R, 1400MB/W)	256GB SAMSUNG SM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3100MB/R, 1400MB/W)
DVD/BLU-RAY Drive	Memory Card Reader
UltraNote Series: 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)	Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
Memory Card Reader	AC Adaptor
Internal 9 in 1 Card Reader (MMC/RSMMC/SD: Mini, XC & HC/MS: Pro & Duo)	1 x 90W AC Adaptor
AC Adaptor	Power Cable
1 x 40W AC Adaptor	1 x 1 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable
Power Cable	Thermal Paste
1 x 1 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable	STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card	Sound Card
Intel 2 Channel High Definition Audio + MIC/Headphone Jack	Intel 2 Channel High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema 3
Bluetooth & Wireless	Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® AC-8265 M.2 (867Mbps, 802.11AC) +BT 4.0	GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® AC-8265 M.2 (867Mbps, 802.11AC) +BT 4.0
USB Options	USB Options
1 x USB 3.0 PORT (Type C) + 1 x USB 3.0 PORT + 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS	1 x USB 3.0 PORT (Type C) + 2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Battery	Battery
UltraNote IV Series 44WH Lithium Ion Battery	Cosmos VI Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Keyboard Language	Keyboard Language
SINGLE COLOUR BACKLIT UK KEYBOARD	SINGLE COLOUR BACKLIT UK KEYBOARD
Operating System	Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence	Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language	Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language	United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software	Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365	FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus	Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode	BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser	Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)	Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Notebook Mouse	Notebook Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE	INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam	Webcam
INTEGRATED 1MP HD WEBCAM	INTEGRATED 1MP HD WEBCAM
Warranty	Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)	3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery	Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)	STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time	Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days	Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Quantity	Quantity
1	1
Price: £894.00 including VAT and delivery.	Price: £989.00 including VAT and delivery.
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/ultraNoteIV-15/qU6pTEr7cU/	Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/cosmosVI-15/nRFQECfm0T/

Cosmos:
Dimensions (W x D x H) 378mm x 267mm x 24.9mm
Weight 2.5KG

Ultranote:
Dimensions (W x D x H) 377mm x 259mm x 24.2mm
Weight 2.2KG including Battery

Granted there will be other chassis smaller than the ultranote, but even with the Cosmos you're still shaving almost 40% of the weight off.

 

[Oussebon]

Having made the case for the Cosmos, it seems that the 15.6" Optimus VIII's price has come down a bit. The price is pretty similar to the Cosmos but it sports a much more powerful GPU. Still not an extravagent one, but the efficiencies in performance per watt that the latest gen of GPUs has brought means it can provide a much stronger GPU.

Chassis & Display
Optimus Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD IPS LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i5 Quad Core Processor 7300HQ (2.5GHz, 3.5GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM)
16GB HyperX IMPACT 2133MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 - 2.0GB GDDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12.1
Memory - Hard Disk
1TB SLIM SERIAL ATA III 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 128MB CACHE (5,400rpm)
M.2 SSD Drive
256GB SAMSUNG SM961 M.2, PCIe NVMe (up to 3100MB/R, 1400MB/W)
Memory Card Reader
Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
AC Adaptor
1 x 90W AC Adaptor
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
Intel 2 Channel High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema 3
Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® AC-8265 M.2 (867Mbps, 802.11AC) +BT 4.0
USB Options
1 x USB 3.0 PORT (Type C) + 2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Battery
Cosmos VI Series 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Keyboard Language
SINGLE COLOUR BACKLIT UK KEYBOARD
Operating System
Genuine Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Notebook Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 1MP HD WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 4 to 6 working days
Quantity
1

Price: £996.00 including VAT and delivery.

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/optimusVIII-15/YwzuQV0ked/

Dimensions (W x D x H) 378mm x 267mm x 24.9mm
Weight 2.5KG



The 1050 is a good 65% more powerful than the 950M. The GTX 1050 ti is also available in that chassis for ~£50 more, and seems to be over 100% more powerful than the 950M.
It's roughly equivalent to the GTX 960, which is capable of playing many modern games on medium-high settings.