860m maxwell vs kepler

I'm wanting to get a gaming laptop before I leave the country May 9th. I was about to order the Newegg.com - MSI GS Series GS60 Ghost-007 Gaming Notebook Intel Core i7 4700HQ (2.40GHz) 12GB Memory 750GB HDD 128GB SSD NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M 2GB 15.6" Windows 8.1 but was reading the new Gigabyte P34 v2 came with the 860m 4GB Maxwell card. I know its not as lite or thin as the MSI and has a smaller screen, but is the 4gb maxwell version that much better? I like the MSI and what it has to offer but would I be stupid to pay more for it and skip out on the Gigabyte laptop? Thank you in advance!

 

First if all both should perform relatively the same, the Maxwell has a lower TDP so in theory it should also run cooler if both versions are used in the same notebook, saying that the Kepler 860M in the MSI GS60 handles temps really well with the dual fan cooling.
The Gigabyte P34 V2 is still waiting to be released so no one really knows how well it handles cooling but the older model had problems with very loud fans under load.
I sure hope they fixed the loud fans in the V2.

 

I found it on XoticPC @ XOTIC PC | GIGABYTE P34Gv2-CF1 - 14.0" Gaming Notebook with GTX 860M

I'm not sure if anyone has reviewed one yet though

 

The performance between the 2 should be the same. What you get with the Keplar 4Gb card is an mxm form factor which would allow you to upgrade to a 20mn maxwell mxm card in the future (if they make them). The 2Gb soldered on board 860m maxwell now will give you the same performance as the mxm version, but uses 25 watts less in power. It will not be upgradeable in the future. It comes down to your preference. I went with the maxwell 860 2Gb on board since I wanted the smallest laptop I could get for travel and battery life and still be able to game on it. If in a year, the new maxwell's at 20nm come out and blow the roof off with performance gains then this laptop will probably end up being my wife's and a new machine will be headed my way

 

What laptop did you go with?

I'm trying to decide between the 2013 Razer Blade or the MSI GS60 ghost-007. I know the specs are better on the MSI but that build quality on the blade is tempting.

 

I have a feeling the MSI will run cooler and costs significantly less. Granted performance of the Blade will likely be better.

 

I was struggling with the Maxwell/Kepler 860 in the GS60 as well, but finally bought a GS60-003 despite it being Kepler. Check the MSI section here and I posted my thoughts, but basically, the GS60 handles the Kepler temps just fine and keeps it plenty cool. Ironically, the GE60 with Maxwell runs hot, so just because Maxwell has a lower TDP doesn't guarantee lower temps. Other reasons I didn't go with the P34 are I need a numpad on the keyboard, and I just was really looking forward to a solid metal chassis that's impressively thin on the GS60.

This also was a big reason I was scared of the Gigabyte:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nY2NFSpv8E
Hopefully they improved this with V2, but I struggle to see a significant reduction in noise.

This is incorrect, the Kepler 860m is soldered and not replaceable in the GS60. MSI went with the Kepler because they also are releasing an 870m Kepler version in the future and kept the same GPU architecture to be able to use the same motherboard.

 

If it runs similar temps with less fan noise consider MSI thoroughly schooled with 1.6" less footprint.

 

The GS60 will be quite a bit faster than the 2013 Razer Blade, and the GS60 screen will be SUBSTANTIALLY better than the 2013 Blades.... can't comment on Razer build quality, hear it is top end, but the GS60 isn't bad by any means either.

If you are talking 2014 Blade, yes, it will be faster with the 870m if it doesn't throttle, but the 2013 Blade with the 765 will be slower for sure than the GS60's 860m.