The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Laptop graphics cards

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by VikP85, Jun 5, 2015.

  1. VikP85

    VikP85 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hey which graphics card would you all recommend if I want to play games (current and upcoming: fallout 4 , MGS phantom pain etc) for the next 3 years at least. I don't need the graphics to be ultra but I would like the FPS to run at a good rate. Thanks. The 970m and 980m are ones I'm looking at, 970m at 3gb or 6gb can't decide. HELP!
     
    VikP85, Jun 5, 2015
    #1
  2. killkenny1

    killkenny1 Too weird to live, too rare to die.

    Reputations:
    8,268
    Messages:
    5,258
    Likes Received:
    11,615
    Trophy Points:
    681
    The better the jollier.
     
    killkenny1, Jun 5, 2015
    #2
  3. D2 Ultima

    D2 Ultima Livestreaming Master

    Reputations:
    4,335
    Messages:
    11,803
    Likes Received:
    9,751
    Trophy Points:
    931
    longest lasting is 980M, of course, unless you want a SLI laptop.

    What laptop have you been looking at?
     
    D2 Ultima, Jun 5, 2015
    #3
  4. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    949
    Messages:
    7,700
    Likes Received:
    2,819
    Trophy Points:
    331
    you do know that you can't have a 3gb 970m or a 4gb 980m if your laptop takes MXM cards as they're only available as BGA variants (aka as a soldered chip on the motherboard). the 6gb 970m and the 8gb 980m are the MXM cards and those are the ones that can be swapped and upgraded.

    i went with the 980m 8gb and i am not complaining :)
     
    thegh0sts, Jun 5, 2015
    #4
  5. VikP85

    VikP85 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5


    The razer blade has a 970m with 3gb ram though
     
    VikP85, Jun 5, 2015
    #5
  6. VikP85

    VikP85 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5

    I've been looking at the new razer blade with 970m 3gb Also I've been looking at an msi 970m with 6gb. Here is the linkhttp:// www.xoticpc.com/msi-gs60-ghost-pro064-p-7587.html
     
    VikP85, Jun 5, 2015
    #6
  7. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    949
    Messages:
    7,700
    Likes Received:
    2,819
    Trophy Points:
    331
    which means it's using a soldered on GPU - why do you think it's sooooo thin?

    you can't escape the fact that 970M 3GB and the 980M 4GB are the BGA and the 970M 6GB and the 980M 8GB are actual MXM cards.
     
    thegh0sts, Jun 5, 2015
    #7
  8. Ethrem

    Ethrem Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    1,404
    Messages:
    6,706
    Likes Received:
    4,735
    Trophy Points:
    431
    I actually looked it up and the GS60 is a soldered model as well? It wouldn't be the first time a soldered chip got the RAM of an MXM card though.
     
    Ethrem, Jun 5, 2015
    #8
  9. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    949
    Messages:
    7,700
    Likes Received:
    2,819
    Trophy Points:
    331
    it's good to have a laptop with MXM slot(s) :)
     
    thegh0sts, Jun 5, 2015
    #9
  10. VikP85

    VikP85 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5

    You think that gs60 would hold up for the next 3 years and play games such as fallout 4 , phantom pain, and future games?
     
    VikP85, Jun 5, 2015
    #10
  11. D2 Ultima

    D2 Ultima Livestreaming Master

    Reputations:
    4,335
    Messages:
    11,803
    Likes Received:
    9,751
    Trophy Points:
    931
    I think if the hardware holds up sure... I can't guess if the machine will keep it so long or not.

    Do you NEED something so thin? How about the P650SE or P650SG?
     
    D2 Ultima, Jun 5, 2015
    #11
  12. TANWare

    TANWare Just This Side of Senile, I think. Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    2,548
    Messages:
    9,585
    Likes Received:
    4,997
    Trophy Points:
    431
    3 years is a lot to ask of a GPU to stay fairly current.
     
    TANWare, Jun 5, 2015
    #12
  13. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    949
    Messages:
    7,700
    Likes Received:
    2,819
    Trophy Points:
    331
    980m would probably further than the 970m.
     
    thegh0sts, Jun 5, 2015
    #13
  14. VikP85

    VikP85 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I'm looking for something portable. Not over 5lbs
     
    VikP85, Jun 5, 2015
    #14
  15. VikP85

    VikP85 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5

    Yeah but I don't need everything at ultra settings. This is just to get my fix while traveling
     
    VikP85, Jun 5, 2015
    #15
  16. D2 Ultima

    D2 Ultima Livestreaming Master

    Reputations:
    4,335
    Messages:
    11,803
    Likes Received:
    9,751
    Trophy Points:
    931
    Then you're asking a lot for a system to work perfectly for 3+ years with that kind of dimensions. You can buy what you want, but just be wary of what you're getting.
     
    D2 Ultima, Jun 5, 2015
    #16
  17. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    949
    Messages:
    7,700
    Likes Received:
    2,819
    Trophy Points:
    331
    3 years you may as well upgrade!
     
    thegh0sts, Jun 5, 2015
    #17
  18. Ethrem

    Ethrem Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    1,404
    Messages:
    6,706
    Likes Received:
    4,735
    Trophy Points:
    431
    I personally wouldn't trust a thin system to last 3 years... Seems like those are designed to last 1-2
     
    Ethrem, Jun 5, 2015
    #18
  19. hfm

    hfm Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,264
    Messages:
    5,296
    Likes Received:
    3,048
    Trophy Points:
    431
    It'll be fine.
     
    hfm, Jun 5, 2015
    #19
  20. VikP85

    VikP85 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Sorry, which laptop the msi ?
     
    VikP85, Jun 5, 2015
    #20
  21. Splintah

    Splintah Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    278
    Messages:
    1,948
    Likes Received:
    595
    Trophy Points:
    131
    I think it will be fine depending on what your expectations are. If you are looking to play on ultra settings in a year you will have to upgrade. Otherwise plan on lowering the settings to around high in a year to maintain playable frame rate for the big releases
     
    Splintah, Jun 6, 2015
    #21
  22. Ethrem

    Ethrem Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    1,404
    Messages:
    6,706
    Likes Received:
    4,735
    Trophy Points:
    431
    I'd be more worried about a catastrophic system failure than gaming performance. Concentrated heat is really not good.
     
    Ethrem, Jun 6, 2015
    #22
  23. VikP85

    VikP85 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    OK. My other option is the Razer Blade 970m with 3gb. How's that ?

    Thanks for you help!
     
    VikP85, Jun 6, 2015
    #23
  24. VikP85

    VikP85 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    15
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I'm also thinking about the razer Blade with 970m with 3gb ram. What you think ?
     
    VikP85, Jun 6, 2015
    #24
  25. Splintah

    Splintah Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    278
    Messages:
    1,948
    Likes Received:
    595
    Trophy Points:
    131
    970m is a great card, you can play witcher 3 on nearly ultra with some settings turned down at a playable framerate, I'm more concerned with Razer's quality control and their bad customer service. If you do get it get it from the microsoft store.
     
    Splintah, Jun 6, 2015
    #25
  26. D2 Ultima

    D2 Ultima Livestreaming Master

    Reputations:
    4,335
    Messages:
    11,803
    Likes Received:
    9,751
    Trophy Points:
    931
    I'll repeat what I said.

    If you want a sub 1" thick, sub-5-pound laptop to last 3 years playing the newest games, you're likely not going to have a happy ending. Those laptops are not designed to cool what they put in their chassis, period. It's why I suggested the P650SE to you.
     
    D2 Ultima, Jun 6, 2015
    #26
    Mr Najsman, TBoneSan, zizimonzter and 2 others like this.
  27. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

    Reputations:
    21,580
    Messages:
    35,370
    Likes Received:
    9,877
    Trophy Points:
    931
    P650SE gives you four drives for storage, two four RAM slots, and easy to access the CPU and GPU for repasting, not to mention not voiding warranty in accessing any of the replaceable components, and costs $1000 less than Razer Blade. It's 5mm thicker and 1lbs heavier but it also has much better cooling, expansion, user accessibility, runs cooler and won't throttle.
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2015
    HTWingNut, Jun 6, 2015
    #27
    Mr Najsman and D2 Ultima like this.
  28. thegh0sts

    thegh0sts Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    949
    Messages:
    7,700
    Likes Received:
    2,819
    Trophy Points:
    331
    yeah, it seems you can't have a cake and eat it!
     
    thegh0sts, Jun 6, 2015
    #28
  29. octiceps

    octiceps Nimrod

    Reputations:
    3,147
    Messages:
    9,944
    Likes Received:
    4,194
    Trophy Points:
    431
    FTFY
     
    octiceps, Jun 6, 2015
    #29
    Mr Najsman and D2 Ultima like this.
  30. hfm

    hfm Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,264
    Messages:
    5,296
    Likes Received:
    3,048
    Trophy Points:
    431
    Either one.
     
    hfm, Jun 6, 2015
    #30
  31. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

    Reputations:
    21,580
    Messages:
    35,370
    Likes Received:
    9,877
    Trophy Points:
    931
    oh haha. yeah oops, and I own one too. lol.
     
    HTWingNut, Jun 6, 2015
    #31
    Mr Najsman likes this.
  32. leit

    leit Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    27
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    If you want to run Oculus Rift CV-1 at the planned release date of 1st quarter 2016, you might want to wait.
    There continue to be unresolved concerns about Nvidia Optimus laptops and the pipeline that feeds video via the Intel chipset then the Nvidia GPU.
    Oculus says there needs to be a direct GPU connection to the display--Optimus does not allow this.
    Currently the spec for Oculus Rift CV-1 calls for the desktop version of the GTX970, which probably draws the laptop version to GTX980--but there are few laptops that allow the proper bypass (not just software or bios) around Optimus.

    Here are some references to this conversation:

    https://www.oculus.com/blog/powering-the-rift/

    midway down on this forum for some additional insights:

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/the-msi-gs60-ghost-pro-970m-owners-lounge.762769/page-147
     
    leit, Jun 8, 2015
    #32