Recomended Mobile GPU

Hello Experts,

What mobile gpu would you consider powerful enough to run a 24" external monitor running 1920x1080 and achieve min 60fps in games like WoW, SC2, and newer games coming out like Dragon Age Inquisition and Elder Scrolls Online?

Thanks tons

Ronin

 

i think that a minimum for 1080p gaming is 770M regarding Nvidia cards..but maybe you should wait 2-3months cause amd will release mantle cards alongside with the new cpu line...if im were in your position i would wait to see how mantle is really good...i dont know if mantle is coming for notebook..other guys will know that better but if you are in hurry dont go for anything less that 770M or ati 8970M is pretty strong card too..avoid current amd cpu*s cause they suck

 

for 60fps and high settigs in DA Inquisition u will need at least 770m or 7970m/8970m

manle coming for all GCN gpu´s so for gcn based notebook gpu´s too

7970m would be enough too coz it´s the same gpu

 

I think Mantle will die before it even starts. Nvidia has had NVAPI for a while now and if developers really do intend to go with Mantle, then Nvidia will start pushing for NVAPI. Then we'll have a mess of APIs on PC. Mantle is dead on console. PS4 is OpenGL and Microsoft will never allow Mantle on Xbone. So Mantle is now just for PC on AMD hardware.

Nvidia will not go with Mantle, which to me makes it really stupid for game devs to support it when majority of PC Gamers are Nvidia. Really stupid. There is no reason for Nvidia to support Mantle when they are the big guns in discrete graphics, raking in the billions while AMD is laying off engineers and rushing to rearrange their business and losing marketshare to ARM, Intel and Nvidia all at the same time.

Problem? AMD GPU division isn't very profitable, they suck. Nvidia owns all of CUDA, GPGPU market and workstation market, which frankly is where the money is. Nvidia receives billions for every supercomputer project they take on.

I see Mantle dead before it starts as I think gamers will actually become very upset if games start to be released with specific API giving performance edge to specific hardware. It's excitiing to think about it now, but the novelty and excitement will wear off real fast if games like BF4 are AMD specific and Ubisoft, Bethesda, Epic Games are Nvidia specific.

Despite some stupid devs marketing Mantle, I would still go with Nvidia 770M over AMD. Enduro and just overall reliability.

 

/rant /offtopic

 

True, NVidia has the dominant market share of all discrete GPU's, even proof is here: NVIDIA Takes 62% of Discrete GPU Market Share in Q2 2013 » TekRevue

However, you really have to take into account that this is a mix between both mobile and desktop GPU's. NVidia pretty much dominates the mobile market at the moment, walk into your local computer store and the vast majority of laptops/notebooks with discrete cards are fixed with NVidia, so on that standpoint there isn't much to choose from with AMD. But on the desktop arena, that's a different story, their card's are amazing at the price and lots of people are making the switch to AMD. They just released the R9 290 which is a lot quieter than the R9 290x and is very very close in benchmark tests with the NVidia GTX Titan. Price? $400.... while the Titan will set you back $1,079.... you can get 2 R9 290's and it will still be cheaper than the Titan .

Now, off to the OP's question lol:

The 8970M/7970M is a stronger card than the 770M, you can read that here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sager-clevo/728650-770m-vs-8970m-should-i-get.html

However, if you have the money, then I suggest going all out with the 780M, which is the most powerful mobile card on the market currently if I'm not mistaken.

 

Yeah, going for at least a 770M would be the good idea. I'm pretty sure you'll need to turn off many settings if you want 60 fps for DA: Inquisition and Elder Scrolls Online on any laptop gpu, though.

 

That's what I'm thinking too. If you are going to have the notebook hooked up to a monitor anyways, why not build yourself a desktop and get a portable notebook on the side if you need a notebook . Elder Scrolls Online is going to be an extremely demanding game, so you can't go wrong with the power of a desktop hooked up to your monitor.

 

As far as current mobile GPUs, the GTX 780M is the only correct answer to the 108p/60fps question, especially when games which haven't even been released are brought into the equation. The GTX 770M will not suffice.

But is a notebook really the best move for you, over a powerful desktop?

 

780M no doubt for 1080p 60fps gaming. 770M will begin to stuggle.

 

I support what Kevin and Meaker said. Specially as Kevion mentioned, do you absolutely need a laptop? A powerful desktop for gaming and a low end laptop for work/school should be a better combo than a high end laptop.

 

Thanks everyone for the replys.

It sucks, but I DO need a laptop as I travel far too much for a desktop. I looked at getting a desktop as I plan to be in the Caymans for two years starting next month and I was looking at an Alienware Aurora but my shipping address is in Canada. Getting it to Cayamans is not only extremely expensive, but risky for damage, and a nice 20% customs duty on top. With a laptop I can have somone bring it to me easily enough. My current gaming laptop is nearly dead !

I just thought I could at least get a monitor hooked up to the laptop and that would be an easy solution but it would seem that is not the case.

Thanks again everyone for the help !!

Ronin

 

My 770m stays pegged @60fps on skyrim hdmi'd into 55" Samsung TV

 

Frostbite 3, eh? 60fps, eh? Well, to get a good picture of how well Frostbite 3 games run on laptop GPUs look at Battlefield 4 performance. that's where I would start.

 

Where was Frostbite 3 mentioned in this thread? I'm sure you could've chosen a better segue into a Canadian joke.

 

Dragon Age Inquisition is built with Frostbite 3 engine and that is the most demanding game that he lists in his original list of games he wants to play. Also, when did I mention Canada? That was your own interpretation

 

I don't believe in mere coincidence.

 

Never offer a man a desktop who asks for a laptop. Never!

 

I think I`ll go with the rest of the guys on this one:

If you are looking for a smooth 60FPS experience, you`ll need GTX 780M or dual GPU system. Thinking about that Elder Scrolls Online game. Pretty sure it will tax your system quite a bit

 

And being that ESO is an MMO, remember not to skimp on the CPU.

 

pretty sure you can get a decently small ITX system.

 

my 7970m/3630qm can run battlefield 4 at nearly maxed settings, just under, on my 23" 1080p external monitor at 58 fps average. If I turn those down just a smidge and it still looks awesome i can climb to the 80s.

No this is not at stock clocks, but I'm doing at nice and cool none the less. Mid to upper 80's, and I'm currently without the fans for my U3 cooler that are currently in route to me on a warranty claim.

 

If the need fits the circumstances then why not? Many people still don't realize that they can buy an mITX desktop config that has a footprint half that of a laptop. I've seen many users go the powerful desktop + less powerful laptop route in the end. You can buy a powerful desktop + gaming capable laptop for much less than a high powered gaming laptop. So if you do 80% of your gaming at home, use your desktop, but still capable on the go when you want, just may need to sacrifice resolution or details.

 

I think that ship has sailed. Frostbite3 is Mantle enabled, it's a done deal. BF4, [so 5, ...and likely 6] ...Mantle. Dragon Age Inquisition? ...Mantle. Mass Effect: Whatever ...? Mantle. Square-Enix [Eidos, Crystal Dynamics] is going with Mantle. Thief is using Mantle. The next Tomb Raider will likely use Mantle. Just Cause 3 or potential Legacy of Kain reboot, if it were true, good chance it will use Mantle.

Unlike the last console generation, this new generation has only AMD graphics in them. Nvidia can work with any game developer, but AMD must with all of them. In a way, all this comes down to a contest between AMD and Nvidia for who is going to be the developer's BFF. If you look at it that way, you know Nvidia can't become the BFF. Really, the first sign of this was the resurgence of AMD's "Gaming Evolved" program recently since obtaining the rights to all console graphics. Dirt: Showdown, Dishonored, Hitman: Absolution, Far Cry 3/Blood Dragon, Crysis 3, Tomb Raider, Bioshock: Infinite, now Battlefield 4 and Thief continue to consolidate the commitment with Mantle. I suspect Irrational Games, Crytek and Ubisoft are likely candidates to adopt Mantle in future games as well due to their current level of involvement with AMD.

I've been holding off until AMD's next GPU die shrink to upgrade ...and that is still the plan, but a Kaveri iteration of MSI's GX60/70 series [with the 8970m or maybe whatever the hell AMD's Crystal series may have as a replacement, if any] may be a good ~$1200 gaming laptop if the 20% CPU jump rumored shows up in games. THAT'S A BIG IF GIVEN AMD's TRACK RECORD ON THESE MATTERS, ...but it is worth keeping an eye out for just in case. Still, at least with Mantle equipped games, I can see the GX60/70 running games like 3 years from now well where before I couldn't due to the CPU end of them, ...and that is going to be quite a few big title games.

 

Some people don't realize that a desktop is actually better for them. Why spend $2k on a GTX 780M laptop that will never leave the desk on which it's plugged into a monitor? The desktop that money could buy is tremendous.