Eluktronics MAX series Laptops

how's the maingear variant of the max 15? The 3070, ryzen model sold at microcenter specifically. does it run too hot or anything of the sort?

 

It is fantastic. The CPU does run hot when gaming but you have full control of everything with the Maingear Node utility. You can cap CPU wattage if you wish. You can run GPU TGP at the full 140w down to 115w. You can also enable dynamic boost which adjusts GPU power as needed up to 140w. You can limit GPU temp limit as well. Really, really handy utility. Typically my CPU ran in upper 80s and GPU upper 70s when gaming. It depends on the game though of course.

Some AMD quirks though. Laptop may have sleep issues (it won't sleep no matter what you do). AMD supposedly issued a driver update that fixed it but it still occurred on mine. The AMD Radeon software can interfere with nVidia features like Vulkan support. I needed to completely wipe AMD and NV drivers using DDU and reinstalled them again to get Vulkan back. Weird little bug.

Overall, fantastic choice.

 

It can be a decent laptop if you get a good one, but that's a big "if" as quality control isn't particularly good. This is more Tongfang's fault than Maingear as I've had problems with their laptops as well as Eluktronics.

 

Here is a comparison of Timespy, for what it's worth, between my old AMD 5800H/3070 and current Intel 11800H/3070 Vector Pros. I swapped the stock RAM in both to dual rank Kingston Fury RAM. Intel runs cooler because you can undervolt and performs roughly 10% better in CPU performance for me. Both tests were run in Hybrid / Optimus mode and not dGPU mode, pretty great performance in both. The Intel version does support adaptive sync, same as FreeSync but using the Intel graphics command center.

https://www.3dmark.com/compare/spy/23981304/spy/22486672#

 

I like that Prometheus XVI, but I am very leery of lack of driver support. My HP650-HS is pushing 5 years, and it was pure driver hell and BSODs until I found Obsidian's Updater application. Now they're discontinuing support (just not enough business).

In an email exchange with Eluktronics, when I asked if the Prometheus was rebranded and who was the maker, they said, "No, we build this in our own factories."

Now I read about TongFang...

 

They have a different definition of "build in our factories" than what most people assume, they customize them per customer order and install proprietary software, OS etc but the chassis, mobo etc are all just purchased from tongfang in bulk. You can get the details usually from notebookcheck.

 

Technically the Prometheus XVI (and only it) ODM is Quanta, not Tongfang.

Honestly having seen the Maingear Vector Pro in Micro Center, then purchasing a MAX 17, its magnesium alloy chassis is so much better than the plastic options. My only wish is that they made a variant of the MAX 17 with a thicker chassis (but still mag alloy) and heatsink, so running at the same noise level could allow for higher wattages.

As far as drivers go I have wondered how much of the NUC Laptop kit drivers might work with MAX 15/17, given they are both a Tongfang chassis. The bios is definitely different, or at least has a graphical shell to it.

 

How's the battery life on the 5800h vs 11800h models? I know the AMD is better, but I'd like more concrete figures mostly. Also, can you undervolt on the intel models? Thanks~

 

Too early to tell re: the Intel model. I would routinely get 6-7+ hours on the 5800H model when doing basic office and internet work. I expect to get maybe 1-2 hours less with Intel? Yes you can undervolt the Intel model which may help. I have a -.070v CPU undervolt for daily use and for gaming. You can also enable XMP on the Intel model. I haven't gotten the RAM I'd like to try yet, the Crucial 3200 CL16 1.35 set, not sure how big of a difference it'll make.

 

If you want get a good battery life on the 11800h copy these settings:
View attachment 197438
You can also trigger a command in "options" when a profile changes. I have a script that i use here that changes my refresh rate to 40hz when on battery and back to 165hz on ac power:
namar0x0309/PWRMgmt (github.com)

Lasts me about 5-6 hours which is really good.

I got the cyberpower pc deal (eluktonics max 17). It's my new favorite laptop.

If you need more speed, just move the "Clock Mod" higher.

Windows 11 has dynamic refresh rate on this model.
I don't think qres enumerates this new option. I want to develop a less manually involved tool but can't find the time
View attachment 197439

 

Regarding memory, if you happen to have some old Samsung B-die, you can run it with a custom profile at 3200 CL18 1.2v. Very fast and stable without much effect on battery life.

 

Do not have any. I only have my current Kingston Fury 3200 CL20 1.2v, not really comfortable overclocking RAM as I bricked a Legion 7i by flashing the GPU vbios (I am stupid...no idea why I wanted to do it in first place...). So I'd just buy a set of 1.35v RAM and run the XMP1 profile in the bios.

 

The battery health options doesn't seem to reduce the battery like other laptops (MSI for example)
Is there anything I'm missing or does it need a bios update?

 

Does anyone know - do the eluktronics max-15 come with Thunderbolt 4 on the Tiger Lake chipsets? Or only the 17 in. versions? If not, does that mean I won't be able to output 120hz 4k?

 

You don't need Thunderbolt 4 to output to a 4K/120 Hz display, just an output capable of DisplayPort 1.4, which the MAX-15 has through its USB-C port.

 

Thank you. I'm sort of port illiterate on some of these finer points.

Can anyone speak to a comparison between 3070 and 3080 configs for a max-15 with an i7-11800H? The TGPs aren't listed on the website. It's a $700 difference and considering the 3080 at max would pull more power than the brick can even supply, I'm wondering if it'd be worth it or if the thermals and power draw will make it more trouble than it's worth, adding in the cost of possibly buying an additional 280w brick seems like it's a pretty large cost, but it might be necessary for both. Anyone here using a tiger lake 3080 max-15? I'd be getting liquid metal from their in house storefront in either case so not sure how much that might affect the decision (LM is only applied to CPU heatsink afaik).

/e: received this reply from customer service today:

 

I doubt even with liquid metal on both the processor and the GPU die it's feasible for the 15" to cool the 165w 3080 to be honest

 

Yea seems far fetched, but Eluktronics is pretty good about testing their configs to make sure they're useable so I'd be surprised if they're shipping units that won't even run at stock clocks. It's kind of crazy that seemingly nobody in the world has bought or reviewed this configuration. I mean, the 3080 has been reviewed and is useable in other configs in this chassis but idk bout the whole tiger lake setup.

 

A lot of ppl that are happy with theirs don't frequent here often. The deal i got from cyberpowepc which is back needs a repaste but it's such a good laptop, I'm pinching myself.

Once I repaste I'll share new perf numbers.

 

I been looking at the Tracer V Edge Pro I15X too, but I really prefer the max-15 chassis to the mech. I can't remember the tongfang part number. These are the configs I'm looking at:
On the Eluktronics store, each with 2 year warranty:

Max-15

Tiger Lake - i711800H - liquid metal / 16GB DDR4 3200 / 512GB WD Black SSD

3070 - $2,225

3080 - $2,965

Or the cyberpower version of the mech:

https://www.cyberpowerpc.com/saved/1PXC4V

Tracer V Edge Pro I15X / 3080 / I7-11800H / 8GB DDR4/2666MHz / 1TB WD Blue SSD

$1,969 + $50 gift card

I trust Eluktronics more and they have better warranty, software, liquid metal, etc, but the 3080 config is almost $1,000 more than the price of the 3080 Tracer...

I'm planning to put 32GB PNY XLR8 3200 CL20 DDR4 and a 1TB Gammix S70 pcie 4 SSD in the system for $250 anyways so I cheaped out on the storage and ram for the most part (the 1TB on CPPC was literally only $6 more than the baseline setup). I'll probably just sell the ram and SSD included for $125 or so back. Probably can't sell the stock stuff from the Tracer for as much, I read Eluktronics uses pretty good default components. I would just buy the 32 GB ram from them but it's a lot cheaper to do it myself.

That Tracer is so cheap but I'm not 100% on the quality or service and I really think this tiny chassis needs the liquid metal on these components. I also don't know if the Tracer has a MUX switch and I don't know the TGP on that 3080? Thoughts?

 

I'm pretty sure it has mux since mine has it too (intel gpu mode too in case you want to have more battery).
Definitely needs LM if you want to pull max perf. I just repasted mine with normal thermal paste and got about 5% improvement so I trust they have good quality on that front.

I haven't tested cyberpowerpc's customer service there's that. If you don't trust yourself with LM, then use Eluktronics for sure.

I advise you practice LM skills when you can on cheaper or used devices as it helps in the future.

I personally stopped using LM as the gains are minimal compared to the risk. Fried a laptop a few weeks ago and I've had no issue with LM for 3 years before that. It's a volatile substance so I just steer clear for more peace of mind.

Side note: they have 3200MHZ ram even though they list 2666 (keep it hush )

 

Good info, thanks. I have an older system I could practice on.

 

Look into foam dams for extra protection

 

I went ahead with the

• 1 x MAX-15
  • Intel i7-11800H + 8GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 [+$400]
  • Display 15.6" QHD 165Hz 100% sRGB IPS-Type Anti-Glare (2560 x 1440)
  • Display Calibration Color Accuracy Delta E < 2 [FREE!] ($35 Value)
  • SSD Storage & Memory 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD + 16GB Samsung DDR4 3200MHz RAM (2 Dimm)
  • Thermal Cooling Solution Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut CPU & MasterGel Maker GPU Upgrade (ULTIMATE COOLING) [+$75]
  • Warranty Options 2 Year Eluktronics Warranty [+$99] ($150 Value! Limited time offer)
  $2,273.99

Total (USD)$2,335.66

Decided not to shell out the $600+ extra for a 3080 config, even with the extra 8GB VRAM I feel like I might be upgrading sooner than my usual 5 years with some of the new mobile tech coming out in the next couple years. Gonna be a huge upgrade for me either way. I'm also going to throw in


PNY XLR8 Gaming 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200MHz (PC4-25600) CL20 1.2V Dual Rank
$109.99



XPG 1TB GAMMIX S70 Blade - PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD 7,400 MB/s
$147.99


That should end up being a pretty solid machine. Maybe I'll look at putting some more thermal pads inside depending on how it's set up. It would certainly be nice to have all around comfortable temperatures.

 

That's indeed a sick setup. Stay on top of dusting it to increase its longevity. Also open the screen from the middle or using both hands to reduce stress on hinges

 

Good call, looking forward to getting in and doing some customization. It said expected to ship in 2-3 weeks but I got a tracking number THE NEXT DAY which is fantastic service. It's supposed to be here by next Friday which is my birthday *_*

 

Watch for dead pixels and/or a loose/uneven trackpad when you get it. You also could have bought a laptop with the same chassis but double the RAM and storage for $1700.

https://www.microcenter.com/product...-vcp15i-3070-156-gaming-laptop-computer-black

I personally just ordered a Lenovo Legion 7i with the same CPU, GPU, and RAM. However, it has a 1 TB SSD, USB-C charging, and a 16:10 aspect ratio screen (2560x1600) with support for NVIDIA G-Sync. Including a two-year on-site warranty with accidental damage coverage and next-day delivery, the total was just under $2000 out the door.

 

Microcenter is out of stock on the maingear, it's also not as good as eluktronics, just same chassis, no LM, and of course, the closest microcenter to me is about 450 miles. Not sure about the "you could have gotten this" response but thanks for everything else, lol. Hope you enjoy your Legion, I don't like them or I might've gotten one myself.

 

The Maingear is in stock for shipping on MicroCenter's website. You just need to change to "shippable items" in the drop-down menu. It's your money, of course, but you basically paid hundreds of dollars for liquid metal, which is likely going to have to be serviced more often than a high-quality standard thermal compound. And when I talked about dead pixels on the display and a loose trackpad, I speak from experience having purchased a 3080-equipped MECH-15 G3 that suffered from those very issues. I hope yours is fine, but expect the best, prepare for the worst.

 

I wish I had a Microcenter here in Seattle area -.- We had a Fry's but it closed
@saturnotaku is coming from a good place to save you some cash. Beware of LM, because it'll corrode the cooling structure that sits on it (forgetting the name).
I stopped using LM after being hardcore about it due to minimal gains but i understand the want to try it out.

Eluktronics does have good support especially if he doesn't want to get into the laptop and risk breaking it (especially with LM etc.)

 

Side note: Just got mine out of my bag and it STILL has the age old laptop problem of turning on in while closed sometimes.

It was scolding hot, i was worried, but its fine now.
Is there a fix for the it turning on while in your bag?

I was hoping i wouldn't have to be paranoid about my laptop randomly turning on while closed -.-

 

Well, you can reduce the argument to whatever factors you want. What you said is absolutely purposefully reductionist, though. Dramatically increased LM maintenance is a common misconception that's even less of a problem when applied expertly, and unlike with a maingear, Eluktronics will reapply for free within warranty (I have a 2 year extended warranty). Panel quality is part of the warranty as well. Like I said, there's a lot of upsides to buying from E over MC but do what you want. Just try not to tell other people they're making mistakes for buying better services, lol. I paid $75 for LM on the CPU and MasterGel Maker on the GPU(11 (W/mK) is pretty good for aftermarketTIM). It's not that expensive for the service tbh. It's $20 a tube for Maker by itself. This review shows pretty good results and this is on top of the LM application which I am happy to pay extra for https://gadgetgang.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Thermal-paste-idle-chart.png

But yea, they're back in stock now. Well, 3 units in CA. Amazingly, my MAX-15 shipped the same day I placed the order and is set to be here in under 6 days, which is pretty awesome.

Yeah, I understand MC is cheaper, but it's also cheaper.

LM does not corrode nickel heatsink apparatus, which is what comes with the tiger lake model. If it's copper, yes, you'd have a major problem. A professional service would not offer that combo because it'll destroy your hardware. Some alloys break down the LM over time but with re-application it eventually becomes part of the heatsink mechanism.

 

I've had my Max 15 for about 2 weeks now and I'm super happy with it. I got about 11440 timespy and some other pretty impressive bench results, happy to share if anyone is interested. They also flashed my bios for me remotely today and the new tiger lake bios, which is not technically available yet, is pretty sweet. There are some bugs with it but the amount of control it offers is pretty great.

 

So the whole frame is metal, yes? My only reference to this is dell precisions and latitudes, anyone comparison there?