TONGFANG GK5CN5Z / GK5CN6Z / GK5CQ7Z / GK5CP0Z

Cyberpowerpc has it. Look for the Tracer III Slim 15. I'm considering getting it once they have another free 16 GB ram sale. Pretty sure repasting will void warranty though.

 

How to autostart Throttlestop
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/the-throttlestop-guide.531329/page-454#post-10247294

Mine is on its way here, so is Grizzly Kryonaut

 

Thank you. I've got two weeks to decide if I'm keeping this machine. PCS don't void warranty for repaste thankfully

 

I'd like to see it too! Sounds like a good solution

 

It's a rough job so pardon if it looks hideous. I'll take some photos later.

As for repaste, I've got mine Kryonaut-ed out of the reseller.

 

I'd not be happy unless I'd pasted myself so I declined PCS using "premium" paste. We all know the best performers.

No judgement mate you done the wrap yourself? It's not an easy job. I'd prefer a professional did it rather than myself haha

 

I've noticed a few people saying they've used throttlestop to undervolt 125 on core and cache. Anyone found any other changes through TS that have helped?

 

Not really, though there is a bloke on YouTube who undervolted the core by a mad 350 mV and it was still stable. Cache was left at -125. It was in a different machine though so it might not work here, nor I see too much reason to undervolt it so much either.

 

The -125 undervolt definitely makes a difference temps down from 90 to 80/70's under load

 

So I've just tried -250mv on core -130mv on cache and it works! However it looks like CPU will now throttle max turbo according to power available as with -250mv i can only hit 3ghz whilst benching... So I guess with 8th gen a generous undervolt will cap your performance instead of a straight bsod.

 

That's a very tolerant cpu. Anyone noticed tearing and slight stutter when changing between pages etc

 

I noticed some stuttering when switching around windows, I suspect its something to do with the GPU - I think stuttering dissapeared when I forced Discrete GPU on, which makes me think stuttering might be some sort of handover between iGPU and dGPU?

 

I'm running with -310 mV Core and -135 mV cache and I don't get capped at 3ghz, even if I run the CPU+GPU stress test. Done several tries with undervolting yesterday and this one seems to be giving me the best performance. My temp was always dancing around 80 celcius, so not much of a difference there. Overclocked the GPU too 170 mhz core and 600 mhz memory. Will try and play with the voltage curve a bit later, see what I can get. For now here's the test for my CPU setup.

Haven't noticed any of that.

 

Sounds good, will try to mess around with undervolting later on. I did get a BSOD at -250mv though when CPU was sitting near idle, which makes me think it might be ok for benching but maybe voltages get too low for when CPU is sitting still and already consuming very little voltage.

 

I did crash at idle when I undervolted cache to -140 mV too, but it seem's to be able to handle -135. I've been using my laptop last night and this morning with my current setup though, often leaving the laptop to sit at idle for 10s of minutes, seems stable.

 

That's exactly what I thought it could be. Bit annoying tbh long time since I had a laptop with a iGPU. I'd be happy with the dGPU running solo. Keep picking it up and forgetting it's so light lol.

 

I might try a slightly higher undervolt on the core. Don't think I'll touch the dGPU though seems to perform for what I want. I'm repasting tonight so I'm expecting a good few degrees reduction.

My main annoyance is having to apply the undervolt on each startup. Wish there was bios option to apply out permanently. Haven't actually looked at bios yet not expecting many options.

Really need a new laptop bag this laptop feels so fragile after a P775DM3-G. Still struggling to adjust to the keyboard though

 

I'm forcing Windows to use iGPU for almost everything. Then in nVidia 3d setting I enable certain programs to use the dedicated one, such as games. I also have a power plan setup where if the laptop is on battery, I only allow 80% CPU utilisation. This way I have great battery life if I'm just doing basic stuff on the laptop(mainly when I'm on the move) and still have the same performance when I need it. Works great for me.

 

That's a really good idea. I think I'll do something similar tbh. Don't want the dGPU firing up just for videos playing and chrome.
I set the power to adaptive might readjust.

 

You can set up a basic task using Window Task Scheduler so it runs ThrottleStop at each startup. Note that you need to tweak the conditions a bit, giving it admin permissions and unticking that it only runs when on AC power. That's what I'm doing.

 

I've tried to replicate your result without any success, as soon as I cross over -150mv my CPU frequency seems to get stuck on 3Ghz (or something very close). Could you screenshot your throttlestop settings or paste your throttlestop.ini into here? Wandering whether its silicone lottery or have I missed something somewhere...

 

Mine arrived today. Ran some benchmarks and CPU hit max 68, so for now I'll wait with the repaste. Running Throttlestop with -125mv and speedshift set to 128.
I also tried to install Windows 7, but it is no go at all, since there are no intel USB3 drivers for chipset 370. Now I'm running LTSB 2016, which seems to have the optimus lag. So I guess I will have to install 1803.
But so far I like it, but not liking the click noise of the keyboard though.

 

Here you go:


Cache is -135 mV like I said previously. Try these settings, if you are unsuccessful I can upload the .ini, though I think there is a 3rd variable here that you might be overlooking.

 

https://www.laptopplus.nl/producten/skikk-15gk5z available with optional gtx1060 also.

 

Many thanks, I have tried to replicate those settings but it did not work. Could you screenshot your TPL menu, just wandering whether ive tinkered too much and messed mine up...

 

Did not work as in crash or just that the settings would not hold?

Because it might just be the silicone lottery at work there.

 

It runs (although it will crash within 30 mins), but max clocks with all 6 cores loaded is 3.1ghz. Highest I can go on the undervolt and keep reasonable max turbo is -145mv.

 

I haven't touched this bit so it's default.

 

Yeah, I didn't want to mess things up in regards to TDP. Plus, seems like the GK5CN had BIOS side limiters anyway, so changes here might not really hold TBH.

 

UPDATE: I had a longer gaming session today and the -310 core and -135 cache won't hold. PC reset without getting BSOD or anything. I set it back to -125, both. Now my CPU is reaching temps of 86 celsius and I noticed graphics artifacts while playing on stock clock settings. I'm not happy. Will probably need to repaste even though I paid an extra 9 quid for the better quality paste. Plus I think buying a cooling pad is a good investment. But if I really wanna be honest, if this keeps happening I might just return the laptop and get one with thicker body for better cooling. Desperate for some BIOS updates too as I don't think this rig runs at max potential at all.

 

you should try to adjust power limits using XTU and not throttlestop, after adjustment using XTU you must then exit the program by right clicking the icon on the taskbar

XTU is only recommended to change sliders, not undervolt

 

I need to ask though @Mobius 1 , why is this needed? Does ThrottleStop not adjust Power Limits (TDP) properly or something (or because it actually doesn't work), because I'm not quite a fan of having to run two programs to adjust PL and UV saperately TBH.

HOWEVER, if it's due to some issue with TS not doing it right (if at all) I will gladly run both XTU and TS.

Also, if I use XTU, will the PL adjustments hold through boot even without running XTU again afterwards? Or do I need to hack a script or something to run at boot to achieve this?

Finally, any reason why XTU isn't recommended for UV? I've personally only used ThrottleStop for UV but I've never really had a real reason why except that's what I started with.

To be honest, I'm not aiming to adjust the PL limits for the CFL-H in the GK5CN yet, but yeah, these are the stuff I'm curious about (plus I do have a GDP Win 2 that I do want to adjust the PL of by a little bit).

 

Because TS is designed with safety in mind and doesn't interface directly with the BIOS. Some power limit adjustment isn't possible with TS.

TS can however adjust the TDP level (tdp up / tdp down) of CPUs if the bios doesn't lock this feature.



Using XTU, you can adjust the TDP values and it will hold on subsequent reboots / shutdowns. However only if you don't crash/bsod.

The issue with XTU is that it's not as easy as TS to adjust and can require a cmos battery disconnect to reset some values in the BIOS.

You only use XTU to adjust Power limit values once and never use it again since you exit the program through the taskbar.

XTU runs crap in the background even if you disable the intel telemetry and is significantly heavier than throttlestop in terms of system resources.

 

So my unfounded preference in TS did have some value behind it lol, despite the stated limitations.

So to summarise, TS (in regards to PL/TDP) is ONLY able to adjust TDP Level and "Lock" it with an unlocked BIOS, and it is NOT able to adjust PL values (even with an unlocked BIOS).

Also, all the additional information above has helped clarify quite a few things for me, and probably the other folks in here. Thank you!

Spoiler

Also for the Win 2, I'm gonna have to install XTU (with TS turned off for a bit to avoid conflicts) and run it once to set the PL limits before letting TS resume its UV work.

And I'm gonna have to run it and set it again if I BSOD/Crash, correct?

And many thanks again. You probably just helped clarify this for the entire Win 2 user population - or at least the ones who don't really prefer to use pure XTU for their UV needs.

 

You can adjust TDP level if the bios allows, this is the case with the X1C6. But other systems might be different, and I haven't tested this with other CPUs that have adjustable TDP level feature other than the coffeelake on ThinkPads.

Before starting I recommend reset the undervolt within throttlestop and removing any voltage changes, preferably restart the system without throttlestop.
So what you have to do with XTU is set your desired power limit without any change in voltages. You then have to save this configuration profile (for convenience) for future reference such as quick applying when the system crashes after too much undervolt etc.

Then after applying XTU power limits, you can exit the program through closing the window and exiting the taskbar icon. Now you can use throttlestop to undervolt and change throttlestop profiles.

If the system crashes, be sure to relaunch XTU (after rebooting) and re-apply the desired power levels through loading your saved profile.



I also highly recommend disabling intel telemetry service through using autoruns (windows utility).

 

I have a strange problem with AIDA64 benchmark. When i do a system stability test, CPU clock falls at 2000-2200Mhz also if i set "gaming Mode" in the gaming center. There is no throtling. I have tried also reducing the voltage on TS.
Normally with gaming mode the cpu is always at 4GHz. Anyone has the same problem?

 

Hi! I ordered my Tongfang from Hyperbook yesterday. I chose it, because I couldn't find any alternative that is similarly mobile and durable. I had been looking for anything well-build with decent cooling, minimum i5-8300H and 1050. After reading your conversation that currently revolves around keeping this notebook away from overheating I started to get anxious about my choice. Is i7-8750H too much for this notebook? I don't have much experience with advanced CPU settings, so could You explain what is necessary to tweak this notebook safely and effectively?

 

Cooler is a pc less is the chance of throtling.
The i7 8750h is perfect for this notebook, i played 7hours at Rainbow Six siege, CPU always at 4GHz, max temp 72° and there is no sign of throtling. During normal task the temperature is at 39-42° and fans are turned off.
The result depends on what thermal paste you are using. PCSpecialist uses "CM mastergel maker".

For tweaking the notebook use "Thermal Stop", it's a tool you have to download on internet. Open it, click on FIVR and set as reported from some users on this thread

 

ThrottleStop actually, and yeah it games at good CPU speeds.

You gotta understand that AIDA/Furmark/Prime are stress tests... it puts loads on the CPU no normal game would be able to replicate, hence lower clocks.

TBH, if it throttles, its probably power throttling due to the 150w adapter being insufficient maybe, because temp wise its actually not bad as mine never breaches 85c/80g under benches anyway.

 

Hyperbook actually sends 1050Ti version with 120W powerbrick. 150W is for 1060 version. I asked them about that and they said 120W was sufficient. However it is possible to get 200W adapter from them. I also heard that Hyperbook would sell extended batteries separately for people to upgrade their devices. Bigger battery takes space for SATA drive, but it probably give extra 1 hour of battery life.

 

Hello tongfangers, I do a lot of writing and so the laptop will double-up (in addition to content creation and gaming) as a word processor. My main concern with this laptop (beside temps) is the keyboard. I understand the keys are noisy - which I can swallow - but i've also read (here) that the travel is strange. Granted, it always takes time to adjust to any new keyboard...but, just how weird/awkward is it? Like, basically, if word processing is central to my useage, is this laptop a no no?

 

Perfect, it was my TPL settings that were limiting my CPU at 3.1ghz above -150mv. I have reset them to yours and now I can hit 3.9Ghz with all 6 cores loaded.

Edit: With new settings finally managed to break 1200 cinebench points, so gained around 100 points than with previous setting.

 

The actuation can be a bit strange if you're not used to it. If you use full, deliberate finger taps on each poke you'll be fine, but if you hesitate a lot and end up tapping very lightly on the keys it might trigger as well even before engaging the mech switch.

So yeah. It feels great and gets less weird once you get used to the mech and use more robust jabs though.

 

Have re-ran benchmarks with default TPL settings in throttlestop, broke past 11k in firestrike and added another 200 odd points in timespy...and most importantly CPU frequency stayed at 3.9Ghz throughout the test! Also it looks like its the Speed Shift option (in TPL menu) that causes the CPU limiting around 3Ghz behaviour, if that is enabled CPU seems to clock far slower.

https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/26823214?

https://www.3dmark.com/fs/15617074

 

As a user of the Fireying Z5 ips72 8750H 1050TI 72% NTSC model, I would like write my two cents to help you guys out. There are many posts here from non-users and also from re-sellers that may or may not tell the full truth. I am neither bashing or praising the hell out of this. Just the plain facts with equal sugar and salt.

The Great
--------------

• Heating Dissipation: is absolutely excellent for this machine. You will be hard to reach 90C before you actually reach TDP limits this is without requiring fan blasting at 100%.
• Configurable TDP in Bios: Fireying Z5 shares the same base as Mech Z2 so I flashed lasted Z2 bios to get configurable TDP. 35, 45, 55 watts
• With -150ma underclock and 50TDP set and Nvidia card enabled but set to lowest power mode I can get 3.5 on all cores at only about 82C. Fan is auto at around 70 percent and not full throttle. (Note this benchmark is done in Linux which doesn't have the full control ThrottleStop or XTU with only tdp and cpu/cache voltage offset changes made)
• I have never seen heat dissipate this good at anywhere close to this price point.

The Good
-------------

• Build quality is very good for the PRICE. Emphasis on the price.
• Screen 72% IPS is good but with caveats. 1) Default color is on the too warm side aka a little too yellow. Needs Calibration. 2) There is significant light bleed on the bottom part of the screen. The bottom screen bleed issue is apparently an design or assemble defect on ALL models based on this chassis as widely reported on the Chinese forums. My estimation is the glue or screw they used for the bottom part the screen is too tight.
• Fan noise is good. I have no idea why some say the fan is loud. Probably those users have never used 45W laptops. Seriously, the fan is on the GOOD side of 45W laptops. Fan whine is not too sharp and fan/temp curve is logical (with latest bios). To me, it sounds perfect.
• Two NMVE slots plus 2.5 SATA slot. Awesome! This is really hard to find.
• 2 mDP ports + HDMI. 3 USB 3.0 and 1 TypeC USB 3.0. Ports are great for this machine.
• The back case is very easy to take off for upgrades. Extremely easy to take off compared to even the clevos.

The Bad
------------

• Annoying as hell bottom case lip LED strip. Cheap looking due to the cheap clear plastic used.
• The bottom center screen on the back case (the one that's opposite of the screen hinge) is extremely soft which means if you don't torque slowly, it will strip clean and you will need to drill it out.
• If you want to run Linux on it, beware, there is currently no way to activate the TRACKPAD even on 4.17rc kernel.
• All mDP and HDMI are routed through the NVIDIA card
• If you want to run hackintosh on it, there is currently no way to activate UHD630 on this machine without blackscreen or enable external display with NVIDIA driver. If you find a way, please let me know. Both keyboard and trackpad cannot be enabled in hackintosh.

The Ugly
------------

• The Keyboard is atrocious. If you like to code or write on this laptop, avoid it like the plague or use external keyboard like I do. The travel resistance is at the at the first 10% of key press. The rest of 90% has zeso resistance which means it is so easy to mistype on this keyboard. For reference, I like Cherry (Red) mechanical keyboards with smooth travel and linear resistance.
• The Keyboard sound is horrendous. I am running out of adjectives. It's like metal on metal click and by design. Someone needs to be shot. The sound is LOUD and SHARP.
• The Keyboard has very bad layout. Instead of a numeric keypad, they should have used a good 87 key layout for gamers and the rest of us.
• The trackpad has zero to no anti-palm rejection. In fact, I cannot even find out from the driver or from the manufacture who makes the trackpad. It looks to be neither Elan or Synaptic.
• I have the 1050TI 8750h model and it came with the 19V 120W powerbrick. Let me tell you something, 120W is NOT enough to drive the machine if you want to benchmark both CPU/GPU. 1) Charging the battery (if battery is below 90%, after 90％ it goes into trickle mode) cost about 30W of power based on my meter. 2) CPU itself can use up to 65-70W of power. If TDP is set at 45, it will use max about 20W more at around 65W. So at this point. You are using 95Ｗ of power going to benchmark CPU with 12 threads while charging. This leaves 25W for the GPU. Give me a break. This is math 101. Even without charging (assuming batter is full). You have about 55W left for the GPU which is barely enough.

Conclusion
-------------------

A great performing laptop with major keyboard/trackpad flaws and some re-sellers might cheap out on the power brick spec.

 

Is this your laptop - https://www.lowyat.net/2015/60221/review-illegear-z5-gaming-laptop-power-that-comes-at-a-price/ ?

 

@dnak

No. It's another chines oem version of Tongfang GK5CN5Z.

Here is the taobao link for it.
https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?s...7b&abbucket=12&sku_properties=5919063:6536025

 

Ahh, ok. Shame about the keyboard from my perspective. Seems kind of pointless to carry around an extra keyboard imo...may skip this or wait for a refresh with fingers crossed. Shame also, because all the other niggles you mention i can live with.

 

@dnak_ebloa I am in the same boat with you. Not sure if I will keep this machine in the long run. It is really too bad since the performance for this laptop is out of this world and should be faster than Aero 15x or MSi GS65 that cost almost 2x times as much due to the configurable TDP and cooling.

 

Coming from Clevo 750DM2 where the fans sounds like jet engines, this notebook is whisper quiet.
Touchpad is bad. I also tried booth Elan and Synaptics but none installs.
Numpad is out of place, like you said, no need for it at all. Keyboard is terrible, can't use it much, it clicks like crazy.
I put a black stripe on the lightbar to hide the colours. It does not seem to stick to the settings I make about turning it off. It goes on and off as it likes...
But good build quality and screen is fine once you calibrate it. Also performance is excellent!
The first notebook in years I do not feel the need to repaste.
Were did you found the bios update?