Tongfang Models 2021

Thinking about getting at Max 15 today did you run any benchmarks at the 165w I have a Alienware n15r5 that will be here Monday I was gonna send back but wanted to see if the performance is worth spending an extra 800

 

Hi,

Can someone confirm to me difference between GM5ZG7Y and GM5ZG7W?
As I understand GM5ZG7Y is made with magnesium alloy, has 63Wh battery and weights around 1.7kg.
Model GM5ZG7W does NOT have magnesium alloy (aluminum instead), has ~90Wh batter and weights around 2.1Kg.
Is that correct?
What about GM5ZG8W then?

Also I have a question about DisplayPort over USB-C (I think I will chose GM5ZG7Y if that matters for this question): does it support MST that would allow me to connect more displays? Anyone tested that? What about bandwidth? I am using triple monitor setup: 2 x 3440x1440@75 and 1920x1080@60hz + laptop display. Will this work ?

Thanks and have a nice day

 

Here you can find some details of the nomenclature

https://laptops.miraheze.org/wiki/Tongfang

Following the nomenclature:


G Category Gaming
M generation M, the actual one
5 display size 5 for 15" and 7 for 17"
Z CPU Ce Zanne AMD ryzen 5xxx
G GPU type: RTX 3xxx
7 GPU model 3070, value 8 would be a RTX 3080
W chassis ( https://blog.lovemadoka.xyz:444/26.html)

 

THANK you
So there is no Magnesium alloy model with larger battery But even 2.1kg is still lighter than what I currently have Too bad that there is no GM5ZG6W as I don't need that much GPU for coding maybe stupid question but is there a chance that bigger battery would physically fit into that lighter model ? If I bought one from one of the resellers ?

 

For those who live in the U.S., Microcenter has the Maingear Vector Pro 15.6" and 17.3" in stock. I went with the 15.6" 5800H, FHD 240hz, RTX 3070 version since there's no g-sync on the internal display (I checked the Intel and AMD versions in store). The AMD version has FreeSync. Much prefer 1080p on a 15" screen, glad it is an option. Screen is fantastic to my eyes, it's a Sharp IPS panel.

I was thinking of getting an Eluktronics Max-15 laptop and came across the same laptop but Maingear branded, cheaper, and supported by Microcenter. They had them on display and as soon as I played with it I was sold. Can't believe this thing is only 3.8 pounds. Very happy so far.

 

Thanks for sharing this.

Very weird that Maingear isn't listing Vector Pro on their site... nor its drivers to be found too.

I'm just wondering: If Vector Pro = Max 15 - GY15 - Core 15... why they don't have WQHD panel variant?

At first, I was going with Neo 15 - Mech 15. But I can't see the difference compared to Max 15 variant besides weight and battery size.

And as I'm shipping the laptop overseas, brand and warranty are not very concerning to me as much as quality and type of customizations done. Price is somewhat a factor if I'm adding shipping + custom tax + VAT.

So I have a couple of concerns if you kindly can shed the lights on them:

- Does the i7 have a thunderbolt option and can the AMD be charged through USB C?

- Is heat dispensing an issue with Vector Pro compared to Neo 15 / Mech 15?

- How's the battery life for regular browsing and MS office work?

- What type of RAM and SSD is installed? Samsung & inland?

- Does it come with 3070 Max-Q or Max-P?

- Do Micro Center offer the warranty instead/with Maingear?


Thanks again...

 

I know, there's nothing at all on Maingear's site yet. These popped up out of nowhere over the last week or so. Not sure why no QHD on the 15, the 17 is QHD.

I can't answer all of your questions but will answer what I know. Not sure about Thunderbolt and I assume the AMD can be charged through USB-C? I haven't tested battery life yet but am not expecting stellar results...considering the paltry 62whr battery. I've only had the laptop for a day and a half and have been plugged in.

It has Samsung RAM and Samsung PM991 SSD.

The 3070 is 140w Max-P. You can manually adjust the TGP in Maingear Node software, from 115w through 140w with no dynamic boost. Yes, it'll stay at 140w without boost enabled if you want max power at all times. You can also enable dynamic boost up to 140w. This is the first time I've seen anything like this in a laptop and it is awesome to have full control over GPU TGP and boost.

I'll know the answer to the warranty question in the next week or so when I bring it in to add the warranty. I know you can add an extended warranty on top of the standard, but it would be nice to add a Microcenter warranty instead of going through Maingear for the first year.

 

Thanks for your reply.

I haven't seen many comparisons with Mech 15, so I think for portability and price... This would win. Around 200-300 USD difference with Eluktronics or XMG.

 

Welcome. Microcenter's price is great on these. Forgot to add it comes with W10 Pro and you can also manually adjust the CPU wattage and place a temperature limit of 90 degrees within the software. Not sure if this is possible on the Intel version. The only thing missing is g-sync on the internal display, would've gotten Intel in that case. Adaptive sync is a must for me in 2021, so I went with the AMD version. On the 15.6" the FreeSync range is 60 - 240.

 

I'm wondering if the difference in gaming between intel vs amd would overrule the difference in FreeSync vs GSync for me.

Still, 100 USD difference there for about 10-20% difference in rendering power or gaming fps.

Link: Jarrod'sTech 1 & 2

Looking at Xotic PC GY15, the difference is 235 USD for:

- QHD display
- 5900HX
- Up to Samsung 970 Evo (but I'm loosing the Gen 4 speed for amd)
- Grizzly Thermal
- Bunch of freebies

I know from experience since 2006 that Xotic PC have great customer service (I'm not in the US currently), but when chatted with them they stated that any extended warranty would cover overseas shipping costs.

I'm not sure how MainGear's customer service in comparison to XPC...

 

That's the same mini-dilemma I had in the store; like Sheldon in that Big Bang Theory episode choosing between Xbox and PS. In the end stuck with my gut and want smooth gameplay with adaptive sync. I don't need Thunderbolt. I don't play online FPS and play mainly single player games, especially racing, where smoothness is #1 priority. I enjoy JT's channel, saw those videos. At high-ultra settings the differences are smaller.

I've also had great experiences with Xotic but it has been many years since I've bought from them. That's big re: international shipping. I have no experience with Maingear but have to believe XPC support is better. I read somewhere that someone had an issue with Maingear warranty because they didn't buy directly from Maingear. I'll try to register my laptop on their site and see what happens; if it isn't covered for some reason that is really bad.

-Edit: Could not register my laptop on Maingear's site. I emailed support about the warranty coverage, we'll see.

 

Hmmm... the registration issue is a bummer. But micro center is my #1 go-to shop in the US, so I wouldn't be afraid for honoring warranties.

Honestly, being overseas means little to nothing in terms of the warranty in the US. If I don't have good return shipping quotes, it would be unreasonable to ship the laptop back when service is needed.

I'm counting on my CC warranty though, just in case.

In comparison, Amazon has Eluktronics Mech 15 with Ryzen 9 5900HX, 16GB RAM, 512 SSD, QHD, and better cooling/battery for 1999 USD. So... very same dilemma.

 

That's a great price for that config.

 

I went over Razer Blade 14:

Seems to be a good option for the price of 2199 USD. But the soldered 16GB RAM max is somewhat not appealing to me.

Otherwise, it is very tempting.

XMG NEO 15:

With AR custom language keyboard, offer on Corsair Vengence RAM as I'm looking for 32 GB, and a 2 years international warranty... is a good option too.

But going over Intel vs. AMD variants now: Is the Intel Thunderbolt + Gen 4 on RAID 0 ver. more appealing than AMD ver.?

I've to decide soon...

 

With the Micro Center warranty it is quite slow service. When you have an issue you drop the laptop off at their service department in their queue of repairs, and they will call in 1-2 weeks once they have "confirmed" the issue you are having. After that I believe it would be shipped to Maingear in New Jersey for the actual repair. Be sure to have some kind of backup machine you can use while it is being serviced as it could easily take a month or more for a repair. If the issue is something that is hard to duplicate then you need to have very clear steps to trigger it otherwise the tech will deny the repair.

 

Thanks for sharing this.

I remember between 2010-2012 when I had to setup a desktop for a friend.

We got EVGA motherboard and graphics card and for some reason, these two wouldn't click together.

I remember I was very hesitant to get EVGA products during that time from what I've experienced before.

So we went back to micro center for several returns and they've honored them instantly.

I think we opted with Asus instead.

I guess time and convincing are two things you've to get used to in these situations nowadays.

 

I also just returned a Razer Blade 14 due to that fact that it underperforms for the price (100w GPU, slow RAM holding CPU back).

Thank you for sharing. This is the only thing I'm concerned about with this laptop and what has me keep adding a Lenovo Legion to my cart just for the onsite service.

 

This is good information to know. I love nearly everything about my Legion 5 Pro except for its bulk and heft, characteristics that are even more apparent after daily driving a MacBook Air while waiting for Lenovo to replace a defective trackpad.

These new Maingear laptops were near the top of my list as a replacement for the Legion, but this convoluted warranty process is eyebrow-raising. Why would you not be able to simply contact the manufacturer straight away if you're having problems? If Maingear doesn't have an online database to track warranty status, surely providing them with a proof of purchase would suffice to show coverage. Plus, Maingear doesn't even list the RTX 3000-series laptops on its website to download software or BIOS updates, which is another major red flag.

I placed a backorder for a Legion Slim 7 with the 5800H, 32 GB of RAM, 3060, and 1080p/165 Hz display. While the GPU is listed as a 65W part, according to Hardware Canucks, it can sustain 95W in performance mode. I'll be losing out on my 5 Pro's amazing thermals, 16:10 aspect ratio display, and ability to fully upgrade the RAM (hopefully the soldered portion is x8 instead of x16). However, the portability will be much better as I've been using my laptops away from my home office far more than I expected lately. The main problem right now is the 3+ month shipping delay, though I've read plenty of stories about people who got the standard Legion 7 much sooner, so I'm hopeful the wait won't be that long.

 

Maingear finally has the Vector Pro on its website but no drivers, etc. Even leaves out that the 15” has only the 62whr battery. I’ve had the 15.6” AMD Vector Pro for a fair bit of time now and it’s a fantastic machine with 2 major annoyances. No adaptive sync when in dGPU only mode which sucks, but I knew that going in. I’m getting the same issue I’ve gotten in other AMD laptops where the laptop will not sleep no matter what setting I adjust. Which is a deal breaker for me.

I bought the Microcenter 2 year replacement plan that bypasses Maingear completely, so I was told. Maingear won’t service the laptop. Prompt and polite replies though, from Maingear. I believe MC will just swap or give store credit if they can’t fix a problem.

I also have a Legion 5 non-pro on order, but an Intel + 3070 model. I’ve grown very tired of little AMD issues that add up to annoyances I don’t want to deal with. Over the AMD hype, my future laptops will be Intel again.

Ordered 9/3 and estimated shipping 10-12 business days from order date. I got the warranty registration email w/ laptop serial number today despite the website showing the laptop hasn’t shipped yet. We’ll see. I have -horrible- luck with screens and dead pixels / dust, so I can only wait and hope.

 

Finally a review of the Vector Pro 17 inch w/ Intel and 165w RTX 3080. Disappointing graphics performance, seems to not be able to stay at the 165w TGP. My 140w 3070 gets the same Timespy graphics score.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Maing...rce-RTX-3080-for-ultrathin-size.559365.0.html

 

Its a nice machine, although I feel like the repair and support situation would be better if it were purchased through Eluktronics once they refresh their MAX-17 with 11th Gen Intel CPUs.

The build quality is definitely excellent on this Tongfang chassis having seen it in the store, and the 11800H + RTX 3070 sounds like a better value at $2000. It is a shame the stock ram has tRFC 880 timings, otherwise looks quite nice for what is included.

It appears that these only have Modern Standby enabled instead of S3 Standby. Hibernation is still always an option but it would be nice to see S3 support enabled if possible.

Being able to set PL1 to 120W is pretty crazy and allows it to perform better than most other 11th Gen options in a CPU-only load. Even better if it is using liquid metal which the heatsink built for use with by Tongfang. I am not sure if the Vector Pro uses liquid metal but Eluktronics should ship it that way or at least have it as an option.

 

Edit: So no Tongfang laptops support USB-C charging. Does anyone know what barrel plug these use so I can get something like this?

 

Just a heads up that Eluktronics is now selling their MAX 17 with 11800H via Amazon. It is the same chassis as the Maingear Vector Pro I have seen on display at Micro Center, but has no branding.

The bios (1.03ELU02) has USB-C connected to the Intel GPU and HDMI connected to the Nvidia GPU. The MUX option can switch between iGPU, Hybrid and dGPU. Memory Overclocking including selection of XMP profiles can be enabled in the BIOS. Not sure if gear mode can be selected.

 

Anybody know the panel response time for these models:

https://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Tracer-V-Edge-I17E-450

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095MDZT7...abc_EPWGR3EC2ZRESBHEG9C4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

Does anyone have the screen's response time of this model?
Amazon.com: Eluktronics MAX 17 (2021) 17.3" RTX 3070 Gaming Laptop, Intel i7-11800H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU, 17.3 inch QHD 165Hz Display, Thunderbolt 4, 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, 32GB DDR4 RAM, Windows 10 Home : Electronics

 

It is reported as BOE0977, which notebookcheck measured as 10ms response time on the XMG Neo 17 E21.

 

Awesome! Thank you very much!

If you ever come close to playing Warzone. If you can test it with everything on low at 1080p that would be swell

 

I have not played Warzone but it ought to run fine given the higher power limits, stock liquid metal paste on the Intel CPU, and DLSS being an option.

Also, I will note that Eluktronics told me via email that they use x8 with good timings (3200 CL22 tRFC560) Samsung ram on all configs, but the SSD brand will be random. So no guarantee that you would get a Samsung PM9A1. I wish they offered a barebones config for a little less cost, because I already had RAM/SSD/Win10Pro license to use with mine.

 

Thanks! I ordered the Prometheus with 11800h/3070. One of the few product descriptions that had the panel response time (has 5ms). Also was curious about the chassis for reviewing with the intel chip.

Will post findings here too!

 

Nice. I stuck with the MAX 17 because I prefer the magnesium alloy chassis, smaller touchpad, larger battery, and hinges at the corner.

 

If it weren’t for gaming I’d take one for sure! Looks nice and sleek too on top of the perf value

 

I have a GM7TG7P, and it looks like my chargers barrel plug is 5.5mm outer diameter, 2.5mm inner diameter. Although this was measured somewhat creatively with a ballpoint tip as explained here. I ordered a 100w Baseus Gan2 charger together with this cable. It should arrive by mid november (fingers crossed), so then I can let you know if everything fits properly and how this setup works.

 

Does the model have a mux switch ?

 

Yes. Hybrid and dGPU modes are available via the Control Center. Also in the bios you can select a third option iGPU mode which leaves the Nvidia 3070 disabled and invisible to the OS. Note that in dGPU mode the TB4 cannot display video output, and likewise in iGPU mode the HDMI cannot display video output. I believe XMG stated the hardware is capable of connecting both ports to either card, so maybe in a future bios update this behavior may change.

 

FYI, I just got the Maingear Vector Pro 15.6" with i7 11800H and RTX 3070. To my amazement Intel adaptive sync actually works. You can enable adaptive sync in the Intel graphics command center and then you also must enable VRR in Windows graphics settings. Works perfectly. Posted in case anyone is holding off on going Intel in favor of AMD due to FreeSync.

 

I have the tongfang model with 11800h and 3080, as reported in my post, the new bios has fixed the situation for tb4 port, now I have ila 3080 direct on the external monitor

 

Is there a difference between the max 17 and the cyberpowerpc one?

 

The CyberPowerPC model has a lid logo and standard thermal paste. I have heard their warranty service is not great.

 

I ordered their ready to ship 11800h/3070 Ram 16gb 2666mhz plus coupon code for: $1,490.55 pre-tax

Figured it was a good deal to take a chance. I take laptops apart so I can take care for any after market stuff like repasting and what not.
Will stress test it and return if there's something egregious or crazy new laptops are announced by intel in upcoming days.

I was disappointed by the Prometheus. Namely the touchpad is way too big to the point of almost being unusable. Such a shame because the performance is good.
Some projects have come down the pipeline so e-sport gaming is being cut back (no more hard requirement for high response time panel). Really hoping to like the CPC and it works so I can stop this buy/return pattern i've been on these last few weeks -.-

 

Does anyone know about the battery life capabilities of the 11800H vs 5800H maingear vector pro 15.6" (maingear's max - 15)? Thanks.

 

Hi there,

I have a Tongfang GM5TG7W (PC Specialist Recoil 15" with 11800H and RTX3070). It has the configurable TGP Target of 140W and It worked perfectly with the original BIOS A01 and control center software. Since A02 onwards (now on A05) it hasn't worked and it power limit throttles @ 125W no matter what I set the TGP target to. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm now using the latest control center 3.9.38.0.

 

Too early for me to gauge the 11800H version as I've only had it about a week and have used it plugged in all the time. My old 5800H version (I owned it for a bit over a month) got 7 hours easily doing basic office and internet work. I expect Intel to be maybe 2-ish hours worse? CPU undervolt on the 11800H may help, I use a -.070v undervolt for gaming and daily use.

May be unrelated but this happened to me when I removed the Maingear software and replaced it with Eluktronics. I could not adjust GPU TGP at all after reinstalling the Maingear software. I had to wipe and reset my laptop, that did it. Last resort but it may work for you.

 

If you want get a good battery life on the 11800h copy these settings:

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 a 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 build a less manually involved tool but can't find the time

 

Does anyone have benchmark data about the mech15(cyberpower tracer V edge pro/XMG NEO15)-3080@165w benchmarks? can it sustain 150w on the gpu at all? I saw notebookcheck's review but they screwed something up because it ran at 120w and not 150w, and it definitively wasn't a thermals issue because the GPU was 70c. Cyber's model is on a huge sale right now and im interested.

Overall, I'm mostly thinking between the cyberpower mech15 (3080 or 3070 + 11800h), cyber max 17 (3070, 11800h) or the maingear vector pro (max 15) (3070, 5800h). Which one of these would you guys recommend?

 

Received the charger and cable. The barrel plug fits ok, there's no wiggle room or anything. Still, it doesn't stay plugged in very well compared to the original plug. There's not a lot of resistance when pulling the cable in and out. Maybe a 5.5x2.1mm plug would fit better? Apart from the plug, the Baseus charger charges the laptop very slowly (to be expected), but it looks like it also causes problems with certain windows settings. I have battery saver active always when on battery power, and the laptop / charger switches off the screen + locks Windows 10 repeatedly with this setting on. My keyboard lighting also messes up repeatedly, reverting to stock colors. This doesn't happen with the original charger.

All in all, the inconveniences are a bit too much for me, so I'll probably stick with the original charger and use the Gan charger for other devices.

 

Does anyone know - do the eluktronics max/mech-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?

/e: 69th post nice

 

is that the bios of the graphics and the mainboard in one or is there, 2 EEproms

where is the bios chip on the board of the GM5ZGXW

for the background

I have made a bios update and my notebook no longer works

https://ibb.co/VD7qLy7

 

How are the thermals and power levels on your vector? Does it throttle? Looking at a similar setup for MAX-15.

 

Hello Tongfang owners,

Please review this Xoticpc PC GW15 build

• 15.6" QHD (2560 X 1440), 165HZ, MATTE ( Does anyone the response time on this screen? )
• AMD RYZEN 9 5900HX 8 CORES - 16 THREADS (3.3-4.6GHZ) + NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3070 LAPTOP GPU 8GB GDDR6
• 32GB DDR4 3200MHZ (2X16GB) SODIMM MEMORY
• 500GB XOTIC PC CERTIFIED GEN 3 X 2 ( Raid 0 )
• INTEL® AX200 2×2 WIFI 6 (802.11AX) 2.4/5 GHZ (2.4GBPS) + BLUETOOTH®5.1
• THERMAL GRIZZLY THERMAL COMPOUND
• FUJIPOLY EXTREME THERMAL PADS ON HEAT SENSITIVE SURFACES FOR SUPERIOR COOLING PERFORMANCE ( Does this actually help with temps? )
• "THE BOOST PACKAGE" – GPU OVERCLOCKING + OPERATING SYSTEM REDLINE BOOST

Comes out to about $2214.

 

I only play a handful of games, mainly racing. With F1 2021 and Forza Horizon 5 I didn't see any throttling with a -.05 undervolt on the CPU. Temps will be 70s-80s. I am ultimately sending it back as the screen isn't uniform at all and I want a laptop that uses a MUX and also G-sync, which these lack. Also the touchpad is iffy. Lots of erratic mouse movement, happened on two systems now.