Razer Core discussion & benchmarks

THat it now natively supports it doesnt mean ofcourse it will suddenly use 8 lanes. They have to adhere to the specifications and I think they will not deviate from that.

 

I wish... .Knowing Apple and how good Nvidia is doing right now, I'd imagine that AMD was willing to come to a lower price point and win the Apple Contract and thus the Apple refresh will be AMD much like how every current gen console is AMD... I'd give you 100 dollars if it's an Nvidia Card, only because that's how much I love and want Nvidia cards to be on the refresh, which again won't happen, but we'll know in like 24 hours... maybe?

 

Yeah, I'm not holding out much hope either. For sure XPS and the others that were using 950M will use it. It's a no-brainer really. I was literally shocked to see Alienware touting some AMD love in their announcement. The only way I could possibly see AMD winning anything in this cycle is either perf/watt or perf/$$$$. Alienware must have saw something they liked.

I digress as this has nothing to do with the Core really.

 

So I'm at a loss here... everywhere I see benchmarks and gaming I see staggering losses compared to desktop performance. I'm especially talking about the Blade 14 where CPU isn't a bottleneck. What's the deal? I'm pretty sure it's not just TB3 bottleneck. Something isn't right. And I have found nobody and I mean nobody with the answers.

 

Staggering losses in what sense? Benchmark scores or actual game benchmarks?

 

Both honestly... I know a couple guys that have tried the Titan X and are seeing as high as a 50% loss in performance. 30-40fps in games like the Witcher 3 and fallout 4. A 1080 runs better than that....hell a 1070. I put so much faith into the core and I'm just not seeing the numbers. I just can't see it being all due to tb3.

 

Assuming they are talking about the Pascal Titan X, 30-40fps in the Witcher 3 is pretty low. I got higher than that with QHD ultra settings using the 1080. And Fallout 4 I was close to 60fps. Either it's the older Titan X or something is drastically wrong. The Witcher 3 is a touch example to compare benchmarks with because all the special hair effects really bog things down and different areas of the game run better than others.

TB3 is going to create some losses. It's a wire and a very short one at that. The only reason it isn't longer is because of increased losses, which would require an active cable. If the CPU and GPU in a desktop were connected via wire, they would all run slower. As for the amount of loss though, it's going to vary by game because the CPU in a laptop is not as powerful as the desktop CPUs you're seeing benchmarks for. I think games like the Witcher 3 could benefit from having something better than a i7-6700HQ, especially when tethered with a 1080.

I know this doesn't help much but there's no way the Razer Core can match up against a desktop with the same components.

 

I'm ok with it not matching desktop performance. I can deal with a 10% loss. But when I'm seeing far far more than that...then I worry. I have no problem spending money if the performance is ballpark. When we talk 25%+ loss that's a whole different story. I have a Razer Blade 970m model now with 6700hq.... And when they announced the 1060 model I considered ordering one. But I need some more facts on the core otherwise I'd probably get the MSI 15.6 inch stealth pro with 1060 as I can get more bang for the buck.

Basically if I'm gonna use the core I Want to use it with the Razer Blade. Plus I do like the build quality.

 

I still have the clevo this is my side project

 

I dunno dude but if I were in your shoes, I'd just simply buy a barebones P870DM3 with Dual 1080 in SLI and move my current CPU/RAM/drives to it and be done with the headache. Probably sell what you have now as well

 

Well I'm doing that too... I need my toys! Thing is I need an ultra slim solution in addition to my beast. So that's why I been messing around with Razer.

 

It is for a large part because of TB3 but also the cpu. TB3 is around PCI express 4x performance. But also has an overhead because of the translation from a TB3 signal to PCI express signal.

Lat but not least is that the CPU also bottlenecks current Pascal cards.

 

Another thing to note is that there's an additional performance hit when using the laptop screen.

 

Very true.

Still I am looking into it. Currently have an Alienware 15 R2 with Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt firmware was updated last month. Because the Alienware graphics amplifier cannot house my GTX1070 EVGA FTW (too tall card) I am looking to buy a Razer Core and test it. But the Razer shop doesnt sell it in Europe yet. Very annoying. I just want 1 central system (my laptop and have a dock at home with my Gsync screen attached etc. It is too costly to maintain a desktop and laptop at the same time while I am away from home too much.

 

I couldn't get my AW to even recognize my core at all. Hope you have better luck.

 

Did you try their latest firmwares? There is a new thunderbolt firmware available released mid august.

 

No but I have my doubts about it working. From my experience with Dell, they don't give a crap about non Dell docks. For the AW, they want you to buy the amplifier and the XPS they want you to buy their crappy dock.

 

But Dave2D had some succes connecting. Also before the firmware update.

If I could buy it in EUrope I would just buy it for testing. BUt importing is far too costly now especially if I have to send it back.

 

I could have had a bad pretty I suppose. Regardless, I'd confirm it with someone else before taking chances.

 

razer core could have problems with an msi gs63vr 6rf or with an acer vn7-592g?

 

My question for you Razer Core owners is would you prefer to have a blower style cooler in the core or a regular fan dissipating cooler? I assumed a blower would be better but from what I understand the core also has a fan (or 2?) in it.

 

Great review! Do you have some benchmark of gs73vr+razer core? Tb3 is x4?

 

Sold my core. Will maybe get a node later

 

I will probably go with the Node as well since it is cheaper, and the USB hub on the core doesn´t seem to work anyways. I am wondering how well the 1080Ti would work in the Core, or will it´s performance be hampered more so than the 1080, for example?

 

msi gs63vr 6rf+ razer core+gtx1080 works
i post here an info that a user of msi forum shared about fps in a gaming session with a gs63vr 6rf+razer core+gtx1080
https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=268967.7
my question was:
"hi! are there problems of compatibility between razer core and msi gs63vr 6rf or msi gs43vr?"
the answer was:
"If you are still bugged with this question, I can give you a positive answer. My friend has a razercore with razer stealth + msi GTX1080. I brought my GS63 to my friend today and test it with RazerCore. It works perfectly. I have been playing DOOM for like 3 hours, highest setting with FPS around 120 and up, without any flash out or other problem.

One tips for stable play using non-razer device with RazerCore. If you had any other discrete graphic driver (for me it's gtx1060), delete it. It will give you a more stable experience."

 

the autor of these two reviews says that msi gs63vr 6rf and also msi gs73vr 6rf work with razer core
http://www.ultrabookreview.com/12557-msi-gs63vr-review/
http://www.ultrabookreview.com/12167-msi-stealth-pro-gs73vr-review/

in the comments i can read
"I didn't go through all the benchmarks again because the first few I did were identical to the Razer blade+ core. It's going to be consistent because they both have tb3 x4 and the same CPU. The GS63vr is also going to be the same. I'd run a couple more again for you but I no longer own a Core."

 

A few questions for you guys.

-For any of those who own the Razer Core, has a firmware update been released so that you can make use of the USB ports on the core without significant lag? I heard this was an issue with the core and while I realize you eat up some bandwidth I would like to use a keyboard/mouse plugged into to the core.

-What is the sweet-spot of price to performance for graphics cards inside the core? From my understanding the GTX 1080 would not be worth it inside the core, but the 1070 seems in the sweet spot? I wouldn't want to go much below that, because my 2016 Blade has nearly a desktop 1060. Why am I doing the core when I have a Blade? Well, of the main reasons the main issue for me is I can not run the Blade's 1060 at 40+% without the temps getting in the 85C range which is pretty damn hot (Maybe my blade is a bit defective, considering sending it in). From my understanding the Laptop's GPU would not run when using the core, this way only the CPU would run and since they share a heat sink this would improve my overall thermals.

-Would a blower style graphics card make more sense for the way the core is designed? or would it not really matter? Anyone know the fan configuration on the core?

 

no, the core's USB ports are still non-functional

 

Hey guys, Is the razer core worth it? Do you travel with it ?

 

It is not worth it. If you're asking about value, it's not there. You'd get a lot more value from buying a separate gaming desktop, plus a laptop.

If you're asking if you can travel with it, the answer is no. If you're travelling with your Razer Core, you're doing it wrong. You get a lot more value and portability by just buying a gaming laptop.

External GPU docks are good for one thing... You want to game while at a desk, you want a portable laptop while on the go. And you're willing to pay several $100's and give up some degree or future upgradeability for that convenience.

And that's what it really is at this point. eGPU docks are an expensive convenience that some people are willing to pay for.



Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Razer-Core-External-GPU-and-Razer-Blade-Laptop-Review.213526.0.html

We did a full review and benchmark comparison of the core. Some interesting results.

 

Is a razer blade 1060 + razer core ( & gtx 1080 TI ) faster than the razer blade pro 17 1080 ?

 

No.

 

I would actually beg to differ... Yes there is some loss through TB3 but the TI makes up for it. Plus the cooling on just the CPU running on the blade improves CPU performance. The Blade pro 1080 acts more like a 1070 in something like an alienware so its not exactly the quickest of the 1080 laptops out there.

 

Even with the Pro's 1080 throttled to a 1070... This is an article I wrote just last week: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Razer-Core-External-GPU-and-Razer-Blade-Laptop-Review.213526.0.html

Look at the 1080Ti with the Blade+Core. It's sometimes outperformed by the Blade with 1060 (not in benchmarks, but real-world performance in games), and I would reckon ALWAYS outperformed by a laptop with internal 1070/1080.

 

What I missed in your article is a test of the Stealth+Core as combo. That's actually what the Core was made for, not for pumping up a notebook that already has a fast dGPU.

There is btw. a reason why they offer just a short TB3 cable with the Core: The Power Delivery over TB3 (at full 40 Gbps) seems only to work with 0.5m cables. As the Stealth is also charged over the Core it does make sense, doesn't it ?

 

Hi Everyone,

I recently began using the MBP 2016 with Core. I had been using a MSI GS40 with good success but the laptop was far from ideal for daily use. Great computer but the screen and interface is not nearly the quality of Apple.

I have been doing some recent benchmarks and the MBP is performing better over the GS40 and Razer Blade. In some games I am seeing 10 to 15 fps increases. Completed a overclock on the Titan with sharp increases in fps in some games.

3DMark Ultra - Razer Core with Titan X Pascal

GS40 - 6070

Blade - 5889

MBP - 6190

MBP (Titan overclocked) - 6683

3440x1440 - Highest Settings - No AA unless noted

• Far Cry - 70 to 90
• Tomb Raider 2016 - 74
• Tomb Raider 2014 - 108
• Unigine 4.0 (2560x1440) - Ultra - 4AA - Scored 2829 and 112 fps
• Sleeping Dogs - 101
• Witcher 3 - 60 (Griffin Scene)
• Just Cause - 65 to 90
• Deus Ex MD Full AA - Benchmark - 43
• Deus Ex MD No AA - Gameplay - 60 to 90
• Shadow of Mordor - 100
• Shadow of Mordor - Full AA - 90
• Grid Autosport - 106
• Division - 57
• Far Cry 4 - 70 to 90
• GTA 2015 - 80 to 90

Titan X Pascal - Overclocked

• Shadow of Mordor - Full AA - 109 (19 fps increase)
• Tomb Raider 2016 - 80 (6 fps increase)
• Grid Autosoort - No change
• Far Cry 4 (80 to 110) - No AA - I checked and rechecked. (15 fps increase)
• Sleeping Dogs - no change
• Tomb Raider 2014 - 145 (36 fps increase)
• Witcher 3 - No change
• Division - All settings maxed 71 (14 fps increase). Oddly, the previous non-overclocked benchmark ran lower with AA turned off.
• More to come...

In my opinion the Core is a good buy with the right set up. High resolution monitor with Titan X Pascal (now 1080 ti) works nicely. For an additional $1,300 you have a close enough to desktop experience and only have one daily driver.

Only regret is not waiting for the 1080 TI. It hurts a little....

 

The article is comprehensive but does not review 3440x1440 and 4k where some reviewers have seen nominal drops in performance when using the Core. A simple to do overclock of a Titan X Pascal and I was able to see solid gains in benchmarks and games. I posted some benchmarks today.

 

Did you have any USB devices plugged into the Core during your benchmarks?

 

I have had mixed results with the USB and ethernet hub. In the above standard benchmarks there is a USB cable running to a Dell monitor. The monitor's hub handles a Corsair keyboard, Razer mouse and gaming controller (xbox and ps4). There was also a external SSD connected to the MBP.

Up until last night I was running the same set up but had the external SSD connected to the Core's hub directly. I hot plugged a thunderbolt cable into the MBP and everything shut down. I rebooted and everything started back up but the external SSD seems corrupted because Steam will not start with it connected and once connected it drops. This was not an issue before the hot plugging.

It is unfortunate Razer has seemly abandoned the Core.

 

Updated 3DMark Ultra Firestrike Score - Overclocked Titan X Pascal. with MBP Late 2016 - 6821

 

As I understand, the performance loss from the Core comes from the connection to the Blade itself. Razer decided to take the lanes over chipset instead Ola direct cpu connection. LTT had a good video on this topic where they compared the AW amp with the core. The amp was much faster due to being directly wired to the cpu.

 

Does anyone know how the lanes are connected in the Blade Pro?

 

According to this thread, where they test eGPU with laptops, the Razer Blade Pro is connected via 4x. No mention if it's a CPU or Chipset connection.

https://egpu.io/forums/pc-setup/egp...olt-3-and-faster/?mode=grid&forum=15&topic=53

 

Thanks for the link. Any way to determine how the TB3 port is integrated? Given that the integrated graphics are disabled in the Blade Pro, my money would be on direct GPU connection. It is Razer we are talking about so I wouldn't bet too much money, however. I'm hoping that the DisplayPort through USB-C is also wired directly to the GPU (not sure if it would be possible to have it any other way in this machine) to facilitate an external G-Sync monitor.

 

Check how Linus found out in his core vs amp video and ask an owner to look for you. I couldn't find anything related to this, but I heard in the pro reviews that support wasn't planed because of the already powerful gpu inside. Doesn't mean a egpu won't work tho.