New configurations available on 8760/8690

Heads up on new configurations for the 8760/8690. Resellers are now offering them with dual core i5, i7. This should help in the lower end market segment, with the caveat of having high end graphics.

I5-520M, 2.4-2.93GHz, 3MB L3 cache

i5-540M, 2.53-3.06GHz, 3MB L3 cache

i7-620M, 2.66-3.33GHz, 4MB L3 cache

Also there is an option for Quadro workstation video cards. This should allow Sager/Clevo to seriously compete in the workstation space.

nVIDIA Quadro FX 2800M 1GB GDDR3

Pricing now reflects the changes in processor options.

 

Luckily these options weren't out when I was buying my laptop, else I would be really lost on whether to get quadro 2800M or 5870 mobility -> more CAD or more dx11...

On a second thought, probably not, quadro 2800M is almost 700 USD more... way to go for GPU based on GT 9800M with just a different driver...

 

Not just a driver is different.

 

Workstation cards all just differ in drivers, with some laser cutting of components in consumer cards so that you can't softmod comsumer cards to workstation cards.

 

How would you guys rate a i7-620M vs i7-720QM for gaming?

 

Depends on the game, but you're probably better off with the i7-620M for most. The difference might not be very noticeable, however.

 

Yeah, luckily these options weren't available when I was ordering also. I'd have been stuck between the 520 and the 720...

 

For now both the i7-620M and the i7-720QM will play games fine since most of them are programmed for dual core. However, those games which are programmed for quad core already and most future games will be better playable with the i7-720QM and the difference will then be considerable.

 

The i7-620M is overall better for gaming.

For years now people keep saying that the quad is future proof and more and more games will support it. But while this has been said for years, in fact most games still have trouble offering proper quad-core support which shows that dual cores are still a very good option for gaming.

Get the I-620M and it will offer you same gaming performance as the i-720QM while keeping power consumption at lower rates and being able to deal with single threaded applications much better.

 

Well, I won't hesitate to choose a quad core i7 over a dual core one, the difference from core 2 duo dual vs quad is that for c2d, if you take the quad, running on just 2 cores will absolutely suck. However, for i7 quad core, even if 2 or even only 1 core is used, the turbo boost feature allows it to match dual core i7/i5s, the only con is that you pay more. Quad core i7 probably not worth it if you only game, but I don't mind paying a bit more for higher performance on other purpose + some games that will be using all 4 cores, while matching dual cores on 1-2 thread applications/games.

 

Incorrect, the quad will not match the dual. For example, with turbo boost an I720 will get up to 2.8 Ghz on a single thread while the I-620M will to 3.33 Ghz (that's a 500 Mhz difference).

 

The difference is far from the difference of c2d duo and quad on dual/single thread, moreover, the difference in price level of i720 and i620 is not very big, it's a top end dual core compared to the lowest end quad core.

 

So conclusion, I-620M > I720 when only running a few programs such as steam, msn, hwmonitor and a game ?

[edit] awww why no backlit keyboard ? Any possibility of this coming as an option anytime soon?

 

No chance. Clevo just isn't into that superfluous stuff.

 

Come to think of it, never really needed the backlit keyboard anyways .

 

Performance of the Quadro FX2800m compared to the Ati 5870, in a gamers perspective?

 

The FX 2800M is the workstation 9800M GT. From this gamer's perspective, your looking at a 40% to 50% decrease in performance.

 

@ Blacky
Any eta for the 940XM?

 

Q3 2010. I would say August, but might come out a bit earlier.

 

Now that would be awesome.

 

Yep! Would be nice if it was already available. I like the sound of 940XM more than 920XM. I just can't see waiting another 4 months for it though, I wanted to get my laptop last fall as it is, so I have been waiting 6 months already.

 

IMO, Sandy Bridge is what it is worth waiting for. The rest is not really worth waiting for, including in matters of GPU tech.

 

I think i read somewhere that dx11 has some logic to address multiple cores better, so if the game doesnt, DX11 does...

 

Really? Sandy Bridge will just be more CPU technology which goes mostly untapped by gamers.

The successor to Mobility 5870 and whatever Nvidia has out in Q4-Q1 will pay much higher dividends.

 

Hi guys, going to order an 8690 I think, just curious about a question that has been asked A LOT, but just wanted to get some opinions.

Tossing up between the i7 620m and the i7 720QM, its only $20 so price doesn't matter.
I spend probably 90% of the time playing games (shooters and wow) on my laptop, but always have skype running (and often talking) and a web browser up with about 10 tabs open, often have utorrent running too.

Just wondering which you guys think would give the best performance, for current and future gen games with playing habits like mine?

Edit: Oh and I forgot to ask, the 640m comes with an IGP right? is this supported by the 8690?

 

True, the question is will any of those future gpus work in the 8760.

 

nope, not supported by the motherboard chip type.

 

Seriously, Nvidia might create a new MXM standard for mobile Fermi. Something tells me that 75w isn't going to cut it.

 

I don't think mobile GPU's will see a jump as big as G92 to GF100. It just doesn't follow suit. GF100 follows in line with the G80 and the GT200. The GF104, the little brother to the GF100, is a more suitable successor to the mobile G92.

 

@ Kevin_JAck - In terms of GPU tech., nowadays the performance increase is mostly due to die-shrinks rather than technological breakthroughs. This is how it has been ever since the move from G71 to G92. And the GF104 (which is going to be the core for Mobile Fermi - as Soviet correctly mentioned) doesn't seem to be able to bring a noticeable boost over the M5870 (just as desktop Fermi is not much faster than the 5870). For now, as long as the 40nm tech. is around, then performance should be in line with what the M 5870 is already offering (give or take 10%). A big performance boost from what you see now is going to come from TSMC's completion of the 28nm node (which I am looking forward to) - " 28nm devices are expected to cut power usage in half, increase performance by 50%, and cost less due to smaller die size" this is Q4 2010. As Sandy Bridge is q1 2011, then with Sandy Bridge you will not only get a nice new generation of CPUs but also a very nice boost in GPU performance. -> As a result I am looking forward to see what will come out with Sandy Bridge (Huron River).

As for cards over 75W. Nvidia might make cards with 85W TDP or more, but that won't stop them from making 75W cards as well. Just like the 280M is 75W and the 260M is 65W. If you are referring just to the top end mobile card, then it is plausible for Nvidia to bring something with a TDP greater than 75W in order to show they have significant better cards than ATI, just like they did in the desktop sector. Although I am not sure how that will work with all the thermal and power consumption requirements of modern gaming laptops. The W870CU already has trouble with that in terms of power consumption. I for one would not be that unhappy with a higher TDP, in the past I would have been because it would hit battery life, but Nvidia's Optimus technology solves all that.

 

Hmm...

I would be fine with the next high-end mobile being based on the GTS 430 (as long as it's GDDR5), paired with Optimus. It kinda falls in line with my long running prediction, that the next mobile chip would have as many cores as the GTX 260.

I'm waiting until this time next year anyway, unless my machine dies.

 

So your little spill didn't kill your machine?
You are one lucky dude..lol

 

Yeap, the GTS 430 core does look like a very good candidate for a mobile fermi card. Good find.