Gaming laptops and crunching
25 Jan 2014 14:09:14 UTC
Topic 197356
(moderation:
Hi,
Considering replacing my 2011 Macbook Pro. I've been looking at several gaming laptops, the Razer Blade Pro, MSI Gaming Series types and Asus Republic of Gamers thusfar. Can't make up my mind yet about brand and type. CPU/GPU/Memory numbers are obvious on the various types.
Anyone has any experience with Einstein on such a laptop? Any recommendations? Maybe even: any NOT-to-buy's?
Gaming laptops and crunching
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The little experience I have is with an older Alienware gaming laptop, any load on it at all made it sound like a small jet engine.
If you want to run your shiny new CPU and GPU at load for any length of time I'd recommend proper cooling, preferably in a large case with large slow spinning fans. Kinda the opposite of what you get in a gaming laptop.
But maybe the newer laptops have solved all that.
I run a DELL XPS L501X
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I run a DELL XPS L501X laptop, and occasionally give it a run here:
http://einsteinathome.org/host/3868392
As you can see, it's three years old (yesterday!), and not up to the standards you'll be looking for - but it still runs 24/7, crunching on GPU and all four CPU cores, at other projects.
The internal cooling system (combined heat pipe covering both CPU and GPU, and single fan) is pretty good with an active system cooling policy enabled, but it's not quite enough. So I run it standing on a powered (USB) twin-fan cooling base, and that provides enough extra cooling at ambient domestic temperatures. Without the cooling base - I turned it off by mistake recently - the temperatures go up, the noise goes up, the processing slows down, and eventually the machine shuts down.
The extra cooling base sounds
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The extra cooling base sounds familiar. Have to use that too. Can't run 100% cores though. Just one core (two threads) of the 4 cores and the GPU. Keeps temp between 80 and 85% on the CPU. This setting seems fine for Einstein although this seemed already too much on other projects resulting in computation errors.
My MB Pro i have is not a gaming laptop. So hoping that indeed cooling issues are tackled better on a gaming laptop. If you can run a demanding game like Battlefield 4 on it it should also be able to channel the heat enough to do some serious crunch work (i hope!).
What i'm hoping to find out beforehand is if there are any issues with drivers for particular types of laptops (locked to manufacturer like my current Mac) or any building/usage issues which come out with continued high load on the machine.
Did get MSi Gaming Series.
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Did get MSi Gaming Series. The GS70 Stealth. Had options of MSi with more power but they are too bulky and heavy. This one seems even thinner and lighter than my MBP 17 inch. So far good results. I seem to be doing GPU work almost 3 times quicker. About a third on the CPU tasks. And additional can do the Intel BRP4's now. They take less than 10 minutes. So in all i'm satisfied. And very portable. Also no jet engine fan sounds. It seems to keep reasonably cool on high load.
RE: Did get MSi Gaming
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Get a usb powered fan base so when it is sitting on a flat surface it has good underneath cooling! Here is an example of a cheap one:
There are better, more expensive ones too. The key is too get the air moving around the outside so the internal fans can do their job. I personally buy the cheap ones, 5 dollars each, on sale 3 at a time and then just replace one when it starts acting loud or funky. My wife spent more money on hers and has never had any problems in the 3 years she has had it. Hers is more like this:
My last laptop lasted thru 7 years of crunching, my newest, an i7 with HT, will hopefully last at least as long. I have had a fan under mine ever since the I got last laptop. The one previous to that I did not have extra cooling and lost 3 hard drives and eventually the laptop itself. ALL parts are better made now as is the internal cooling, but few laptops are made to run 24/7 at gaming type speeds and temps for days, weeks, months and even years.
Thanks so much for the
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Thanks so much for the advice! Until now i haven't stressed the machine to the fullest yet. The main fans are on the sides. The bottom is barely warm at current settings in contrast with my MBpro. That could change running max. I'll see if my current base is sufficient or that i should get a new one.
RE: Thanks so much for the
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Check the full airflow - where the air goes in, as well as where it comes out.
My Dell XPS sucks air from underneath, which is a disaster on soft fabric surfaces like beds or sofas. But ideal for a USB base.
Good point. Will check if the
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Good point. Will check if the bottom also is intake.