Integrated GPU question

[jonnin]

eh, its 'simple' in the way that being paid millions a year by the NFL is simple.
1) be one of the best at a popular game, usually a pvp one.
2) start streaming and because #1, get a great many followers.
3) be involved in that game's forums, development, something.. give feedback, beta test, etc
4) because 2, you attract advertises to your stream, and also start getting promos to use X brand gear while gaming and to promote that (well, I am the best there is, and I use brand X controller!) etc
5) profit.

its that #1 that gets you :P
however, if 'all you get' are free game copies to test and free gear to use, its a win. A much bigger slice of people get minor but nice rewards for having a lesser but still popular stream.

[zapshe]

Not too interested in that sadly. I'm sure I'd at least become one of the lesser popular people but with a solid following if I tried, but too much time.

[keskiverto]

My laptop's base model comes with a GTX 1060 6GB version, 8GB RAm, i7-7700HQ, 128 SSD + 1TB HDD, a 2x2 wireless card (as opposed to 1x1), plenty of ports - including Thunderbolt 3 (both display port and USB-C style), and a pretty nice set of speakers paired with a sub. Regularly, you could get it for $1000 straight up. On a good day, or if you talk to customer service for a discount, you can get it for a bit less than that.

I HIGHLY doubt you can build a desktop that cheaply - if you started from scratch. Just the CPU and GPU alone would cost nearly $800

Had to peek into Amazon (don't know any "pricewatch" sites). i7-7700 + 1060 6GB was $550. On the other hand, a display costs too.

I presume that "nice set of speakers paired with a sub" are not integrated into the laptop?

Laptop is portable, but its ergonomy is limited; you cannot adjust screen-keyboard distance.

Intel HD graphics 4600 & NVIDIA Quadro k1100M

The "HD 4600" is inside the CPU. Integrated graphics (IGP).
The "Quadro" is discrete GPU. "Workstation" model.

the K1100M in range of the consumer GeForce GT 740M and GT 645M GPUs. Most demanding games of 2013 will run fluently with medium details and resolutions.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-Quadro-K1100M.98901.0.html

Being discrete does not automatically mean removable. Look at any recent, ultra-thin, unibody laptop. They are not made to be screwed open.

However, the M4800 was a behemoth. "Workstation laptop." It's manual shows what can and can't be removed.
https://data.technimax.cz/attach/artilky/Dell-Precision-M4800-Owner%27s_Manual_en-us.pdf

Ok, you can remove the K1100M. A "MXM type-A add-in card" according to Dell. At the time Dell was selling K1100M and K2100M for that laptop. I bet they don't sell any more.

In other words the chances to find any discrete GPU that you could replace the K1100M with are low and the performace gain might not be huge.

[zapshe]

I presume that "nice set of speakers paired with a sub" are not integrated into the laptop?

They are integrated.

i7-7700 + 1060 6GB was $550

I searched them elsewhere. Doubtful they were that cheap the time I bought this laptop though. It's been a while.

On the other hand, a display costs too.

My laptop came with a 4K display, which cost extra. Base model has a 1080p panel but it's fine. I did buy an external monitor afterwards for about $150 (AMAZING sale) to get that wider screen and 144hz refresh rate.

[helios]

How on earth do you integrate a nice subwoofer into a laptop case?

[George P]

Let's hope it doesn't involve 40 feet of rubber tubing, lots of lubricant and a yak.

[zapshe]

Ahh, the familiar tears of losing a post that was well written.

How on earth do you integrate a nice subwoofer into a laptop case?

It's not like it's some thin and light type thing, it's big by petite women standards. I personally prefer bulkier laptops - it feels like quality.

Anyway, the speakers and sub are pretty good, not as good as the last model though, which when I heard definitely had a better sub - which makes me sad. However, it's still pretty good and can be turned up REAL loud without clipping/distorting or losing quality. I have headphones and external speakers that are better, but it's convenient that I don't have to rely on them for quality sound. Sometimes I just want to hear good audio real fast without plugging or connecting anything.

[jjordan33]

So, turns out, the Thunderbolt is for relatively new generations. I'm a lowly 4 gen.

I really wish I held off another week, but i have to have one for the hackathon tomor.... later today.

[zapshe]

If you really need a powerful machine, go to a computer shop with a good return policy and buy one. Do the hackathon. Go back and return it. A sh*tty move? Maybe. But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

[jonnin]

define nice; lol... if I can't feel the drums in my chest, the speakers are too small.
I don't think that will fit in a laptop case.
but i did one put a computer in a speaker case: I made a micro tower computer out of pc-104 & one of those bigger but still tiny desktop speakers.

[zapshe]

By nice, I mean the bass is present and has more "Oomph!" than you'd ever expect a laptop to have. I have speakers with better bass and headphones, but it's nice that there's still a quality audio that comes with it. The audio is better than some car audio setups.

Which reminds me of the Meridian audio system in my dad's car. Every speaker has a paired subwoofer. It's just the most amazing setup ever. Forget feeling the drums in your chest, you won't have one if you turn the volume or bass up.