Ultrabook for light mobile gaming and docked to core* when home

[4powells]

**Budget:**  $1500

 

**Country:** USA

 

**Screen size:**  no bigger than 15", prefer 13 or 14"

 

**Screen resolution:**  Full-HD

 

**Touch screen:**  only if it's a 2-in-1

 

**Weight:**  as light as possible. This will be a laptop I carry in addition to my company-issued T450S.

 

**Main purpose of laptop:**  I'd like to do light gaming on the road, things like solo questing in WoW, Hearthstone, etc. Then at home plug it into a Razer Core or other **Thunderbolt 3** docking device to play games like Overwatch and FPS games.

 

**If you will be gaming, what are the most demanding games you will play and at what settings?**  See above. I'd like to be able to play games like WoW at native resolution at 30+ FPS at medium settings while on the road.

 

**Is battery life an issue?**  No, I will always be plugged in for gaming.

 

**Other notes:**  As noted above, I need something that can do light gaming on the road, WoW, SW:TOR solo play, Smite, etc. But then be able to dock/plug-in via Thunderbolt 3 to a Core or similar device while at home and drive two monitors and an external keyboard and mouse. I think the Razer Blade Stealth is the clubhouse leader at the moment, but I don't know what other similar options there are in the same price range.

 

Also, I want metal/carbon chassis. No plastic. Also, as noted about, it **must have Thunderbolt 3 ports, ideally 2, but 1 minimum**

 

 

 

Questions:

 

1. What determines whether it will game well? Is it just the issue of Intel 620 graphics versus a dedicated graphics card?

 

2. Will any i7 ultrabook with Intel 620 and the same RAM game about the same?

 

3. I am looking at a razer blade stealth.  Asked on my requirements, is there a better alternative that I am missing?

 

 

[The Sloth]

XPS 15

[4powells]

4 minutes ago, nerdslayer1 said:

XPS 15

They start at 4.5 lbs. much heavier than I am looki for. This is a second device I will be carrying with me on trips.

[Droidbot]

it's expensive but Alienware 13 R3 with the Graphics Extender is amazingly good

heavy, but has quadcore + 1060 + oled display in a small package with good cooling

razer blade stealth is garbage, thermal throttles, warranty void if you open the case, etc

[4powells]

4 minutes ago, Droidbot said:

it's expensive but Alienware 13 R3 with the Graphics Extender is amazingly good

heavy, but has quadcore + 1060 + oled display in a small package with good cooling

razer blade stealth is garbage, thermal throttles, warranty void if you open the case, etc

So another option I like is the asus zen book. I can't stress enough that I will be carrying this as a second laptop o business trips along with all of other stuff" at home I will be plugging it into a dock station, like a razer core, and driving a pair of monitors. So the emphasis is in compact size and light weight' but just enough oomph to do things like login to swtor and kill some time

 

thanks for the advice on the razor styles have to look into that a lot more before I even consider that one now

[The Sloth]

4 minutes ago, Droidbot said:

it's expensive but Alienware 13 R3 with the Graphics Extender is amazingly good

heavy, but has quadcore + 1060 + oled display in a small package with good cooling

razer blade stealth is garbage, thermal throttles, warranty void if you open the case, etc

 

 

17 minutes ago, 4powells said:

No plastic.

 

18 minutes ago, 4powells said:

Thunderbolt 3 ports

 

18 minutes ago, 4powells said:

I'd like to do light gaming on the road

 carrying a desktop would be lighter, Alienware's also have heat problems sadly( even with a laptop size of a house). 

[Droidbot]

1 minute ago, 4powells said:

So another option I like is the asus zen book. I can't stress enough that I will be carrying this as a second laptop o business trips along with all of other stuff" at home I will be plugging it into a dock station, like a razer core, and driving a pair of monitors. So the emphasis is in compact size and light weight' but just enough oomph to do things like login to swtor and kill some time

possibly, but a U series chip will kill performance so much - I can't emphasize this enough.

 

Just now, nerdslayer1 said:

 

 

 

 carrying a desktop would be lighter, Alienware's also have heat problems sadly( even with a laptop size of a house). 

Old Alienwares do. The same engineers that work on the XPS line work on the Alienware machines, and the XPS15 only hits like 80-87 under CPU 100% load. Alienware13R3 runs quiet and cool since quite a bit of the machine is a cooling system..

 

(source NoteBookCheck) (60min furmark + prime95)

[The Sloth]

1 minute ago, Droidbot said:

Old Alienwares do. The same engineers that work on the XPS line work on the Alienware machines, and the XPS15 only hits like 80-87 under CPU 100% load. Alienware13R3 runs quiet and cool since quite a bit of the machine is a cooling system..

 

 

XPS are vary light for a 15 inch laptop also it doesn't have the "gamery" them. 

[Droidbot]

4 minutes ago, nerdslayer1 said:

XPS are vary light for a 15 inch laptop also it doesn't have the "gamery" them. 

gs43vr? 7700hq, 1060, 1.8kg

[The Sloth]

1 minute ago, Droidbot said:

gs43vr? 7700hq, 1060, 1.8kg

that's perfect if OP can carry bit of a extra weigh, 1060 will be powerful enough for next few years in 1080p 60 fps.

[dizmo]

Honestly the Core isn't a great deal. You can almost build a computer that will have the same power as the laptop for the same price.

[4powells]

46 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Honestly the Core isn't a great deal. You can almost build a computer that will have the same power as the laptop for the same price.

Maybe but I like the thought of just coming home with my laptop plugging in one cable and have access to multiple monitors and a powerful video card.

 

[dizmo]

29 minutes ago, 4powells said:

Maybe but I like the thought of just coming home with my laptop plugging in one cable and have access to multiple monitors and a powerful video card.

 

I don't see the allure. Why not just come home and hop on your desktop?

If the core unit is $400 (or heaven forbid the $500 Razer charges) it's only another maybe $50 to get a full desktop.

The desktop would:

• Have a more powerful CPU. Remember, most laptops aren't that powerful.
• Save the laptops life. They get hot under load. Heat degrades components and batteries.
• More powerful video card. The Core tends to suck a fair bit of performance from the installed card.

Plus you could get a true portable computer with solid battery life, so that you don't have to carry around nearly as much weight. Intel integrated graphics can run the games you stated absolutely fine.

[Pendragon]

1 hour ago, Droidbot said:

Old Alienwares do. The same engineers that work on the XPS line work on the Alienware machines, and the XPS15 only hits like 80-87 under CPU 100% load. Alienware13R3 runs quiet and cool since quite a bit of the machine is a cooling system..

3

Heh, Alienware's this gen have a TON of qc issues. Literally look at NBC AW15R3's review. I own on, and it's also a nightmare to fix. Also in that picture the GPU is throttled to 500mhz and the CPU is throttled and fucked. So my point stands. AW in this gen have the POSSIBILITY to be the best BGA laptops around, but they require extensive modding and fixing to achieve. 

 

2 hours ago, 4powells said:

snip

 

I'd like to remind you that TB3 performance is shit. And that you absolutely NEED a quad core to get any sort of performance from it. So the Stealth and Zenbook are completely out of the picture.

 

2 hours ago, Droidbot said:

gs43vr? 7700hq, 1060, 1.8kg

Things SUPER hot. Needs like LM repastes + FJ repads + aggressive undervolting. BUT, is much better than the Razer Blade.

[Droidbot]

1 hour ago, Pendragon said:

Heh, Alienware's this gen have a TON of qc issues. Literally look at NBC AW15R3's review. I own on, and it's also a nightmare to fix. Also in that picture the GPU is throttled to 500mhz and the CPU is throttled and fucked. So my point stands. AW in this gen have the POSSIBILITY to be the best BGA laptops around, but they require extensive modding and fixing to achieve. 

 

I'd like to remind you that TB3 performance is shit. And that you absolutely NEED a quad core to get any sort of performance from it. So the Stealth and Zenbook are completely out of the picture.

 

Things SUPER hot. Needs like LM repastes + FJ repads + aggressive undervolting. BUT, is much better than the Razer Blade.

It's 50/50, keep in mind Prime95 is a serious CPU stress, which is pushing some serious fucking air into the case

 

 

BF1 (30min)

 

Though I agree with the QC issues. I've seen some serious PTSD-tier shit with them if I'll be honest. Then again, I've seen worse from Razer Fireball Blade.. 

 

But are you sure about putting Liquid Metal on a laptop? I'd rather a paste like MX4, considering there isn't a lid. But hey, whatever. Also what's FJ pads? 

[Pendragon]

4 hours ago, Droidbot said:

But are you sure about putting Liquid Metal on a laptop? I'd rather a paste like MX4, considering there isn't a lid. But hey, whatever. Also what's FJ pads? 

 

MX4 isn't great. Gelid is still far better. FJ Pads are Fujipoly pads. Current best in class pads. Provided you dont get the max 17.0 w/MK ones. You should get the 11.0 or 14.0 w/MK ones which sounds counter intuititive, but because the 17.0 w/MK ones are so dense and hard, they aren't suited for the low mounting pressure of laptop heatsinks.

 

Also LM is amazing on laptops. I personally don't use it on AW's because the heatsink is bent to shit and it's either the GPU heatsink unbalanced or the CPU heatsink unbalanced. You literally need to BEND the heatsinks to achieve perfect contact on both dies and I haven't had time to get it to that level of precision because taking apart one of these things are still a fucking nightmare. Easily a 2-3 hour process. I currently use Gelid GC, which is the best paste you'll get without LM. On my other laptops like my Clevo I use LM. But on my daily driver I don't because it's for work and warranty and it's not mine (it's the company's). So it's up to you, LM gives you by far the best temps and I would easily say go for it on a laptop that doesn't have broken design and uneven contact because LM pumps out insanely fast if it's so much a hair from perfect balance. So LM goes on my Clevo cause ease of access and testing. Gelid on work and shit that takes forever like AW. I'm going to say fuck it one day and send it off to mobius1 or iunlock to fix it when I go on vacation. 

[Droidbot]

9 minutes ago, Pendragon said:

MX4 isn't great. Gelid is still far better. FJ Pads are Fujipoly pads. Current best in class pads. Provided you dont get the max 17.0 w/MK ones. You should get the 11.0 or 14.0 w/MK ones which sounds counter intuititive, but because the 17.0 w/MK ones are so dense and hard, they aren't suited for the low mounting pressure of laptop heatsinks.

 

Also LM is amazing on laptops. I personally don't use it on AW's because the heatsink is bent to shit and it's either the GPU heatsink unbalanced or the CPU heatsink unbalanced. You literally need to BEND the heatsinks to achieve perfect contact on both dies and I haven't had time to get it to that level of precision because taking apart one of these things are still a fucking nightmare. Easily a 2-3 hour process. I currently use Gelid GC, which is the best paste you'll get without LM. On my other laptops like my Clevo I use LM. But on my daily driver I don't because it's for work and warranty and it's not mine (it's the companies). So it's up to you, LM gives you by far the best temps and I would easily say go for it on a laptop that doesn't have broken design and uneven contact because LM pumps out insanely fast if it's so much a hair from perfect balance. So LM goes on my Clevo cause ease of access and testing. Gelid on work and shit that takes forever like AW. I'm going to say fuck it one day and send it off to mobius1 or iunlock to fix it when I go on vacation. 

So my EliteBook 2570p is a machine I definitely wanna upgrade. It can handle an Ivy Bridge i7, which I want to probably use 3630QM or 3720QM. 

However, it runs warm when I use my i5 3360M at the moment, with high temps when the machine is not risen above the ground. 

Probably due to the shitty paste the refurbisher installed and the system turboing stupidly.

 

Since LM is a liquid I don't feel safe using it on my baby, instead Gelid GC is my pick. I don't need pads. 

I will be doing cooling mods to the machine, including the very common 'Holeybottom' mod and some copper shims on the heatsink ( I need a good thermal adhesive, you got one?):

 

I absolutely love this system - even with the thermals, it's so easy to dis-assemble compared to my Alienware M11xR3. 

You pull one fucking switch, and the entire bottom opens exposing access to CPU socket, fan, WWAN, WLAN, HDD1, RAM, and ODD. Replacing ODD with a caddy. 

 

 

[Pendragon]

Just now, Droidbot said:

I will be doing cooling mods to the machine, including the very common 'Holeybottom' mod and some copper shims on the heatsink ( I need a good thermal adhesive, you got one?):

1

Copper shims aren't needed if the contact is good enough. Also LM is pretty safe if you know how to do it. Lemme link you something here. Pretty much ensures laptops protection. http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/alienware-17r4-15r3-disassembly-repaste-guide-results.797373/

^ it's a good guide on how to apply LM on bare die. Takes you through good precaution measures too. Also google and youtube lots on LM before doing it because you'll want to know. Sorry it's an AW disassembly (*repaste*) guide but it's a good one. One of the best. 

[Droidbot]

Just now, Pendragon said:

Copper shims aren't needed if the contact is good enough. Also LM is pretty safe if you know how to do it. Lemme link you something here. Pretty much ensures laptops protection. http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/alienware-17r4-15r3-disassembly-repaste-guide-results.797373/

^ it's a good guide on how to apply LM on bare die. Takes you through good precaution measures too. Also google and youtube lots on LM before doing it because you'll want to know. Sorry it's an AW disassembly (*repaste*) guide but it's a good one. One of the best. 

Not on the bottom. On the top. Needed more beef for a quad. I just want to paste the first time with Gelid, just to be safe. I just want an easy quick paste instead of screwing around with LM and getting it to go

[Pendragon]

Just now, Droidbot said:

Not on the bottom. On the top. Needed more beef for a quad. I just want to paste the first time with Gelid, just to be safe. I just want an easy quick paste instead of screwing around with LM and getting it to go

 

True. Then Gelid is the best. It's my to-go paste when I don't have the time to make things perfect either. People like to say that Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is the best, and it is, but it's not sustainable and pumps out really quick. For benchmark enthusiasts who will repaste every week, then yes it's the best but for people who just want to stick with one Gelid is best. IC Diamond is good if everything is shit because it's a super thick paste and will fill in the gaps and make the most out of uneven contact. Also I'm still confused as to why you need copper shims LOL. on top? And more cooling tips, you can sand down the heatsink to make a perfect contact. 

[Droidbot]

Just now, Pendragon said:

True. Then Gelid is the best. It's my to-go paste when I don't have the time to make things perfect either. People like to say that Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is the best, and it is, but it's not sustainable and pumps out really quick. For benchmark enthusiasts who will repaste every week, then yes it's the best but for people who just want to stick with one Gelid is best. IC Diamond is good if everything is shit because it's a super thick paste and will fill in the gaps and make the most out of uneven contact. Also I'm still confused as to why you need copper shims LOL. on top? And more cooling tips, you can sand down the heatsink to make a perfect contact. 

It's already a decent contact - I got the idea from the 2570p Owner's Lounge on TechInferno, where a user had put copper shims on their HS and gotten 5-6C better full load temps with it. 

 

https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/1982-125-hp-elitebook-2570p-owners-lounge/&page=7#comment-59156

https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/1982-125-hp-elitebook-2570p-owners-lounge/&page=4#comment-57746

(scroll down)

https://www.techinferno.com/index.php?/forums/topic/1982-125-hp-elitebook-2570p-owners-lounge/&page=3#comment-57102

[Pendragon]

31 minutes ago, Droidbot said:

It's already a decent contact - I got the idea from the 2570p Owner's Lounge on TechInferno, where a user had put copper shims on their HS and gotten 5-6C better full load temps with it. 

 

 

the man who discovered this is a beast. hands down. It's quite interesting to see how each community deep dives into their laptops and makes miracles happen. I'm much more on the T430 and X230 side. We do the same thing, putting quad cores in small machines and modding the living shit out of it to make it work. The T430 and X230 go more extreme by building custom LVDS to eDP converter boards to support newer better 2k IPS screens on outdated sockets. The 2570p owner's lounge seems pretty insane too. I might have to steal that idea and try it on my own sometime. Seems quite interesitng. 

[Droidbot]

3 minutes ago, Pendragon said:

the man who discovered this is a beast. hands down. It's quite interesting to see how each community deep dives into their laptops and makes miracles happen. I'm much more on the T430 and X230 side. We do the same thing, putting quad cores in small machines and modding the living shit out of it to make it work. The T430 and X230 go more extreme by building custom LVDS to eDP converter boards to support newer better 2k IPS screens on outdated sockets. The 2570p owner's lounge seems pretty insane too. I might have to steal that idea and try it on my own sometime. Seems quite interesitng. 

wait, have they crammed a quad into an x230? it's soldered if I remember correctly. 

I love my little 2570p, even with it's flaws. $400 AUD and yet absolutely destroys everything on multi-thread in the size range

 

t430 has been modded so much, it's such a nice machine. but I'm a lover of portable workstations. 

if it aint <13" with a quad, don't come over here with it.

 

also "tech inferno fan" is nando4 from egpu.io (or nbr if you remember him there), he got banned off techinferno because of a dispute and the site owners getting greedy. fuck em. 

 

 

[Pendragon]

4 minutes ago, Droidbot said:

wait, have they crammed a quad into an x230? it's soldered if I remember correctly. 

 

nah not the x230. some crazy motherfucker did it once though. desoldered the whole thing and resoldered it, editied the bios and stuff to get it working but fluke case. Essentially the T430 is still my fav portable laptop. I just can't find or source the LVDS to eDP converter boards because they were all custom made.

 

6 minutes ago, Droidbot said:

also "tech inferno fan" is nando4 from egpu.io (or nbr if you remember him there), he got banned off techinferno because of a dispute and the site owners getting greedy. fuck em. 

2

I only lurk on techinferno and egpu.io LOL. Don't have time for too many forums. I go to egpu.io for info and technoinferno to see crazyshit. Like the guy who desoldered a 980 core onto a mxm 980m board. and got it working. khenglish

[Droidbot]

1 minute ago, Pendragon said:

nah not the x230. some crazy motherfucker did it once though. desoldered the whole thing and resoldered it, editied the bios and stuff to get it working but fluke case. Essentially the T430 is still my fav portable laptop. I just can't find or source the LVDS to eDP converter boards because they were all custom made.

 

I only lurk on techinferno and egpu.io LOL. Don't have time for too many forums. I go to egpu.io for info and technoinferno to see crazyshit. Like the guy who desoldered a 980 core onto a mxm 980m board. and got it working. khenglish

oh, khenglish. he's insane lol. built a intel ME flash to BCLK the 2570p, only 104.5% max, but hey, it's OC. 

I saw that post. lmfao. 

 

expresscard egpu going into my 2570p soon, as soon as I get a replacement GDC Beast. it'll take a while. china. I've got a firebomb non-80+ regulated Cooler Master unit powering a gtx950, have to do DSDT override in Windows but I already have Clover for OSX so it makes it easy peasy.