Today, NVIDIA has announced the new GTX 980. No, this isn't déjà vu, this GPU is specifically made for the laptop form factor but deliberately does not contain an "M" in its name. Unlike many previous laptop GPUs which feature considerably reduced clock speeds compared to desktop GPUs, the laptop GTX 980 has virtually the same specs as the desktop version. The memory speed of 7 Gbps is notable, since other laptop GPUs have topped out at 5 Gbps for a while. In addition, users can overclock and adjust the fan curve. Code: GTX 980 GTX 980 (desktop) (laptop) GPU GM204 GM204 CUDA cores 2048 2048 Base clock 1126 MHz 1064 MHz (94% of desktop) Boost clock 1216 MHz Yes Memory size 4 GB 4 GB, 8 GB Bus width 256-bit 256-bit Memory clock 7.0 Gbps 7.0 Gbps Bandwidth 224 GB/s 224 GB/s Listed TDP 165 W < 165 W I'm not putting my money on the laptop 980's TDP being a whole lot lower than the desktop 980's, but I wouldn't be surprised at 135-150 W (depending on the implementation). This GPU seems to be another step towards bringing desktop-level performance to the laptop. You may be wondering, what kind of laptop would use this GPU? Well, ASUS has announced the GX700VO, a large gaming laptop with the GTX 980 and something extra. The large object you see above is the laptop water cooling module that attaches to the back using a dock. ASUS claims that the GX700VO is "the world's first water-cooled gaming laptop designed to deliver superior overclocking performance." Regarding the performance of the laptop GTX 980, I don't know about the ASUS model specifically, but PC World tested a Clevo laptop provided by NVIDIA in Tomb Raider and compared its results to a desktop with a desktop GTX 980. Note that the CPUs are different. The ASUS GX700VO isn't the only option though, five other notebooks with the 980 have been announced, and the MSI GT80 even has two of them! One impression that I'm getting from the new GTX 980 is that the lines between desktop and notebook are more blurred now than ever before, or at least to an extent not seen since Core 2 Duo and the brief period of 20" laptops nearly a decade ago. With Thunderbolt 3 officially supporting external GPUs, we could soon see external attachments and connectors being put to greater use in the enthusiast realm. If you're reminded of the laptop-tablet convergence that is happening with products like the Surface series, then I'm in the same boat as you. Maybe in 5 years we'll have phones, laplets, and deskbooks instead of phones, tablets, notebooks, and desktops. But later this year, Trickster, you can have water cooling, a gaming laptop, and enthusiast graphics performance all in one! What more could you ask for? Sources: Ars Technica, ASUS, NVIDIA, PC World
Nah I'm over that now. If I get another gaming laptop, it'll be a Razer Blade or something. I value portability now a lot more than I did a few years ago. I want the performance but I don't want the bulk. I certainly wouldn't carry around that retarded-ass water thing.
Also Trickster is now a long term unemployed, with an injury that might end his career. Bad time for spending on silly laptops.
Lies. Trickster just came over to the land of the free for a change in profession to something more lucrative. I mean, his face has been all over the news as of late. It's unmistakable. So now Trickster surely has the spare cash to make the wise investment in a gaming laptop - and of course it must be water cooled.
ITT Spartacus returns in the most glorious of styles Seriously though, that tumour of a cooler is massive.
