New Stealth (13")+Core+GTX 1080ti+Oculus Rift/Touch basic benchmarks and thoughts

So this is my new setup!
Some background-- I needed a device that was extremely portable but still functional. I tried a new iPad Pro 10.5 and even with iOS 11 it was still just a toy--plus I was sick of every game being some form of lottery or p2w.

I needed a device that allowed me to manage my business while I'm out with the kids, in the car, etc. Something I could take in a small backpack around with me all day, charge with an external battery etc. Basically something that could replace the iPad Pro for portability but had actual functionality. Stealth does all this. I've done some light gaming--Diablo 3, Black Mesa and the Stealth runs these games beautifully.

What really hooked me into purchasing the Stealth was the concept of taking my super portable laptop and plugging it into an external dock and being able to play Oculus Rift Touch Games...or maybe game at 4k..Since I couldn't find any benchmarks or VR gaming results for the new Stealth plus the Core i was a little hesitant to pull the trigger, but if it didn't work out I would just return the Core and build a desktop gaming rig since I had the video card, 4k monitor, and oculus already. Even if gaming on the Core was sub par, I would keep the Stealth, its that good of a laptop.

So the setup-- 28" Samsung UHD/4k display; EVGA SC2 GTX1080ti; Razer BlackWidow X Keyboard, Razer LanceHead wireless mouse/FireFly MousePad , Oculus Rift+Touch, Anker USB 3.0 7-port hub.

The Core doesn't seem to like USB 2.0 devices. I was having problems with the keyboard disconnecting and reconnecting, also the HMD wouldn't setup when I tried plugging it in. I had a 4 year old USB 3 hub in a box in the basement so I plugged everything into it then the hub to the Stealth and it works great (next to Thunderbolt/USB C port). Am I wasting the USB ports on the Core? Maybe, but I want the pipeline between the Core and Stealth as uncluttered as possible and having to plug in an extra cable isn't a big deal. The only real issue I'm having is that I have to unplug and replug my DisplayPort cable into the monitor every time I connect the Stealth or I'm not HDCP compliant..annoying but not a deal breaker. Also, if you are using an external monitor, you HAVE to set the display on the Stealth to turn off or overall performance gets crushed (like 40%).

VR Performance
This is the primary reason I bought this setup---Ultrabook in the day, VR gaming machine at night. Steam VR test scores max at 11, and system is fully compliant/exceeds specs on Oculus check. The Rift runs beautifully...I have been playing Lone Echo and it is absolutely amazing...So if you want an ultrabook you can use as a VR rig, it works great--just be warned you will need a USB 3.0/2.0 hub in order to do so.

3DMark/VRMark benchmarks
FireStrike Ultra 5654
FireStrike Extreme 8352
Fire Strike Normal 11081
Time Spy 5720
Orange Room 5406
Blue Room 2764
The Witcher 3-- 4k Ultra settings ~40fps
The Witcher 3--4K High settings~50fps
Diablo 3--4k ultra settings~120fps

Based solely on benchmarks the 1080ti really helps the higher you crank the resolution. If numbers are to be believed, this setup is as good as a 4k Gaming PC if you are gaming at 4k. I really don't have a good point of reference for gaming because the last time I did PC gaming was in 2010 when I was playing on a Phenom II x4 + Radeon 5850 I built--so its been ages!

Anyway sorry this is a long post but I hope it can help anyone who is on the fence about getting it--I am very happy with it! I turned my basement into a VR gaming paradise!



**Edit added VR Mark, Diablo 3 and Witcher 3 benchmarks.
Because of the limitations of the CPU a rogue background app can really effect performance. I keep task manager running just in case. Generally if I am going to play something intense I close Chrome, which can sometimes be a resource hog (so is Steam if its downloading something..)

**Edit Conclusion
This setup isn't worth getting for 1080p gaming. Just buy a Blade or build a desktop. That being said, everything I have thrown at it via gaming or benchmarks runs great at 4k or on Oculus Rift.
The new Stealth is an amazing ultrabook. Adding the Core with a high end graphics card allows you to game at 4k and run the latest VR titles with ease. Since the Core is basically future proof with the T3 connection and a GTX 1080ti (albeit it would be nice if the USB ports actually worked..) future versions of the Stealth ie Coffee Lake will only make the setup even better! Also, if you are running a lot of accessories you can hotplug the T3 connection, but it may be buggy as some apps have to be relaunched to start running on the Core's video card. The fastest way to use this setup is to shutdown and restart after you connect the hub and the T3 connection. It takes less than 10 seconds to boot up, switch to the external monitor and shut off display on the Stealth.

 

Thats a VERY cool setup that you have there

One question: How did you do to plug your monitor to your laptop using display port ? Did you use a USB Type-C to DisplayPort Cable ? and if yes how did you plug the razer core if you used the thunderbolt port for the display port cable ? I am wondering because I am about to buy a new monitor to get 144hz refresh rate and will need to use a display port cable in order to do so.

Thank you very much

 

CPU on Stealth with gtx1080ti will get huge bandwidth, and you will get much better performance if you build a desktop. But the cost would be also higher than core self. If you're fine with your gaming experience also VR I would keep it, because the concept of the core basically is wonderful and your setting is actually really decent and make me jealous
For USB connection, some said it's work some no, this thread maybe will help you, and as Kabylake Blade 14 owner who have plan to get the Core with GTX1080ti for plug and play 4K gaming experience i hope Razer would address the issues.
https://insider.razerzone.com/index.php?threads/does-anyones-cores-usb-ports-actually-work.20406/

 

The DisplayPort is plugged into the back of the GTX 1080ti in the Core, as is the Oculus. I haven't tried plugging anything directly into the Stealth yet

 

omg build!!!

 

I have a similar setup but with original blade stealth and a 980TI.

In Oculus home, I keep getting this warning about computer doesn't meet spec. Likely due to the cpu in the RBS. Do you also get this msg?

 

Very impressed man. Very nice! That bose tops off the system setup! picture perfect of my next setup! I have the stealth, now the countless list begins!

 

That's annoying. It came up once but it didn't affect game play. It went away after a reboot and I have't had it come back up. The Oculus check program says my system is okay so it was probably just a bug

 

How does this setup compare(FPS) to the blade 14 at higher resolutions?

 

Even Blade 14 with 7700HQ, due Thunderbolt 3, its CPU bandwidth (40gb) is limited and won't reach 1080ti desktop performance, but it will get a better result than 7500U on stealth. I read here the core and Blade 14 Kabylake with 1080ti combos in 4K (max setting) external hit 90FPS, which is a huge improvement from its dGPU, but on YouTube I saw desktop 6700K with 1080ti in Overwatch hits 170FPS (don't know the setting) at 4K.

 

Added VRMark benchmarks. Blue room score seems high, but if I am judging by in-game performance everything I have played on Oculus runs fantastic

added Witcher 3 benchmarks. Game is very playable at 4k/Ultra settings...fps never dropped below about 36. Running at High settings seems to be the sweet spot though as fps doesn't dip below 50.

 

How do you feel about spending 2-300$ more on the TI? I can't decide if I want an 80 or a TI for my stealth, but I play tons of VR and want as close to 144hz 1440p as possible. I don't know what to do!