Transform your laptop with the Razer Core X

Dark-Rider
Hello Joikansai

First of all, Happy new year 2019 to you, and all forum members

Now back on the subject, I don't think it is a question to blame Intel or Razer. Both in my mind actually are responsible, as said @I4v4I4mp3, for the lack of transparency, in order to sell you something you don't need.

Now the argument of "overheat" impacting the laptop life span is highly questionable - for instance, I don't overclock and I am using my laptop within the boundaries of "normal usage" with a little plus: my laptop stay stationary 11 month on 12 on my desk. Hense there is no reason for my laptop to "break" or fall.
If heat implies a shorter laptop life span, then we, blade owners, have a serious problem - but I doubt that.

(with regards to heat and GPU questions, I recommend to read this to understand that gpu used for mining don't see a drop in performances while they generated heat, 24/7 for along period of time)

side note: I though the 2080 could be a game changer for this setup, but, thx l4v4l4mp3 for trying it, we now know that it is not the case (and I am not even surprised that much)

Cheers,
D8

Yes Happy new year 🎉to you too.
If you can keep monitoring your laptop without egpu it’s fine having Blade, keep in mind it’s gaming laptop in MacBook size. The heat especially in this category laptops is the best enemy.
For most poeple who aiming FPS it’s 1080ti or 2080 isn’t gaming changer if you have decent gpu on your laptop but not for some who want better resolution like 4K gaming that couldn’t be done well. I did that on my previous Blade 14 doing 4K with 1080ti on rise of Tomb Raider that was unplayable on 1060 dGPU. Though I play also a lot esports that made my gaming usage around 50 50 between dGPU and eGPU. And as result I could sell it on mint condition like day one, even I use it outside as well.
Heat that generated inside may wear the other parts as well, so it comes also to lucky factor if you get great parts.
This is similar with gpu for mining, it’ll use from my understanding using softminer recently 100% gpu usage, like using 100%battery on phone, phone will be fine but it will be dropping the battery performance.
Anyway to me egpu isn’t also gaming changer but it’s for some users, you can take a look on egpu.io, a lot Mac users become enthusiasts about this, they can finally gaming on that and as ex MacBook user I can really understand that gaming on mac was really painful in term performance and heat. To me on Blade 15 with egpu it’s a gaming revolution, especially with rtx card, the reflection is just natural and could be done in a laptop, played last night stories (for online competitive i prefer over 70fps) on BFV it just works;) 40fps~ 1440p medium, I think with 2080 or higher it’ll be better. On stealth with weaker cpu it’s totally unplayable, laggy.

Hello Joikansai, l4v4l4mp3

Apologies, but none of us 3 uses a Mackbook, and comparing GPU usage and Battery usage doesn't make any sense to me.

The only interest I see to use an external GPU box is to
- use 1 single TB3 cable to have everything going through it (charging, video, mouse, gamepad, Kb etc... = valid when using a Core V1 and V2 but not Core X)
- move the heat generation from the dGPU to an external GPU box (in connection with the next point)
- use very large screen(s) directly connected to the back of the Graphic card (as it is the case for you l4v4l4mp3)

I am myself looking for a solution to plug my Blade to an ultra wide screen, but it is annoying/concerning that using a eGPU that will cost a kidney (or an eye) will reduce overall gaming performances.
I expect at least the same level of performances, ideally far better.

Then it make sense to wait for a new generation of Blade 14 or 15 with higher GPU embedded
or alternatively to use an Omen accelerator (far more quiet than the Core) with a GTX 1080ti and 700w PSU enabling hot swap until then.

Cheers,
D8

Indeed, I heard as well the Omen has some compatibility issues with some GPUs. I understand it is seems to be connected with the Firmware version of the Omen MB and dimension available to fit the card in

For me, the advantage using the Omen
- it is silent compared to the Razer Core(s)
- it contains a TB3 hub (like the core V1 and V2), all connected to the TB3 single cable as follow
1. Gigabit ethernet 10/100/1000
2. Thunderbolt 31
3. USB 3.1 Type-C
4. 4 x USB 3.1 Type-A
- you can install a SSD hard drive inside - you can even boot from it, or just use it as storage for your games and data and that is a big big plus compared to the Core
- there is room inside the box for a big GPU (330x140x53 for the Omen vs 330x144x43! for the Core v1 and V2)
- the Box is bigger than the Core (all versions) and it is good in case the GPU produces a lot of heat like with RTX cards

PS: I like your ultra-wide 49" screen !

Dark-Rider
Indeed, I heard as well the Omen has some compatibility issues with some GPUs. I understand it is seems to be connected with the Firmware version of the Omen MB and dimension available to fit the card in

For me, the advantage using the Omen
- it is silent compared to the Razer Core(s)
- it contains a TB3 hub (like the core V1 and V2), all connected to the TB3 single cable as follow
1. Gigabit ethernet 10/100/1000
2. Thunderbolt 31
3. USB 3.1 Type-C
4. 4 x USB 3.1 Type-A
- you can install a SSD hard drive inside - you can even boot from it, or just use it as storage for your games and data and that is a big big plus compared to the Core
- there is room inside the box for a big GPU (330x140x53 for the Omen vs 330x144x43! for the Core v1 and V2)
- the Box is bigger than the Core (all versions) and it is good in case the GPU produces a lot of heat like with RTX cards

PS: I like your ultra-wide 49" screen ! :)

HP accelerator is for someone who has big room;) It take really space from design wise, nice features and price tag, but it has often compatibility issues with parts inside like i/o ports etc, you’ll need keep checking firmware update I believe, at first time it had even issue with their own laptops, HP Spectre when I’m not wrong. So going with same brand setting would be better in terms compatibility.
Concerning card heat and Fans behavior it depends on GPU brand, Asus Turbo 2080ti made my core V2 screaming since max gpu Temperature is 80ish Zotac Mini 1080ti was also not quite but acceptable, but with evga 2080 gaming and 2070 Black, 2070 one even on max OC, gaming temperature or even mining temperature (softminer) on 100% gpu usage never leave unbelievably 60ish, on idle with Blade Stealth I was even schock since the PSU fans is really silent unlike before with other cards. I believe evga use now glass material for rtx series because they know this card will be hotter than pascal series and changed their metal aluminum design.

Another Update on RTX egpu (Core V2) usage, after almost a month using Rtx 2070 Black and happy user, last night it unfortunately it died. Thanks for well known Evga support, got ticket today and ready to ship for replacement.
Here’s my experiences with Rtx cards:
1. October to November, 3 weeks 2080ti, works fine but due build quality (for the price), high temperature and huge bottleneck compared to desktop setting I sold it.
2. November, 2 weeks 2080 Fe, works fine, great build quality (the best on my experience), but due active fans it’s loud on my core v2, returned it.
3. November to December xc 2080 gaming, works fine, quite gpu, but due someone asked it for higher purchasing price and the FPS gain not so huge compared to 2070 on my setting (1440p) i sold it.
4. December till yesterday 2070 Black. Works fine, best performance for value on my setting, quite and really cool gpu (I use always OC mode), never go above 60ish degrees doing anything including long hours softminer (doing it rarely). But first card was DOA and second one, the replacement was not a month, maybe I’m just unlucky or there’s something wrong with Rtx cards on egpu setting.
Conclusion: Get GPU that listed on Support page;) I can’t refund my 2070 though and must use it but I’ll give 3rd chances since it’s my favorite card, but if still unlucky I’ll sell it and get 1080ti (previous setting, over a year without issues) somehow even can’t enjoy new gen gpu features, it’ll last on my setting till next gen 7nm chips out. If still want to get Rtx cards get from somewhere with good support for faster solution and replacement.
Cheers

Dark-Rider
Hello Joikansai
Impressive test ! didn't you need to upgrade you PSU to power all the cards?

Cheers
D8

No max power consumption on max load even 2080ti is 300 watt, and core v2 can supply up to 375 watt (See here), and on egpu setting enclosure psu is totally serve for GPU (despite if you add some peripherals on it) unlike desktop that should supply other parts, core v2 can’t supply only Vega 64 unlike core x that has bigger psu.

woop woop!!! will keep an eye on your next post!

D8

l4v4l4mp3
So now I can share the first results!

Starting with new benchmarks, at least from Forza Horizon 4, since I've shared the same here before.

One is with fhd, internal display and setting to high. So similar to the screenshots shared earlier.
And the other is on my external double-fhd screen and extreme settings.

So you can see now the CPU is the bottleneck :D

If you want me to test and share sth with you, just ask for it.

//adding the older screenshots as refference here, too. -> Just for easy view.

Wunderbar!!:smile_:
But unfortunately egpu is lame on high FPS and bottleneck would be less on higher resolution, beside FH4 isn’t great in my experience.
You may want to look at this, there’re all lame, MacBook is slightly faster because it has unique TB3 architecture that connects directly to cpu without going to pch controller that reduce the performance a bit unlike most laptops with dgpu. If you can’t see the pictures you can use google account to make easy account. Note the last benchmark was from egpu super tweaker, not TB3 egpu he use m2 slot for faster graphics connection and flash the card bios to unlock to bigger power limit cards and it’s really not recommended at all, you’ll loose the guarantee and may mess the device a lot.