A limited gaming laptop - how limited?

[Yrubdarb]

I agree the RAM and SSD space might be excessive. I just want to ensure that I don't run out, particularly of RAM. There are YouTube videos showing 'recent' games (ones published during the last 5 years) running on that integrated GPU and using more than 16GB RAM.

I considered buying an inferior AMD APU. PCS don't sell any in laptops now.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I agree the RAM and SSD space might be excessive. I just want to ensure that I don't run out, particularly of RAM. There are YouTube videos showing 'recent' games (ones published during the last 5 years) running on that integrated GPU and using more than 16GB RAM.

I think you’re getting confused with VRAM on the GPU, entirely different thing

 

[Yrubdarb]

I agree the RAM and SSD space might be excessive. I just want to ensure that I don't run out, particularly of RAM. There are YouTube videos showing 'recent' games (ones published during the last 5 years) running on that integrated GPU and using more than 16GB RAM.

I think you’re getting confused with VRAM on the GPU, entirely different thing

Reply: Is there that much on-chip VRAM for that iGPU? If that's so, I want to know.

 

[TonyCarter]

The 780m-890m iGPUs share the system RAM…but are pointless as even entry-level gaming and are really intended to just enable you to connect more/bigger screens…not for gaming.

The Radeon 780m iGPU has about 30% the performance of a laptop RTX4060 version. It had 1/4 of the shading units, 1/2 the TMUs, 1/2 the RT cores, 1/2 the CUs, etc.

If you have any intent to game (considering the laptop has 1600p resolution) then something with a discrete laptop GPU with its own VRAM would be much wiser.

 

[SpyderTracks]

If you have any intent to game (considering the laptop has 1600p resolution) then something with a discrete laptop GPU with its own VRAM would be much wiser.

You won’t be able to game to any worthwhile degree with integrated graphics unless it’s an APU, but if you wanted that as a possibility a dedicated GPU is really essential.

If you come back nearer the time we can propose something

There are a number of changes I would make. Specifically the RAM and the Storage, those are not good choices at all. You won't be doing any AAA gaming at all with onboard graphics but for very basic games it'll get you through.

Can't stress it enough for a last attempt

 

[Yrubdarb]

All right, so it's time for a rethink about how much gaming capacity will mean to me over the next 3 years. Plan A was to put more RAM in my current laptop but the dropping of Windows 10 support scuppered that.

I worry a bit about the lifespan of dedicated GPUs in laptops and their implications for energy consumption and portability partly because I have never owned one. I'm not going to take advantage of that full resolution because my eyes wouldn't like it on a screen that small.

I saw the 15" IONICO LUNA listed. I'm still reluctant to pay that much. I'm not going to buy an INTEL build.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I read somewhere that the new APUs had their own on-chip RAM because of the AI stuff. I dIdn't know how much there is, nor whether the integrated GPU can use it. This new paradigm surprises me.

If all this is true then 16GB of system RAM can be sufficient for the next 3 years, although I had hoped for a longer period than that.

That’s not APUs, that’s SOCs such as the Ryzen AI Max 395, all SOCs have on die RAM and NPUs. SOC stands for system on chip

APUs just have embedded graphics, but most modern CPU's are in fact APUs as AMD now include embedded graphics on all their chips which they didn't until Ryzen 7000

Other SOCs are the Apple M silicon and Snapdragon X Elite

I don’t think @Scott was referencing the quantity of RAM, 32gb is the standard for gaming these days, think he meant the speed, 4800mhz would bottleneck the system by about 10% vs 5600mhz

 

[Yrubdarb]

Given the limitations of the 780M graphics, I wasn't convinced the faster RAM would be worth the extra expense. I figured there would be no worthwhile margin for error anyway.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Given the limitations of the 780M graphics, I wasn't convinced the faster RAM would be worth the extra expense. I figured there would be no worthwhile margin for error anyway.

Yes, integrated graphics wouldn’t be recommended from the off, they will struggle even with older games on a 1600p screen

 

[Scott]

Given the limitations of the 780M graphics, I wasn't convinced the faster RAM would be worth the extra expense. I figured there would be no worthwhile margin for error anyway.

With that thinking you could reduce the CPU as well, you can keep going until you end up with nothing.

There is no time where slower RAM would be recommended. It's a budget limitation but not a wise choice for any budget.

 

[Yrubdarb]

Yes, integrated graphics wouldn’t be recommended from the off, they will struggle even with older games on a 1600p screen

I won't be playing them at that resolution anyway. I have a 21" 1080p screen I could use for gaming. Even so, my point stands.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I won't be playing them at that resolution anyway. I have a 21" 1080p screen I could use for that. Even so, my point stands.

What’s the point in getting a laptop then? This system isn’t making a lot of sense, you’re paying a substantial premium for laptop when it’s not going to be used in that way.

A small form factor pc would get you far more performance at the same price point and if it’s simply price that’s making you cut so many corners, then you may not have to impact your experience so much.

 

[Yrubdarb]

What’s the point in getting a laptop then? This system isn’t making a lot of sense, you’re paying a substantial premium for laptop when it’s not going to be used in that way.

A small form factor pc would get you far more performance at the same price point and if it’s simply price that’s making you cut so many corners, then you may not have to impact your experience so much.

The planned withdrawal of support for Windows 10 is one reason. My 5500U-based laptop isn't being offered an upgrade to W11. Because of this, I'm going to start at the beginning with a computer I can carry from room to room when I must. I said at the start of this thread I wasn't opposed to getting a NUC instead.

 

[SpyderTracks]

The planned withdrawal of support for Windows 10 is one reason. My 5500U-based laptop isn't being offered an upgrade to W11. Because of this, I'm going to start at the beginning with a computer I can carry from room to room when I must. I said at the start of this thread I wasn't opposed to getting a NUC instead.

I take it you’ve toggled the required BIOS settings to make it compatible with window 11? The CPU is fully compatible, unless the board specifically lacks a TPM but with such a recent processor I’d be very surprised by that, in fact as far as I knew it was mandatory requirement.

 

[Yrubdarb]

I take it you’ve toggled the required BIOS settings to make it compatible with window 11? The CPU is fully compatible, unless the board specifically lacks a TPM but with such a recent processor I’d be very surprised by that, in fact as far as I knew it was mandatory requirement.

I restarted the UEFI firmware settings a few times. I'm still not getting the offer. I used to get it.

I will wait a few months only. I don't have to buy from PCS, remember. I am mainly going to match my gaming choices to my hardware, whatever that turns out to be.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I restarted the UEFI firmware settings a few times.

Not sure what this means? What settings did you enable?

Have you run the compatibility checker? It may just be windows update isn’t showing the update but your device is compatible

Meet Windows 11: Features, Look, Benefits & More | Microsoft

Meet Windows 11, the newest Windows version from Microsoft. Upgrade your PC to Windows 11, or explore which devices come equipped with Windows 11 features.

www.microsoft.com

Theres no point replacing that existing machine with one that’s barely an upgrade anyway if your current device can run windows 11 fine

 

[Yrubdarb]

The device is shown to be compatible. I will wait a while. All hope is not lost.

I don't think that a R7 8845HS is 'barely an upgrade' from a R5 5500U overall but that's just my opinion. The presence of a soldered-in 4GB RAM card is making necessary upgrading awkward anyway. I want something better; now seems a good time; the Windows situation is an excuse.

 

[SpyderTracks]

The device is shown to be compatible. I will wait a while. All hope is not lost.

I don't think that a R7 8845HS is 'barely an upgrade' from a R5 5500U overall but that's just my opinion. The presence of a soldered-in 4GB RAM card is making necessary upgrading awkward anyway. I want something better; now seems a good time; the Windows situation is an excuse.

Don't need to wait, you can just use the upgrade tool, or do a clean installation which is always recommended on a major windows version update.

You never have to use windows update, that's in fact usually the last resort.

Download Windows 11

 

[Scott]

The device is shown to be compatible. I will wait a while. All hope is not lost.

I don't think that a R7 8845HS is 'barely an upgrade' from a R5 5500U overall but that's just my opinion. The presence of a soldered-in 4GB RAM card is making necessary upgrading awkward anyway. I want something better; now seems a good time; the Windows situation is an excuse.

It depends on your uses tbh. There is definitely a synthetic upgrade but it depends entirely on how much of that headspace you would eek into.

I would suggest that the comment is based on the price of the upgrade vs the performance increase. It's not going to offer anything significant in what you can do now vs what you can do with the upgrade, but will cost a significant amount in contrast.

Glad that you're getting the Win11 upgrade in place to hold it out longer, always best to make the most of a purchase.