I just saw this in the wild, and talked with the user, who programs 3D AR/VR content.
I saw the dual screen in use with the top screen for a VR scene and the bottom screen for code. The user's interactions among the two screens and keyboard were seamless. The screen colors were vibrant and rich, even in bright light.
Based on what I saw, I would definitely try it for typical office use or even for typical website programming.
However, I saw a lot of graphics lag and chop in the VR scene rotations, and the user said the battery didn't last long enough to get through the day, so YMMV if you're considering developing 3D, AR, VR, etc.
Laptop of these specs won't last a day in general, and they'll also be power constrained in most running profile when straight on battery (you'll be out of power in a few hours if using the full extent of the GPU)
Anyone planning to do 3D work in the wild with no power outlet should invest in a (heavy) 100W power bank. Also reliable 100+W chargers will cost an arm and a leg, same docking stations.
It's definitely still on the cutting edge and you won't be managing it like a wimpy Macbook Air.
Edit: I thought this one had a discrete GPU, but looking at the specs it's not and only needs 65W. Power consumption could be fine ?
You can buy GaN chargers of up to 180W nowadays, they weigh half as much as regular power bricks and are fairly affordable if you need them. You don't even need to cover the peak power usage and can go with a smaller charger covering regular usage and let the battery come to help when momentarily drawing more power (this is what I do with my Zephyrus G14 + 65W Voltme).
I've been looking at charger delivering 130W on a single port (100W won't unlock the full GPU) and they're not that many.
UGreen and Anker's offerings start at 70 bucks and they're not well reviewed. Docking stations start a triple that and Dell seems to be only reputable maker going these lengths.
To complicate things, many chargers will tout 140+ watts, but only split on multiple ports. Single port output will often be capped at 100W.
The spec only goes to 5A, but as of 2021 the maximum voltage has been raised from 20V to 48V to permit 240W charging. 28V charging at up to 140W is probably the most common mode above 100W; most systems shipping with a power brick beyond 140W are still using proprietary connectors.
The gen3.1 PD standard goes up to 240W [0]. 140W should be available with it.
Of course it also requires gen3.1 cables, so the "which cable do I have" game is still going on.
I have, by and large, stopped unrecommending ugreen since they stopped lying about certificates and now got real NRTL certs for most of their chargers but still how on earth do people find ugreen of all places even for technical explanation? Astounding blogspam!
My laptop lets me connect my $100 external portable monitor to my computer via usb-c. I can't fold it in crazy ways like this but I have an IPS panel and dual monitors and it only cost me $100. And when I don't need to have dual monitors I just put the second one in my bag, or leave it home.
This one[1] is more expensive, but it's 4k, 17" and usb-c. I use it daily with my MBP 16" and it matches the PPI pretty well.
And I recommend to pair it with this.[2]
> However, I saw a lot of graphics lag and chop in the VR scene rotations
Was it a review/pre-release unit? Dave2D's review 4 days ago said he wasn't allowed to benchmark it because they haven't finished optimising the drivers. I wouldn't rush to performance judgements just yet.
I would — frankly nothing exists in the Intel/Nvidia line to compete with M3 in terms of efficiency. This laptop will either not run the necessary software or run out of battery in less than two hours doing it. More than likely both simultaneously.
I have an Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo 16, and I love it. I use it for personal work in graphics, 3D CAD, animation (Blender), and music, and for work. the dual screen (smaller touch panel below) has really changed the way I work. The battery life is a lot better than I thought given I was planning on using it plugged in all the time. I have had this in Saudi with me for 8 months in the last 2 years, heat and all, and all over, for office work, field work, airports, etc. and not a glitch yet. Dedicated graphics card, 32mb of memory, and a great keyboard (I usually use a Kinesis Advantage 2) for a notebook (reminiscent of my Lenovo T430u keyboard from 2012). It took a while to get used to the touchpad to the right, but it works. I find myself trying to do the opposite when I switch notebooks now - touching the right side of center touchpads and vice versa. I am looking for the best MR headset to come out that I can work with some sort of chorded keyboard or other less bulky input device and still see my surroundings without going blind.
I hope there will be a similar dual screen system that comes with leading edge graphics/matrix hardware (such as for LLMs in addition to 3d) and runs Linux.
> "Apple engineers told that Chinese iPhone suppliers and government officials have a "whatever it takes" approach to win iPhone orders, work was often completed weeks ahead of schedule at "inexplicable speed". In India, [we] are not running at this pace. "There just isn't a sense of urgency," one Apple engineer remarked."
when you allow your supplier only 2% of the cuts. of course the ones at the bottom will be squeezed mercilessly. and apple maintains its huge margins.
Hey soared, I saw your post two years ago about "App lovin," and some possible claims of fraud. I'm a tech journalist. Can we chat? viktorlazlo1@proton.me
I would also go with a portable monitor. Just keep in mind that a lot of them have quite low resolution, low brightness, poor colour accuracy and that some of them still need a power brick (if they require more than 15 watts).
Both have their uses. Travelling with a tablet (in addition to a laptop) gets you a useful standalone device that's more portable than a laptop and better for certain tasks such as reading.
If you're using a mac you can extend your screen wirelessly to the iPad. I found the image gets compressed a bit but it's still plenty usable for showing a browser during web development.
Yeah I was talking specifically about Windows and Linux, because I figured that people running MacOS would already know about Sidecar.
Note: you refer to 'mac' (the hardware) but Sidecar is tied to MacOS (software). A Mac running Windows or Linux won't support Sidecar. A non-Mac running MacOS (aka hackintosh) probably will.
If you're running old Mac hardware like a MBP 2015, you can install Ventura (and user Sidecar) using OpenCore Legacy Patcher.
Just assuming that some mac users don't know about Sidecar or Universal Control. And that most windows and linux users don't know that MacOS can take advantage of an iPad fairly seamlessly as an external monitor.
Works with USB-c cable for all day charge but also works without a cable. iPad 19.9" with Magic Keyboard as stand is spectacular second screen for all day dual screen work and then ... you also have an iPad with you. Ideal for week-long biz travel.
Samsung tablets can act as second screens for windows PCs AFAIK.
For Linux I've had some success with Microsoft's RD Client android app -> remote to Linux PC.
I'm on gnome though, which has some experimental setting which allows you to set remote desktop clients to act as a new display instead of cloning your existing display.
I've got a top of the line Samsung tablet and a recent windows PC. The second screen experience is absolutely terrible in many ways, the worst being inconsistent lag, sometimes measured in seconds. I do not recommend it at all.
i’ve tried this with an android tablet and the lag is just unbearable have you noticed this? is it because my tablet ( samsung galaxy tab s6 lite) has usb c 2.0?
A similar device is the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i. The next gen model was shown off at CES and is coming out in a few months. That one also has a 180 degree hinge unlike the Asus model which can't be fully flattened. I've seen good reviews about the first gen model and might get the new one if I get a laptop this year.
Every non-Thinkpad Lenovo I've had, or a relative has had, has the build quality of a cheap toy, and eventually, some part of the plastic case would crack, a hinge would fail, or similar.
I'd absolutely never buy another one ever.
I'm not looking to buy a new laptop for many years, and I hope a Thinkpad version comes out before then. This is very much a design I appreciate. For now, from the photos, I think Asus did it better, though.
Hopefully, by that point, they'll also be 4k displays. My current laptop has 4k, which is very competitive with dual 3k.
I actually switched from Thinkpads to a Legion 7 2021 and I'd recommend them over Thinkpads. It is by far the best Linux experience on a Laptop I've ever had.
* upgradable RAM
* two NVMe slots
* actually good keyboard (that unfortunately is part of the case, but replacement parts are available)
* the glass touchpad is better than my P14s with the X1C glass touchpad mod.
* the panel and refresh rate is very good and there's no lottery.
I don't know why Lenovo cuts corners on their business laptops, especially in the last two points.
It's heavy, but I don't lug it around too often, and having a 140W (max power spec) 3070 is great.
Just avoid placing them vertically on a stand, I had to replace the thermal assembly eventually.
I find all laptops suck. (Not tried Apple though) and so gone for the Dell option (knowing it’ll fuck up like any other laptop) and then going hard on the accident damage, extended warranty, home service etc. Well worth it, had em out 4 times in first 4 months :-)
I agree. I have used HP, Dell and Lenovo laptops and all of them suck in terms of build quality. I use a Macbook for work and even though I hate macOS the build quality of the laptop is exceptional. There is obviously a huge price difference in Windows vs Mac laptops. I am willing to fork additional money to the Windows laptop companies if they can guarantee a well built laptop. But looking at their track record it doesn't seem worth it to pay thousands to get a crappy laptop anyway.
FYI: My Thinkpad has better build quality than any Macbook. My Dell was comparable.
The key thing about Dell and Lenovo is they have a byzantine set of laptop lines, from plastic craparific up to rather good. A top-of-the-line Thinkpad will set you back more than a Macbook, but will be better built too (and faster). Dell doesn't go quite as high, but still goes pretty high in quality.
I have an earlier DUO model, one with the half-screen between the main and the keyboard. While shopping for a replacement for a laptop that had been dropped a few too many times, manic me bought it as a gimmick and when it arrived I feared it would just be that. I have found it genuinely useful in various ways though: during dev with various small utility tabs on the lower screen, messaging on bottom screen with full-screen video on top, smaller video and/or messaging on bottom with work on top, etc. Handy that you can easily turn it almost off too, to save battery when mobile.
I still carry a 14" external (USB3) monitor for when at a desk. The extra half-screen is still useful in those circumstances, though, just not as much so.
To make Windows11's taskbar less irritating (which it is even more so, if you can imagine that, with an extra screen under your primary) I recommend using something like ExporerPatcher or another shell improver/replacement.
I have the Zyphreus Duo ( https://rog.asus.com/in/laptops/rog-zephyrus/rog-zephyrus-du... ) with the touch screen in between the screen and the keyboard. Its perfect for todo/whatsapp/zoom/file explorer and I have an external screen/keyboard/mouse (so in total 2.5 screens). Perfect desktop replacement and a good gaming laptop. Mobility is limited due to battery life but it suits my needs.
Mine is from the much lower-spec (and appropriately cheaper) ZenBook DUO range. The battery life is pretty darn good until I plug in the external screen, and still better than many laptops even then. It isn't often I'm away from a power socket for and needing to work, but when I am, it can be for a fair few hours. Gaming isn't something I find time for these days, so this model is much better value for this use pattern.
Yes, your model makes sense if you dont require gaming. Asus really makes the best devices. I have been theirs's and HTC fan for years. Had Lamborghini laptop from Asus and HTC diamond phone circa 2008-9.
Just a service announcement: you can get an external monitor that is charged and driven by a single USB-C for about $100 which weighs about a pound. Feels like it would get 90% of what I want out of a setup like this.
I initially got a $100 one, but ended upgrading to an Asus model with a touch screen and built in battery. It can run everything (video and charging the display) over a single USB-C cable.
I used to travel with it and sometimes a gaming desktop, but these days I use it around the house whenever I need a display & mouse for a server that doesn’t have a dedicated monitor. Just today I did a BIOS update with it.
This is the one I got on Amazon in 2020, there might be better options in 2024:
ASUS ZenScreen Touch Screen 15.6” 1080P Portable USB (MB16AMT) - Full HD (1920 x 1080), IPS, Anti-glare, Built-in Battery, Speakers, Eye Care, USB Type-C, Micro HDMI, Smart Case, 3-Year Warranty https://a.co/d/cJKzQi8
Because somebody placing an affiliate link and not acknowledging it means it can't be trusted.
Also, why does absolutely everything have to be monetized these days? I come here to read people's honest opinions. I certainly don't expect people to be monetizing their posts.
Yeah even though both are 1080p, the no name one was much worse brightness and screen-door between pixels, and it’s mini HDMI input port failed due to wear. After it broke I decided to spend more to get something with touch from a trustworthy brand.
The cheap one that broke on me was this one:
Lepow Portable Monitor, 15.6" Portable Screen with Single Full-Function Type-C Port, 1080P FHD, IPS, HDR, Plug & Play, Smart Cover, Lightweight External Monitor for Laptop, PC, MacBook https://a.co/d/4M71Gn5
I treat most shortened links as the maker has some interest with it, wants to track something, earn something, which I find dishonest. Assuming this is an amazon url, the product page is not even a long url.
You can buy an OLED touchscreen monitor for $100? People that are happy with Frankenstein setups will always find a cheap way to replicate a product while ignoring all the downsides of a home grown replica.
No stylus support on the external monitor for the most part though.
The only one I'm aware of w/ a decent stylus which is reasonably affordable (the new Wacom One) is not that great in terms of pixel density (don't want to compete w/ their Cintiq line).
My current setup has my devices all using the same pen technology, which is wonderfully convenient --- I can switch from note taking on my Note 10+ or Kindle Scribe to drawing/annotating on my Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 or the Wacom One attached to my MacBook.
Interesting! A brief look down this rabbit hole while wondering about stands shows various things that latch onto the back of a laptop screen and extend a monitor on one or both sides of it.
It's also just 3 pounds, which is 0.5 lbs lighter than the 14" Macbook Pro. I really like this breakdown by TechChap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzBxLYTUuK4, Dave2d's video is also good.
The thing also comes with a pen with high sensitivity.
It feels like this is priced as a loss leader for ASUS.
I've been wanting one since before Lenovo dropped their Yogabook 9i.
I'm hoping this will become a form-factor/product/class of its own.
Currently, I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360 because it was the only computer I could find which:
- had a Wacom EMR stylus
- high resolution and large/expansive screen
- full OS support
(replacing a Samsung Galaxy Book 12, which I really wish Samsung had stuck with)
I need to have a stylus so that I can draw/annotate/write, and I prefer a tablet form-factor (but will accept a convertible/foldable if need be) --- the thing which kills me is the keyboard is completely disabled when the screen is folded back --- it would be nice for the keys along one (or both) edges of the keyboard to be usable as programmable/modified keys for when one is drawing.
Such a device with Wacom EMR will be an insta-buy for me.
It's really nice to be able to go from taking a note on my phone or Kindle Scribe, to drawing/annotating on my Galaxy Book.
Love my yogabook 9i, the best coder machine out there, as long as you aren't performance-bound.
It is great to take to coffee shops because you don't look like those crazy people who take monitor stands and stuff to the coffee shop- It just looks 100% normal (even if you use the full bottom screen)
But then at home I have enough screen size to feel like I'm working on a desktop.
For coding, having the vertical break down the middle doesn't matter really, since you almost always want to work on two documents at the same time, anyway.
Also, the device is very well made and sturdy (the external keyboard is a little flimsy unfortunately, but it's replaceable at least and at least looks nice)
I've been on a Asus Zenbook for almost a year now and I must admit that I am extremely happy with it. I would seriously consider this one, if only I would have gotten used to dual screens. Since I am also using a desktop at home with a 32" 4k display I've really appreciated having everything on one screen.
This is the first model that I’ve noticed offers the one feature that I am really looking for in a laptop: an integrated keyboard and the included screen at eye level.
Sure, that one has a first screen where the screen usually is (next to the keyboard), and that’s certainly useful. However, the possibility of not straining my neck is by far where most laptops fail. That’s why so many people use either one of those stands and separate keyboard, or a whole different screen and close and plug their laptop into a desk setup: better keyboard, sure, but it helps less than a well-positioned one; bigger screen, not sure that counts when you want to focus.
I use a separate screen from time to time (for presentation, I either need a separate viewing angle or some remote screen sharing like Zoom works better that way). However, I initially bought those to set them up higher while traveling, and it’s practically impossible to do without a heavy stand. Hotel rooms or café tables don’t have the support I need.
This model could. I’m very excited.
Let’s hope the screens are light enough, the base heavy enough and the hinges sturdy enough to hold it all upright.
I wish there was a commercially backed [L]Unix based OS that had a UI as nice as OSX. I would jump ship in a heartbeat. Apple's hardware is just full of whiz bang useless crap that drive prices through the roof.
No clue why everyone is so exited about things like this. Makes no sense to me at all. 2 screens in a stupid position, both super small. I think anyone is better of with a basic laptop with big screen. Just because its something "fancy" that had never been done b4 does not mean its good, practical or makes any sense.
The screens are both forced into portrait mode for the only setup that would makes sense when stationery, its fucking stupid.
We've had 10-point touch for well-over a decade now, but I really don't see the UI paradigm for multi-use has evolved. If I lay this down flat, what apps can 2 people use concurrently like whiteboards or diagrams? Even 2 instance's on the screens won't work because I've not seen much handle multiple concurrent drag-selection. What can I plug 2 mice into and get 2 mice cursors?
Congrats to Asus. I would love to have a laptop as a laptop when I need the portability but also a screen on a stand + wireless keyboard and touchpad when I want the ergonomics.
Are there other products on the market right now that lets us detach the screen off the laptop and still use the keyboard and the touchpad wirelessly?
Late 2020 I got an earlier model zenbook duo(back when the bottom screen didn't tilt. For a daily driver, it's a gimmick, but pretty useful on the go. While something like this won't be replacing my daily driver, I can definitely see myself using one more frequently than I am now. The BIG problem I faced was the fact that I am a full time Linux user and getting everything working was a pain in the ass. I kinda suspect this won't be any better. Still, seeing this and the NUC[1] Asus took over a few months ago, all I can say is, good job Asus!
N.B. External screens that are flat as a pankake with hdmi ports can be got for 100€.
I travel with dual screens: an aging Zenbook that is also flat as a pancake.
I expect a fair few more years from this one before an upgrade.
Top tech: highly recommended, & yes, no probs with Linux.
Not too interested in this as a Windows machine, but if it runs Linux well (which it seems like it should, being Intel with no dGPU) it’d be a neat Linux machine.
When traveling recently I’ve used a 12.9” iPad in Sidecar mode with a 16” M1 Pro MBP and the combo is quite good. Will be interesting to see if having both screens integrated yields a significant advantage over having the two seaprate.
I never understood why they keep manufacturing these platform locked monstrosities. I bet no Linux distro will properly support it.
Once I made a mistake and bought MS Surface Book, which now is a magnesium brick that doesn't last a few hours without a power socket. I'd rather bought an intel based desktop for that money, at least it would age better.
I find it strange to seriously consider any intel laptop these days for portable work.
I have an early zen book pro with a touch bar screen and although the laptop is well built I never used the touch bar screen. If I were to do it again I'd spend a bit extra and get a Mac because I find Mac's have better battery lives
Wouldn't most of them support it out of the box? I see nothing special here software wise. Just have the bottom screen emit hotplug events and use the standard multi-monitor configuration tools.
I'd never buy an ASUS laptop. They've never made good laptops. It's not exclusive to ASUS. All 'consumer' tier laptops are cheap plastic, disposable, crapware. Business laptops are much better.
I have an Asus from 2017 that still works great. I replaced the ram and ssd with higher capacity ones a couple of years back, but apart from that no repairs in the last 6+ years.
yep, I hate using a laptop as an actual laptop, hunched over and looking down at a screen. I carry around a portable laptop stand and keyboard now. If I'm going to actually do work, I'm just not willing to sacrifice my shoulders and back for the sake of convenience. And this gives me a second screen! the only flaw I see with this is that the keyboard can't be split into two pieces, but that's hardly a realistic expectation.
I use a stand alone USB-connected monitor as second screen when I travel. I would much prefer having to travel with only the notebook and have a vertical stack like this. I could only say for sure by trying it, but it looks very practical for my use.
There have been various rumblings about a "foldable MacBook" in development, I really hope it works a lot like this and not like a foldable phone with a giant crease.
Apple is known to experiment internally with a crazy ammount of concepts, out of which very few make it into actual products for sale.
They're pretty conservative on the types of products they launch and careful enough to not pollute their existing line-up with whacky products that don't fit with their vision of how a product should be used or if it would cannibalize their other products.
Their MacBooks still don't have a touchscreen even though they could easily add a touch digitizer for almost no cost at all but they just don't want to mix touch with laptops for some reason, unlike the PC laptop makers who seem to have no issue adding that.
I've got a 14" lesser-named unit that does very well. Matches my Asus's main screen well enough and is far cheaper (you can get them at ~£80 on offer fairly regularly), works nicely off just USB-C (though has HDMI so it can be used that way instead with USB for just power). Drains the laptop's battery noticeably of course, but if I'm in a position to use it I'm usually near a plug.
As LegitShady said, Amazon, or most other electronics sellers (eBuyer, etc.). The one I have is 14" 1080P (matching my laptop's main screen very closely) from “ARZOPA” but there are several similar on the market (I suspect at least one is exactly the same with a different label…). As you can see from https://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/product/B09TVVWFR9 the prices of these things bounce around almost weekly so shop carefully. There are sometimes “vouchers” that don't show up on CamelCamelCamel, I got an extra tenner off at a point when the screen was at ~£90.
There are also a variety of different attachment options, from no attaching to your machine (which I find preferable) to those that attach to your laptop and add two screens, one either side.
Watch out of fly-by-night kickstarter projects in this area, there have been a few in recent years including a monster that promised to add three monitors to your laptop (left, right, top) which I'm surprised people were taken in by (I found the extra weight of one less than convenient, even when sat at a desk, never mind three, hence currently using a stand-alone external screen).
Sorry, it was not clear because your expression "it was an app" normally means and external app if you don't mention its name. Now, you don't need to even know that there is an app, you just go to displays and add the iPad there.
I was considering this, but wound up w/ a Wacom One for my MacBook, mostly since it uses the same stylus technology as all of my other devices (Galaxy Note 10+, Kindle Scribe, Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro 360).
I’ve used the pair of a 16” MBP and 12.9” iPad running Sidecar while traveling to great success. It’s a surprisingly good approximation of my dual 27” desk setup at home.
Having your ide open on one while having Teams on the other. your ide and stack overflow. A PDF of a tax document and you tax report program. Just having a bigger screen to to fit your whole LabView diagram. Having your lab homework description on one while you have your code on the other screen.
The joke is that something comes along and is in market for a while, but as soon as apple release a version of it everyone acts like it is new and first of a kind and wow aren't apple amazing for this amazing thing! Gee whiz - we've never seen anything like this! Take my money! TAKE MY MONEY!!!
So e.g. MP3 players Vs iPod, smartphones Vs iPhone, tablets Vs iPad, ARM CPUs in computers Vs M-series, wireless charging, Bluetooth headphones etc. All around for years and years prior to apple's products, but most people think apple invented the concepts or was first to make etc
This Asus product will be forgotten about in a month or two and the world moves on. If apple released this exact same thing except with osx everyone including the mainstream media would be losing their shit and talking about ushering a new era of whatever, of breaking the mold, of innovation yada yada. We'd have endless tweets and breathless blog posts here on HN about their ultimate dev productivity set up, how they used it on a flight to create a 1M MRR start-up that just wouldn't have been possible without it, how it has changed their lives, how they'll never go back etc. It's called the reality distortion field for a reason. </M1 MBP User>
Except when Apple invents it, they will do it right. It will be a delight to use and will not harvest your personal data, instead of being gimmicky, malware-infested crud. The iPod was a vast improvement over previous MP3 players, just as the iPhone was over previous (and subsequent non-Apple) smartphones. Apple is just built different as a tech company -- they're the only major tech company that's actually built around putting the user first -- and so that's why people go apeshit over their new products, even if a similar product was released before from other vendors.
As someone who had bought and used many portable audio solutions before, I could get an iPod I think you are delusional.
MP3 players were completely garbage, with low space, low battery or extremely expensive and inconvenient if you had to swap flash cards.
Let's not even talk about the UI to browse and select music (when there was one at all, if the buttons were serviceable at all).
In fact, MP3s were so bad that after a brief stint with an expensive flash card-based MP3 player; I went back to using my mini disc player since it wasn't much bulkier yet more convenient to operate.
My brother had an Archos which was laughably bad compared to an iPod at a very close price.
In fact, it took until the iPod Mini for competitors to figure out products that were decently competitive. But at this point, the iPod Nano was right around the corner and would suit the vast majority of users at a very competitive price. Sure, Sony did come up with some sort of equivalent, but it was barely 10 percent cheaper and had none of the friendliness and coolness factor of an iPod.
I do believe that current Apple is resting on its laurel and is just happy raking in loads of cash for what are minor evolutions or me-too products that do not have the value they somehow successfully sell them for.
But to go back on the insanely great period Apple went through with the second Steve Jobs leadership is completely nuts. Apple was ahead of everyone in many things at this point in time and they did it at very competitive/affordable prices for the most part.
Yes, but so was mine a sarcastic / humorous comment, which should have been obvious (except to fly-by dumbass downvoting donkey commenters), because who can predict what someone will invent in 5 years? Hence the italics I used.
Imagine investing in hardware such as this, spending years to develop skill, creat art and have an ai bro steal it because that’s how everything work anyway then coming for your job. What a time to be alive.
You are not the targe demographic for such a laptop. There are other gaming machies with GPUs for your use case. Just add a portable USB-C display to them if that's what you were missing.
It's hard for me to say who the target demographic is, but I can say this is exactly the sort of device I'd want to buy, just in a slightly beefier version (4k displays). I might even give up the GPU for that. But I'd rather have a proper GPU.
[1] Proper GPU: At least 16GB VRAM. Good compatibility. Don't care too much about speed.
Top end GPUs are too hot and power hungry to be practical for anything more portable than 3 inch thick “luggables”, which these days is a pretty niche category. Nvidia is gonna have to do better in the efficiency department.
Nvidia's plenty efficient, it's just you still need monstrous power (and thus monstrous heat) to drive 4K 120fps with raytracing and CUDA and whatever other nonsense.
Vaguely related question for the gurus: are all Windows (/ Linux) laptops still hopelessly behind Macbooks in terms of speed? (since Apple announced the M1 and followups I mean)
I’m trying to figure out if a laptop like this one is worth the lower cpu speed
Apple's primary advantage is being the first on TSMC's new process nodes, which generally yields a modest but not enormous performance advantage on single thread, no advantage for multi-thread (because Apple's CPUs have fewer cores), and only lasts for a few months before AMD is on the same process.
Yeah, that's it and exactly what I have been thinking for a long time.
Interestingly the single core power efficiency for Apple Silicon is through the roof, yet for multicore it is rather small (13-15%).
Also depending on your workload, you might really need that battery life thanks to power efficiency because being up to 40% slower, the Mac will definitely make you wait longer. All kidding aside, anyone doing anything high performance knows the advertised battery life is bullshit and if you run anything demanding it will be 2-3 hours at best when the PC would be 1-2h, which at this point is not a big deal.
Anybody arguing about Apple Silicon efficiency must be using it as a Facebook machine, something that Apple Silicon is very good at, but for this Chromebooks do just fine and are infinitely cheaper.
I believe this is a result of the architecture being derived from a mobile device where instant interaction for single running apps is the most important thing. As anyone could have guessed it doesn't scale very well for what PCs have been for a long time: extremely distributed computing, where the core running the UI do not have that much work to do, so a fast single core score doesn't translate in that big of a difference.
Which is exactly why most people feel like PCs have been stagnating for a while, because yeah from a UI performance point of view, things havent improved that much but it doesn't matter on such a device.
Just the other day I did some work on a M2 MacBook Pro (24GB version) and I was appalled at how slow the UI of Activity Monitor was on top of the general sluggishness feeling.
I do not understand WTF everybody is on about Apple Silicon, it is barely competitive, and certainly not at the price they sell it.
to my knowledge, high end windows laptops are catching up and are even more powerful than Macs in terms of graphical compute power. However MacBooks are still the best for performance per watt and battery life.
^low effort troll comment that breaks HN guidelines.
You could have googled this and found your answer in 5 seconds(it's not something you need "gurus" for), instead of using your comment as an opportunity to call anything that's not M1 MacBook as being "hopelessly underpowered" but masquerading it as a question.
I disagree. When I google this I get content that mostly has an agenda. I’m not deep into this subject matter so I don’t know who to trust. On HN however, I get knowledgeable replies from people who enjoy this topic (thanks everyone!).
For extra context, I’m a Windows fan and I currently use a Surface Pro. I’d prefer to keep using Windows (even despite the ad/telemetry crap MS is pulling) but not if an M3 cuts my Elixir/webpack build times in half wrt a new & fast Windows laptop.
So no, nothing here was “masquerading” and you need to stop making such negative assumptions about people’s motivations.
The replies tell me the difference isn’t that big at all, which is great to know. Thing is, when the M1 was announced HN and twitter and other geek sites were absolutely plastered with stories about how impossibly much faster it was, so I don’t think it’s unreasonable to wonder whether that’s still the case.
>When I google this I get content that mostly has an agenda.
There are dedicated review sites that do objective testing and tell you everything you need to know about current HW performace. If you're short on time to browse through it all to catch up to speed on the current state of affairs, you can use a LLM to summarize things for you. There's also Reddit where people alredy asked and debated what you want to know.
Who exactly did I harm by asking this to a community I trust? The people who answered seemed happy to do so.
But even if we don’t agree on that, I take issue with you calling me a troll and I take issue with you issue with you suggesting I’m a shill and I think an apology is in order.
I saw the dual screen in use with the top screen for a VR scene and the bottom screen for code. The user's interactions among the two screens and keyboard were seamless. The screen colors were vibrant and rich, even in bright light.
Based on what I saw, I would definitely try it for typical office use or even for typical website programming.
However, I saw a lot of graphics lag and chop in the VR scene rotations, and the user said the battery didn't last long enough to get through the day, so YMMV if you're considering developing 3D, AR, VR, etc.