GTX 980 FOR LAPTOPS??? Notebook gamers! Here comes your thing!

10:23 Hardware 0 Comments

Gaming notebooks. Not all that long ago those two words were very much mutually exclusive since, in order to provide a modicum of gaming performance, a notebook needed to be upsized to ridiculous proportions. Even then, framerates were typically lackluster at best. NVIDIA is about to change that equation in a big way with their GTX 980, a graphics processor that’s making its way from desktop into the notebook space. It may not sound like a big deal but this one addition could turn the gaming notebook space on its head.
While I can talk all day about the disparity in performance between notebook and desktop graphics processors, the fact remains that NVIDIA’s current GTX 980M is in fact a highly potent gaming companion. Based off of the same –yet slightly cut down- GM204 core as the previously desktop-bound GTX 980, it offered some phenomenal potential. However, as you can see by its paper specifications, even the most efficient of today’s architectures have to make sacrifices in order to achieve passable TPD numbers for use in notebooks. In this case that meant lower overall core / memory frequencies and less primary GPU processing resources.

The new GTX 980 (note the lack of the “M” moniker) for notebooks goes about things quite differently. It utilizes a fully enabled GM204 core, 4GB of GDDR5 memory running at 7Gbps and is meant to fit snugly into the chassis of today’s gaming notebooks. That’s right; NVIDIA is introducing a full GTX 980 that can be shoehorned into a highly mobile platform.

The reasoning behind the variable TDP and core frequency numbers really boils down to the decisions of each system integrator. If a given notebook includes better cooling, it can effectively operate the GPU and associated components at higher speeds while slimmer designs should theoretically be able to handle a lower-clocked GTX 980. There are of course exceptions to these rules but regardless of how NVIDIA’s partners choose to handle this part, its base clock will remain at 1126MHz.

Once everything is said and done, NVIDIA expects the mobile GTX 980 to perform within just 5% of its desktop sibling. This should finally bring desktop-like performance into the hands of notebook gamers.
NVIDIA was able to add this new generation of GTX 980 to their notebook stable in very much the same way AMD was able to achieve such high efficiency with their new R9 Nano. They have binned GM204 cores with an eye towards selecting the lowest TDP examples for use in their “new” product. While this may mean there will be less available cores, the GTX 980 for notebooks isn’t meant to move huge volumes so keeping the channel stocked shouldn’t be a problem.

Other than the obviously binned cores, this GTX 980 also has an advanced power delivery subsystem consisting of a four to eight-phase PWM that delivers 50% higher peak current than previous mobile designs. Supposedly the GPU will be available as either an MXM 3.0 add-in module or an integrated solution for direct-mount onto a notebook’s motherboard.
There’s no hiding the fact that NVIDIA’s newest mobile processor is targeted towards flagship gaming notebooks, a product segment where customers have exceedingly high expectations. To meet those hopes, there’s an effort to bring desktop-like features into the hands of on-the-go enthusiasts through the addition of custom fan curves GPU overclocking. As far as we know, other than a few very rare instances, notebooks equipped with the GTX 980 will be among the first to include complete user control over both of these elements.
Just how far can these notebooks be overclocked? That really depends on how far you are willing to push the fan speeds and how effective the overall cooling solution is. NVIDIA has set a maximum temperature limit of 82°C (which can be increased even further in some notebook designs) and in our hands-on tests at a closed-door meeting an MSI GT72 was easily able to hit a constant 1421MHz. Even the memory got in on the fun by hitting about 7.5Gbps. That’s a pretty decent result even for a desktop card so the potential for huge performance speedups is certainly there.
While there will be a relatively large number of notebooks available with the GTX 980, there will be a half dozen initially launched in the weeks and months after NVIDIA’s announcement. All will feature NVIDAI’s G-SYNC technology and one, the Aorus X7 DT, will buck the trend of overly thick gaming notebooks by offering an extremely svelte chassis.

Two of them stand out as particularly interesting: the ASUS GX700VO and MSI GT80. The ASUS notebook boasts a stand-alone water cooling unit which allows for higher system performance when the notebook is plugged in. We have yet to see this in person but, if anyone can pull this off, it is ASUS. The GT80 on the other hand is a beast in sheep’s clothing with a pair of GTX 980’s in an SLI configuration and an 18.4” screen.

In order to deliver adequate GPU performance without bottlenecking from other system components, a number of these systems will actually sport desktop Skylake processors alongside low voltage DDR3 and DDR4 memory. Many others will include today’s fastest Intel mobile processors.

It should go without saying that the GTX 980 will be attached to notebook vendors’ halo products so it certainly won’t come cheap. We expect pricing on many of the first run systems to start around $2000USD and rapidly run north of that as feature lists expand.

There’s no doubt the notebook market will have a new performance king once the GTX 980 makes its way into supporting systems but some questions remain unanswered. What sacrifices are being made in areas like heat production, battery life and performance per dollar in order to shoehorn such powerful components into a tightly constrained space? Will weight reduction and portability even factor into the equation? We’ll make sure to answer all those and more once we get one of these notebooks from NVIDIA’s partners. Until that point, I’m personally intrigued by the possibilities.