Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop • Hacker News Board

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#21

Post by SCdF » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 8:34 AM UTC

intsunny wrote: post #13

I'm convinced there is a conspiracy that prevents laptop manufacturers from shipping AMD chips on 13" high end laptops. Almost every (every?) AMD laptop I find is some 14-15" clunker with a garbage screen. I've had to put off buying a new macbook because of the shitty keyboard situation and all laptops (mac/pc) because it appears Intel's newest CPUs are still vulnerable to Meltdown/Spectre. A highend 13" AMD based Li…

If by "conspiracy" you mean "business deals where Intel uses their financial clout to compel companies to not provide AMD options", then yes, that is definitely provably happening.

I can't use google fu to find it now, but I swear I read something about this in the last 6 months or so. The best I have is from 2007: https://fortune.com/2007/02/15/suit-intel-paid-dell-up-to-1-...

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#22

Post by shmerl » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 8:35 AM UTC

bb88 wrote: post #3

Thunderbolt-3 is the way of the future. People are building thunderbolt 3 external chassis with a gaming card and extra storage in lieu of having a desktop computer and a laptop computer.

USB4 really. TB3 will be replaced with the former. So TB is becoming history.

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#23

Post by pjmlp » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 8:36 AM UTC

Nursie wrote: post #11

pjmlp wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or just get a laptop with dual graphics card, having a gaming/workstation class card I don't own a desktop since 2004.

Such laptops are usually pretty bulky/heavy, or they have a very low-end discrete card. They're a compromise.

15" Thinkpad, Asus and Dell workstation laptops are pretty alright.

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#24

Post by codegladiator » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 8:36 AM UTC

onebot wrote: post #19

aclatuts wrote: post #7

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 pretty much has all this. David Lee even has a raving review about the Zephyrus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v5IzvVTw7A

This looks like a killer laptop. Love the exterior pixels. Hope linux will run on it.

I have Zephyrus gx531, ubuntu (dual boot with windows) works perfectly (had to hack nothing), so I assume it would most probably work smoothly on Zephyrus G14 as well

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#25

Post by Danieru » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 8:39 AM UTC

Something no one has mentioned but I think is important to note is how the volume in laptops comes from that medium to low end range. Sure a high end thinkpad is a fantastic laptop, but it is never going to see two hundred units at the local walmart.

AMD needs to improve margins and take market share. Low end laptops bring that market share. The margins will follow once Intel cannot rely on moving the majority of chips. Until then Intel has the upper hand for low margin cheap laptops, that is the critical market.

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#26

Post by jiggawatts » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 8:56 AM UTC

jankotek wrote: post #16

> Ultramobile, slim, and desktop replacements No! I want proper thick modular 17" desktop replacement with 256GB RAM. Platform that would replace old Thinkpads.

We're the "nonexistent" market of IT consultants with high incomes that need a high-end laptop. As a third-party to my clients, I cannot rely on the availability of external monitors, keyboards, docking stations, or WiFi.

I lug around a heavy Clevo laptop with a 17" 4K screen, 2x RJ-45 ports, quad-core 4 GHz CPU, and 64 GB of memory.

These are my minimum requirements, and practically nothing meets it any more!

Clevo has largely stopped making 17" 4K screens in favour of 144 Hz gaming screens.

Most laptops have tiny keyboards that are uncomfortable to type on for any length of time, and are particularly irritating if you do programming.

Most laptops are 14" or smaller, which makes my eyes hurt after an eight hour day.

Most laptops focus on battery capacity and low power operation, which doesn't affect me because I work plugged in 99% of the time.

Most laptops assume "everything is wireless" and no longer have RJ-45 connectors, let alone two, but all too often guests can't get on the main corporate network on WiFi, but can plug in to the LAN just fine.

Most laptop manufacturers are in a race to the bottom. I paid $6,000 for my laptop because it's a tax writeoff, and I'm willing to go as high as $8,000 if I get what I want.

Apparently though people like me are "too low margin to bother with" as a market...

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#27

Post by msafadieh » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 8:58 AM UTC

snvzz wrote: post #15

intsunny wrote: post #13

I'm convinced there is a conspiracy that prevents laptop manufacturers from shipping AMD chips on 13" high end laptops. Almost every (every?) AMD laptop I find is some 14-15" clunker with a garbage screen. I've had to put off buying a new macbook because of the shitty keyboard situation and all laptops (mac/pc) because it appears Intel's newest CPUs are still vulnerable to Meltdown/Spectre. A highend 13" AMD based Li…

>A highend 13" AMD based Linux friendly laptop would be utterly amazeballs. Such as the Thinkpad x395 I am using, with Ryzen 3700U.

I second this. Been using the X395 with the R3700U and it's been a blast.

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#28

Post by jotm » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:32 AM UTC

For some reason, I do not expect Dell or HP or anyone big to release a decent, high quality workstation with AMD inside. HP has consumer laptops with Ryzen, and they're the cheapest sheet possible, as expected. I believe Dell does the same.

By decent and high quality I mean socketable CPU, GPU and RAM, as well as a good selection of ports (forget TB if it's not possible, give me eSata) and high quality displays (even if 1080p). Could not care less about the weight/size.

The only ones I can see doing that are Clevo/Sager/Eurocom, or someone with a good business plan and a well funded Kickstarter...

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#29

Post by valleyer » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:32 AM UTC

intsunny wrote: post #13

I'm convinced there is a conspiracy that prevents laptop manufacturers from shipping AMD chips on 13" high end laptops. Almost every (every?) AMD laptop I find is some 14-15" clunker with a garbage screen. I've had to put off buying a new macbook because of the shitty keyboard situation and all laptops (mac/pc) because it appears Intel's newest CPUs are still vulnerable to Meltdown/Spectre. A highend 13" AMD based Li…

Aren't AMD processors (and virtually every processor with speculative execution) vulnerable to Spectre?

Re: Laptop OEMs – make a proper high-end AMD laptop

#30

Post by prox » Tue, Jan 07, 2020, 9:33 AM UTC

codegladiator wrote: post #24

onebot wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This looks like a killer laptop. Love the exterior pixels. Hope linux will run on it.

I have Zephyrus gx531, ubuntu (dual boot with windows) works perfectly (had to hack nothing), so I assume it would most probably work smoothly on Zephyrus G14 as well

Just watched the vid, that’s a pretty cool laptop!