Does the GeForce GTX 1080 offer a similar service in all its forms? Integrated into the PC, whether desktop or portable, or operated in Thunderbolt external case? That's what we're going to look at in this file.
A little less than a year ago, Nvidia experienced a different strategy in the mobile world with the launch of a GeForce GTX 980 similar to what is done in the world of graphics desktops but in mobile format. The test has obviously been validated and it is this time the whole high-end mobile that is modeled on desktops graphics cards.
Traditionally, laptops had to settle for "M" versions, much less swiftly. For example, Nvidia took advantage of the aura of the GTX 980 desktop to market a GTX 980M significantly lower than a GTX 970 desktop. A race with big numbers that laptops manufacturers but which leads to confusion and can deceive some buyers.
However, the situation is changing. The clear dominance of Nvidia allows it to create strong brands around its main variations, the efficiency of its GPUs has exploded and the manufacturers of laptops gaming are less reluctant to face graphics greedy. It is therefore simpler to propose references common to both worlds, which is a very good thing. For its new mobile high end, Nvidia has decided to propose solutions similar to the GeForce GTX 1080, GTX 1070 and GTX 1060 desktops, retaining the same name and the same performance potential :
The differences in the specifications are slight. The GTX 1080 and 1060 mobile and desktop are identical at the configuration level and the first goes up to display a same turbo frequency. There are some differences for the GTX 1070 which in mobile version takes advantage of a few more units of calculation to compensate for its slightly lower frequency.
A common feature in the specifications of these mobile declinations relates to the base frequency which is reduced, obviously to adapt to higher thermal stresses. Because ultimately the limits of consumption and temperature (modulated by the curve of ventilation), will define the performances.
And this is, moreover, the point on which Nvidia refuses to communicate and merely indicates that there are minimum specifications to be respected. What exactly are they? We will not know. When presenting these graphics cards, the cheap barateness does not seem to be enough to convince the assembly, Nvidia finally indicated that the mobile GTX 1080 takes over the thermal envelope of the mobile GTX 980, the mobile GTX 1070 that of The GTX 980M and the GTX 1060 mobile that of the GTX 970M. This allows a quick transition to these new models based on existing designs.
We can thus assume that the GTX 1080 in mobile version will benefit from a rather huge TDP configurable between 120 and 180W, depending on the cooling capacity of the laptops. This will obviously impact its practical performance but in a very large notebook it will be possible to achieve performance of the same order as a GTX 1080 Founders Edition. The GTX 1070 mobile will probably be content of +/- 100W whereas it should be 80W for the mobile GTX 1060.
Nvidia estimates that performances will average on average at least 90% of the desktops equivalents, which will show gains of +/- 70% compared to the previous generation! Significant gains that correspond to the increase in energy efficiency between generations of Maxwell and Pascal GPUs.
Acer, Alienware, Asus, Clevo, EVGA, Gigabyte, HP, Lenovo, MSI, Origin, Razer, Sager and XMG will soon be available. For this generation, Nvidia expects that the use of a G-Sync screen is more frequent and precise that there will be this time versions 1440p and 120 Hz.
These mobile GTX 1000s, however, remain compatible with Optimus, or the association with an Intel iGPU for manufacturers who prefer this approach. There are always possible gains in terms of autonomy at rest, but this prevents the use of G-Sync. In all cases, Nvidia said that it had worked with its partners to ensure that all outputs were connected to the GeForce GPU. Even in the case of an Optimus solution, compatibility with virtual reality headsets should therefore be ensured.
At the software level, Nvidia said it had improved BatteryBoost, its battery-powered system that would allow a 30% gain over the previous generation, probably by more aggressively affecting frequencies. Moreover, this mode takes advantage of a new system of smoothing of the rate of display, similar what is done in multi-GPU, to maintain a fluidity and a comfort of play superior.
Overclocking is of course part and is identical to what is done on desktop except for the possibility of boosting which will not be proposed. The margin at the frequency will be similar and reach 2 GHz will be within range of many machines, although in practice the thermal limits will stabilize it of course at a lower level. It will be possible for manufacturers to offer factory overclockings, but the first machines should be satisfied with reference frequencies.
Obviously, with these GeForce GTX 1080s, GTX 1070s and GTX 1060s in mobile versions, Nvidia has a solid offering for high-end machines for demanding players, a segment that is doing rather well in the middle Of a PC market that suffers globally. And unfortunately for pricing, these Nvidia solutions should remain pretty much uncompetitive.
The AMD Polaris 10 GPU (Radeon RX 480) is too inefficient in terms of energy efficiency to be competitive. As a reminder, it is a little less efficient than a GTX 1060 for a consumption of the order of a GTX 1080. It is rather on the entry level or even mid-range that AMD keeps a playing card With the little Polaris 11. At this level, Nvidia has not yet unveiled its game and we do not know if another small GPU Pascal will be proposed soon or whether it will be renamings of the previous range.!
