[Poll] CPU and GPU combinations

Framework Laptop 16
122

I’m just interested in GPU virtualization.

  • AMD GPUs don’t support it.
  • NVIDIA charges a subscription fee to tap into the feature.
  • Intel GPU drivers are getting SR-IOV support (experimental so far) and hopefully Intel isn’t going to put it behind a subscription paywall like NVIDIA.

AMD is my choice of CPU simply because I’ve grown tired of Intel’s CPU shenanigans.

  • Making ECC hard to get
  • Disabling AVX-512 because their consumer-grade line-up uses efficiency cores with no performance-only offering
  • High power consumption
2 Likes
123

AMD workstation GPUs do, IIRC… IDK if there’s any mobile versions though. Anyway, no virtualisation? Do you mean no GPU sharing between VMs or something else?

It’s the downside with AMD this year. Lots of promised and rumoured models, but not as many releases. At least their CPU stack is filled out now.

124

I realize voting is over, and AMD^2 is already the only reality, but I want to give my 2cents:

I would like Intel CPU + Nvidia GPU.

1. I choose the Intel CPU + Chipset only for 1 reason: ThunderBolt.

It is simply the best Laptop-to-desktop dual usage technology I’ve ever experienced. I had returned or given away dozens of USB hubs, docks and expensive cables and adaptors) since they were all lacking stability, speed and range of options.

I was constantly getting disconnects when copying large files from external HDs. I was getting only 1 external monitor, and sometimes it was flashing for no good reason. Use 2 or 3 USB devices simultaneously, you were in murky waters. Frustration every time.

But most importantly, I was stuck with whatever crappy GPU was inside the laptop, usually outdated specs for most apps & games.

Then I discovered ThunderBolt 3, and I was blown away! I invested in the best at the time Docking station, the legendary CalDigit TS3 Plus, and I got my self an external eGPU case (the Razor X Core) with an Nvidia GPU. And things just worked great!

Multiple monitors, in high res. No disconnects of USB copying, no monitor flashings, no laggings and gaming like a Desktop, with a real Desktop GPU! And charging too, seamlessly.

And all that, via a single small and easy to connect and disconnect cable! For me, buying a Laptop without ThunderBolt is no longer an option! I’m hooked. Unfortunately, AMD doesn’t support ThunderBolt. They dont want to pay royalties to their competitor I guess.

But USB 4, is again a half-disappointment. Questionable supported features & speed depending on the whims of the chip manufacturers, non-certified equipment and cables, almost certain instability at high loads, limited expandability and non-existent support. And single monitor, did I mention that?

I want to be able to hook an RTX 3090 (500$ second hand these days) with 24GB VRam onto my external eGPU and know I can squeeze 90% of its power and throw 4 monitors at it. Can you do this with USB 4, with all USB4 implementations out there? I don’t know, I’m sceptical. Can you support the full range of great TB3/TB4 Docks out there? You most certainly can’t.

So I don’t care at all if battery on AMD CPUs lasts twice as much (which I doubt). I don’t care if it is 20% or even 50% faster for the same bucks (again, I doubt it). I only care about connectivity, ease of use and expandability. And sadly, only ThunderBolt guarantees that.

2. Nvidia:

As it was mentioned before: CUDA for AI apps, imaging apps and better GPU options overall. But for the initial launch, if I can have an external eGPU via ThunderBolt 4 I wont even need the expansion AMD GPU, so I don’t really care that much.

125

@Angelos_Pikoulas Why don’t you just go for a FW 13 then? Sounds like your use case is mostly desktop use, so a FW13 with external GPU and displays sounds perfect. Since you also don’t seem to care about the other advantages an AMD FW16 offers, like extra performance or battery life.

On that note, afaik the top two ports are fully-featured USB 4 which is just as capable as TB4. So unless you use non-standard TB3 docks it should work, in which case, that’s on them. Not too knowledgeable about that either, got it from this thread.

And if you want top-tier eGPU performance, you might want to be on the lookout for OcuLink boards that you can put in the Expansion Bay, it has some disadvantages (like not being hot-pluggable, you’ll likely have to shut down the laptop to connect/disconnect), but it will be more performance than TB3/4 will ever be, by providing 4 times the bandwidth to the GPU.

4 Likes
126

In the case of the specifically mentioned dock, dual monitor would not work because it is an apple targeted product that uses the dual DP links in thunderbolt instead of an mst hub. The rest should work fine. You could still plug an actual mst hub into the displayport of the hub and have as many displays as you want (well as many as your gpu supports, usually 3 or 4 for mobile chips and unfortunately desktop ones too these days) on the dock though but that admittedly requires extra hardware.

I am kinda disappointed amd left out the second DP channel but then again not even apple has that on the m1/m2 chips and they can’t just slap an mst hub on there.

Oh yeah occulink will definitely have more performance, especially if you got full 8 lane but depending on the use-case the lack of hot-plug can be a deal-breaker regardless of how much more performance you get.

1 Like
127

ReBar is also available from AMD and is probably already active in Framework 16.

128

Yeah, but it isn’t as necessary as it is for Intel ARC. Hence, my comment at the time.

129

Enthusiast Gamer here. I am tempted to say no Nvidia please for numerous reasons, but the most important for me is: please, please, HIGH-END GPUS! :wink:

If you can find that somehow avoiding Nvidia, go for it.

PS: I believe I have to explain what “high-end” means: At least RTX 4080 equivalent performance, and at least 16gb of VRAM.

130

Just another feedback : I have preordered the FW16 with the 7700S GPU … But if there’s a new high end GPU around before my batch, I’ll gladly ask support to upgrade right away !

131

I missed voting but my vote would be Intel CPU and Radeon GPU. I have had a Dell XPS 15 with the Vega GPU for 5 years now (ready to purchase a Framework 16 as soon as Intel CPU becomes an option!) and it’s worked great. I loathe Nvidia for the sole reason their GPUs have been responsible for the demise of 2 otherwise perfectly functioning, very expensive, and not very old laptops in the past. I was able to replace the MoBo with an Intel GPU on one to recover it but the other device was toast. I will go very out of my way to avoid Nvidia it it’s at all possible. I really hope Framework rolls out the Intel versions soon. I’ve been wanting a Framework since before the first batches went out but my Dell was barely a year old when I found out about this company and I couldn’t justify buying another new computer.