AMD. No contest. The only reason to buy Intel is being able to name and explain a specific feature AMD doesn't offer, or needing delivery in about a week (without watching in the AMD batch queue). AMD is better performing, better power management, and better integrated graphics.
s004aws
joined 1 year ago
Solidigm P44 Pro or P41 Platinum would be my choices. I wouldn't go with the P41 Plus - QLC NANDs and no DRAM caching. SK Hynix/Solidigm stuff is known for being very power efficient, Samsung 980/990 Pros are more power hungry and probably (don't remember, didn't look it up) hotter.
If you can't find the $700 quality laptop already on the market that you want... Maybe you should start a company to offer it? See how profitable the business is (or realistically, isn't).
There's very good reasons $700 laptops are mostly e-waste straight off the assembly line, old models, etc. There's no profit to be made offering current generation mid-range/higher quality laptops for $700 without doing serious corner cutting at every opportunity.
Its called competition. Supply and demand. As son as there's another Framework-like company or two, the companies will need to find new ways to differentiate themselves - One possibility would be on pricing.
G.Skill is also a good option. Has CL40 available, costs a lot less than Crucial.
Sounds like Framework isn't the right choice for you. I'd recommend you go buy the $700 option.... Save the $500 difference so you've got money in the bank to buy its replacement when parts that should be repairable/replaceable - Aren't.
If you're able to find anything similar to Framework for $700, good build quality - Do let us know what that is.. I'm sure everyone here would be happy to save some money.
As a Linux user, I'd mostly be fine with an ARM laptop. Except for running VMware Workstation and Windows. I don't really seem Qualcomm being able to match Apple in terms of a smooth migration from x86 let alone the problems with Windows, drivers, and decades of random apps.
ARM laptops/desktops in the PC space will happen. Replace x86? Not anytime soon. Need a machine today? Buy AMD and don't think twice about it.
What apps is your company using? Are they only Nvidia compatible and demand CUDA? Adobe's apps do work with AMD Radeon which would include FW16's Radeon 7700S dedicated GPU.
Designing a SteamDeck-type device is another pile of engineering. Its not really just using the existing parts and slapping them in a new shell. The whole idea, to me, sounds awkward and strange short of designing a SteamDeck, then designing a custom USB C dock to go with it... Not something I'd buy if it were available. I'm good with the existing laptops, and being able to buy a USB C dock if I wanted to use the laptop like a desktop (I don't).
I'm not aware of any 64GB DDR5-5600 SO-DIMMs in existence. As it is, Micron/Crucial's 48GB DIMMs are still pretty new. 64GB DIMMs do exist in the server space - They have for at least the last few years that I can recall... Sure they'll be available for desktops and laptops sooner rather than later.
For reasons I outlined in a reply to a another reply below, I'm intending to go 96GB on my FW16 absent reports of new problems with Linux support emerging between now and Batch 5 shipping.
You've explained why I'm intending to go 96GB on my Ryzen 9 FW16, assuming sufficient funds are available closer to Batch 5 shipping. My primary use for a laptop, any laptop (aside from the Macbook Air I have to do user support for macOS), is being able to serve as a viable "desktop substitute" whenever necessary. Clients aren't going to be happy waiting around on their projects with the excuse being "my desktop is non-functional" or because I needed to be away from my desk (but am otherwise able to get code/initial testing done). Though Cinnamon itself isn't especially resource heavy IntelliJ IDEs, VMware Workstation, browsers, et al can very quickly chew up resources - Especially for larger projects.
Assuming AMD doesn't massacre Threadripper non-Pro again, intentions are for my next desktop dev workstation to be a 24 or 32 core Threadripper (probably 8000 series).
Doing development in the "real world", especially for small businesses, is very different than it used to be or from doing undergrad college homework. Projects can get quite a bit more complex... Also data center resources aren't always available (or convenient to use) for interim "in-progress" testing. The fact that high end desktops with high CPU core counts/RAM are reasonably affordable combined with very capable laptops also being available is a win. Though I also have Raspberry Pis I use for testing/demo purposes on some smaller projects... In the past, before the advent of sanely priced workstations/high end laptops, either I or clients needed to maintain more data center resources... Spending a fortune to buy hardware up front and ongoing costs for DC rack space to put it in or by ringing up costs (by the hour) for cloud services. Now the investment is an "extra" few thousand dollars every few years (one time) for me to have higher tier workstation/laptop hardware running all the initial dev/testing... Saving data center resources/expenses for final staging/testing and production.
I do IT consulting for professional mechanical engineers using SolidWorks, Ansys, et al.
Most of them prefer large dual monitor setup on their desk or 16-17" laptops. More real estate for models, tool palettes, etc.
64GB RAM is the minimum for every machine.
These apps can make use of a real GPU to speed up computation. Though Nvidia GPUs are preferred, AMD Radeon (as in FW16's 7700S) is also useful.
Most of their storage is network-based, using file servers I manage and can more easily back up. Without that, 1TB should be more than fine on a laptop - Pricing right now makes 2TB a good option to consider.
Everything runs on Wintendos. Linux is much less widely supported (sadly).
Do talk to your specific department to see which apps they're going to have you using. Consider "minimum requirements" for those apps to be genuinely the minimum - You'll want to aim higher to be actually happy with performance while doing your work.
The FW16 Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9 options are very similar. Difference is slightly higher base/boost clocks and slightly faster iGPU on the Ryzen 9. Especially if money is a concern, go Ryzen 7 and you'll be fine.
My own order is a Batch 5 FW16. I, personally, do primarily development and systems/network admin using Linux.
Since video is also using RAM lower latency CL40 is a good way to go. As to amount - The best way, especially if you're already doing some of this work, is to look at your current system usage while you're working. If you see you're only using 15 or 20GB currently - 32GB is going to do you well for a long time (absent a major change in your workload). If you notice you're already using 25 or 30GB - Probably worth going to 64GB. Take note of how much swap is in use also, not RAM alone.
In my case I do dev under Linux/IntelliJ and have seen my actual usage, with some VMware Workstation VMs also going, hit ~40GB. On some occasions it can go much higher running certain internal data processing tools. I'll be going with at least 64GB on FW16, 96GB if I feel like spending the extra money closer to shipping.