There's a reason gaming laptops are thicker. The thinner a laptop is, the less space there is for cooling. Manufacturers have to balance performance with heat, meaning faster, noisier fans and bigger heatsinks or more CPU throttling. Add a dedicated GPU into the mix and heat becomes an even bigger issue.
Nvidia wants to fix this problem, and it intends to do so with a brand new approach to laptop design called Max-Q.
If the term Max-Q sounds familiar, it's because Nvidia isn't the first to use it. In fact, the term is borrowed from NASA who use it in aerospace engineering to refer to the "maximum dynamic pressure" experienced by a vehicle in flight. Any rocket or missile design must be built to withstand max Q. Nvidia is applying the same theory to laptops: it wants to build the thinnest gaming laptops possible while dealing with the maximum performance of a GPU.
According to VentureBeat, in order for Max-Q to work Nvidia worked on every aspect of laptop design with manufacturers. Precision engineering is key, allowing for a design that maximises cooling performance, but doing so without the thickness typically associated with a high-performance gaming laptop.
Related
- Nvidia Tips New Volta Architecture for Supercomputer GPUsNvidia Tips New Volta Architecture for Supercomputer GPUs
The end result is sure to have gamers taking notice. According to Nvidia, we can expect gaming laptops that are up to three-times thinner featuring three-times the performance thanks to the use of a 16nm GeForce GTX 1080 GPU. At the same time, Nvidia WhisperMode technology means the laptops will remain quiet. In real terms, Nvidia is promising gaming laptops that are only 18mm thick, but with 70 percent more performance when compared to an MSI GS63 GeForce GTX 1060-powered thin and light notebook.
We don't have to wait long for Max-Q laptops, either. Acer, Aftershock, Alienware, Asus, Clevo, Dream Machine, ECT, Gigabyte, Hasee, HP, LDLC, Lenovo, Machenike, Maingear, Mechrevo, MSI, Multicom, Origin PC, PC Specialist, Sager, Scan, Terrans Force, Tronic'5, and XoticPC are all signed up to offer systems starting from June 27. As well as GTX 1080, 1070, and 1060 GPUs, we should expect these laptops to offer Nvidia G-Sync display technology, 4K resolutions, and be classed as VR-ready. Pricing has yet to be revealed.
Relax Nvidia Max-Q Laptops Offer 3x Performance, Are 3x Thinner stories
Roborace hopes its car will one day have its own races, in which teams of software developers will compete against each other with no humans in the car.
The Nitro 5 is for casual gamers; the Iconia Tab 10 tablet has four speakers and its own subwoofer.
In the market for a Microsoft Surface? You might also to want to check out the latest models in HP's Spectre and Envy lineups.
The Surface Pro 4 won't be replaced until there's a clear "experiential change" to trigger a major hardware update.
The PS4 Pro only launched last November. Releasing a successor so soon after seems very unlikely.
The Predator Triton 700 is a thin-and-light gaming powerhouse with a lot of eyebrow-raising features, from its transparent touchpad to its MSRP.
Twitch's new affiliate program is aimed at casual streamers with at least 50 followers.
Four modes make this $279 2-in-1 a very flexible laptop/tablet hybrid.
The last shipments of the console, a miniature version of the original NES that plays games compatible with today's HDTVs, will arrive in stores this month.
While we already know a lot about the next-generation console's specs, but we'll have to wait until June to learn more details.
If some of the rumors are true, Project Scorpio could be a next-generation console that's much more powerful than the Xbox One.
One consumer tech website found that PC manufacturers overstate battery life, but measuring it meaningfully can be challenging.
Whatever is custom about this chip doesn't seem to be hardware tweaks. This is the same chip as found in the 2017 Shield Android TV.
The streaming service's game library is expanding, but the number compatible devices is shrinking.
The Jetson TX2 is the latest all-in-one computing module for processing artificial intelligence in the field instead of the cloud. Companies are using it to improve video conferencing quality and even help thin fields of lettuce.
It's even faster than the Titan X, and at $699, it's cheaper, too.
The high end Chrome OS laptops will not be refreshed and current models are sold out.
Game developers have different approaches to harnessing the new Oculus Touch Controller.
Sony's consoles become all-in-one laptops, but there's no battery.
No cable? No problem. Here's how you can get the results of the presidential election with only your computer or phone.
Wi-Fi, access point, router, 802.11ac. Networking can be a pain! But it doesn't have to be if you know what you're doing. Then it's actually fun! This is where you start.
Start saving up: Intel just unveiled its first 18-core consumer CPU.
If your laptop is plugged in but not getting any juice, these steps can help you troubleshoot.
"The draft law is not the right way to achieve these political goals," Facebook says of Germany's proposed Network Enforcement Act.
Also: NBA & NHL Finals, 'Tekken 7,' 'Flaked' 'Leftovers' series finale.
Our favorites this month include a GameCube remaster of a PlayStation classic.
"We are the first to make pure bred F1 technology roadworthy." AMG has finally shown the mechanical layout of its thousand-horsepower, Formula 1-inspired Projec...
Want to break up with one of your Facebook friends? You can unfollow, block, or unfriend that person. Let's look at all the options.
The ZenBook Flip S is the world's thinnest convertible laptop, while the ZenBook 3 Deluxe is the slimmest 14-inch laptop, Asus says.
A team of security researchers reveal just how vulnerable pacemakers are.
Dell’s 15-inch Alienware is a solid machine, but it’s a little on the large side.
