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Tech Inferno Fan

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Posts posted by Tech Inferno Fan

  1. Hey y'all

    So, I hear the 7870 is the card of choice these days due to a pretty solid price/performance ratio - which is half the reason for doing eGPU. I was hoping you could spread some light on the whole overclocking/stock model and brand differences. I've always used laptop gpu's, so this OC'ing is new to me.

    1) There's about a $25 to (sometimes) $75 price difference for the same GPU that is OC'd vs not... Is this really worth it? Can't you just do the OC'ing yourself, get the same result and save some money?

    2) Also, what's the big difference and what should I be looking for when it comes to engine clock vs memory clock? Is 800 MHz good enough for an engine clock or should I be looking for a something closer to 1000 Mhz? does it make a difference if you can overclock it yourself?

    3) I can pick up a MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3G (800Mhz/5000Mhz) for less than $300 right now. This seems like a really good deal, but I'm not entirely sure what I'm getting myself into vs. an XFX 7870/OC for $70 cheaper...

    I realize that this might not make much of a difference in an eGPU setup, but I'm hoping that the new 4x TH05 version next year will change all that. :)

    The x4 TH05 will make no difference over the current x2 TH05 with existing Thunderbolt-equipped systems.

    Why? We've just discovered all x4 2.0 capable boxes (Magma, OWC, Sonnet) send Thunderbolt traffic at x2 2.0 + 12.5% bandwidth levels. The 12.5% extra they get over a x2 2.0 TH05 is hardly worth them commanding 2.5-times or more the premium over a TH05. Have to wait until 20Gbps Thunderbolt arrives in 2014 OR we miraculously figure out how to use the second 10Gbps Thunderbolt channel for pci-e rather than it's default of displayport traffic to get x4 2.0 running.

    Please refer to my HD7870 versus GTX660 on x1.1, x1.1Opt, x1.2, x1.2Opt review to help make your eGPU purchase decision. If you would be running x2 2.0 Thunderbolt then yes, AMD cards do better in restricted bandwidth scenarios once we factor out the pci-e compression that's only available on x1 links.

    Another important consideration is if you need internal LCD mode. Then you'd evaluate NVidia Optimus vs Lucidlogix Virtu. Both require a primary iGPU video bootup device so ensure your candidate notebook has it if that feature is important. NVidia Optimus is part of the driver set and is free. LucidLogix officially only has a 30-day trial version.

    Recommend a HD7870 or GTX660Ti

    So for current Thunderbolt-equipped systems suggest grab a US$180 BPlus TH05 + AMD HD7870 or NVidia GTX660Ti.

  2. Thanks nando, i didn't had to use diy setup at all. I just disabled dgpu in bios,and hook up expresscard and it immediately shows picture on external monitor.

    So i have HP 4530s with i5 2410m soon to be upgraded to i7 2630qm, and i also upgraded screen to FHD. Really awesome laptop.

    My 3dmark11 score NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 video card benchmark result - Intel Core i5-2410M Processor,Hewlett-Packard 167C score: P5026 3DMarks

    Farcry 3 is flying with fhd and ultra details at 35-55fps.

    3dmark11 says the GTX660 is running as the primary video so you may be seeing x1 2.0 rather than x1.2Opt (x1 pci-e compression + internal LCD mode). Can confirm by running 3dmark06. If the result is < 10k then you're running the slower x1 2.0. Usually need to hotplug the eGPU after boot or set the PCI Reset jumper to do it for you to get the HD3000 as the primary and [email protected] running.

    Can see my Dell E6230 + GTX660 @ x1 2.0 and x1.2Opt results for performance differences.

  3. Out of curiosity-why do you list display port as a disadvantage over hdmi?

    I guess the ppl I spoke to always preferred HDMI over DP. I read that DP is preferred in a business environment but didn't see an elaboration as to why. Apple now having HDMI ports on their latest Macbook Retinas where previously they had TB/mDP only ports. Dell Latitudes also having HDMI rather than DP.

    Yeah it looks like the trackpoint doesn't fit into that design. Or rather it would have fit if they got rid of the trackpoint, but for some reason (marketing?) they decided to go with a touchpad instead of a trackpoint.

    Yeah the refurbished laptops are a bit cheaper ($600+ on E6230 for "certified refurbished"). HP 2170p new ones start from $1000 and the only Elitebook they're offering on their Academic website is 8770w (wtf...).

    I'm with you and would have preferred a touchstyk over a touchpad. That way the hands never have to leave the keyboard. Though can see it would have been a dealbreaker for some then. 2170P pricing makes little sense - a 2570P can be bought for less. With their weird US pricing it almost looks like HP don't want to sell business notebooks to consumers.

  4. Great comparison!

    Latitude E6230 is the only one from the new Latitude series (with rounded edges so to speak) that looks acceptable to me. Unfortunately, I don't think it can compete with Thinkpad X230 at all, due to its insane price alone -- its about $500 more expensive than the X230 in the US (almost double the price). It also doesn't seem to have a trackpoint (I guess thats what you meant by touchstyk :D ), like X230 and 2570p and I really prefer it over classic touchpad.

    I am hoping that they come out with better features like Brian mentioned in their next generation.

    Agreed. A E6230 is the only one without the ugly orange accents so is the most stylish of the current Latitudes.

    I am stunned by Latitude pricing in the US. The E6230 can be had for significantly less than the other two as a refurb in Australia. Here the 2570P is the dearest unit. imho too, it was a major oversight to not include a touchstyk on the E6230. Though I can see why by evaluating the E6230 vs E6330 keyboard below. See the trackpoint mouse buttons? They would have encroached into palmrest/touchpad space. I'm guessing the E6330 keyboard + touchstyk (without buttons) could be retrofitted to a E6230. What's the point without buttons? Maybe Dell could make the touchpad a clickpad when running in that configuration?

    <A href="http://www.msystems.gr/files/product/14618.2.jpg"><img width=49% src=http://www.msystems.gr/files/product/14618.2.jpg></A> <A HREF="http://ww2.notebooki.wroc.pl/upload/e6330-8.jpg"><img width=49% src=http://ww2.notebooki.wroc.pl/upload/e6330-8.jpg></A>

    Above: E6230 and E6330 keyboards compared

    A E6230 has 3 mPCIe slots of which none are wired for mSATA. Dell really should have added a touchstyk and mSATA to their E6230. A IPS LCD option would be appreciated too.

    HP also have a 2170P which looks like a smaller 2570P. It does have a touchstyk. It deviates from the ultrabook design by offering a removable 48Whr battery, 7mm 2.5" SSD/HDD, business grade build, matte LCD. Comes with a backlit LCD. Still it misses out on mSATA and what were HP thinking giving it only 48Whr?

    So yeah.. I too hope the next generation of ultraportables from these vendors can incorporate the full feature set (mSATA, IPS, Thunderbolt, touch, touchstyk) and more.

    • Thumbs Up 1
  5. I was aware of middleton's BIOS, but I hadn't heard about the X9100-E0 CPUs.

    Does the upgraded CPU have any further effect on the performance of the eGPU setup? Or is it just done to gain overall system performance?

    Also, is there a well-known source for them? Or is scavenging eBay my best bet?

    Overall system performance would improve. RickiBerlin lists advantages/disadvantages with his X9100-E0 CPU (QHBQ) installed in a HDX9000: *HP HDX 9000 DRAGON Owners Lounge, Part 2* - Page 457 . The X9100 is a Series-4 CPU that can be made to work in a 965PM system by doing a 266->200Mhz socket pin mod. It's the coolest/fastest CPU you can get for your box. Cheapest I've seen them is on aliexpress for US$140-shipped: wholesale & retail Intel Dual Core X9100 QHBQ laptop cpu QS Version-in Processors from Computer & Networking on Aliexpress.com . You might get lucky on fleabay.

    When evaluating all of this, consider what an complete system swapout would cost to a s/h Sandy Bridge system. Eg: Lenovo E420/E520/T420/T520, HP 4430s/4530s/6460b/6560b/8460p/8560P, Dell 3450/3550/E6420/E6520. There you'd get x1.2Opt performance from your GTX570 which would outperform your x2 1.0 with the T61 and be a simpler single-cable solution. The eGPU parts are cheaper too. The notebook itself would be considerably faster and give better battery life. Only downside I see is you'd be going to a 16:9 LCD.

  6. My ideal ultraportable is a super light weight Ivy based one (with user replaceable CPU socket) that also has a foldable touchscreen with a wacom digitizer so that it works seamlessly with Win 8. Ideal size would be about 13" IPS or even AMOLED (which are coming very soon) with WIDI/WiHD capabilities. It should also have a thunderbolt port which a lot of these notebooks lack. I'm guessing there has to be 1 or 2 ultraportables with this configuration coming to market soon.

    The ultraportables listed in this comparo are from the last generation. A lot has changed since then with a rise in expectations - retina displays, cheap Nexus tablets, Win8, Thunderbolt. I too would love a feature set as you list. Unfortunately the first - upgradable CPUs looks to be on the way out. REF: http://forum.techinferno.com/general-notebook-discussions/2490-intel-might-kill-cpu-upgrades.html

    I too am looking for a similar feature set in the next wave of ultraportable releases.

  7. Putting tape on pin 20 worked like a charm.

    I was actually planning on trying to do the x2 eGPU port3+port4 configuration using the 3rd mPCIe half-slot and the ExpressCard slot. I was trying to move the wifi card to port 1 because I read that when I set port3+port4 to x2, it would change port1+port2 to x2 as well, meaning that the wifi card would no longer work on port 2. Of course, it may not work on port 1 with x2 enabled, either. That's the next step of my testing.

    I'll be using my GTX570, so I don't think the x2E thing would work.

    I see.. that would be a convenient configuration. Your wifi card should work OK in port1 in x2 mode.. it will just use the first lane. Yes, x2E doesn't apply to you when using a GTX570.

    There are lots of T61 users out there. Having a confirmed x2 eGPU configuration extending their lifespan. There's also a dual-IDA bios getting you another free 200Mhz: See middleton's Ultimate R61/T61/X61/X300 BIOS (inc SATA-II)

    If wanting to take it a step further, you could put a X9100-E0 stepping CPU into it giving 1st gen i5 levels of performance when overclocked using Throttlestop software and unlocked multipliers.

  8. A competitor site has been moulding public opinion with a moderator there proclaiming repeatedly the Lenovo X230 is the best ultraportable on the market with no mention of either a Dell E6230 or HP 2570P as alternatives. Questioning that opinion may even get you banned.

    As there are no sponsors on here to bias our recommendations, we can objectively evaluate all the pros and cons of these ultraportables below from which you can decide for yourself which features set best suits your needs. The notebookcheck.net reviews linked below are the very best available but do not cover some of the details below. So as not found on notebookreview.com, here's a pros/cons list of these three business ultraportables.

    12.5" Lenovo Thinkpad X230 REVIEW

    + dual-drive capable: mSATA + 7mm 2.5" HDD/SSD but both are more expensive than 2.5" 9.5mm counterparts

    + 94Wh 9-cell battery option

    + backlit keyboard AND Thinklight

    + 54mm expresscard slot so can host an external eGPU for accelerated graphics/processing

    +/- IPS LCD option. A pro/con depending on your needs. Pro: wide viewing angles and high brightness. Con: wide viewing angles bad for privacy, draws more power and there are reports of red appearing as orange and image ghosting.

    +/- Displayport rather than HDMI port, a pro/con depending on your needs

    -- quality issues with palmrest cracking above expresscard slot disintegrating, battery rattling around

    - poor styling that hasn't evolved from their 1990s Thinkpads. Lenovo have spent $0 in the styling department.

    - non-upgradable soldered CPU

    - short palmrest may be uncomfortable if have large hands

    - touchpad has no real physical mousebuttons, it's a clickpad

    - whitelisted WWAN/wifi slots preventing use of future comms standards. I believe a hacked bios exists to get around this.

    - Lenovo safeguard prevents use of cheaper aftermarket batteries -> need genuine Lenovo ones.

    - eGPU users cannot get 16GB configuration to work -> need to downgrade to 8GB.

    12.5" Dell Latitude E6230 REVIEW

    + contemporary styling

    + traditional keyboard with backlight option

    + do not whitelist their WWAN/wifi slots

    + easy servicability by removing bottom cover giving access to all major components

    + 34mm expresscard slot so can host an external eGPU for accelerated graphics/processing

    +/- HDMI rather than Displayport, a pro/con depending on your needs

    - no touchstyk

    - non-upgradable soldered CPU

    - no IPS LCD option but retrofit performed successfully here

    - only single 7mm 2.5" SATA SSD/HDD capable

    - no 9-cell battery option, rather uses a slice.

    12.5" HP Elitebook 2570P REVIEW

    ++ socketted CPU -> can be be easily user upgraded to faster dual or quad cores but confirm warranty implications

    ++ optical drive. Can be replaced by caddy hosting a 9.5mm 2.5" SATA SSD/HDD alongside the primary 9.5mm 2.5" SSD/HDD.

    ++ supports RAID-0 across 2x6Gbps internal SATA channels for very fast SSD/HDD performance

    ++ exceptional build quality and contemporary styling

    + 100Wh 9-cell battery option

    + 34mm expresscard slot so can host an external eGPU for accelerated graphics/processing

    + easy servicability by removing bottom cover giving access to all major components

    +/- Displayport rather than HDMI port, a pro/con depending on your needs

    + glass touchpad

    -- heavier and thicker than the above two

    - no IPS LCD option

    - whitelisted WWAN/wifi slots preventing use of future comms standards. No hacked bios is possible due to RSA protection.

    - no backlit keyboard option but has a nightlight

    Summary

    A Dell E6230 is somewhat more stylish than the X230 but has the least features of the lot. A Lenovo X230 has some great features, if you can live with it's uninspired styling and some quality issues.

    Which brings us to the best unit from this lot. Given the massive move to smartphone/tablet mobile computing, having a complimentary 2570P offering near-desktop performanace levels when upgraded (CPU+storage), yet mobile enough to take on the road means it's the most potent tool from this set. It's also the significantly better built unit too.

    • Thumbs Up 2
  9. So, I pulled my wifi card from port 2 and moved it to port 1 and it no longer works. Basically, it's detected and everything, but when I go to the adapter settings page, there is a red X over the signal bars and it reads "Not Connected". If I click on the signal bars to connect, the list never populates with any access points.

    So, I tried pressing Fn+F5 to see the status of the radio. Sure enough, it was set to "Off" despite the switch on the front of the laptop being turned on. However, when I click the "Radio On" button in the dialog, the radio remains off.

    Essentially, something is forcing the radio off when the wifi card is moved from port 2 to port 1. Moving it back to port 2 returns it to normal.

    Has anyone seen this behavior before? How can I get the radio to turn on with the card in port 1?

    Good news that wifi registers when moving over to the other mPCIe slot as port1. Means you could do a x2 eGPU port1+port2 configuration using your two mPCIe slots. In fact, if using an older AMD card (HD4xxx/HD5xxx) you could run x2E mode (port1+port2 electrically connected, but port1 set to x4 mode) which would give full duplex x2 1.0 performance. It's a way to rectify some handshaking bug between your Intel ICH8M IO chipset and these cards. I am not sure if HD6xxx/HD7xxx are equally affected.

    To force enable the radio on your wifi card just put cellophane tape over pin20. That should see it working in port1.

  10. Further update:

    So I think I've narrowed it down some more. My C:\ is on an mPCIe mSATA drive. I think that when I do a PCI compaction, the mSATA drive is getting clobbered and I'm losing access to it. Setup 1.10b5 shows me three PCIe devices:

    1) Ricoh,

    2) Intel, and

    3) Nvidia.

    The Ricoh is almost certainly the mSATA drive. How can I preserve it's PCI address (or whatever I need to preserve) when doing compaction?

    First things first. When you boot into Setup 1.1x, can you chainload to your OS before doing any PCI compaction?

  11. @sgogeta4 you are thinking exactly what I am for an ideal notebook except I'd want a true e-gpu made by a big company like nvidia that utilizes thunderbolt or some proprietary connection that takes full advantage of pci-express bandwidth.

    We discovered in the eGPU area that current Thunderbolt is limited to x2 2.0 + 12.5%. The GPU itself negotiates a x4 2.0 link with the Thunderbolt controller on premium products like the Sonnet/Magma x4 2.0 TB enclosures, but there are two 10Gbps Thunderbolt transfer channels and one is reserved for Displayport traffic. Disappointed that we cannot make it a single 20Gbps channel instead. Maybe some reserved PCI registers could be hacked to do that if we got the TB datasheets from Intel? We know for sure that 20Gbps Thunderbolt that could transfer x4 2.0 bandwidth will come in 2014.

    Summary then is, current Thunderbolt eGPUs have just over double the bandwidth of Sandy/Ivy Bridge expresscard versions. It's questionable value then to spend the extra $$ for the TB-to-pcie enclosure/adapter and then seek out a Thunderbolt-equipped notebook from the handful available.

    I wish it wasn't so. Saying that . . .

    I too want a tablet or touch-based ultrabook with matte LCD that's thin and equipped with a x4 2.0 Thunderbolt port for eGPU purposes. 11.6" Acer Iconia W700 is the closest match with it's i5, IPS-1080P touch LCD and Thunderbolt port: Acer Iconia W700 review | Tablets Reviews | TechRadar

    • Thumbs Up 1
  12. Hi, i have some problems with my HP 4530s. I finally got all the parts, i have gtx660. My 4530s is with dgpu hd6490m, and i have booted diy setup,disabled dgpu,run compaction 32a,and chainloaded to win.

    I installed the lastest drivers from Nvidia,and gtx660 doesn't have any errors but my intel hd3000 have code 43,and i can't get picture to my external lcd.

    I have seen people run gtx card on my lap also with dgpu hd6490m.

    If anybody have the steps neccesary to work.

    Thanks.

    Suggest (1) don't perform PCI compaction, just disable the dGPU and chainload. If still no go then (2) delete the Intel+AMD switchable graphics driver you have installed and just install the latest Intel HD3000 driver and try again.

  13. i've already build my eGPU. imgur: the simple image sharer

    just that the performance isnt as good as i thought it should be. i also want to hold off till Haswell come out but want to know what i can do now to make the GTX660 dont perform like a intel4000 -_-

    Per my previous post, replace the GTX660 with a HD7870.

    Some Studio XPS 1640 are already listed on the first post @x4, but if you insist i can give you all the details of my config, But please, just tell me if it will be usefull to PCI compress my config even everything works well without using it.

    PCI compaction is only required if you have an error 12 against your eGPU preventing it's operation. That does not apply to you.

  14. so are there anything i can do for my vaio cw 26 atm? or its doomed to have such low performanceuntil i change lapotp.

    I noted in my recent i5-3320M + GTX660/HD7870 testing here that AMD eGPUs no longer appear to be crippled to half duplex performance on that Series-7 chipset as previous HD5750 cards were on a Series-4 chipset. I know that you'll see a much better 3dmark06 result with something like a HD7870. I'd be curious to see you do the same comparative performance tests on your system so we know if these newer AMD cards are indeed better performers across DX9, DX10 and DX11 on older Intel chipsets.

    Still.. you can see the difference in performance going from a x1 1.0 to x1 2.0 (Sandy/Ivy Bridge) gives in that link so a system upgrade is the other option to consider as noted earlier.

  15. Hello everybody, Can I get an explanation about what's the use of a PCI Compaction ? I've got a PE4H with a GTX-560 Ti connected on a Dell Laptop, The eGPU is @x2, and everything works nicely without PCI Compaction.

    Refer to the Setup 1.1x help on PCI compaction available online or by pressing F1 in Setup 1.1x: PCI compaction

    If your Dell is running a x2 configuration and isn't listed yet on the first post, then can you please provide full details so it can be? Not many x2 configurations atm.

  16. hi, thanks for your swift reply. i would like to have ivy bridge w iGPU, expresscard, <= 1.6kg, 13/14 inch, 1080p. any suggestion?

    i was all over vaio z3 few months ago other than it doesnt have expresscard slot. then on the verge of buying r930 but then hold back because of 1080p. just waiting for the right one to come.

    12.5" Lenovo X230 (1.45kgs, 768P-IPS)

    13" Toshiba R930 (1.48kgs, 768P)

    12.5" Dell E6230 (1.59kgs, 768P) IPS-LCD-mod

    13" Macbook Pro Retina (1.62kgs, 2560 x1600, Thunderbolt)

    14" Lenovo T430s (1.77kgs, 900P, Thunderbolt)

    14" Toshiba R940 (1.9kgs, 900P in US)

    12.5" HP 2570P (1.9kgs, 768P, socketted CPU/45W quad capable)

    So closest match is a MBPr or consider a 13" Sony SVZ (1.18kgs, 1080P) but with the mPCIe mod: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2158-diy-egpu-guide-sony-vaio-vpc-z2-svz13.html . Best compromise might be a 12.5" Lenovo X230 with it's 768P IPS LCD or 12.5" HP 2570P if need 45W quad CPU power. I'm not a fan of Lenovo Thinkpad styling given it hasn't changed much from the 1990s...

    old-ibm-thinkpad.jpeg

  17. Bit of a off-topic note...

    Imagine the capabilities of this eGPU setup >> 25-gpu-cluster (25x AMD HD6990) LOL!!!

    I wonder if there is a way to leverage this Virtual OpenCL cluster platform in eGPU implementations. Dreaming :P

    There's also fastraII, the NVidia version from a few years back. 6xGTX295 + 1xGTX275, 13 GPUs total = 12TeraFlops of computing power. We have done the DSDT override so have no 32-bit limitations to host the eGPUs. Just need a expresscard/TB bus extender to host so many eGPUs to do the same with our notebooks. It would of course still be limited by the bus bandwidth. Not sure how much is required for computational purposes but would guestimate it would be a lot less than for gaming.

    I followed your guidance few months ago and has recently finished building my egpu. But when I run gpuz, it shows im running on pci-e 1.1 only although I bought the PE4L 2.1b

    Im using cx430 psu, vaio cw26, twinfroz MSI gtx 660, PE4L 2.1b. any advice?

    also when i run 3dmark06 its super horrible, about 5k points only (i did run gpuz behind to double check if it is running on the right card!)

    my laptop is cw26 sony vaio

    everest shows that my gt330m is using PCI E 2.0 and 3d accelerator is set to gt330m, iGPU not activated.

    Your CW26 is a Series-5 system. It's PCIE 1.x only for the link speed, but PCIE 2.x for power management. In addition you have no iGPU so no Optimus pci-e compression. You are seeing straight x1 1.0 link performance which is pretty bad for a NVidia card when using DX9.

    The weak link in your configuration is the notebook. Replacing it with a Sandy or Ivy Bridge one with an iGPU and expresscard (eg: 14" HP 8460P/8470P, Dell E6420/E6430, Lenovo T420/T430) would gain you x1.2Opt performance (x1 2.0 + NVidia pci-e compression). 3dmark06 would be over 18k then with your GTX660.

  18. Now I get Error 43

    I've done as in troubleshooting:

    1.done

    2.done

    3.

    - Boot eGPU Setup 1.x,

    - select Video cards->Load to load the PCI space dump created when it was working with no error 43. Done then press f3 to load in Setup.bat ( don't know if I should but it gets deleted after next step anyway)

    - perform 32-bit PCI compaction on the iGPU+eGPU. 32-bit or 32-bitA All its not working. I can only do a 36bit for all and force one on 32bit (I've tried both in turns)

    - select startup.bat->edit, remove the 'call vidinit' since it might interfere with your load dump. Done

    - select Apply config.Run startup.bat Done

    - select Chainload mbr Done

    Error still there but moves from eGPU to dGPU depending on PCI compaction.

    Its there any setting I'm missing here?

    Thanks for your help

    Try the Video cards->Initialize function first after PCI compaction. If still get an error 43 then it may be because you have both a NVidia dGPU and eGPU. In which case I'd suggest modify the Verde (mobile) driver set to include your eGPU so as to get a unified driver set for both GPUs.

    Yeah looks like this is a new product: PE4H V3.2 (PCIe x16 Adapter)

    A couple of notes for why it may not change the product we'd have chosen (PE4L 2.1b):

    • You can only use video cards where the PCI-Express power connectors are on the end of the card rather than the side (the maority of high performance cards have them on the side -- my GTX 660, for example)
    • I don't believe there's any performance difference (still limited by the ExpressCard I believe, PCI-Express x1 2.0 -- someone correct me if I'm wrong)
    • The power adapter is only 120W. I'm unsure if that would be enough for many of the higher performing cards (even though Kepler is more power efficient). From the looks of it you could also just use a normal ATX power supply and connect the 24-pin connector to it, but IMO that kind of defeats the point of a nice enclosure when you have your PSU with all its wires out in the open
    • It's more expensive. You're getting more than just the PE4L, sure, but I paid $78 for the PE4L, $17AR for my PSU, and I'm thinking about a cheap mATX case to stick it all in -- ~$35). Plus this setup is more flexible

    It does look pretty nice though and is more reasonably priced than the ViDocks. Perhaps it would be a great fit for a card like the GTX 650/650Ti (PCI express connectors on the end, and possibly within the limits of the 120W adapter). For comparison, many people have used a 203W XBox power adapter (needs to be modded though) -- maybe hwtools will make a higher powered adapter available in the future

    Correct. A PE4H 3.2 provides the same x1 2.0 (pci-e) performance as a PE4L 2.1b. It's advantages over a PE4L 2.1b being mostly packaging:

    1. an enclosure for the video card

    2. ability to use all power form dual/tri rail ATX PSUs

    It's negatives are:

    1. it costs considerably more than a PE4L 2.1b

    2. it continues to use a 19V DC input for those wanting DC power for the slot. That means that hot bridge rectifer remains. PE4L 2.1b uses straight 12V.

    3. if using an enclosure then the video card must have pci-e power from the side rather than top.

    A PE4L 2.1b + modded XBOX360 PSU still gives the best bang-per-buck portable solution imho.

  19. I got everything ready and then got stuck at my first step.

    First of all my system is:

    inspiron 1720

    Tolud is 3.5gb and I got in to some problems trying to do DSDT override . Basically my .dsl file its nothing like the one in the guide and I can't find the PNP0A08/PNP0A03 'DWordMemory' resource entries.

    What am I doing wrong?

    Insert the code as shown in Avlan's E4300 dsdt override example.

    One question -- how can I confirm that Optimus is working? I know in the NVidia control panel I can see the option for the 2 GPUs, but I know Nando on his ATI/NVidia comparison in a note mentioned: "Achieved by powering the eGPU before starting the system". Does this mean if I start my X220 from a shutdown state with the eGPU in there, it will not use Optimus? So the only way is to add in the eGPU resuming from sleep or hot swapping?

    Confirm you have the Select preferred graphics processor for this program option in the NVidia control panel as shown below:

    x12optcheck.th.jpg

    Different system bios handle the startup differently if the eGPU is detected. My understanding is the latest X220 bios will just lower TOLUD and boot with the iGPU as the active primary video device. My Dell E6230 would set the eGPU as the primary video device on bootup if it was detected on poweron. To get x1.2Opt engaged, with the iGPU as the primary video device, the eGPU needed to be hot plugged or activated using the PCI Reset Delay jumpers so it was on the pci-e bus *after bootup*.

  20. Are Sony SVZ/SZ2 PMD users getting x2 2.0 links?

    Hi Mikjoa,

    We recently discovered in http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/2513-how-we-measure-rank-describe-our-systems-no-more-%401-2opt.html thread that Thunderbolt is currently limited to x2 2.0 + approx 12.5%. So if a user purchases a Sonnet Thunderbolt enclosure the eGPU will register a x4 2.0 link but get bottlenecked downstream by the Thunderbolt<->Thunderbolt comms.

    Now I know the Sony SVZ/SZ2 guys were noting poor performance from their PMD. Could you ask them to run CUDA-Z (NVidia) or PCieSpeedTest (AMD) on their PMD eGPU and submit the results? We are seeing approx 400MB/s on a x1 2.0 link. So they'd either see 1600MB/s (x4 2.0) or if they too are being crippled in a similar way to a x2 2.0 link then they will see 800MB/s (device-to-host).

    EDIT: This was confirmed via PM. The PMD runs a 10Gbps link just like 2011-2013 Thunderbolt, equivalent to x2 2.0 + 12.5% bandwidth.

  21. This is really disappointing. Why did they solder everthing together? I already have 1x EC2C and 2x PM3N and 3x mini-HDMI cable, so for me it would have been nice to just buy the connector itself. Right now I don´t need it but my next laptop will be an Ivy-Bridge-laptop of course and then i would need the PE4L not my PE4H :/

    BPlus tried to get pci-e 2.0 going but it would fail when there were mHDMI connectors involved. That's why they soldered it all together to eliminate those connectors. You'll note they have a variation, PE4L-L060A 2.1b which is their newer board allowing attachment to the older EC2C or PM3N. I was advised this too couldn't negotiate a pci-e 2.x link.

    The approach then is to consider offloading your current pci-e 1.x specced PE4H 2.4 + EC2C + PM3N and get a pci-e 2.0 specced PE4L-ECxxx/PE4L-PMxxx 2.1b when you get your Ivy Bridge notebook.

  22. Oh... Damn, I tought it was a ExpressCard slot. I expected to not open my laptop but whatever... Then I'll need the PM060A version, now some last questions and I think I'll be ready.

    This software doesn't comes bundled if I buy from HWTOOLS? Because PM060A package is not at HIT.

    Standalone software from HIT is digital download? (To avoid taxes)

    So I get better perfomance by disabling the GT650M instead of doing an optimus config?

    So the GTX660Ti is my limit? Or a higher end videocard will also work? I expect to try a GTX680/690.

    With this I will still get a x2 bandwith setup?

    Thanks a lot for answering guys! :D

    In order to get x1.2Opt (Optimus) (x1 2.0 + pci-e compression) functionality on the eGPU instead of the GT650M dGPU, the NVidia dGPU needs to be disabled. Use Setup 1.1x to do that. You can go higher than a GTX660Ti, like a GTX670/680 but will need to ensure an adequate power supply to drive it. Avoid twin-GPU cards like a GTX690 since so far no one has got it to work and it requires more resources to accomodate it. A PE4L-PMxxxA 2.1b is the only solution available to you since you have no expresscard slot.

  23. Seems like a great review, but I can't help to think it's also quite a bit biased: the reviews that don't mention any cons are totally not to be trusted imo. :)

    I also disagree with comparison to T430. T430 is a heaver 14" laptop, and 2570p can be directly compared to X230 instead:

    - 2570p looks more sleek I suppose

    - 2570p has much worse TN screen with average brightness of 166 nit (cd/m^2); conveniently left out from the review [ref: notebookcheck.com review]. This is a bit low compared to the average of 264 nit for IPS screen on X230. The viewing angles are listed as 150 degrees -- I have to say I laughed at this part since I know the laptop comes with a fairly poor TN screen.

    - 2570p has replaceable CPU, but it is unclear to me through how many CPU generations this will last (my point is by the time you'll need faster CPU there will be much faster CPUs from subsequent generations on the market)

    - 2570p runs 10 C colder than X230 (80C vs 90C) on full load. This is to me a fairly better and probably the biggest advantage.

    - as configured X230 with IPS screen comes about $690+tax through Lenovo Barnes&Noble website (this is around $800 or just slightly below if you add that + shipping).

    The way I see it, for $50 more (say X230 is $800 after taxes and shipping) you get a sexier looks and replaceable CPU, but a far worse TN instead of IPS screen (and you need to purchase 2570p from a fairly unknown third party merchant; otherwise the price will go up by ~$100). The cooling is a bit better in 2570p. Apart from that, 2570p and X230 are pretty much the same and the question becomes whether one is willing to trade the IPS screen (and $50) for improvements in other places.

    I believe the reviewer compared it to a T430 because a 2570P weighs in close to a T430. It's heavier weight and HP's whitelisting of WWAN/wifi ports are the other disadvantages of a 2570P. Though I believe Lenovo whitelist their wifi/WWAN ports but unlike a 2570P, a hacked bios is usually available as a workaround.

    You are on the mark with advantages of a 2570P plus do note that a 2570P can accomodate a 2.5" 9.5mm primary drive + either a optical drive or a second 2.5" 9.5mm primary drive via a caddy. A X230 uses a 7mm 2.5" drive + second mSATA drive. So a X230 has lower storage capacity with it's 7mm/mSATA drives which also happen to be higher cost per GB than their 9.5mm cousins.

    A 2570P's upgradable CPU means if one puts a 45W i7-quad into it they'd get the smallest, most powerful system available in the current gen. Supports SATA-III RAID-0 across it's two drives (2.5" + 2.5" via optical caddy) too giving a very fast storage subsystem to match.

    Gadgetsnute, a NBR Dell E6220 user dismissed a X220 because of it's looks but wanted the IPS LCD. He ended up retrofitting a IPS LCD into his E6220. REF: Latitude E6220 IPS screen replacement . I wonder if the same can be done with a 2570P/2560P? If HP offered IPS on their 2570P then it would be a no brainer for me - a X230 with it's dated looks and less durable build wouldn't even be on the radar.

    In any case, a 2570P is a good one to keep on the radar once it trickles into the s/h market for it's upgradable CPU feature and business grade durability. Best if it still has some remainder of the higher-specced 3yr NBD onsite global warranty.

    • Thumbs Up 1
  24. +1 Frula's comments. If you have a dv6-7084la then it has no expresscard slot. Only way you can attach an eGPU is using a mPCIe wifi slot. For that you'd need a PE4L-PM060A 2.1b. A GTX460-1MB is significantly faster than a GTX550Ti so it's a good one to get s/h. Otherwise a GTX560Ti or GTX660Ti. You'll also probably need Setup 1.1x software to disable the DV6's GT650M so can get the faster x1.2Opt performance. Recommend then you purchase your gear via Harmonic Inversion (HIT) to get the software bundled with your hardware. Only I'm not sure if they keep the PE4L-PM060A 2.1b.

  25. Tech Inferno Fan July-2015>> Anybody interested in the 12.5" 2570P should also consider a 14" Dell E6430. The E6430 is the superior performance platform due to it's 900P LCD option, NVidia dGPU option, unlockable turbo bins (+400Mhz) on i7-37xxQM/i7-38xxQM CPUs and x2 2.0 eGPU capability. All with a minor size/weight penalty. See http://forum.techinferno.com/dell-la...tml#post118135 for details.

     

    Welcome to the 2570P Owner's Lounge! A place to liase with other owners and share useful tips/tricks/mods to get the most satisfying user experience from this exceptional ultraportable notebook.


    Release date: 22 June 2012, Model name: Inventec SIMBA, Nick name: EXtremeBook for i7-quad upgraded units
    Ffwdj36.jpg

     

      002520018.jpg

     

     
    A 2570P can be had for as little as US$250 on ebay-US , still with remaining 3yr global onsite warranty. A bargain when you consider it's upgraded desktop-replacement performance and durable MIL-spec build in a small 12.5" package. A features set unmatched by any other Ivy Bridge or Haswell notebook that remains undisclosed by all online reviews and even by HP. Grab one before word gets out . 2570P highlights being: 

    • socketted CPU allows a easy user upgrade up to a 45W i7-quad, doubling i5/i7 dual-core CPU performance. The result of doing so being the smallest, most powerful systems available that can function as a desktop replacement. Ultraportable competitors like a 12-14" Lenovo X230/X1C/T430s, Dell E6230/E6330, Toshiba R930/R940 or 13" Macbook Pro all have soldered dual-core i5/i7 CPUs making CPU upgrades unfeasible. Need to upsize to a larger 14" Lenovo T430/T440 or (preferrably) a Dell E6440 to get a socketted CPU. 
       
    • rare 5Gbps expresscard slot allows implementing a ~$160 [email protected] DIY eGPU for gaming graphics, CUDA/OpenCL processing or driving more external LCDs. 
       
    • optical drive can be swapped with a second 2.5" 9.5mm SATA-III 6Gbps SSD or HDD in a caddy & in a JBOD, RAID-0 (performance) or RAID-1 (redundancy) configuration. Can have up to 4TB of internal storage (2x2TB 9.5mm). Or RAID-0 2xSSDs for superfast boot-times and > 1GB/s sequential transfers.
       
    • eSATAp port allows external bootable SSD/HDD to be attached using a single eSATAp cable. Ultra convenient when you consider USB-only systems like Macbooks require complicated software workarounds to get a Win7/8 disk booted off their USB ports.
       
    • upgradeable wifi : can upgrade to recently-released 802.11AC standard with a Broadcom BCM4352 or Intel 7260 HMW card as explained.
       
    • internal WWAN/3G capable : install a whitelisted WWAN/3G card, insert a mobile SIM and surf the internet anywhere
       
    • battery options include a 31Wh 3-cell, 62Wh 6-cell (9hrs) and 100Wh 9-cell battery (15hrs)
       
    • is listed by laptopmag as a top 5 HP laptop of 2013 (Dec-2013) and top 10 business notebook (Apr-2013)


    Comparison: http://forum.techinferno.com/what-no...html#post34610 concludes the 2570P is the best one.

    Comparison: 12.5" HP 820 G1 (Haswell: 4th-gen i-core) versus 2570P (Ivy Bridge: 3rd gen i-core) in spoiler:


     

    Spoiler

     

    HP's 2013 successor to the 2570P, the "820 G1" is yet another take on an ultrabook thin but with business features and better LCD panels. The thinness and low weight targets have resulted in the 2570P's performance features being sacrificed: upgradeable CPU, ODD for second HDD/SSD, RAID-0/1 support, 5Gbps expresscard slot for eGPU use and probably the upgradeable wifi all gone!! A '820 G1' is a performance downgrade from a 2570P. It is more of a 12.5" successor to the ULV 2170P than the 2570P. What a disappointment from HP. 

    Hence why a request for HP to make a Haswell 2570P successor, a "ZBook 12" was emailed. REF: Request for "ZBOOK 12" emailed to HP PSG head executive and reply received. The ZBook 14/15/17 range are HP's chunkier high performance 2013 Haswell notebook range this is missing a 12.5" unit.

    Unfortunately the end result of that conversation being that in 12.5" there will only be a ULV "820 G1". The recommendation is to look at a 14" Probook 600 as being the smallest Haswell 2570P replacement. It has a socketted CPU, dual-drives, better HD/FHD panels and even a dGPU option. No expresscard slot though. The 12.5" 2570P small-and-mighty form factor being discontinued. 

    I can't help but ask who marketted the 2560P/2570P? They'd win awards for stealth marketting since the 2560P/2570P was severly under-represented against the Lenovo X220/X230. 

    cd78.png


    wyqc.png

     

     

    Comparison: 12.5" HP 2570P (Ivy Bridge: 3rd gen i-core) versus 2560P (Sandy Bridge: 2nd gen i-core)

     

    Spoiler

    Difference between these systems is minor but in nearly all cases favors the 2570P. Hence no surpise the newer 2570P is a costlier unit.

    - 2560P is TDP limited to 36W making i7-quad CPUs run at significantly lower-than-specced 4-core turbo frequencies. 2570P is TDP limited to 45W so can run their CPUs near their specced 4-core turbo frequency. REF: http://forum.techinferno.com/hp-busi...html#post79495

    - 2560P uses a latch to secure the LCD down resulting in the top cover having latch cutouts as well as latches visible on the LCD bezel. 2570P uses magnets instead. The 2570P's omission of the latches and cutouts giving a cleaner LCD bezel and top cover appearance.

    - 2570P nightlight gives a better spread across the keyboard.

    - 2570P is RAID storage capable. 2560P is not.

    - 2570P can host either a 35W/45W Ivy Bridge CPU or Sandy Bridge CPU. 2560P can only host a Sandy Bridge CPU. Ivy Bridge having the faster HD4000 iGPU and is built using the more power efficient 22nm lithography. There are efficient 35W quad-core Ivy Bridge CPUs. There are no 35W quad-core Sandy Bridge CPUs.

    - 2570P has the newer Series-7 chipset which include USB 3.0. 2560P uses a Series-6 chipset with no USB 3.0

    - 2560P does however have lower idle power consumption. I could get under 5W with one whereas the best a 2570P can do is 5.4W. This is probably due to USB 3.0 controller on the 2570P.

    - 2570P supports DDR3L RAM. 2560P *I believe* does not.

    - 2570P has a buggy WLAN bios whitelist allowing any WLAN cards to be used. 2560P only allows whitelisted WLAN cards to be used.

    - 2570P has newer WWAN/Bluetooth whitelist cards.

    - 2570P has boot Upgrade Bay bios option. 2560P doesn't by default - requires biosconfigutility.exe to set hidden option

     


    Example user-customized 2570P systems ordered by CPU performance
     

    User
    CPU clock TDP x27-TDP
    Storage: 9.5mm primary + ODD bay
    Other mods
    i7 quad-core equipped 2570Ps
    Aikimox [email protected] 45W 500GB + 1TB HDDs (1.5TB) OC ME FW, 16GB DDR3, cooling
    Tech Inferno Fan [email protected] 45W 22.1W 256GB S840P.SSD + ODD + 500GB eSATAp GTX770 eGPU, OC ME FW, BCM4352AC wifi, battery life tweaks, cooling
    Dewos i7-3840QM 2.8 45W 24.8W 128GB+128GB RAID0 SSDs GTX660 eGPU, 16GB DDR3
    badbadbad i7-3840QM 2.8 45W 26.2W 500GB S840 EVO SSD + ODD 16GB DDR3L, BCM4352AC wifi
    invait53 i7-3840QM 2.8 45W 128GB SSD + 2TB ST HDD 16GB DDR3, WLAN-USB, BCM4352AC wifi+BT4.0
    paperclip i7-3820QM 2.7 45W 22.4W 240GB Intel 530 SSD + ODD  
    jacobsson i7-3740QM 2.7 45W 256GB+256GB RAID0 SSDs + 500GB eSATAp GTX670 eGPU, 16GB DDR3L, cooling
    pandaleo i7-3740QM 2.7 45W 24.5W 256GB Toshiba SSD 16GB DDR3L
    Uftherr i7-3720QM 2.6 45W   GTX570 eGPU, 8GB DDR3, cooling
    hatoblue i7-3630QM 2.4 45W 23.6W   GTX560Ti eGPU
    krazyazy i7-3632QM 2.2 35W 24.5W 256GB S840P.SSD + 500GB HDD GTX660Ti eGPU, 16GB DDR3L
    phillofoc i7-3632QM 2.2 35W 25.5W 128GB C400 SSD + 500GB HDD GTX650Ti eGPU, 16GB DDR3L, 7260AC wifi, battery life tweaks
    bjorm i7-3632QM 2.2 35W 25.7W 500GB S840 SSD + ODD GTX560TI eGPU, cooling+quiet_fan+holey_bottom
    i5 or i7 dual-core equipped 2570Ps
    rhx123 i7-3520M 2.9 35W 256GB LiteOn LCT-256M3S SSD + ODD GTX780 eGPU
    jot23 i5-3210M 2.5 35W 128GB C400 SSD + 640GB HDD GTX660 eGPU
    xuhexiffi806 i7-3689Y 1.5 13W 180GB Intel 530 SSD + weight saver 100Wh 9-cell battery, expresscard-SD reader

    PURPLE - highest performance AND lowest power consumption in this table
    RED - highest performance configuration in this table
    GREEN - lowest power consumption in this table
    x27-TDP: TDP when running at x27 reflecting overall CPU temps and efficiency as discussed

     



    Operating System, Support, Drivers, Disassembly Guide 

    HP's 2570p Drivers Link, Manuals Link, Maintenance And Service Guide, Disassembly Guide, Media Services Link w/ video
    Windows 7 OEM HP Source - For Clean Installs : includes additional HP installation contents needed for a Win7 clean install media.
    2560P schematic : 2570P is similiar but unfortunately no public schematic found for it as yet. This is the next best thing.
    HP warranty checker : useful to check a ebay secondhand unit's remaining warranty 

    Performance upgrade: i7-quad CPU resulting in 'IVB ZBook 12' or 'EXtremeBook'

    Can effectively double the CPU performance going from a factory i5/i7 dual core to a i7-quad CPU. Could also be desirable if you wish to lower fan noise and temps. Running a i7-quad with max 99% CPU utilization results in noticably cooler temps than their dual-core counterparts without loss of performance, eg: cool i7-quads by bjorm's i7-3632QM or Aikimox's i7-3840QM. Note: warranty implications of a CPU upgrade - a factory-specced faster dual core up to i7-3520M 2.9 will not void warranty while a i7-quad will void the warranty if HP know about it as it wasn't offered with one. I'd keep the original CPU back and swap it back in if necessary. Upgraded 2570P i7-quad system examples are shown in the table above.

    NOTE: A 45W CPU can have highest multiplier limited to a 35W CPU level using Throttlestop software. That means a 45W i7-3630QM/i7-3610M (turbo=3.4/3.3Ghz) runs like a 35W i7-3632QM/i7-3612QM (turbo=3.2/3.1Ghz). Best 45W i7-quads being a i7-3630QM (x32) , i7-3720QM (x34) and i7-3740QM/3820QM (x35). There is at max 9% 4-core peformance difference between these with the higher end ones often not being able to maintain their upper multipliers as shown here. Meaning, suggest grab whichever is available and of lowest cost in your area.

    The 4-core TDP limit means any faster 45W CPUs do not see any gains. If need more performance and have deeper pockets then consider purchasing a 55W i7-3920XM instead. It has an additional 10W heatroom for turbo. Though it will absolutely need cooling mods to be able to accomodate at that level. <- 55W CPU is being limited to 45W on a 2570P as shown.

    It's possible to get and install cheaper PGA-to-BGA converted i7-quad CPUs as demonstrated by pandaleo.

    RECOMMENDED reading: How to choose the most efficient 45W i7-quad

    Performance upgrade: external graphics (eGPU)

    DIY eGPU to attach a desktop videocard via the 2570P's 5Gbps expresscard slot. Provides accelerated gaming graphics, CUDA/OpenCL processing and additional HDMI/DVI outputs to drive multiple monitors. 

    To do this most users only need to set System configuration->Device configuration expresscard slot from Generation 1 to Generation 2 as shown below:

    Gqc0Oho.jpg

    A NVidia GTX460/560/660/670 is a straight plug-n-play implementation on a 2570P when using Windows 7, though Win8.x is problematic (src: here). Win8.x users may consider doing a UEFI installation instead which resolved error12 and gave hotplug capabilities as noted here.

    An AMD card, GTX650, GTX750, GTX9xx or older NVidia cards require a DSDT override and (maybe) DIY eGPU Setup 1.x interposer software to eradicate error 12 that prevents their functionality. See the 2570P DSDT override details if using one of these cards.

    Implemented on a 2570P at x1.2Opt speed (5Gbps + compression) using a NVidia GTX670 (jacobsson), GTX660Ti (Tech Inferno Fan), GTX560Ti (bjorm), GTX660 (dewos), GTX560Ti (hatoblue), GTX650Ti (phillofoc)

     

    Above: simplified HP 2570P eGPU installation process instructions courtesy of T|U user badbadbad


    Performance upgrade: storage

    Extra hotswappable 9.5mm (2.5") HDD/SSD added through Optical-Drive Bay (SimoxTav) or newmodeus. 
    US$18 optical drive faceplate replacement part
    2570P RAID-0 SSD guide (jacobsson) - get superfast bootup and 1GB/s sequential reads by configuring two SATA-III SSDs as a RAID-0 vol
    US$4 eSATAp cable - connect to your SATA HDD/SSD to the 2570P's eSATAp (combo SATA+ USB 3.0) port for superfast bootable storage.
    FAQ about optical drive space saver: can it's faceplate be used on other ODDs/caddies? Answer: no/yes.

    System mod: LCD upgrade

     

    The supplied LCD is a 12.5" single-LVDS TN panel,  HP P/N 685504-001 which is a AUO B125XW02 V.0 or Samsung LTN125AT02 with relatively narrow viewing angles and around 45% gamut.


    X220/X230 IPS LCD retrofit with wide viewing angles: failed attempts by bjorm and pandaleo due to insufficient clearance
    higher-resolution panels: not possible as HP has confirmed 2570P has only single-LVDS wired per details

    System mods: cooling and fan quietening

    Recommended reading - INFO: Tech Inferno Fan findings on improving 2570P cooling system

    Notebook FanControl - easier to configure than TPFanControl. Can set 2.5% (2825 rpm)-100% (5120 rpm) manual fan control or temperature-based rules. Nice. Though because there isn't a 2570P configuration item I use a HP 8560P or ZBook 15 instead.
    troubadix's TPFanControl allows software fan step control though doesn't alter the cut-in RPMs which bjorm says is 3072rpm
    quiet_fan: 2x1N4004 diode mod (bjorm) & : reduce fan RPMs including cut-in RPMs
    heatsink mods: by Tech Inferno Fan's (copper-stack), Aikimox, bjorm & jacobsson's 'Anarchist' - improve heat transfer to reduce fan activity or host a 45W i7-quad comfortably
    bjorm's holey bottom cover mod - improve airflow

    System mod: BIOS inc WLAN/WWAN 

    Unfortunately the 2570P bios is RSA protected. Flashing a modified BIOS that say disables the WWAN whitelist results in system failing to boot. Nobody has successfully created a modified bios. REF: bios-mods.com. 

    WLAN/WWAN/Bluetooth whitelist : IDs of cards that the BIOS will allow boot with.
    Confirmed Intel 6235 working in 2570P - it's between 0.5W to 1W more efficient than the stock Intel 6205 (M3ph15t)
    Non-whitelisted Intel/Atheros WLAN works: Intel 1000, 5100, 6235 and Atheros AR5B91 all work as "Test WLAN" cards with BIOS F.41/F.42
    F.44 bios confirmed by HP to have no WLAN whitelist
    BIOS dumps at hpfocus.com : extensive Elitebook (inc 2570P) bios dumps. Here's the two files discussed of interest: 68ISB16.F34.rar (F.34 dump - unlock flash descriptor with WIN+[left arrow]+[right arrow] then flash using fptw64.exe utility). 
    NbDmiFit-2.03.zip (DMIFit - initialize the computer information(S/N, P/N, etc.) 
    Emergency recovery: if you have a flash go wrong
    http://forum.techinferno.com/general...html#post26529 : Press WIN+[left arrow]+[right arrow] during poweron to unlock the flash descriptor

    WWANDOS - HP WWAN whitelist writing tool


    Tweaks: overclocking and extending battery life

    Khenglish's 2570P BCLK overclocking ME FW - allows increasing BCLK by 4.8% using XTU software, eg: i5-3360M 2.8Ghz -> 2.93Ghz
    Battery life tweaks inc 33% longer 2570P battery life by enabling ASPMs and L0s L1 using software

    MISC info

    WLAN-USB: Wiring the WLAN USB pins to the docking connector to enable WLAN Bluetooth (BCM94352AC+BT4.0) [invait53]
    INFO: Retrofitting webcam to non-webcam model
    Correcting Production Information Incorrect bios halt screen (eg: system board, product name, serial, SKU, family)
    Using a ramdisk for browser cache (phillofoc) : to extend battery life
    WWAN whitelist workaround. As a BIOS mod is not possible, enthusiastic individuals could mask then internally re-route the WWAN USB pins (36,38) to either the expresscard or docking connector USB port. Yes, soldering would be required. REF: 2560P schematic for pinouts.

    unbridged tracks on 2570P WWAN socket are mSATA but no BIOS support : info on how the mSATA can be enabled on the WWAN socket 
    weight loss : how to lighten the 2570P using a weight saver instead of the optical drive, lighter AC adapter, + more.
    Hackintosh works on 2570P: Mac OSX Mountain Lion (10.8.5) confirmed working minus wifi on a 2570P.
    Hackintosh works on 2570P #2 : Newer Mavericks 10.9 working on a 2570P. 
    HP '820 G1' backlit keyboard retrofit : unimplemented experimental howto
    Obtaining an expresscard blank: how to order a replacement if lost yours, getting a optical bay space saver in the process
    HP HS2340 WWAN module: using it on a non-HP notebook
    HS2340 WWAN module: fixes for dropping connections (HP forums)
    Systemboard photos : closeup photos by pandaleo
    Win7 fix for brightness hotkeys ceasing to work after sleep-resume cycle (phillofoc)

    Acknowledgements: a cast of many 2570P and other T|I users contributing to this thread. Thank you.



    12.5" HP Elitebook 2570P review from 51nb.com

    Tech Inferno Fan comments: Below is 51nb.com's Chinese-to-English translated 2570P review. notebookcheck have done a extensive review too. There's another English version review of the HP EliteBook 2570p posted that has some great coverage. 

    Almighty business The HP EliteBook 2570p evaluation (source: 51nb.com)

    Business this traditionally has a the impertinent game video of the mainstream computing power, With the notebook full access IVB era, equipped with the latest the IVB architecture processor of Commerce this performance has been further enhanced. HP recently introduced the ProBook and EliteBook series of new business in this latest IVB platform positioning flagship model EliteBook 2570p continuation of the the HP business of the excellent design, including black TrackPoint, fingerprint reader, 180 degrees opening and closing angle, backplane Free tools demolition, today let us through a detailed evaluation of the article to understand the business of the new features under this all-around.
     

    002520007.jpg


    HP EliteBook 2570p hardware configuration: Intel IVB i5 3210M processor, 4GB DDR3 1600 single-channel memory, 500GB 7200 rpm mechanical hard drive, Intel HD 4000 Core graphics, detailed parameter configuration table with reference below.
     

    Hewlett-Packard (HP) 2570p (B8Z45PA)
    Operating system Preloaded with Windows 7 Professional Edition
    Processor frequency Intel IVB i5 3210M
    Processor description Dual core four threads, clocked at 2.5GHz, Turbo accelerates to 3.1GHz, TDP 35W
    Memory descriptor 4GB DDR3 1600
    Hard to describe 500GB, 7200 rpm mechanical hard
    Drive type DVD burner
    Screen description 12.5 inches, 1366x768, 16:9 dimming wide viewing angle, thin screen
    Graphics chip Intel GMA HD 4000 (Core Graphics)
    Wireless LAN 802.11b/g/n (300Mbps)
    Refers to take keyboard Pointing stick, touchpad (multi-touch), full-size chocolate keyboard
    Data interface 2 USB3.0, 1 a USB2.0/eSATA dual-use interface, VGA, power, keyhole, DisplayPort, docking station port, RJ-45/RJ-11 interface, Smart Card, ExpressCard, SD card reader.
    Body Material Magnesium alloy
    Body weight Bare metal 1.96kg, travel 2.415kg
    Body size 300mm x 209mm x 27mm


    Appearance and interface: magnesium alloy body business interface

    ● The appearance and use of materials

    High strength material to the positioning the flagship of Commerce this will build the fuselage, the HP EliteBook 2570p body adopts high-strength magnesium alloy, with silver surface grinding process, with strong metal texture and also can effectively prevent fingerprint residue . 2570p whole shape design very low-key, nor around the rounded handle the current popular to abandon fashion elements only for the professional business.
     

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    HP 2570p magnesium alloy body with a high degree of robustness

     

    002520019.jpg
    Lithium battery using the HP 2570p randomly equipped the kyphosis design, this is tantamount to increase the width of the fuselage, but large-capacity lithium battery can also bring more endurance.


    ● Body thickness
     

    002520030.jpg
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    2570p rear fuselage thickest approximately 34.25mm, and the front of the fuselage of 30.95mm, thickness or normal the Almighty business this machine who can design more expansion interface.

    ● Extended Interface
     

    002520009.jpg


    Almighty business this has a very well-equipped business interface design, the HP 2570p fuselage front end does not design any expansion interface, and most of the area of the rear fuselage, while lithium batteries occupy, but the left and right sides of the battery is still VGA, and dual USB3.0 interface.
     

    002520010.jpg


    HP 2570p expansion interface design more concentrated in the fuselage left and right ends of the left side of the fuselage interface follows the power, RJ-45, RJ-11, DVD drive and Smart Card, the right side of the fuselage interface from right left turn for notebook lock the docking connector eSATA/USB2.0, DisplayPort, headphone / microphone, SD card reader and ExpressCard. View 2570p expansion interface is very well equipped, even the old RJ-11 interface has also been retained, two USB3.0 plus a USB2.0 also be able to meet the demand for the use of the most of the time, although 2570p DisplayPort interface , but the lack of a more mainstream HDMI interface looks a little regret.

    ● portability
     

    002520028.jpg 002520029.jpg


    The HP 2570p bare metal weight of 1.96kg, travel weight of 2.41kg, this weight is quite normal for a performance mainstream business of the Almighty metal.

    Chapter Summary: HP EliteBook 2570p on the body design is very introverted, magnesium-alloy high-strength material can effectively protect the safety of the fuselage, the surface layer of matte treatment has a good anti-fingerprint effect. More normal body thickness and portability. Interface, in addition to 2570p with HDMI outside the flagship business of the proper mainstream interface connected to the docking station can further enhance scalability.

    12.5-inch matte screen spill-resistant keyboard display and manipulation:

    ● Screen
     

    002520013.jpg


    HP EliteBook 2570p with a 12.5-inch LED matte screen resolution is 1366x768, 12.5-inch mainstream is also the business of the frequently used screen size, actual use, and 13-inch screen is not much difference. The matte surface is indispensable for high-end business, which can effectively prevent the glare caused by the interference of the human eye while enhancing the notebook display. The actual use of the process, a good piece of screen display, more accurate color reproduction, viewing angle of approximately 150 degrees left and right direction.
     

    002520012.jpg

    HP EliteBook 2570p with alloy hinge sunken shaft the screen high fastness, 2570p screen the maximum opening angle of more than 180 degrees, which is also an important high-end business logo.

    ● camera 
     

    002520015.jpg


    HP EliteBook 2570p HD Webcam settings on the screen just above the right there with a protective cover keyboard lights when not in use can be turned off the protective cover to prevent dust and moisture from entering.

    ● control experience 
     

    002520018.jpg


    HP 2570p is equipped with a high-touch black chocolate spill-resistant keyboard, the key processes and key spacing design is very reasonable, prolonged beating also be able to maintain a good feeling. Although this keyboard does not have a backlight function, but by means of the camera to the right of the keyboard lights in low light conditions and accurate identification keys. This as the flagship business, let your hands do not leave the area of the keyboard to move the cursor pointing stick natural essential 2570p black the TrackPoint design in the middle of the keyboard position.
     

    002520020.jpg


    2570p touchpad uses the same metal grinding treatment, feel comfortable, precise positioning on the below the the four shortcuts resistance are very small, the key sound is also very light. Up and down two shortcuts used with the TrackPoint, the bottom two and trackpad for use with two combinations, allowing those different habits.
     

    002520021.jpg
    2570p biometric fingerprint reader design in the lower right corner of the C surface

    002520022.jpg 002520023.jpg


    2570p the upper right corner of the keyboard area wireless network switch, three shortcuts for fast Internet access and volume switch, the top left corner of the keyboard area is only one power switch the C surface design is also very simple.

    ● scalability 
     

    002520014.jpg


    HP 2570p backplane support tool-free, only need to the bottom of the fuselage on the left of the power / the the backplane combo demolition the switch Wang Zuoce poke can free tool to tear down the backplane, this design is very humane, users either upgrade your hardware or clean-up The dust will become very convenient.
     

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    HP 2570p disassemble tool-free chassis internal body details

    002520025.jpg 002520026.jpg


    HP 2570p memory slots and hard drive slot details, including hard disk slot portion with a unique HP 3D DriveGuard protection technology, the fuselage impact on the effective protection of hard disk data.
     

    002520027.jpg

    2570p also provides mSATA interface, users can increase their own SSD to improve the overall performance.


    Chapter Summary: HP 2570p with a piece of business of the common 12.5-inch LED matte screen resolution mainstream 1366x768, the screen maximum opening angle of 180 degrees or more, fully meet the demand for business use, in addition with black TrackPoint and keyboard lighting, full-size chocolate spill-resistant keyboard can bring very good handling experience. Scalability using unique backplane Free tools demolition design, 2570p hardware upgrade or clean up the dust are very convenient.

    Hardware and performance: IVB i5 3210M with HD 4000 nuclear

    ● Processor
     

    002520041.jpg


    HP 2570p using an Intel architecture IVB i5 3210M processor, using the X86 field is currently the most advanced 22nm process technology, dual-core four threads, 6MB cache, the default clocked at 2.5GHz, Turbo Boost up to 3.1 GHz, TDP 35W.

    ● Memory 
     

    002520037.jpg


    Terms of memory, 2570p using a single 2GB DDR3 1600 high-speed memory, timing 11-11-11-28, read speed 11794MB / s, write speed to 12462MB / s read and write speed or capacity can good deal with day-to-day use demand, can increase a 4GB memory 8GB dual-channel, the whole performance there will be a certain level of improvement.

    ● wPrime 
     

    002520042.jpg


    wPrime is a notebook processor performance testing software, 2570p using the i5 3210M 32M and 1024M test results were 16.911 seconds and 584.833 seconds, leading the older generation i5 2430M approximately 10%.

    ● CINEBENCH 11.5
     

    002520036.jpg


    Another common CINEBENCH 11.5 test software, the HP 2570p CPU single core performance 1.15pts, multi-core results 2.71pts previous generation i5 2430M approximately 10% ahead of the same.

    ● Graphic
     

    002520040.jpg


    Business notebook graphics capabilities are not very high, HP 2570p CPU integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 Core graphics card, core frequency of 650MHz, memory frequency is 800MHz, and meet the business office is not a big problem.

    ● Hard 
     

    002520039.jpg


    HP 2570p with a 500GB 7200 rpm Hitachi mechanical hard drive, this hard drive in HD Tune Pro test a minimum transfer speed of about 45.4MB / S, the maximum transmission speed is about 103.0MB / S, the average transfer speed of approximately 79.0 MB / S, HD Tune graph when the read test is also very stable. The 2570p Similarly with HP 3D DriveGuard hard disk protection technology, the fuselage by the impact of the big efforts to advance locked hard disk to protect data security.

    ● PCMARK 7
     

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    In the the professional machine performance testing software PCMARK7, 2570p total score of 2819 points.


    Chapter Summary: HP 2570p using the latest IVB i5 3210M processor, the default 2.5GHz, 3.1GHz high frequency has a very mainstream performance Turbo 4GB DDR3 1600 memory also able to meet the complex business-use environment. 500GB 7200 RPM high-capacity mechanical hard drive with HP 3D DriveGuard hard disk protection technology, the data is very safe.

    Cooling capacity, endurance test, evaluation Full Summary

    ● Heat 
     

    002520011.jpg


    HP 2570p using the bottom into the wind, the wind out of the right side of the fuselage cooling mode, use should pay attention to the right hand mouse and the distance of the fuselage, so as not to vent hot air right impact. 2570p Here's the specific thermal performance test.
     

    002520035.jpg 002520034.jpg
    The temperature of the surface of the conventional standby fuselage C (left) and D surface (right)

    002520038.jpg
    To use AIDA64 Let 2570p processor and graphics card to run at full capacity 30 minutes

    002520032.jpg
    Full load for 30 minutes after the fuselage C surface temperature

    002520033.jpg
    Surface temperature of the full load for 30 minutes after the body D


    We can see through the professional thermal imager: conventional standby mode (room temperature about 26 degrees) 2570p body C face maximum temperature was 34.4 degrees, the position appears in the upper left corner of the touchpad, the maximum temperature of the D surface outlet was 38.5 degrees, the position appears on the right side of the fuselage, the whole, fairly good 2570p cooling capacity in standby mode; conventional 2570p fuselage C surface temperature of 36.8 degrees after 30 minutes of full load, D surface The maximum temperature of 59.2 degrees C, the highest temperature of the surface D are located near the main outlet the HP 2570p full load cooling capacity is the same impressive.

    ● Endurance Test 
     

    002520016.jpg
    HP EliteBook 2570p standard lithium battery capacity 11.1V 62Wh

    002520043.jpg

    Screen brightness to 50% and turn on WiFi, then turn on the power-saving mode the last HP 2570p estimated 7 hours battery life under Windows 7.

    002520019.jpg


    Evaluation Summary: HP 2570p has a very high degree of sturdy magnesium alloy body, coupled with a biometric fingerprint reader, spill-resistant keyboard 3D DriveGuard hard disk protection technology, the internal body as well as the hard drive information can be effectively protected . The opening angle of over 180 degrees screen, mainstream and complete business interface design, IVB platform performance, excellent hardware configurations make this machine demonstrated a deep skill, backplane tool-free is a big bright spot, users can easily upgrade hardware or screwdriver to clean the dust. This model priced at about 10,500 yuan, the positioning and the ThinkPad T430 is similar, if you do not intend to into the black, then this HP EliteBook 2570p is also a very good choice.

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