Computers Packing Heat!

On the previous Tuesday we saw what naming schemes are used by Intel processors and what they mean for us users. They range from the comparatively low powered U processors to the demanding HQ. Their use cases vary widely ranging from internet browsing to 3-D rendering. As much as we would like it to, the story just doesn’t end here. No we don’t have another plethora of names to discuss with you, but what we do have is a discussion that greatly affects the design and configuration of a laptop or a desktop. What I am talking about is heat dissipation or, what it is commonly referred to as, TDP (thermal dissipation point).

Now what is TDP?

TDP or thermal dissipation point is the maximum amount of heat that a CPU can produce. This TDP can be seen from the spec sheet of every CPU. I could give you a round figure but they vary greatly from one generation to another.

Why does this vary with generation you ask? Well as we already know that processor manufacturers have always been in the race of faster, better and more efficient processors, and for this purpose managing heat is paramount. The more heat a processor is exposed to, the more its life will reduce. Processors operate in the Gigahertz now because of the fact that processors operating on this frequency can now efficiently manage the heat output produced by operating at such a high frequency. So to make the processors faster each successive generation, the companies have to manage the heat that comes with all that speed.

A temperature of 100 degrees Celsius is considered to be the upper boundary after which the CPU automatically slows down (thermal-throttle) to cool itself. As mentioned earlier, the age of a processor varies exponentially with the temperature, so Intel assigned a limit of 100 degrees Celsius at which it will provide an acceptable life expectancy. But it should be noted that among users it is advised that a processor should not be allowed to reach that limit and should be cooled enough to keep the temperature around 80 degrees Celsius under realistic heavy loads.

So what do we have to do with it?

Well the answer should be simple, companies make laptops and they should know how to manage the heat, right? Well yes, but they don’t. A good thermal design that aligns well with the aesthetics is a rare sight to see. Gaming laptops are fat and heavy, they might appeal to a gamer but to a professional it is nothing short of ugly. A business laptop on the other hand is sleek and light and appeals to the eye. One might think of one superior to the other solely based on looks but all of that heft and size is there for a reason.

Large fans and well designed heat sinks are the main focus of gaming laptops that have to deal with the heat output of those processors and Graphic cards. They make no compromises when it comes to performance and maintain their maximum speed (most of the laptops do, even gaming laptops have bad designs) even under intense loads.

Business laptops on the other hand are designed for portability not performance so their designs reflect that focus.

Let us consider the case of the recently released Macbook Pro 2018. You can look at all the benchmarks online and also find out how much of a big deal the thermal issue of that device was. In their defense they recently released a patch that fixes the issue and allows the processor to operate better but one should note that the i9 processor that floats near its base-clock has so much more potential than it is shown to have in this Macbook. The dell xps 15 also uses top of the line, energy hungry processors but does not compromise on performance as much as the Macbook pro 2018 does.

The Macbook pro is thinner than the xps 15 and that is reflected in its performance. A laptop can be almost as thin as it wants but that has trade-offs that a company has to manage to properly cater the needs of the people they are aimed at.

Conclusion:

So bottom line, what should we do to select the best laptop for us? Well running a synthetic benchmark is a very valid test, it puts a heavy strain on a laptop so that we might be able to gauge its thermal performance but being in Pakistan we are aware that is a miracle to find a shop that will allow running such a test. Our advice therefore is to watch reviews. Many youtube channels are dedicated to reviewing laptops and they provide very useful information and insights into the pros and cons of a laptop. So choose well because the prettiest is not always the best.