Question NVIDIA RTX 3050 vs GTX 1650 - Which laptop GPU is quieter?

[mgistr]

I need to choose between a config with a GTX 1650 or RTX 3050. Same laptop spec (Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro). I have zero interest in gaming and would gladly go with an internal GPU if that were available but that would mean waiting 6 weeks as opposed to 2 days. I don't trust Lenovo that much.

Current laptop (ASUS) has an RTX 2060 with a noisy GPU fan. Hardly ever goes quiet even when I manage to get the CPU fan to quiet down. That's the main reason I'm replacing it.

I thought the more powerful GPU would be louder but online reviews seem to imply the 1650 is actually quite noisy. Would really appreciate thoughts from actual users. I just want a laptop that runs very quiet.

 

[jpiniero]

Does it have Optimus? Then it almost doesn't matter since you should be able to turn off the dGPU completely. Or you could underclock/undervolt the dGPU.

I'd get the 3050.

 

[mgistr]

Does it have Optimus? Then it almost doesn't matter since you should be able to turn off the dGPU completely. Or you could underclock/undervolt the dGPU.

I'd get the 3050.

I'd rather not have to underclock etc. I prefer something that works out of the box.

 

[Tech Junky]

Doesn't really matter, it's how you set the fans profiles. If you don't change things to be custom you'll always end up with a jet engine situation. Sometimes it's in the BIOS and other tines it's an app.

 

[lakedude]

There is already a big long thread full of suggestions on how to quiet down the OP's old computer which I assume were not successful to his satisfaction. He does not want to take a chance on being able to possibly quiet down a new computer, he just wants it to be quiet out of the box.

That said I'm not sure rushing to buy a computer is a great idea. Given the requirement of quiet I'd want to make darn sure the new laptop was as silent as it needs to be.

Was the 2060 laptop always loud? You might be sucking up dust/lint by having your laptop on a soft surface.

Given the desire for quiet a fanless system seems like the best option for a guaranteed quiet system...

It is totally possible to watch/stream high quality video on a fanless system thanks to hardware 264/265 decoders. My phone can do it at 5 watts or so.

I'd hate to see money spent on a second laptop that was also disappointing.

 

[Tech Junky]

You might be sucking up dust/lint by having your laptop on a soft surface.

I never thought about that until I was modding a few things and pulled out some hairballs it has collected in the fins around the fans. Definitely something to check. Did it make a difference? Who knows.. piece of mind though knowing it won't kill the fans due to the resistance added by the obstruction.

Quiet/ silent makes me think of the lower power Intel EVO options. Venturing into the "books" that aren't for gaming by any means. It's a bit Confucius to think gaming / quiet though.

 

[lakedude]

It's a bit Confucius to think gaming / quiet though.

I'm not sure gaming is a requirement. He says an iGPU would be fine.

...I have zero interest in gaming and would gladly go with an internal GPU...

 

[Tech Junky]

Then EVP setups would be better than aiming for an RTX based laptop.

Shop Intel® Evo™ Laptops

Meet the Intel® Evo™ platform, a new fleet of powerful sleek laptops with 13th Gen Intel® Core™ processors and Intel® Iris® Xe graphics.

www.intel.com

Just pick some preferences and go from there.

 

[Tech Junky]

Should also be noted ADL versions are coming soon as well as the new ARC based GPU's

 

[lakedude]

I'm just going to say it. Seems crazy to pay extra for a video card you don't want especially when such a card will increase the chances the system will be louder.

 

[lakedude]

Regarding dust and lint, I have a small, quiet, oil-less compressor from Harbor Freight that is great for filling up tires or blowing out laptops.

I was taking them apart to clean them but a few quick blasts of compressed air does the trick, no disassembly required.

 

[Tech Junky]

Yeah, air blasts for what I found wouldn't have gotten into the fins enough to dislodge what hair was found in there. It was more of a hairball situation. It was tucked between the fins / fan and some plastic film shroud and took some force to get it all out of there.

Planning on a new 12700H/3060 personally and hopefully a slightly different chassis design will keep some of that out or I might add a tighter mesh inside the bottom of the case when I Frankenstein it together from a bare bones order to a full blown system including converting the panel to UHD / mini-led. goal being not having to swap it out quite as soon unless something major happens in the realm of laptops when it comes to the tech crammed into them.

 

[lakedude]

Yeah, air isn't going to help with knotted up fibers/hair/etc..

 

[mgistr]

I'm just going to say it. Seems crazy to pay extra for a video card you don't want especially when such a card will increase the chances the system will be louder.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions. Really appreciate them.
I also worried I was overreacting but when the keyboard keys on my current PC started giving up, I decided I'd had enough. It's gotten to the point where I'd rather use my phone than my laptop. And this is coming from someone who loves his numpad.

 

[mgistr]

Then EVP setups would be better than aiming for an RTX based laptop.

Shop Intel® Evo™ Laptops

Meet the Intel® Evo™ platform, a new fleet of powerful sleek laptops with 13th Gen Intel® Core™ processors and Intel® Iris® Xe graphics.

www.intel.com

Just pick some preferences and go from there.

Thanks, I'll check these out. I did consider the option of fanless laptops but I didn't see any that caught my fancy. Perhaps because I was mentally comparing with the M1. Unfortunately I'm not a fan of the Apple OS, just the hardware.

 

[mgistr]

Thanks, I'll check these out. I did consider the option of fanless laptops but I didn't see any that caught my fancy. Perhaps because I was mentally comparing with the M1. Unfortunately I'm not a fan of the Apple OS, just the hardware.

Going through Reddit posts and I'm clearly not the only one with this requirement. Doesn't look promising though.

 

[Tech Junky]

You'll never be alone in wanting the best option for you. There's a reason laptop OEM's make 50 different models per CPU release. Also, different price points have different features.

For me to spend on an upgrade I have a couple of key features I'm looking for 12700H / 3060 / TB4. From there ripping it apart and putting in the additional items I want is easy for me.

For you though a P series CPU / ARC GPU might be all you want for quiet surfing and maybe working on some docs. Intel released ~50 different options with ADL from top of the line to ultra efficient options. It might take some digging to find the right mix of features and aesthetics. If you've thought of it I'm sure companies have too and other people have probably posted a similar desire.

 

[lakedude]

Apple does a great job in this space. We have an ipad and it is just amazing, the battery lasts forever. I hate it but it is amazing...

12th gen Intel stuff should be on the cusp of coming out. Big efficiency gains were made over previous generations which should make low power/quiet laptops much better.

Regardless you are going to be trading a gaming/desktop replacement sports car of a laptop for a Prius. It is going to be slower but more efficient/quieter.

 

[mgistr]

Apple does a great job in this space. We have an ipad and it is just amazing, the battery lasts forever. I hate it but it is amazing...

12th gen Intel stuff should be on the cusp of coming out. Big efficiency gains were made over previous generations which should make low power/quiet laptops much better.

Regardless you are going to be trading a gaming/desktop replacement sports car of a laptop for a Prius. It is going to be slower but more efficient/quieter.

Lol. Considering I don't plan to be doing any street racing, a Prius should be more than adequate for my use case.

About to push the button on an LG Gram 16 - quiet, numpad, large screen, but I'm a bit worried about the speakers.

 

[lakedude]

but I'm a bit worried about the speakers.

Bluetooth!

 

[igor_kavinski]

About to push the button on an LG Gram 16 - quiet, numpad, large screen, but I'm a bit worried about the speakers.

LG Gram 16 review (Gram 16 16Z90P - Core i7, 16:10 display)

The LG Gram 16 is one of the few large-screen ultrabooks currently available in stores, a computer that offers the lightweight construction, portability,

www.ultrabookreview.com

Poor audio. Gotta compromise on something.