Hi, everyone. I’m not terribly computer savvy and I’d like some input. When I run Rhino (especially while rendering) my laptop really seems to struggle. While it does do the job, it gets hot, loud fans, etc… It’s an older laptop so I’m wondering if doing an upgrade to 1TB SSD and new fans would help? Or just go with a new laptop?
Laptop specs: MSI GS63 Stealth 8RE i7-8750H 16GB RAM 256GB SSD 1TB HDD NVIDIA GTX 1060
I appreciate any input.
Thanks for your time.
Teresa
hey Teresa,
that machine should be pretty capable unless it’s in rough shape, the hardrive is full, or you are running massive files.
it’s a little light on RAM but otherwise a solid machine.
that said new machines are pretty impressive and I’m the first to advocate for upgrading if that is reasonable within your budget.
fwiw, the new m3 macbook pros are really powerful and rhino 8 runs really well on them if you are Mac inclined.
make sure to read this thread-
Kyle,
Thanks for the reply. The hard drive is about 75% full, and most of my files are under 100,000 KB (gets really sluggish when I’m working with files over 50,000 KB).
I love Mac’s but I didn’t have a great experience running Rhino 7 on a Mac, so I’ll probably stick with a pc laptop. I might have to start looking for a new laptop~ so many choices! Too many, haha!
Teresa
Fwiw,
not an official mcneel recommendation, but designer to designer, I use Boxx machines or Titan computing machines personally.
Boxx was my go to for years, but they got really expensive lately, so my last two machines have been titans and I have been very happy with them and their customer service.
The processor you have in there is actually quite respectable still, and the GTX 1070.
I was running Rhino on an MSI GE72 Apache with a 970M until April this year, and it did reasonably well.
Though it sounds a bit labourious, one of the easiest things to try is a Windows reinstall, and then bring it to the most recent updates you can driver and security wise.
One problem with older laptops relative to new ones is the storage type. If you wanted to see if you can revive it, then move all personal files to your secondary drive, and keep only install and program files on your primary drive.
If you can wait a little longer, you could see what the new mobile-focused Intel Meteor Lake CPUs bring in December, and wait for reviews, before throwing money at it. You can probably find a good replacement with at least a RTX 4060M for Rhino, which should be alright.
One advantage that certainly you may find with a newer CPU is the break from the Skylake architecture. Even though Meteor Lake may not be all that remarkable, it should be more efficient power draw wise than Raptor Lake or Alder Lake, so hopefully cooling them will be better.
But if you chose to wait for Meteor Lake, make sure to give it a month or two to settle down and ensure Intel haven’t dropped a clanger on this all-new format. I think AMD have some good mobile solutions now too.
Thanks for your input, David. I’m actually thinking about upgrading the ssd to 1 TB, and replacing the fans (and battery while I’m at it). I’m doing some research to see how hard this is and if it’s worth doing.
running a MSI creator 17 here. (since almost 2 years)
had issue with the cpu fan at one point, it got stuck somehow and I had to move it manually(with a pin) to unstick it.
after some time the issue resolved itself though.
I recommend installing this:
https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html
keep an eye on your temperatures, and make sure your fans are actually running! (use compressed air to keep them clean)
on the left is the GPU and the CPU is on the right, when you sit in front of your Laptop.
I like the Laptop, but the internal Layout of the components is bad…
swapping components is tough and replacing the actual fans is the hardest part.
Also, it apparently it is hard to get the original OEM fans. Replacement fans often don’t spin as fast as the factory ones.
I upgraded a 2nd ssd and replaced the RAM form 32 to 64Gb. I am pretty good with tech and small parts assembly but it was still an intimidating job 
good luck!
here are some links:
best video for complete dissasembly (creator 17)
video about the fan:
video about ssd upgrade, maybe more fit to your model:
FWIW: https://www.msi.com/Laptop/GS63-Stealth-8RE/Specification
The RAM is upgradeable… but… whether it’s worth it or not…
The video card is old but I think I used the exact same one before. It punches above its weight but it’s old. Very old. I’m surprised nobody else has pointed that out because that’s more than likely the bottle neck. And why I’d be a little reluctant to suggest actually upgrading the ram.
I also wouldn’t recommend upgrading the hard drive unless it’s at or near capacity.
Like other’s I’d advocate saving your money up for a complete replacement. That’s really truly the best bang for your buck.
One thing I’m on the fence towards recommending is a cooling tray. They come in varying levels of quality (more expensive usually being thinner and quieter; cheaper one’s are usually thicker, louder, but still effective). No matter what you’re computer is going to get hot.
More processing power = more heat (relatively, older computers still got hot… but it holds true when comparing modern equipment). Packing top-end components into a laptop comes at a compromise, especially (usually, with rare exceptions) thinner profiles. When stuff gets too hot it shuts/slows things down to protect everything.
If you’re sure the heat is worse that before (and you’re not just pushing it harder) then that might be worth looking into. Paying someone to tear down your laptop, and replace/upgrade the fans however… you’re now approaching 1/4 to 1/2 the cost of a replacement (closer to 1/2 if you also buy some upgrades).
Thanks, Keith. I’m starting to think that it might just be time to upgrade my laptop.
Any suggestions specs? I’m thinking 1 tb ssd, 32 ram, intel i5 cpu. Not sure which Nvidia graphics card yet. Is it worth it to get 64 ram?
Thanks!
I want to hear a few opinions on this actually. “Gamers” are starting to trend towards 32GB (verses 16GB). With Rhino I’m under the assumption that it depends what you’re working on (maybe a file with lots of large textures?); the typical Rhino file is well under 16GB.
The issue I’m seeing so far with buying a system with 32GB is that the cost goes WAAAAAY up. Not so much because of the RAM itself but rather the fact that usually only the top end machines get the extra GB’s. I haven’t even really seen anything with 64GB ram at a reasonable price (they usually skimp on other parts like video card). Given ram is not expensive right now I wouldn’t be surprised if way more options appear in the near future.
I would definitely like to hear one of the McNeel developer’s opinions on this, and how much RAM we actually need (depending on what we are doing).
Edit: A quick skim of related topics on this forum: People have been recommending as much RAM as possible. The only catch is that they’re recommend as much of everything as possible (not really stating what’s more/less important). Maybe that’s a clue that balance is key to getting the most value?
Thanks, Keith. I find it really hard to prioritize what’s most important. Normally I would just buy the best machine possible (the Mercedes). My budget for this laptop, however, is more in the Honda Accord range.
I think it’s hard to give advice on a laptop since they vary so much in portability, and THAT impacts the cost so much. It’s like “is this actually your main computer and it only needs to be technically portable” or “do you want to actually be able to use this on a plane?” So what you’re looking at there is a typical size of machine that I’ve had couple of that’s IMO not really all that nice to lug around once you’ve got the power brick and everything, so it’s more in the former category. Presently I have an overpriced Surface that doesn’t meet minimum specs to run Rhino(I usually remote to my desktop with Parsec,) but at least if I think I might need it, it’s not a burden.
My approach is “trailing edge”. When I upgrade I create a set of “minimums”, a budget, and then start a process of elimination. Right now I’m around here:
i7 (latest two gen’s) or higher, or AMD equivalent (this is just off the top of my head).
16GB ram but I might reconsider and go with 32 if I hear something or if there’s only a marginal price increase; for now I’m prioritizing processing power and video card (I even just seen a laptop with 64GB ram and integrated graphics lol).
Higher end '30-series, or lower-end '40-series nVidia (or Radeon, but still have research to do).
HDD will be Solid State of course. I don’t need a lot of storage space so even 500GB would do.
My budget is $1,000 - 1,500 USD. I might consider buying an interm solution if I get a screaming deal on something spec’d good enough to handle R8, with the knowledge that it will be obsolete in a couple years. The utility gained from not having to fuss about might be worth spending around $500-750 USD if I can get two years out of the machine. I’m going to keep an eye on Black Friday and Boxing Day sales (although those events are not what they used to be).
Edit: More about the RAM issue: It would be nice to get 64GB but thus far I’m finding any laptop with that much RAM isn’t really “balanced”. It is either overpriced relative to the other components, or has what would likely be a major bottleneck (slow processor, weak video card, etc…). I wonder if this issue will fix itself in the coming months with the cheaper RAM.
Buying machines more frequently also gives me the advantage of taking the previous, not-so-out-of-date laptop to a construction site 
.