Is my laptop just not fast enough?

[adrynalyne]

 

From the very first, plain as day, it IS the freakin hardware.

You have downgraded your computer. That is a fact.

Can it be tweaked to be the best piece of crap that it can possibly be? Of course. Have you already wasted far to much time doing that? It's a matter of opinion. You can close your eyes and wish really hard upon a falling star and everyone else mesmerized by the mystery of Youtube in this discussion can join you on this Harry Potter quest, but that won't move the rank of your CPU one index point. 

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmark-List.2436.0.html

 

 

Keep preaching.

I have a Spectre x360 and it feels as fast if not faster (it boots 10 faster) than the quard core i7 with 16GB of ram it replaced.

Both have SSDs.

He just needs an SSD. 

 

It is easy to recommend a different machine when it isnt your money.

[DevTech]

Strange it still feels slow on a clean install. It is a powerful machine. More powerful than mine and this thing is lightning fast. Windows 10 boots in 4 seconds. SSD read is 540MB/s and write 520MB/s. It runs everything I have thrown at it great. I don't game so the older gpu isn't an issue for me and it can do 1440p60 video playback over displayport with zero dropped frames.

Your CPU is slightly faster than his CPU.

You have double his RAM.

And most significantly, you have a very fast Samsung SSD compared to his ancient technology laptop hard drive spinning at 5400 rpm.

By what stretch of the imagination are you thinking his laptop is more powerful than yours?

[DPyro]

Try running this program.

[DevTech]

Keep preaching.

I have a Spectre x360 and it feels as fast if not faster (it boots 10 faster) than the quard core i7 with 16GB of ram it replaced.

Both have SSDs.

He just needs an SSD. 

 

It is easy to recommend a different machine when it isnt your money.

If I am preaching, I am simply trying to point out the plain old reality of his hardware. And simple fact appears to be unable to surmount the incredible amount of "fantasy thinking" in this thread.

I am not trying to tell him what to do with his money. He just purchased this unit and therefore has the chance to argue with Best Buy for a store credit against a new model which has been known to happen.

Of course all his problems would most likely vanish with a new SSD but that pushes the total financial outlay of his new laptop plus a new SSD up into the price point I recommend people start at for best value so it is plain unclear to me how he can best make use of his money.

I have already earlier in this thread linked to the service manual so he can install a new SSD. It looks like it can take one of the new fast M.2 drives:

https://www.neowin.net/news/samsung-launches-its-fastest-ssd-up-to-4-tb-storage-options-coming-next-year

"Users will need to have a desktop or a laptop which has a M.2 PCIe slot in order to use the 950 PRO SSD. The PCIe Gen.3 x4 specification offers significant improvement over the traditional SATA interface used by other SSDs"

If you examine the steps in the service manual, the SSD option might not be so attractive to a person unfamiliar with hardware. I'm sure you or I could slap in a new SSD in 15 minutes and move on to the next thing. For the OP, he may want to explore all of his options but if he could stay away from the "needs a Harry Potter Magic Wand" options, that would be an improvement over the show so far...

 

 

[DPyro]

If it supports M.2, I recommend getting this one. I put one of these in my Thinkpad W541.

[DevTech]

Keep preaching.

I have a Spectre x360 and it feels as fast if not faster (it boots 10 faster) than the quard core i7 with 16GB of ram it replaced.

Both have SSDs.

He just needs an SSD. 

 

It is easy to recommend a different machine when it isnt your money.

http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/Laptops/hp-spectre-x360---13-4102dx-(energy-star)#!&TabName=specs

Assuming you purchased the i7 model, you have the same CPU as the OP. (and the same RAM)

So your 512 gig mSATA SSD would be the difference. So your setup is a great comparison for the OP if he wants to try installing a SSD.

Out of curiosity, what make and model of SSD did HP use in yoiur Spectre?

I absolutely hate boot times as any sort of benchmark or "feel" to compare computers since in my case I rarely boot computers and that particular user experience has been gamed and tweaked to the extent that I no longer trust it as any (useful) indication of hardware performance. (Although if you boot a lot, it becomes a great indicator!)

So I'm actually curious if you still have your old laptop, if you could compare something like loading Visual Studio between the 2 units. Your old one should be faster.

 

[adrynalyne]

 

http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/Laptops/hp-spectre-x360---13-4102dx-(energy-star)#!&TabName=specs

Assuming you purchased the i7 model, you have the same CPU as the OP. (and the same RAM)

So your 512 gig mSATA SSD would be the difference. So your setup is a great comparison for the OP if he wants to try installing a SSD.

Out of curiosity, what make and model of SSD did HP use in yoiur Spectre?

I absolutely hate boot times as any sort of benchmark or "feel" to compare computers since in my case I rarely boot computers and that particular user experience has been gamed and tweaked to the extent that I no longer trust it as any (useful) indication of hardware performance. (Although if you boot a lot, it becomes a great indicator!)

So I'm actually curious if you still have your old laptop, if you could compare something like loading Visual Studio between the 2 units. Your old one should be faster.

 

Correct, it is comprable which is what I am basing my recommendations on.  HP is using a Samsung PM851 drive. The slot also supports PCIe, but I'm waiting/hoping prices drop.

 

I do have my old one. I'm unsure if I still have Visual Studio installed on it. For point of reference, this laptop launched VS 2015 Enterprise in 6 seconds. My i7-5960x 32GB DDR4, 512GB SSD workstation opened it in 5.

 

 

[Royalty]

It is easy to recommend a different machine when it isnt your money.

 

You're totally right.

[Royalty]

Okay everyone.

 

This is what I'm going to do. I'm either going to upgrade my hardware or I'm going to sell this laptop and get a new one. If you tell me to go with the first idea, please tell me which is the "best" one for this computer for a faster speed; faster than my old laptop and obviously faster than this one. If you're going to tell me to go with the second idea, please recommend me a laptop that's under $1000 that's faster than my old one and this new one. Thanks!

[DevTech]

 

You're totally right.

For clarity, my only postion from the start was that the issue was obviously hardware.

There are only two options and the OP was reluctant to install a SSD (rightfully so with ZERO experience) so I explored new laptop options as well but was certainly not preaching anything other than it needs a hardware solution.

Our wonderful software runs on real hardware, not pixie dust!

 

[Royalty]

 

For clarity, my only postion from the start was that the issue was obviously hardware.

There are only two options and the OP was reluctant to install a SSD (rightfully so with ZERO experience) so I explored new laptop options as well but was certainly not preaching anything other than it needs a hardware solution.

Our wonderful software runs on real hardware, not pixie dust!

 

Can you please recommend me a good SSD? Thanks.

[Mindovermaster Moderator]

Can I ask what you are excepting out of it that is not meeting your expectations? Is it only YouTube?

[DevTech]

Okay everyone.

 

This is what I'm going to do. I'm either going to upgrade my hardware or I'm going to sell this laptop and get a new one. If you tell me to go with the first idea, please tell me which is the "best" one for this computer for a faster speed; faster than my old laptop and obviously faster than this one. If you're going to tell me to go with the second idea, please recommend me a laptop that's under $1000 that's faster than my old one and this new one. Thanks!

The current "sweet spot" price for a general purpose laptop is around $1500 which gets you in a range of CPU from OK to fast, RAM from 8 gig to 16 gig, LCD from IPS FHD to 4K and SSD from 128 gig up to a fast 512 gig M.2, GPU from Intel to NVIDIA 970m and where any item lands in the ranges depends on how "thin and light" it needs to be.

So, $1,000 will get a serious downgrade in one or more of those items.

So, the obvious choice is to take the existing unit which represents an existing $1,000 and add a M.2 drive of 256 to 512 gig

 

[DevTech]

 

Can you please recommend me a good SSD? Thanks.

Almost any M.2 will be fast. Also within a line-up the larger sizes are faster and stay faster for a longer period of time due to a larger pool of over-provisioning. You can also "extra" over-provision a bit yourself when you install the drive. So again larger the better.

Any new Samsung with the 3D thingy tech would be my pick. Their new Flash RAM reverses the recent trend of horrible write-lifetime a bit.

 

[DevTech]

 

Can you please recommend me a good SSD? Thanks.

 

Fast:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147399

Faster:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147349

Fastest:

(OK, I might need to change my position on Pixie Dust because I think Samsung must have used some on this model.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147426

(Also: need to get detailed HP specs to confirm their M.2 implenentation accepts the PCI-e 3.0 4 lane pathway of the Samsung 951)

 

Edited September 28, 2015 by DevTech
spec note on 951

[Royalty]

 

Fast:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147399

Faster:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147349

Fastest:

(OK, I might need to change my position on Pixie Dust because I think Samsung must have used some on this model.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147426

(Also: need to get detailed HP specs to confirm their M.2 implenentation accepts the PCI-e 3.0 4 lane pathway of the Samsung 951)

 

I'm interested in this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147399

 

Like you said, you needed the HP specs. Not sure where I can go to find it. The OP has the link to the Best Buy page as it is "only sold at Best Buy". Also, I'm not sure if it's compatible and how do you install it? Thanks.

[adrynalyne]

You can find them on the HP site. You may not have an m2 slot as your drive is sata.

[DevTech]

 

I'm interested in this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147399

 

Like you said, you needed the HP specs. Not sure where I can go to find it. The OP has the link to the Best Buy page as it is "only sold at Best Buy". Also, I'm not sure if it's compatible and how do you install it? Thanks.

The Samsung 850 uses older technology than the 950 so it will work fine in any M.2

 The service manual tells you how to install it.

I would suggest following the instructions right now and open the unit to the point that you can take out the existing hard drive so you can get a good look at the M.2 connector. Just in case they saved .1 cents by not soldering it in. If its there, order the M.2 Samsung 850, if it's not, order the normal SSD Samsung 850

And by doing this now, you will have done most of the work and will have confidence in the result.

 

[DevTech]

You can find them on the HP site. You may not have an m2 slot as your drive is sata.

I linked the service manual pdf a few pages back...

It remains to be seen if HP saved a penny by removing the M.2 socket for some models.

Time to open up the beast and see. And it wins the "Stupidest way to access a hard drive" award but at least it's possible over the new super thin things that just glue it all together in an unmaintable mess.

One day these types of discussions will vanish into history...

 

[adrynalyne]

I linked the service manual pdf a few pages back...

It remains to be seen if HP saved a penny by removing the M.2 socket for some models.

Time to open up the beast and see. And it wins the "Stupidest way to access a hard drive" award but at least it's possible over the new super thin things that just glue it all together in an unmaintable mess.

One day these types of discussions will vanish into history...

 

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04341936.pdf

It appears to have an M2 slot. What is unknown is if it supports PCIe like the Spectre.

[Royalty]

 

The Samsung 850 uses older technology than the 950 so it will work fine in any M.2

 The service manual tells you how to install it.

I would suggest following the instructions right now and open the unit to the point that you can take out the existing hard drive so you can get a good look at the M.2 connector. Just in case they saved .1 cents by not soldering it in. If its there, order the M.2 Samsung 850, if it's not, order the normal SSD Samsung 850

And by doing this now, you will have done most of the work and will have confidence in the result.

 

 

I linked the service manual pdf a few pages back...

It remains to be seen if HP saved a penny by removing the M.2 socket for some models.

Time to open up the beast and see. And it wins the "Stupidest way to access a hard drive" award but at least it's possible over the new super thin things that just glue it all together in an unmaintable mess.

One day these types of discussions will vanish into history...

 

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04341936.pdf

It appears to have an M2 slot. What is unknown is if it supports PCIe like the Spectre.

 

Okay, sorry guys. I don't really understand here so you're going to have to bear with me here.

 

What should I do right now before I order the SSD? Thanks.

[adrynalyne]

 

 

 

 

Okay, sorry guys. I don't really understand here so you're going to have to bear with me here.

 

What should I do right now before I order the SSD? Thanks.

Get an M2 sata SSD to play it safe.

If you want to play even safer, get a sata SSD (standard 2.5").

[DevTech]

 

 

 

 

Okay, sorry guys. I don't really understand here so you're going to have to bear with me here.

 

What should I do right now before I order the SSD? Thanks.

Follow the steps I already outlined.

 

The Samsung 850 uses older technology than the 950 so it will work fine in any M.2

 The service manual tells you how to install it.

I would suggest following the instructions right now and open the unit to the point that you can take out the existing hard drive so you can get a good look at the M.2 connector. Just in case they saved .1 cents by not soldering it in. If its there, order the M.2 Samsung 850, if it's not, order the normal SSD Samsung 850

And by doing this now, you will have done most of the work and will have confidence in the result.

 

Anything said since that post by various people was just confirming it but using different words which came out confusing perhaps

If you had wanted to go with the faster Samsung 950 then some research would have been prudent. But the 850 that you selected uses the same interface as a normal SSD which the motherboard has to support for sure. (but it is still a very fast drive)

1. So no matter what, you need to open the laptop. So do it now. Before you order anything

2. With your own eyeballs, verify the M.2 socket exists. The service manual says it does but sometimes manufacturers will remove parts to save money.

2-A. If you see a spot for the M.2 near the hard drive you might be in luck and can add a new M.2 and still keep the current hard drive for extra storage.

2-B. If you can't see the M.2 socket near the hard drive, remove the hard drive per service manual instructions and see if the M.2 socket shares the same space as the current drive. It is also possible when you unplug the currrent drive there will be an adapter plug so that they both would use the same socket. You will find out.

3-A. If you find a M.2 socket then order the M.2 version of the Samsung 850

3-B. If there is no M.2 socket then order the normal looking SSD version of the Samsung 850

---------------------

Open the laptop now. You can keep it open until the new SSD arrives if you have another computer to communicate here.

Get a container with a cover that kids/dogs/cats could knock over to hold all the screws.

Get a piece of paper and sketch a big rectangle and then label which screw goes where as you remove it.

Make sure you have the screwdrivers listed in the service manual. You might not have small Torx ones but if you live in a big city near a decent computer store you can buy a kit of small Torx for $5 to $8. Cell phone stores might have them but they charge too much for everything...

Have a magnifying glass handy.

Be insanely gentle around the ultra thin ribbon cable from the motherboard to the LCD and don't move anthing in a way that could stress that connection.

Previous gen laptops had a nice panel on the bottom where you popped two screws to upgrade the laptop. 17" drives often had two of these convenient bays. You are embarking on a journey to half-dissasemble your laptop just to change the hard drive! So be proud of this step into hardware land and snap a photo or two or twenty as you go along.

 

[sc302 Veteran]

Before ditching the laptop that seems to be spec'd pretty good, try to remove as much crap ware from the laptop.   You may see great speed increases. 

 

Hp loads their consumer laptops with a ton of software you either don't use or will expire. Try uninstall the bloated antivirus for starters. 

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

 

Oh, sorry, I was looking at the Multiprocess Windows.

 

Well I found out it was an addon that was causing YouTube to do that. But I still feel like my computer is slow. Uhh, sucks.

while nothing's going to fix the hardware, you could also make sure that your laptop's drivers are up-to-date. if it's missing the chipset drivers, for instance, then the computer will feel very slow. That, or perhaps intel put out a newer chipset driver for windows 10 - idk, just guessing.

you can do a manual search on Intel's driver website, or run the Driver Update Utility to have it scan.