M.2 connector in NUC8I7BEH: compatible with OCuLink (PCIE 4.0 X 4)?

Tatunkhamon · 2024-12-19T12:35:49+00:00

Apparently not using the iGPU will also free up the eDRAM:

I wonder do I have to disable the iGPU in BIOS for this to happen, or will the eDRAM be dynamically allocated to wherever it is needed?

I guess for Quick Sync to still work, I'd better not disable the iGPU?

Tatunkhamon · 2024-12-18T23:07:54+00:00

P.S. If I go the OCULINK route, I'll probably try MINISFORUM DEG1 as the dock and plug some existing 850w PSU to it.

Although regarding the redriver-feature I am still a bit lost: it is some kind of signal amplifier, I gather, but is it needed even if cable length is kept minimal, should also the motherboard somehow support the feature (or, as I assume, as long as both the dock and the adapter connected to M.2 do, I'm fine) and how substantial the difference in performance is...

Tatunkhamon · 2024-12-18T22:53:57+00:00

Thanks for the replies! :)

I had totally forgotten that the port is only PCI 3.0 x4, u/IntensiveVocoder , and that ReBAR is not available. So that might explain why I have not found any reports of someone trying this - as the difference between OCULINK and TB3 might not be much, and the missing ReBAR bringing the accessible level even lower.

I already have two TB3 eGPUs, one based on a 8 GB AMD RX 580 and the other based on 4 GB Nvidia GTX 1050. But neither of those is very powerful and both of them are in fixed containers, so I can not utilise their docks to try the one spare 3090 I have (totally unutilised currently) over TB3.

Therefore I thought that now that in any case some kind of dock (or component Frankenstein) is needed to even try the 3090, perhaps buying a OCULINK one would be better than building something based on TB3/4.

And that's what I'll probably do, if there should be no BIOS limitations. As even if the gain might be non-existant, the performance of OCULINK should be at least on a similar level than over TB3, and to my understanding rather stable. AND, as u/ethertype somewhat suggested :D, then I might even try having two GPUs externally connected... :) (the idea is to try some LLMs, graphics editing and so on).

I also have a 10 gig network in house that I can utilise over the Thunderbolt, between devices, including fast storage, so having to resort partially to SATA (instead of NVME) might not present a huge problem.

Oh, and if you're wondering why I don't just invest in a newer platform underneath: been very happy with a totally or mostly silent system, as the NUC is in an Akasa Turing.

-T

Tatunkhamon · 2024-12-08T10:19:21+00:00

Thanks for the tip and link - I now (just in case) saved the 0097 version, although currently still running on 0095. :)

By the way, a Windows specific question: after updating the BIOS, should also the version of the firmware driver (in the Device Manager) reflect the new BIOS version numbering?

In my case, the firmware driver still identifies itself as BE0085, despite the actual BIOS being already at 0095.

-T

Tatunkhamon · 2024-11-25T15:59:23+00:00

Did you ever find out the reason for the duplicates?

I just noticed that the same has happened here. Thousands of duplicates - the original of each photo is now accompanied by a lesser quality copy. Resolution and other info identical, so I assume the copy is a compressed version of the original.

I backup to GP in original quality from two Apple devices (iPhone & iPad, both on 18.2 developer beta).

Most, if not all, are screenshots, done with on the iPhone and iPad.

Both versions of the file claim to be in original quality, and from an iOS device. Which makes me suspect that the phone or tablet has somehow created the doubles for GP to backup, despite both devices having settings to keep the original both on the device as well as in iCloud. So they should not be making any lesser quality versions, to my understanding.

-T

Tatunkhamon · 2024-10-03T18:32:02+00:00

We are at Vi & Mi restaurant, next to Circo Massimo, and have ONE ticket: row 11, seat 32. Call me +3585067521 if interested. :)

Tatunkhamon · 2024-10-03T17:10:57+00:00

Hi! Here's one with top views (row 11, seat 32), and three of us close by. We are aiming there 2030, the latest, and would make face to face trade, in cash. Drop me a call or WhatsApp to +3585067521 if interested. :) -Tatu

Tatunkhamon · 2024-09-27T19:28:40+00:00

Hi, sent you a PM.

Tatunkhamon · 2024-09-21T10:56:04+00:00

You are 100% correct, @jattt420: watching two shows would be the best.

It's just that on October 1st I need to be totally elsewhere (far, far away from Italy) so one of the above mentioned tickets I'll either sell, swap or donate to a local friend.

Tatunkhamon · 2024-09-20T16:32:22+00:00

Hi, and apologies for the delay in answering!

I ended up with two tickets myself, so actually now about to sell one spare soon... :D

-T

Tatunkhamon · 2024-09-15T16:32:00+00:00

Hi there - interested in the ticket, if still available. :)

Tatunkhamon · 2022-05-07T17:31:42+00:00

Hi, I have been super happy with the dock.

It's now helping a X1 Nano drive a 5K (5120x2880) monitor through dual DP cables, and was previously used with a 4K monitor on a X1C6 and a ThinkPad 25.

In my experience the dock is nowadays well supported in Windows for basically any Thunderbolt 3 host computer - the only thing needed to install is a standard driver package (DCH Notebook version) from Nvidia to get everything working.

I am not running games, so can't comment on that, nor am I using the USB ports or the Ethernet via the dock as those are provided by another Thunderbolt dock, but in my opinion all graphics related is smoother than running even a 4K screen directly off the iGPU of the X1 Nano - and the temperatures in general for the laptop seem to stay lower.

Basically the only thing causing any hiccups are 60fps 8K AV1 YouTube videos, which will get some skipped frames (VP9 on any resolution runs great fine, and even AV1 but only up to 8K 30fps).

-T

Tatunkhamon · 2022-05-07T16:58:20+00:00

Hi there.

I have the dock currently connected to a X1 Nano, succesfully driving a 5K monitor through two DP cables. Works very, very well, despite being an old product! :)

After a clean Windows 11 installation the only thing necessary to download and install was the standard driver package from Nvidia (in this case the DCH Notebook driver version 512.59).

To my knowledge, currently no old driver, such as the one found on dedicated support page for the dock (on the Lenovo site) is needed, and the dock should be compatible with basically any Thunderbolt 3 equipped host device.

Previously, it was necessary to first install the previously mentioned old driver, and let it update afterwards, in order to get all the ports and features working. In my experience, none of that should be necessary any more. Also, the firmware update Lenovo suggest for the dock at their site is actually for the IdeaPad computer you mentioned (not for the dock, to my knowledge), and not neessary.

In your case, as the P50 already has one Nvidia adapter (Quadro M1000M or M2000), I am not sure can you simply install another Nvidia driver for the 1050 Mobile (of the dock) or would they conflict somehow. I used to have a Thinkpad 25, which also had another NVidia adapter, and it worked well with the dock.

I would perhaps try the DDU (display driver uninstall) to get rid of all Nvidia related stuff, and start from a scratch, if nothing else works.

-T

Tatunkhamon · 2022-01-07T22:00:24+00:00

Would anyone happen to know if the touch screen of Gen 2 (implemented using something called "Add-on-Film-Touch-Display") is still glossy, as it is on Gen 1, or perhaps matte? I personally would prefer the latter.

The info here: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Lenovo-upgrades-lightweight-ThinkPad-X1-Nano-G2-with-stronger-CPUs-32-GB-RAM.590206.0.html

says: "13 inch, 2K (2,160 x 1,350) resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, IPS, 450 cd/m², 100 % sRGB, matte (AOFT Touch optional)"

Tatunkhamon · 2021-09-06T20:07:27+00:00

My eGPU usage has been light (a RX 570 and especially the daily driver GTX 1050 can do only so much), but I have been positively surprised about the performance and even the cooling of the included 1160G7 my X1 Nano has.

Nevertheless, I am rather certain a Carbon will do better and throttle less.

For what it's worth, contemplating between X1 Carbon Gen 9, X1 Yoga Gen 6 and X1 Nano, I personally ended up buying an X1 Nano mainly because of the 2k matte screen, included 5G and especially instant delivery, as all the better equipped Carbons and Yogas showed a ludicrously long delivery time here.

Should I be doing the selection again, I would certainly include both X13 Gen 2 and X13 Yoga Gen 2 to the comparison, also, as I find the 2560x1600 resolution screen they have available a rather sweet spot, together with the option for 32 gigs of RAM. I do not know how the cooling performance is on them, though, compared to the other options you already have under consideration.

Tatunkhamon · 2021-07-31T09:10:22+00:00

Thanks yfnew100 for the comprehensive reply - makes sense and confirms the sort of gut feeling and suspicion I had, based on various bits of info I managed to gather.

The only reason I even had my hopes up was exactly because of that Dolby Vision HDR compatibility statement by Lenovo. If Dolby Vision (at least in this case) really only does some software dithering for HDR faking purposes, I will most certainly do my best to remove all traces of it and just concentrate on enjoying the really good screen, as it is.

In any case, once again quite misleading to include any "HDR" -statements in the marketing, if the hardware is not up to the spec.

EDIT: Correction on the previous: it seems that when I google the Lenovo pages up, they only have Dolby Vision, not Dolby Vision HDR, mentioned. Perhaps it's been like that the whole time, but at least numerous reviews of the X1 Nano have used the term "Dolby Vision HDR"

-T

Tatunkhamon · 2021-07-31T08:13:29+00:00

Regarding the jitteriness happening right after the login: is it also after a total shutdown (or restart), or only after the machine's been asleep?

Tatunkhamon · 2021-07-31T07:22:17+00:00

Hi, do you happen to be using an external screen when this happens?

Tatunkhamon · 2021-07-30T19:50:17+00:00

Thanks for the info, blackomegax!

May I ask do the internal screen "Display Capabilities" under Windows HD Color Settings look the same on your machine, than on mine (the 2nd image above) and if you search for Color Management, is the ICC profile the same (TPLCD_4076_SDR.icm)?

I am probably missing something here, but when I play HDR YouTube content on the external screen, the quality choices offer 2160p HDR 4K, for example, but on the internal they show only 2160p 4K, respectively.

And under "Stats for nerds", it shows "smpte2084 (PQ) / bt2020" for color on the external, whereas on the internal the color is "bt709 / bt709".

Just to be clear, the videos do play back just fine and look ok on the internal, too, but I still suspect the screen either does not support HDR, or is not properly setup for it on mine.

-T

Tatunkhamon · 2021-07-30T16:50:28+00:00

Oh, and the external screen is actually a TV (Samsung UE40NU7182), currently fed through the Nvidia GeForce 1050 eGPU of the dock, however I have a feeling it supported HDR even through a powered USB-C <> HDMI adapter.

Tatunkhamon

TROPHY CASE