Notebook vs Desktop Input Lag

[tmfwy]

Hi

I know this is about notebooks but the topic is more apt in Hardware Clinic

I have never been able to explain it and was wondering if anyone knows the exact reason why there seems to be an input lag on a notebook, when compared to a desktop

I always felt that a notebook seems to always be slower than a desktop ( In general terms, even for productivity apps, when pressing keys on the keyboard ), to general UI navigation in Windows. Basically, in general, a notebook cannot compare to the speed of a desktop in Windows UI Navigation and general usage.

It feels to me, there is a 0.5s input lag on notebooks as compared to desktops
This applies to regular HDD PATA SATA, SSD normal / NVME, whether it is a cheapo notebook or top of the line ROG notebook, whether notebook is connected to external screen or external keyboard / mouse.

It isn't a matter of defragging the HDD or resetting windows.
It is not a matter of processor / graphic card slower than desktop.
In general, a notebook is always slower than a desktop, even if a notebook is fresh with nothing installed

I've always wanted to satisfy my curiousity as to why this is so, so here i am asking:
Can anyone tell me what is the proper explanation for the above?

 

[wwenze]

Can't answer coz never encountered it.

 

[commach]

You are comparing a truck load of bloatware laden laptop with a DIY clean installation desktop or running the laptop using the battery without high performance on the battery setting?

My S$3xx Ideapad laptop with clean installation run just as fast as my bloatware laden HP desktop.

 

[tmfwy]

You are comparing a truck load of bloatware laden laptop with a DIY clean installation desktop or running the laptop using the battery without high performance on the battery setting?

My S$3xx Ideapad laptop with clean installation run just as fast as my bloatware laden HP desktop.

EH, i got standard leh

FULL CLEAN INSTALL with minimal Drivers
Win 10 is easy.

Chipset Drivers and at most gfx drivers as wWin10 settles most other drivers.

I'm saying in general. Architecture wise.
Until now, i still cannot understand why i am detecting a ms latency in laptops compared to Desktops

Was using my ROG G750 as a daily then swapped to MSI, then swapped to Elitebook then swapped to Inspiron, Sony and Zenbook before back to my G20 and DIY. All on defaults ( Desktops on Power Saving mode actually )

I was rather surprised that i am still getting this lethargic feeling on laptops, as it was there during the Real Laptop 286 days, C2D also got, Centrino, Atom and then current crop.

Always want to know why but till now, dunno

 

[yusoffb01]

Use usb keyboard

 

[tmfwy]

Use usb keyboard

Have been using USB Keyboard and mouse.

 

[ArcticCheetah]

There is a difference between Desktop and Mobile Processors, it is how aggressive P-state of CPU changes.
Mobile Processors are by default less aggressive than Desktops rightly so because they need to conserve power.

 

[Rock-kun]

EH, i got standard leh

FULL CLEAN INSTALL with minimal Drivers
Win 10 is easy.

Chipset Drivers and at most gfx drivers as wWin10 settles most other drivers.

I'm saying in general. Architecture wise.
Until now, i still cannot understand why i am detecting a ms latency in laptops compared to Desktops

Was using my ROG G750 as a daily then swapped to MSI, then swapped to Elitebook then swapped to Inspiron, Sony and Zenbook before back to my G20 and DIY. All on defaults ( Desktops on Power Saving mode actually )

I was rather surprised that i am still getting this lethargic feeling on laptops, as it was there during the Real Laptop 286 days, C2D also got, Centrino, Atom and then current crop.

Always want to know why but till now, dunno

My guess is that Intel's power saving features are acting up, as they should be. You do know that what Intel and AMD advertise as their processors' base frequency is actually not their base frequency?

Example: the i7-6600U on my notebook is advertised with a base frequency of 2.6GHz and a boost frequency of 3.4GHz. But on Linux, I can actually lock all four threads to operate only at their minimum speed of 400MHz at all times, regardless of the load on it. On high workloads at such speeds, the input lag on my laptop becomes very apparent. Removing the lock and allowing the processor to adjust its frequency on-demand (or locking all four threads to their maximum frequencies) eliminates the input lag altogether at the cost of a toasty laptop burning away at the battery's charge. But I've gotten so used to working on Linux with four threads locked at 400MHz that the input lag hardly even bothers me anymore nowadays.

I'm not sure whether WIndows allows frequency locking, but there must surely be similar power saving mechanisms in place to throttle down the processor's speed aggressively.

 

[Hailgod]

do u even realise what 0.5ms is? even a 15ms latency isn't noticeable but you can somehow measure 0.5ms with your eyes

Sent from Xiaomi REDMI NOTE 4 using GAGT

 

[tmfwy]

do u even realise what 0.5ms is? even a 15ms latency isn't noticeable but you can somehow measure 0.5ms with your eyes

Sent from Xiaomi REDMI NOTE 4 using GAGT

i think i meant to say 0.5s

 

[Hailgod]

0.5s is way too big. probably just your imagination. ive been using laptops for years and have never felt anything like that.

 

[tmfwy]

0.5s is way too big. probably just your imagination. ive been using laptops for years and have never felt anything like that.

Could be

I know there is a noticeable difference, that there is an input lag between a notebook and a desktop, but i cannot put a figure to this. Been around since the 286 Lappy days and when using a lappy and a desktop, a desktop will always feel zippier ( Talking about Windows UI ).

Maybe its just me, but i always noticed a slight lag in notebooks, that is not present in a comparable desktop ( ram / hdd / ssd..etc )

There is a difference between Desktop and Mobile Processors, it is how aggressive P-state of CPU changes.
Mobile Processors are by default less aggressive than Desktops rightly so because they need to conserve power.

This is a plausible explanation

 

[wwenze]

Well you work in video... Shouldn't you have a way to measure lag

Lag un GUI from slow I/O access on the other hand... But that's why differentiating between different lags is key. We're not talking about mouse or keyboard input lag here right?

 

[alannn]

Hi

I know this is about notebooks but the topic is more apt in Hardware Clinic

I have never been able to explain it and was wondering if anyone knows the exact reason why there seems to be an input lag on a notebook, when compared to a desktop

I always felt that a notebook seems to always be slower than a desktop ( In general terms, even for productivity apps, when pressing keys on the keyboard ), to general UI navigation in Windows. Basically, in general, a notebook cannot compare to the speed of a desktop in Windows UI Navigation and general usage.

It feels to me, there is a 0.5s input lag on notebooks as compared to desktops
This applies to regular HDD PATA SATA, SSD normal / NVME, whether it is a cheapo notebook or top of the line ROG notebook, whether notebook is connected to external screen or external keyboard / mouse.

It isn't a matter of defragging the HDD or resetting windows.
It is not a matter of processor / graphic card slower than desktop.
In general, a notebook is always slower than a desktop, even if a notebook is fresh with nothing installed

I've always wanted to satisfy my curiousity as to why this is so, so here i am asking:
Can anyone tell me what is the proper explanation for the above?

Very glad you brought up this topic!! I been deciding to replace my desktop with a decent laptop for months. Reason been I planning to travel more with my work in the laptop, so no point upgrading a desktop.My current desktop is a 5-6 year old i7 3770 and recently i tried connecting my surface pro 3 i5 to external monitor, kb and mouse and worked on it to simulate a desktop environment, but its no where near the desktop experience.

Been eyeing on a i7 7700HQ or i8 8550U with discrete graphics laptop, but worry I may still not get that desktop experience. Believe all the I/O to monitor and external HDD do contribute to some of the lag.

 

[shadey]

Almost all notebooks I have used in general usage are as fast as desktop PCs.

Main difference is the screen. If you have a super cheap screen you may get up to 0.1s input lag.

But my MSI gaming laptop is faster than my friend's gaming desktop, even in general bootup, software loading, etc - and we are both on nvme m.2

 

[eric3743]

Have been using USB Keyboard and mouse.

Best to connect to USB 2.0 port only for keyboard and mouse, etc.

Not on USB 3.0 port.

 

[windwaver]

EH, i got standard leh

FULL CLEAN INSTALL with minimal Drivers
Win 10 is easy.

Chipset Drivers and at most gfx drivers as wWin10 settles most other drivers.

I'm saying in general. Architecture wise.
Until now, i still cannot understand why i am detecting a ms latency in laptops compared to Desktops

Was using my ROG G750 as a daily then swapped to MSI, then swapped to Elitebook then swapped to Inspiron, Sony and Zenbook before back to my G20 and DIY. All on defaults ( Desktops on Power Saving mode actually )

I was rather surprised that i am still getting this lethargic feeling on laptops, as it was there during the Real Laptop 286 days, C2D also got, Centrino, Atom and then current crop.

Always want to know why but till now, dunno

Set everything to aggressive for power management? Your battery will run flat very fast though.