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I have a Corsair ThermalProtect 12V-2x6 cable being delivered tonight from Amazon. I had ordered one of those overhyped new ASUS cables and cancelled it after reading frequent reports that they're not nearly as good as the price tag suggests. (Twice the cost of the Corsair and no better pin balancing, plus no thermal protection.) Incoming from NewEgg for the B850MPOWER living room PC is a Black with black walnut wood front Lian Li A3 and a Super Flower Combat SFX FP 1000W 80+ Platinum ATX3.1/PCIe 5.1 PSU. PSU was on sale for $149 so my price match in-store credit on the Z890 Apex made it essentially free. End up getting both items for under $100 out-of-pocket grand total.

I hear you, it’s rough out there. That thread really nails how hollow these platforms feel. I focus on small, real connections instead of chasing likes. Makes a huge difference.

Tried the force speed settings with no change. 0x993 = 03 0x997 = 03 0x99B = 00 again only improved with power cycling the whole AGA once booted to windows. I do like where you are going with the debug. To me there are better dB settings for the PCIe Gen3 lanes assigned at Win10 vs BIOS cold boot. If I can query them somehow via windows and then hard code them for every boot I would be golden.

nope havent tested those yet. ive actually just reseated the cable i was using before (Seasonic) and the current imbalance is gone, crazy how that works. i got 3 our of the 5 ordered backup cables on hand, 2 still on the way. 3 of them Seasonic, 2 from Asus.

Thank you for the suggestions. I set 0x425 = 00 with no changes in poor link status on cold boot. Perhaps it will maintain the link when laptop is suspended overnight which would be a huge improvement. I hate having to set all my programs up yet again every day.

I literally told you why I need an unlocked bios in the post, But I guess if it helps CPU upgrade to I7-8700. I have Nvidia GTX 980M. also, why are people telling me to contact prema despite you saying "prema went obscure years ago"?

Are you using the new Corsair cables with the thermal switch, or have you tested them? The original cable that came with one of my PSUs finally started having current imbalance and I will be replacing it. It's within Thermal Grizzly's default range and only throwing imbalance errors because I set lower thresholds for amp (2.0A) and percentage (25%) variance manually. It doesn't have any errors using the WireView Pro 2 default thresholds (6.0A or 40%).

That is due to a vbios mismatch with the mxm slot regarding eDP placement on the 8570w. What he needs is a custom vbios that has eDP on DP_C position of the card as that's where it is located on the mxm slot of the laptop. Most laptops have eDP on position DP_D of the mxm slot so most vbios have it set to that. He can use this Macrumors vbios for 1070m that has eDP on DP_C (that luckily exists) : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/imac-2011-maxwell-and-pascal-gpu-upgrade.2300989/page-10?post=30799977#post-30799977 I discovered this when my p3000 worked with the internal display of my zbook 17 g3 (eDP on position DP_C) once I used another "Mac compatible" vbios

Full copper GPU sink would be the way to go. Ive seen some machined ones, but never any OEM. They seem to like the Alu / berylium things we see in our machines, which are a pig to use LMP solder too. A couple of my heatsinks dissasembled at points i didnt want to undo before the point i needed came apart. KBX is working on a 1070m but hes hitting DC issues too, card works but only via DP. That said his H/sink is different to the 980M as chip heights so i dont know if there is another plate available, unless you scour Ali/Google for a 1070 sink from another manafacturer and decouple the GPU. 9xx is best for 8570W / 8770W ( well was in OEM spec) our crazy minds have gone a little bit further than that here

Hi. I bought Lenovo P51 in used conditions and I have not used it at all for long period of time. I bought it online from user, I remember I did power it on just to check if everything is okay, and it was. Yesterday I powered it on, and noticed this vertical line, which made me worried a lot. Will it worsen with time? What would be cause of it?

I’d suggest tightening your RAM timings a bit. Since your RAM is already running at tighter timings than its standard settings, I think CL18 should be easily achievable. This should noticeably reduce memory latency, and you’ll definitely see the difference in benchmarks. Going from CL21 to CL18 could make a significant difference.

0x43F3E One Of: Enable Root Port, VarStoreInfo (VarOffset/VarName): 0x98F, VarStore: 0x1, QuestionId: 0x4C6, Size: 1, Min: 0x0, Max 0x2, Step: 0x0 {05 91 CE 08 D1 08 C6 04 01 00 8F 09 10 10 00 02 00} 0x43F4F One Of Option: Disabled, Value (8 bit): 0x0 {09 07 8F 00 00 00 00} 0x43F56 One Of Option: Enabled, Value (8 bit): 0x1 (default) {09 07 8E 00 30 00 01} 0x43F5D One Of Option: Auto, Value (8 bit): 0x2 {09 07 8D 00 00 00 02} 0x43F64 End One Of {29 02} 0x43F66 One Of: Max Link Speed, VarStoreInfo (VarOffset/VarName): 0x993, VarStore: 0x1, QuestionId: 0x4C7, Size: 1, Min: 0x0, Max 0x3, Step: 0x0 {05 91 D4 08 D5 08 C7 04 01 00 93 09 10 10 00 03 00} 0x43F77 One Of Option: Auto, Value (8 bit): 0x0 (default) {09 07 8D 00 30 00 00} 0x43F7E One Of Option: Gen1, Value (8 bit): 0x1 {09 07 C6 09 00 00 01} 0x43F85 One Of Option: Gen2, Value (8 bit): 0x2 {09 07 C7 09 00 00 02} 0x43F8C One Of Option: Gen3, Value (8 bit): 0x3 {09 07 C8 09 00 00 03} 0x43F93 End One Of {29 02} 0x43F95 Suppress If {0A 82} 0x43F97 QuestionId: 0xE80 equals value 0x0 {12 06 80 0E 00 00} 0x43F9D One Of: Max Link Width, VarStoreInfo (VarOffset/VarName): 0x997, VarStore: 0x1, QuestionId: 0x4C8, Size: 1, Min: 0x0, Max 0x3, Step: 0x0 {05 91 9F 06 A2 06 C8 04 01 00 97 09 10 10 00 03 00} 0x43FAE One Of Option: Auto, Value (8 bit): 0x0 (default) {09 07 8D 00 30 00 00} 0x43FB5 One Of Option: Force X1, Value (8 bit): 0x1 {09 07 A3 06 00 00 01} 0x43FBC One Of Option: Force X2, Value (8 bit): 0x2 {09 07 A4 06 00 00 02} 0x43FC3 One Of Option: Force X4, Value (8 bit): 0x3 {09 07 A5 06 00 00 03} 0x43FCA End One Of {29 02} 0x43FCC One Of: Power Down Unused Lanes, VarStoreInfo (VarOffset/VarName): 0x99B, VarStore: 0x1, QuestionId: 0x4C9, Size: 1, Min: 0x0, Max 0x1, Step: 0x0 {05 91 75 06 76 06 C9 04 01 00 9B 09 10 10 00 01 00} 0x43FDD One Of Option: Disabled, Value (8 bit): 0x0 {09 07 8F 00 00 00 00} 0x43FE4 One Of Option: Auto, Value (8 bit): 0x1 (default) {09 07 8D 00 30 00 01} 0x43FEB End One Of {29 02} We are going to do this now: lock the AGA to PCIe Gen3 and x4 so the link speed and width cannot drop, ensuring it operates at x4 from the beginning. We will also disable Power Down Unused Lanes so the unused PCIe lanes are not powered down. 0x993 = 03 0x997 = 03 0x99B = 00 Apply these changes, then check whether the errors are reduced or not. Let me know the results so we can investigate further. By the way, are you sure the AGA cable is definitely working properly?

My friend, I want us to run a few tests together. Go into RU.EFI and check this option. If it is Enabled, disable it: ACPI D3Cold Support = Disabled Current value: 0x425 = 01 Then do the following several times: Perform a complete shutdown. Power on the laptop with the AGA + RTX 5080 connected. Check the PCIe Error Counters in GPU-Z. Run a demanding game or GPU stress test. Repeat the Cold Boot test several times. If the rate of Bad Boots noticeably decreases, that would be a strong clue that the problem is related to PCIe Power State / Power Sequencing. If nothing changes, we can change the setting back to Enabled.

Regarding the performance testing, I have the 2080 enabled and set dedicated to PhysX. Then a soft disable (in device manager) of the internal GPU. I have it documented my cold boot AGA+5080 in the AGA thread linked at bottom: I would really appreciate some help as I got a second AGA but same issue. So it appears a 5080 when used in AGA issue.

Even with the Intel graphics enabled, the laptop still displays an image. What I mean is: once you’re in Windows, open Task Manager and disable the RTX 2080. Also, run the test using an external monitor at a resolution higher than 1080p. If you test at 1080p, the CPU will become a significant bottleneck. Also, tell me exactly what issue you’re having with the RTX 5080 on your system. Maybe I can think of something that will help us fix the problem.

The Problem: Many older legacy systems (such as Ivy Bridge-generation laptops like the HP EliteBook 8570w) are completely blocked from receiving the modern Windows Secure Boot 2023/2024 certificate updates. Because these older devices have strict NVRAM variable storage limits, Microsoft programmatically flags them with an internal Known Issue block (KI_8 / Temporarily Paused) in the Event Logs, leaving the system silently unpatched or stuck in infinite update retry loops. Manual attempts often hit a brick wall with authentication or access errors due to payload targeting mismatches. What is special about this recipe: Instead of throwing your hands up or risking a system brick, this recipe bypasses the OS-level blocks by safely splitting the signed payloads and manually appending them to their exact cryptographically matched NVRAM variables (db vs dbx), managing the tight variable space perfectly. Broad Adaptability: While this recipe explicitly covers the HP EliteBook 8570w, the same fundamental principles can be adjusted to unblock other legacy hardware facing similar NVRAM or staging limitations. 100% Native PowerShell: Done entirely within standard Windows PowerShell. Zero Bloat: No third-party tools, no sketchy flashing utilities, and no dangerous BIOS modding required. Validated Cleanup: Includes a built-in verification step and a clean sweep script to unmount the EFI partition and wipe temporary footprints when finished. Below is the complete, field-tested step-by-step recipe to get your machine fully patched, verified, and reporting a clean bill of health in the Event Viewer: RECIPE Test Environment: * Hardware - HP EliteBook 8570w * Firmware - 68IAV Ver. F.71 * Operating System: Windows 11 Requirements / prerequisites: * Latest BIOS version (Ver. F.71 for HP EliteBook 8570w) * Boot mode: UEFI Native (without CSM) * Secure Boot supported and enabled * Disable BitLocker * Make sure there's a '%WINDIR%\System32\SecureBootUpdates' directory * Create directory - C:\Temp - temp one, for simplicity * Copy everything from %WINDIR%\System32\SecureBootUpdates to C:\Temp * Start 'Windows PowerShell' as Administrator (IMPORTANT: use this version only!!!) Step 1. Install SplitDbxContent in PowerShell: - Install-Script -Name SplitDbxContent -Force Step 2. Identify your exact HP KEK update file: - Run this command in PowerShell: Get-SecureBootUEFI -Name PK -Decoded - Look for 'SerialNumber' value - Go to https://github.com/microsoft/secureboot_objects/blob/main/PostSignedObjects/KEK/kek_update_map.json and find KEK file by 'SerialNumber' value above. File specified in "KEKUpdate" (ex. HP/KEKUpdate_HP_PK3.bin) - Find that file on the left and download it to C:\Temp Step 3. Update KEK by running the following commands in PowerShell: - PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "cd C:\temp; & '$HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Scripts\SplitDbxContent.ps1' C:\temp\<bin_file_from_step_2>" - Set-SecureBootUefi -AppendWrite -Name KEK -ContentFilePath C:\temp\content.bin -SignedFilePath C:\temp\signature.p7 -Time 2010-03-06T19:17:21Z - On success you should see something like: Name Bytes Attributes ---- ----- ---------- ... {...} NON VOLATILE... Step 4. Update DB by running the following commands in PowerShell: - PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "cd C:\temp; & '$HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Scripts\SplitDbxContent.ps1' C:\temp\DBUpdate3P2023.bin" - Set-SecureBootUefi -AppendWrite -Name db -ContentFilePath C:\temp\content.bin -SignedFilePath C:\temp\signature.p7 -Time 2010-03-06T19:17:21Z - On success you should see something like: Name Bytes Attributes ---- ----- ---------- ... {...} NON VOLATILE... - PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "cd C:\temp; & '$HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Scripts\SplitDbxContent.ps1' $env:windir\System32\SecureBootUpdates\DBUpdate2024.bin" - Set-SecureBootUefi -AppendWrite -Name db -ContentFilePath C:\temp\content.bin -SignedFilePath C:\temp\signature.p7 -Time 2010-03-06T19:17:21Z - On success you should see something like: Name Bytes Attributes ---- ----- ---------- ... {...} NON VOLATILE... *(Note: If DBUpdate2024.bin fails due to NVRAM space or certificate limits, check for a legacy version or proceed directly to the OROM step below).* - PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "cd C:\Temp; & '$HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Scripts\SplitDbxContent.ps1' $env:windir\System32\SecureBootUpdates\DBUpdateOROM2023.bin" - Set-SecureBootUEFI -AppendWrite -Name db -ContentFilePath C:\Temp\content.bin -SignedFilePath C:\Temp\signature.p7 -Time 2010-03-06T19:17:21Z - On success you should see something like: Name Bytes Attributes ---- ----- ---------- ... {...} NON VOLATILE... Step 5. Update DBX by running the following commands in PowerShell: - PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "cd C:\Temp; & '$HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Scripts\SplitDbxContent.ps1' C:\Temp\dbxupdate.bin" - Set-SecureBootUEFI -AppendWrite -Name dbx -ContentFilePath "C:\Temp\content.bin" -SignedFilePath "C:\Temp\signature.p7" -Time "2010-03-06T19:17:21Z" - On success you should see something like: Name Bytes Attributes ---- ----- ---------- ... {...} NON VOLATILE... - PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "cd C:\Temp; & '$HOME\Documents\PowerShell\Scripts\SplitDbxContent.ps1' $env:windir\System32\SecureBootUpdates\DBXUpdateSVN.bin" - Set-SecureBootUEFI -AppendWrite -Name dbx -ContentFilePath C:\Temp\content.bin -SignedFilePath C:\Temp\signature.p7 -Time 2010-03-06T19:17:21Z Step 6. Verify updates by running the following commands in PowerShell (each command should return 'True'): - ([System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString((Get-SecureBootUEFI db).bytes) -match 'Windows UEFI CA 2023') - ([System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString((Get-SecureBootUEFI kek).bytes) -match 'Microsoft Corporation KEK 2K CA 2023') - ([System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString((Get-SecureBootUEFI pk).bytes) -match 'Microsoft RSA Third Party PCA 2023') - ([System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString((Get-SecureBootUEFI pk).bytes) -match 'Hewlett-Packard') Step 7. Verify you have a boot loader copy properly signed with new certificates, by running the following command in PowerShell: - [System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.X509Certificate2]::CreateFromSignedFile("$env:windir\Boot\EFI_EX\bootmgfw_EX.efi").Issuer - You should get back: 'CN=Windows UEFI CA 2023, O=Microsoft Corporation, C=US' Step 8. Update bootloader by running the following commands in PowerShell: - mountvol S: /S - reg save HKLM\BCD00000000 S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD.bak /y - Copy-Item "S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi" "S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi.bak" -Force - Copy-Item "$env:windir\Boot\EFI_EX\bootmgfw_EX.efi" "S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi" -Force - mountvol S: /D Step 9. Reboot your machine Step 10. Update the Registry and certificate update task state by running the following commands in PowerShell: - Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecureBoot" -Name "AvailableUpdates" -Value 16384 -Type DWord - Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecureBoot\Servicing" -Name "UEFICA2023Status" -Value "Updated" -Type String - Remove-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecureBoot\Servicing" -Name "UEFICA2023Error" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue - Remove-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecureBoot\Servicing" -Name "UEFICA2023ErrorEvent" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue - Stop-ScheduledTask -TaskName "\Microsoft\Windows\PI\Secure-Boot-Update" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue - Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName "\Microsoft\Windows\PI\Secure-Boot-Update" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue - Enable-ScheduledTask -TaskName "\Microsoft\Windows\PI\Secure-Boot-Update" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue Step 11. Reboot your machine Step 12. If all is successful you'll have the following Information log from TPM-WMI in Event Log: "This device has updated Secure Boot CA/keys. This device signature information is included here. DeviceAttributes: FirmwareManufacturer:Hewlett-Packard;FirmwareVersion:68IAV Ver. F.71;OEMModelBaseBoard:176B;OEMManufacturerName:Hewlett-Packard;OSArchitecture:amd64; BucketId: 54e624d808a5b9fbd4f3c1d0a184eeee8a1d0d5cc7238ce8403ed6dd6053bf29 BucketConfidenceLevel: Temporarily Paused UpdateType: Windows UEFI CA 2023 (DB), Option ROM CA 2023 (DB), 3P UEFI CA 2023 (DB), KEK 2023, Boot Manager (2023) For more information, please see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2301018." Step 13. Cleanup the files by running the following commands in PowerShell: - mountvol S: /S - del S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD.bak - del S:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi.bak - mountvol S: /D - rmdir C:\Temp -Recurse -Force Note: The recipe is also attached to this message as a TXT file. HP EliteBook 8570W SecureBoot Certificates Update Steps.txt

I tried disabling them before and did not notice a change (at least in Steel Nomad) bechmarks. I am having an issue where the 5080 in the AGA does not sync up properly. I have to disable the card and unplug the AGA and plug back in once booted to windows. So i need 2080 enabled so the laptop screen works.

thats how i roll 😄 nah man, 100% hands off. WVPII totally provides peace of mind, let it run in the background and do its thing until an alarm gets triggered 🙂

I absolutely love the aesthetic of the C26, but it is too small for anything I would purpose it for. If it were large enough for a 360 AIO and full size 5080/5090 I would want one. I understand you are aiming for travel portability and that would make it too big. At the end of the day, just about anything you could build would be much better than a laptop. If you are traveling by car most of the time something like that should be fine. I can't see traveling frequently by air with something like the C26 plus monitor, keyboard and mouse, but it might work. I think I am going to be going the Lian Li A3 black all mesh with wood front route with the B850MPOWER and 3070 FTW3. Then I can use my 360 AIO inside of it. The side mount bracket for 120mm fans should really help keep heavily overclocked DDR5 thermals from going bonkers. The bracket seems to be ideally placed to blow directly on the memory. A friend at oc.net loaned me his TG delid tool and heater so I will likely delid the 270K Plus sometime before the end of next weekend. I purchased a Mycro Pro LGA1851 direct die block. This 270K Plus runs freakishly cool. I'm astonished by that and it technically does not need to be delidded running the clocks and voltage I am currently running, but I am gonig to do it anyway just because it will be better and give me more clock/voltage headroom. If I were going to run it the way I am using it now forever there would be no valid reason or benefit to delid it. Cinebench core max is like 83°C. This CPU would be perfect inside of a mobile platform with a chunky chassis for folks that still like them.

I have this Jonsbo Z20 on the shelf, but I'm going to go with the Mechanic Master C26 for the SFF portable 2026 project. Z20 = ~20.1lL vs the C26 = 13.2l. Both support mATX.The C26 doesn't support an AIO but I was going to go with the Thermalright AXP-120-X67 I have brand new on my shelf anyhow or a max height ~130mm air cooler if needed. C26 supports up to ~310mm length GPU so the GB WF OC SFF 5080 should fit as it is exactly the length of the FE edition (304mm) and ~2.5 slots wide (closer to 2 than 2.5). Specs: MC 7500X3D + Asrock B850M Combo deal MC Open box GB 5080 SFF Corsair SF1000 Samsung 990 Pro 2TB KB 2x24GB 8400 sticks Thermalright AXP-120-X67 Noctua NF-A9 x4 Noctua NF-A12x25 G2 PWM Sx2-PP Mechanic Master C26 Then it comes down to the C26 or Z20 The downsize from 20.2L to 13.1L is pretty massive..... C26 weighs 6.6lbs (3kg) vs the Z20 11lbs (5.5kg)....again in the land of portability pretty massive The entire buildout in the C26 will weigh right around the Alienware 18 + PSU or a hair less actually and more importantly open up carrying case room for wireless KB/M and a 18-23" portable display and be much quieter under load vs any gaming laptop out there along with being able to tune every component with no restrictions. This type of build allows a 5090FE to slot right in but with a 1080p or 1440p 18-23" portable display that is overkill. The idea is lock in 120-165hz solid fps on the go\ as quiet as possible. This Windforce sff 5080 is much quieter under load than my Vanguard 5090. I'll probably end up with a Noctua NF-A12 on whatever cooler ends up end game on the CPU. I don't think a tuned 7500X3D will hold back a 5080 especially at 1440p, but if I do find it is a bottleneck, I will shift my 9800X3D into it and then sort out my desktop core system again. C26: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There's that positivity!! 🤣 Good set of baseline data though to see how it fares over the coming months/year. Are you going to routinely test the connection with a firm push check from time to time or leave it completely alone and see how the integrity potentially gives up the ghost? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Curious to see your results with the A die swapped in and hopefully the warranty extension can be applied to really bring it home. There is always the chance of a poor IMC even on a laptop unit so fingers crossed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remember to pre-order your ROG 20th edition bundle to get the 20th edition 5090 Astral since it isn't being offered stand alone for only $5499.99...... "Only" $10,349.96 or $11k+ after tax.... https://eshop.asus.com/us/90yv0nf3-mvaa00-rog-astral-rtx5090-p32g-edition-20.html Don't forget you still need a CPU, memory and storage too.... might as push for a $15k build at this point....

Happy to hear from you @Daedalus! Truuue, mine is also going faster (booting, lauching app, etc). Yep! I was thinking about doing a modded heatsink with a copper plate (5mm), and then soldering the stock copper heatpipes on it , for better cooling on these type B cards. exactly, with the DC being a rare pokemon, i was also thinking about installing a new standard eDP screen on my 8570w, but i know its still not fully resolved on the forum (modded cable vs nvidia drivers vs screen whitelist vs etc, ahah), and then go for and test the newest RTX cards.

Both the Intel integrated graphics and the internal GPU should be disabled. Run the benchmark on an external monitor to get the best possible performance.

For at most 11 years I didn't buy myself a new laptop of any vendor because of the chiclet keyboard or non-hotswappable battery or both. Well, the urge of buying a small and lightweight device overweight the dissatisfaction. I didn't want to buy any of the Dell laptops specifically as I had horrible impressions of their consumer-tier series I used to see in models produced in models from 2000s. Still consider the Dell Inspiron 1300 an etalon though. So I took the risk and after a long chatter with the seller, I got the subject device. Not a Ryzen 7 based one but Ryzen 5 works fairly well for me. Of course, Windows 11 on 8 GB is a disaster and I intended to replace the bundled RAM for two sticks of 32 GB, which I did. Just a pair of Microns. Coming back to the keyboard, I bought this laptop as a replacement for my Dell Latitude 5179 2-in-1. I couldn't believe that Dell didn't screw up the keyboard per tactile experience and it felt even slightly better than the Latitude 5179 one. But making the right Ctrl key the Copilot key? Uh, that's the global trend. That sucks. Lack of 8P8C connector as well. Battery wise, 5 hours from full charge under mixed workload with some debugging in Visual Studio 2026 is a decent result for this thin thing. Wish it had USB4 so I could connect a more interesting dGPU to put the integrated graphics aside. 🤣 Successors to this laptop have RAM soldered to the board which is a crime. Unless I missed some model that is >=15" in size and may lack 2-in-1 form factor. On the peripherals, I had bought Dell PN7522W active pen which was claimed to be incompatible with this laptop. Yet it works just fine. But be careful when picking a place where to hold it against the chassis: if you do it by right hand, there is a magnetic sensor used to detect if the lid was closed. Instead, attach it by right hand of the screen part. Also there is no need to have Bluetooth connected all the time if you don't use the top button on it.

See now the problem with it being on SG mode is that games will try to launch with the intel gpu

So I was able to get it to work when I enabled SG