Buyer Beware: NVIDIA MX250-powered Laptops Shipping With Two Different Product SKUs, Vast Performance Delta

[Raevenlord]

Much like NVIDIA's MX150 graphics cards before them, the new MX 2250 have been silently separated into two different SKUs. The difference, which is almost impossible to tell by comparing two MX250-powered solutions in a brick-and-mortar store (let alone in an online marketplace), can only be differentiated via their version ID (unless the vendor specifies what wattage version they're using, which isn't very likely). A low-power, 10 W MX250 carries the '1D52' ID, while the faster, 25 W rated part carries the '1D13' identification.

The power envelope difference on these parts means that performance is being gated at the clock speed level, and if the MX250 SKUs go any way close to their MX150 predecessors, we're looking at some 30% difference between parts. Now, if vendors do discriminate which version they've installed - the 10 W or the 25 W one - then all is good - the consumer knows what he's buying (or at least has the info to do a quick Google check), and manufacturers are free to choose which version to implement on their designs, whether favoring performance or battery longevity. If not, well... You should use GPU-Z on your laptop as soon as you can, because you might be carrying a 10 W part while counting on 30% more performance. And not knowing that before purchase really is a light kick in the proverbial for users, especially if it's done only via version number,s which the majority of prospective PC buyers won't be aware of.



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[fynxer]

Here we go again... nVidia really need to fix this.

They are doing it again because they can get away with it, people are not condemning this behavior enuf to get them to stop.

 

[kastriot]

It's called "Intel syndrom" nvidia got it aswell.

 

[erixx]

WTF are "performance delta" and "power envelope" for non-gurus???!!!

Don't answer, but please refrain from these "circus performances"

 

[John Naylor]

nVidia doesn't sell laptops. We have 3 used cars in the family, we all know the make and model, each has 3 sub models identified by 2 letters .... no one knows what they are. Every time I am asked to find tires or order parts no one can answer the submodel designation. I just grabbed 4 tires for my sons car and alfter looking it up no paperwork we had or indication on car identified the model. I was able to determine the model only because one of the 3 used the tire size on his car. It is not up to ANY OEM to tell the store's customer what they are getting; this is solely the store's responsibility. And yes, this is exactly the way they want want it because the confusion lets the store make money.

You will see the same thing with the QMax versions of 2xx series mobile GPUS... few store sites are identifying and some are charging more for the lower performance model which provides increased battery life.

 

[heky]

Nvidia at its best again...

 

[danbert2000]

Nvidia should have just used the MaxQ branding for telling the difference between the two products. This is going to be a big headache for enthusiasts trying to get a meager gaming performance out of a thin-and-light, and a sort of theft from the layperson who might see benchmarks on YouTube for their "new MX250" that then performs much worse. I wouldn't be surprised if the FTC could make a case that this is deceptive marketing, if the FTC wasn't under the thumb of an amoral and capricious anti-governance administration.

 

[eidairaman1]

Nvidia should have just used the MaxQ branding for telling the difference between the two products. This is going to be a big headache for enthusiasts trying to get a meager gaming performance out of a thin-and-light, and a sort of theft from the layperson who might see benchmarks on YouTube for their "new MX250" that then performs much worse. I wouldn't be surprised if the FTC could make a case that this is deceptive marketing, if the FTC wasn't under the thumb of an amoral and capricious anti-governance administration.

Bitter much?

How about you write the FTC or talk to your Senator about it instead.

 

[Caring1]

The only case of deception is by the retailers who fail to point out the difference, it is not up to Nvidia.
Retailers have a history of failing to disclose details due to the general populace being dumbarses that wouldn't know what they are buying.