Hello all, I'm looking to upgrade the GPU on my M15x laptop and I have several questions regarding how mobile GPU's work (or GPUs in general) as I don't know very much about them at all.
First, I understand how CPUs of a certain socket require a motherboard of a matching socket to work, are GPUs similar in this respect? For example, will a certain motherboard only support certain GPUs or does the motherboard just need a PCI(e) slot?
What about mobile GPUs? Can any discrete mobile GPU be swapped for another discrete mobile GPU? If that is not the case, what restrictions are in place to prevent this from happening. From the mobile GPUs that I've seen, the only thing that seems drastically different are the heatsinks, and I understand this as there are many different laptop designs out there and therefore there must be many different, form-fitting, heatsinks.
What upgrade possibilities are there with an Alienware M15x equipped with an NVIDIA GT 240M?
Where can one buy mobile GPUs? I cannot seem to find any retailer who sells them and I have a strong distrust for Ebay. Does Dell/Alienware sell parts to owners of Dell/Alienware systems and would I be able to order from them?
If instead you know of a good source of information on mobile GPUs that may answer many of these questions, please let me know (I like to read).
Thanks!
Reply 1 : M15x GPU Upgrade Questions/GPU Questions
Alright lemme break it down for you:
Yes Alienware machines are highly upgradable. You can upgrade to (listed in order of performance):
5730, 260m GTX, 280m GTX, 285m GTX, 460m GTX, 5850, 5870 and 6970m although the last one is still experimental.
Places you can get them: the market place has them every now and them, ebay and phoning up Dell and requesting for one, the only options provided by Dell are the 460m GTX and 5850, 5870 and 6970m cards are hard to get if you tell them that you have a M15x as Dell offer them in other laptops. You can also go to mxm-upgrade.com for the 6970m.
Like desktops, the graphics cards you buy must be in MXM 3.0 type B format. I have basically listed all the cards that are offered in that format besides the 470m GTX (which had some problems) and the 480m and 485m cards which are too demanding in terms of power draw.
Heatsinks should fit fine. If you want to change, remember to have thermal paste and pads
Hope this helps
Yes Alienware machines are highly upgradable. You can upgrade to (listed in order of performance):
5730, 260m GTX, 280m GTX, 285m GTX, 460m GTX, 5850, 5870 and 6970m although the last one is still experimental.
Places you can get them: the market place has them every now and them, ebay and phoning up Dell and requesting for one, the only options provided by Dell are the 460m GTX and 5850, 5870 and 6970m cards are hard to get if you tell them that you have a M15x as Dell offer them in other laptops. You can also go to mxm-upgrade.com for the 6970m.
Like desktops, the graphics cards you buy must be in MXM 3.0 type B format. I have basically listed all the cards that are offered in that format besides the 470m GTX (which had some problems) and the 480m and 485m cards which are too demanding in terms of power draw.
Heatsinks should fit fine. If you want to change, remember to have thermal paste and pads
Hope this helps
Reply 2 : M15x GPU Upgrade Questions/GPU Questions
Arent the pads already on the heatsink
Reply 3 : M15x GPU Upgrade Questions/GPU Questions
Yeah but just in case. The GT 240m has fewer memory chips and heat sink contacts so there may be a lack of them. And the pads Dell offer are pretty bad. Not that I've changed mine. It's up to you.
Reply 4 : M15x GPU Upgrade Questions/GPU Questions
Thank you very much!
One last question then, where can I find Dell's phone number to call and inquire about an upgrade to, for example, a 460M?
Again, thank you. I had searched for this information for quite some time (I must've just not really know what to search for) and had come up empty, this was quite helpful.
One last question then, where can I find Dell's phone number to call and inquire about an upgrade to, for example, a 460M?
Again, thank you. I had searched for this information for quite some time (I must've just not really know what to search for) and had come up empty, this was quite helpful.
Reply 5 : M15x GPU Upgrade Questions/GPU Questions
so when going from 5730 to 5850 do i have to worry?
Try 1-800-254-3692 and just ask for what you want
Try 1-800-254-3692 and just ask for what you want
Reply 6 : M15x GPU Upgrade Questions/GPU Questions
I don't think going from a 5730 to a 5850 is a problem
@Kicki I've never called Dell and even if I did I'm in the UK so the number is different. There are plenty other people in this forums that have done so. I think it's just the customer service number you call to make a purchase.
@Kicki I've never called Dell and even if I did I'm in the UK so the number is different. There are plenty other people in this forums that have done so. I think it's just the customer service number you call to make a purchase.
Reply 7 : M15x GPU Upgrade Questions/GPU Questions
I called Dell this evening, ordered the 5850 and will even have in house service to intsall it!
Reply 8 : M15x GPU Upgrade Questions/GPU Questions
Lucky, I asked if they could install it, and they said no. So now im stuck asking all of these questions on how to do it
Reply 9 : M15x GPU Upgrade Questions/GPU Questions
Was 100.bucks more, but I know nothing about having them installed.
No comments:
Post a Comment