Possible GPU upgrade for Precision M4600

I'm not so sure about the three types of M4800 mainboards. Two, yes, but the third is kinda pointless.

I do know that the QHD+ display only works via the discrete graphics (ie. the iGPU is disabled), and is most likely on eDP. At least the three Sharp models i've found on panelook are:

http://www.panelook.com/sizmodlist.php?st=&pl=&sizes[]=1560&resolution_pixels=8560

The NotebookCheck review mentions the display is an "LQ156Z1", so that's that. I have major doubts that either this, or any of the other display options had / have RGB backlights. I'll point you to the link above - two have white LED backlights, and one has none at all.

I know some HP Elitebooks (and possibly some of the newer Zbooks) had their DreamColor RGB-backlit (expensive and power-hungry) displays as an option, with some really funky / uncommon 50-pin connector. A quick googling shows the M4600/M4700 apparently had an FHD option:

http://www.panelook.com/LP156WF3-SLB2_LG Display_15.6_LCM_overview_15861.html

I have my doubts about the M4800 though...

 

Good call on dismissing the rgb backlit nonsense, even if it happens to exist, it's not like some shady taobao vendor is going to drop one on me for a reasonable price...

It appears that my (en route) 4800 is equipped wit a crappy CMN15B1 screen (must be the older mainboard with lvds). Someone mentioned that the 077KCT is the newer edp mainboard.

I'm predicting that the rx560 will be edp, and will drive my external monitor only... However, because I don't have a QHD+ screen, I'll be able to output to the laptop screen via igp.

Back to the m4600, if the rx560 ends up being edp, then I'll probably have to stick with the m5100, as it doesn't allow the igp to drive the internal screen unless you use a nvidia card -Am I missing anything?

On another note, what do you wager the odds are on this card supporting lvds?
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=563680363603

Crazy that it costs more than the m4800 I picked up!

 

Now I'm confused again...

Per http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/m4800-owners-thread.736032/page-176

there are 2 different m4800 mainboards, but also 2 different 30pin edp cables (some of which drive fhd panels and others which drive qhd+/4k panels)... Then, there are at least 2 different lvds 40pin cables, at least one of which also drives a fhd panel.

The change to edp rolled-out around spring 2015

So, the m4600 is lvds only, right?

 

M4600 had an IPS display option, and if you selected that option you got an eDP motherboard. (Pretty sure that you could only use an NVIDIA GPU in this configuration, for this generation.)

 

Thanks! I had completely forgotten about the nicer display option that would have come with a quadro, and less desirable heatsink.

Display panel replacement turns into a rabbit hole really quickly...

 

1) Were they still making the M4800 in 2015? The model was (at least) two years old by then. Looks like the 7510 was launched in (late?) 2015, so i really wouldn't see the point in doing that.

2) In the schematics of the M4800 (the LA-9771P mainboard, at least), on the first page, there are a few mentions, one important-looking one being

"BOM P/N: 4319MF31L01(TPM HDMI LVDS)
4319MF31L02(TPM HDMI QHD)
4319MF31L03(DTP HDMI LVDS)
4319MF31L04(DTP HDMI QHD)"

"BOM" standing for "Bill Of Materials", and browsing through, there are a handful of components (including a 6-pin connector that carries some power and the two signals for the eDP "AUX" channel) that are populated only for the eDP version of the LA-9771P. Among those components are a few capacitors that couple the eDP signals (the same that go into the eDP-to-LVDS converter) straight to the 40pin connector where the cable going to the LCD plugs into.

If memory serves, the M5100 works fine and normally in the M4600. That being said, neither the M5100 nor any of the nVidia cards "output to the laptop screen via igp". I found the block-diagram for the M4600 as well. See the "LVDS MUX" in the top-right there? Where the LVDS signals from both the iGPU and the discrete one go into? That's basically a switch.

http://notebookschematic.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/10ELT13F001-C.png

There were indeed "mux-less" combinations like that, but in "lesser" laptops - i recall my previous ThinkPad E520 was one (Sandy Bridge + Radeon 6630M), and needed "special" drivers to enable the switching and whatnot.

That E9260 card, apart from being uncertain whether it works in a laptop (since it's from their "embedded" range), has basically the same chip / die as the RX560, so...

https://www.amd.com/Documents/high-performance-gpu-product-brief.pdf

 

Hrrrm -I'm basically just parroting info from more experienced folks...

On my m4600 with a m5100 installed, I am not able to utilize optimus with an amd mxm card. If I install a discrete amd gpu that doesn't support lvds, I will have no output to my laptop screen, and will only be able to use an external display. The integrated intel gpu only works with either a) no mxm installed, or b) a nvidia mxm.

The m4800, however, can (apparently) utilize switchable graphics, so, if the rx560 ends up being edp, even though my mainboard is lvds, I should still be able to use the built-in display... Right? Have I misunderstood?

Here are the pertinent quotes from others more knowledgeable than myself:

 

Well, the thing is, no matter what AMD GPU you have, you won't be able to use Optimus. Switchable graphics yes, but not Optimus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvidia_Optimus

Haven't there been members / posters in this thread who've successfully upgraded their M4600 to an M5100, with no issues? Or is my memory playing tricks on me (THAT badly)?

<quick check later> No, i was right - at the very least, @TheReciever seems to be one definite case of a success - see his signature. Probably a few pages before that, he might've detailed the upgrade.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/possible-gpu-upgrade-for-precision-m4600.772547/page-29

Now that i look a bit more carefully at things though, there's a chance that "even" the M4800 might have issues - at least the ones without the QHD+ display. If you look at the M4800 block-diagram i linked earlier, there's a set of LVDS signals going to that multiplexer chip (that switches between video data from the iGPU and the discrete one)...

On the "age" thing though, i was surprised to see, in the M4800 thread you linked to, the other day, that the displays there were the "razor" models (with those mounting ears in the top/bottom corners); those may well be newer than the version mine is, so there's a chance there may well have been some changes. Then again, i've seen those kinds of displays both with 40pin LVDS connectors, as well as 30pin eDP, so that's not necessarily a giveaway. Although that did make me look for that kind of lid, in order to have an upgrade path to an IPS display, but this is getting a bit too far off-topic

 

Just browsing eBay for M4800 parts... Interestingly enough, the eDP video cable has the same connector (at the mainboard end) as the LVDS version. It's interesting because, according to the schematics i have (for the LA-9771P version of the mainboard), the eDP signals can be routed to the connector by populating a series of components and removing others, plus there's an additional 6-pin connector (JEPWR1) for the AUX channel of the eDP (which i think i've mentioned before), but which isn't populated.

https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/kSkAAOSwV0RXvLs8/s-l1600.jpg

I think this is the QHD+ version of the mainboard - still the LA-9771P, but you'll note the populated white connector, near the video connector:

https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/BO0AAOSw1DtXI6aG/s-l1600.jpg

And this seems to be the cable that plugs into that - says "QHD" on the label:

http://www.upperedgetech.com/dell-93ywd-led-lcd-cable-dc02c005r00-precision-m4800/

So... That may actually explain that later revision of the mainboard (LA-9772P).

https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/xFYAAOSwicpabp1s/s-l1600.jpg

No more "extra" connector (or a footprint for it). Well, this might turn out to be a pricey-ish upgrade for me, all in all... (GPU, display, lid, video cable)

 

Enduro was disabled for the M4600.

This was preferred, as Intel doesnt allow for panel overclocks and 60hz is horrendous in my honest opinion.

But otherwise the m5100 for me was a plug and play upgrade, upgrading the vbios was trickier though as I couldnt push volts up without valuxin.

Though the card is dead now I guess, it stopped booting the other day and works just fine on IGP and the 1000m.

Waiting to see if the RX 560 can work on this machine before I mess with any other upgrades. I have my AW17 I have to tinker still to get up to snuff