The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Alienware M18x R2 4K Screen Upgrade

    Discussion in 'Alienware 18 and M18x' started by Cheshy, Apr 9, 2020.

  1. Cheshy

    Cheshy Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hi everyone, I have upgraded my M18X R2 to it's limits. It has sli 980m GPU and a 3920xm CPU. The next upgrade I am wondering if I can do is a 4K screen. Wondering if anyone has managed to slap one of those into their unit and if so which screen they used!

    Thanks in advance for any help given!!
     
    Cheshy, Apr 9, 2020
    #1
  2. Raidriar

    Raidriar ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

    Reputations:
    1,708
    Messages:
    5,820
    Likes Received:
    4,311
    Trophy Points:
    431
    M18x is a LVDS system and there is no way to drive an internal 4K display over LVDS, it requires eDP which the M18x does not have.
     
    Raidriar, Apr 9, 2020
    #2
  3. Mastermind5200

    Mastermind5200 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    372
    Messages:
    2,152
    Likes Received:
    826
    Trophy Points:
    131
    The best you can get out of LVDS is 2048x1536 afaik. You could do a DP to eDP converter board and get that to work but it will be tough to say the least.
     
    Mastermind5200, Apr 9, 2020
    #3
  4. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

    Reputations:
    218
    Messages:
    1,277
    Likes Received:
    944
    Trophy Points:
    131
    An upgrade to a single 1070 would still be a decent upgrade and for what you can get for the two 980M's there probably wouldn't be any additional cost.
     
    Maxware79, Apr 15, 2020
    #4
  5. Johndill

    Johndill Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    20
    Messages:
    178
    Likes Received:
    117
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Johndill, Apr 15, 2020
    #5
  6. Homer S

    Homer S Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    11
    Messages:
    314
    Likes Received:
    86
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Now... if we could figure out 1440p and a higher refresh rate with the 1070... that *might* be worth something. I'm thinking the 1070 is not driving very high frame rates at 4K.

    UPDATE: Looks like 40-80 fps @ 1440p is the best... still better than 1080p.

    Homer
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2020
    Homer S, Apr 15, 2020
    #6
    Emm3, M18x-oldie and Johndill like this.
  7. Emm3

    Emm3 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    37
    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    31
    What is the highest screen upgrade available ?
     
    Emm3, Nov 1, 2020
    #7
  8. Mastermind5200

    Mastermind5200 Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    372
    Messages:
    2,152
    Likes Received:
    826
    Trophy Points:
    131
    None
     
    Mastermind5200, Nov 2, 2020
    #8