M18X R1 Upgrade 460MSLI -> 770MSLI

Hello everyone! Im going to be purchasing a pair of 770M's from ebay, (250CAD EA) and replacing my pair of 460M's currently in there. My laptop currently has Nvidia 75W coolers in it, ive already got the sli cable. anything im missing or forgetting? any bumps in the road i might hit? first time upgrading GPU's in laptops

 

I would recommend upgrading to the 100W Heatsink if it fits your budget as they will perform alot better and support any future upgrades down the road.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

I have been looking for some reasonably priced ones, but the NVIDIA 100W ones seem to roughly average up to 80$CAD after shipping whereas 100W amd's go for like 30$

 

Should be the same, just different thermal pad placement... Or so I think... http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...pus-in-m18xr1-with-amd-100w-heatsinks.770916/ here is a link where AMD coolers were used for 880M SLI now 880M is different to a 770M so you may not need that extra ram heat sink piece but its cheap so you could buy just in case.... then of course just put the thermal pads on accordingly and it should be fine

 

I would recommend you also get an unlocked bios

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

Yep, already grabbed an unlocked bios when i was trying to figure out why my HDMI in wasnt working (ribbon cable had come out? lmao)

and i just looked, 50 CAD for AMD 100W, 130 CAD for NVIDIA

but i will definitely look into this 75 watts should be decent tho right?

 

For a 770M with 75W I think u will be fine as long as you dont OC....

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

Wasnt super planning on OC'ing, copared to my 460M's, should run great. (Hoping it runs pubg well haha)

 

Definitely should

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

Another question - do you know what my best options for price - performance for cpus ive got? ive currently got a 2630QM, but would love alittle more power

 

2920XM over the 2960XM any day for price... If to pricy go 2820QM

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

Might hav to go for a 2920XM thank you (and definitely get my hands on a 3 pipe cooler)

 

2nd gen is like 280 CAD or lower.... It uses the same Socket as 3rd gen mobile.... There's a massive difference between 2nd and 3rd gen mobile... Something to look into. Another thing is that the M18x R2 motherboard fits in the R1 and that will allow u to do up to 980M SLI and 3rd gen i7 processors.... IK that they use the same cpu Socket... So u should check if the R1 can take a 3rd gen i7

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

ive def got an R1, but i have looked into that upgrade. (pricey af) i wish they would make a current gen m18x just like these ones not like the alienware 18s

 

Yes they AW doesn't even use MXM anymore sadly so clevo/sager/eurocom is the way to go and MSI if u get the higher end GT Series and don't mind the BGA CPU

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

I bought my 780M SLI for 450 CAD. I'll have to check how much I paid for the 2960XM. It's quite a pain to update GPU drivers though as you have to edit files all the time.

 

Why update drivers? Are you playing every game they update for? They just add better support for a new title releasing that month... If your not playing it why update?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

Oh, it's more of a reminder. I didn't mean anything other than that.

I've recently finished my upgrade on my own M18x R1, and I'm very pleased with the results I got. The 2960XM can easily OC to 4.4 MHz while idling at 48ºC with an ambient temperature of 20ºC.

 

Wow 4.4 MHz lol... Pretty extreme! Sound good my 4930MX idles at about that also.... I need to finish a cooling mod on my Cooler Master U3 Plus

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

I haven't tried if ThrottleStop works with the 2960XM, and I've never used the XTU before. I've only followed @Mr. Fox's old OC YouTube video for the unlocked M18x BIOS.

EDIT: I didn't modify the memory values like the one in the video because I haven't figured out yet how to get at least 16 GB @ 2133 MHz. I think it's just an OC'd 1600 MHz stick.

 

Some mem modules don't OC very well.... Like 1600 csn only OC to 1866 and 1866 can only do 2133... Most of these laptops can only do 2133 anyway anything higher and no boot.... So I just recommend 1866 CL10 DDR3

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

I see. I'll just figure it out after the holidays. My goal for the M18x R1 upgrade right now is to have at least 16 GB memory at 2133 MHz, and get a new palm rest with minimal wear.

 

Why upgrade it when u have a newer better laptop?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

True. The M18x GPUs recently died, so I had the choice of using it with just the iGPU or "reanimating" it with upgrades. I haven't regretted my decision of spending for it.

I spend time on different places, so I mostly have my new Clevo laptop whenever I move around places. The M18x stays in my room most of the time. I guess it's a luxury at this point coupled with nostalgia/sentimentality.

 

I usually sell anything not used every week in order to upgrade or get new things... Could easily sell the M18x and get 32 or even 64GB of Ram and sell the 1070 and swap for a 1080...

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

Again, there's too much sentimental value over the M18x at this point.

I'm beyond happy with my new laptop. If anything, I'll probably just build a new desktop before even thinking of upgrading the Clevo unit.

 

All good... Was just a question. Poor man's thinking I guess lol

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

We're all the same here. We appreciate our items the same way.

 

Why do you need to edit files while updating graphics drivers all the time?

 

Your cards won't be detected by the installer when using a 780M on an M18x. You have to edit the nvcv and nvdm of the installer. If you regularly update your drivers to the latest ones for any reason at all, then you'll have to edit the said files again.

 

What you paying on the 770m’s as I’ll soon have 2 for sale.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

So will i still be able to use geforce experience to update my drivers or not anymore? and is it just the 780m, or any variation from the stock cards from the m18x?

and i was going to be paying 250 Cad Per, but Vaeron said he spent 225$ per 780M, so im not sure anymore haha

 

Prices change all the time....

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

He is paying 250 per card I'm pretty sure

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

About right. Here in the UK they are selling for around £250 each.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

If you have the extra money I would strongly recommend u go the SLI 780M Route as it will destroy the 770M SLI

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

yeah, my only issue is that then i would need left and right 100W coolers, which run a person 100-150 cad each. so on the lowend 200 more, plus atleast 100$ more per card, so my 500$ upgrade turns into a 900$ upgrade, for not that big of a difference. im fine with low-med presets on higher end titles, and most games should run fine on it

 

AMD heatsinks.... As the only difference is the thermal padding... And if it still looks at that price ur better off swapping to the R2 motherboard...

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

trust me, i have been looking at an R2 board, its just 500$ before any of the other pieces i need, CPU, hdd caddy cable thing, daughter board. i really want that upgrade though. im just thinking with a budget of 500$, 770M SLI is probably the best bang for my buck, up from my 460M's

 

Like I said before 2nd and 3rd gen use same Socket and 2ith the newer chipset ur cpu will work in it... But yes 500$ 770M is the way to go, another option would be M290X CF would perform better in the games that have the Crossfire support. 680M also outperforms 770M so that's another route you could go...

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

Ive looked into the fact they use the same socket, unfortunately the motherboard does not support it, (like LGA1151 and LGA1151V2 for 8th gen desktop chips), so the only way to get 3rd or 4th gen is to upgrade to the R2 motherboard.

and same issue with wattage, the 680M is a 100W card so i would need to upgrade coolers. (and at 500$ price limit, i think dual 770M's is better than a single 680M with a new cooler)

but after the SLI 770M's, im going to get another 500$~upgrade, 2920XM, a 3 pipe cpu cooler, and 32GB ram (current cpu only supports 16GB)

 

Right my bad I forgot your 75W Cooler limitation

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk