Replacing M11x Motherboard

Would it be worth it to replace the motherboard on the Alienware Laptop?
My processor is really slow, and it can't exactly handle any of the games these days. I'm thinking on getting this motherboard Alienware M11x Motherboard Core i7 680UM R2 P/N:WV01P | eBay How much faster of a Processor is this compared to the I3? which i currently have. and only can run about 1.2 GHz.

 

Which games are you trying to play? You need to check if the CPU is being the bottleneck. Check CPU usage when you are playing a game.

 

Make sure chassis supports any new MB you get. There are 3 versions of M11x

 

How do i check if my CPU is being bottlenecked? Games like Ghost Recon Future Soldier, Shogun 2, and Arma II they all run very slow on my laptop. I ran CYRI and they said i need a new processor because it's very slow to process all those graphics and everything..

 

The motherboard is worth the upgrade in my opinion. I upgraded from the i5-520 to the i7-680 and currently have it overclocked at 2.9 GHz. the processor has increased the frame rate in some of my games by over 20 fps.

 

i3 -> i7 is quite a worthwhile upgrade IMO, at $250 it's a decent price considering that's more than what Dell charged plus you could sell yours and make back at least half of that.

 

Could I go that with an M11X R1???

 

Nope, the motherboards are different for the R2 and R3, you can not put them in the R1. There is not much you can do with the R1 D:

 

Is the motherboard you posted in this thread on ebay compatible with the alienware m11x r2 by any chance? I need to know because my m11x r2 has the gt 335m and the regular processor its not i3,i5 or i7 its just the SU something.. But, its an m11x r2.

Thank you.

 

All m11x r2s have a core i processor. The m11x with the SU processor is a r1.

 

The one i have is the m11x r2 but, it is not an i processor. I know my laptop model. I checked my service tag it says R2 and at startup setup it says R2. Will this motherboard fit in the R2?

 

Ah, you have the absolute base model R2 which first came out in Core2Duo flavor. Didn't last long and was quickly removed, many people don't know they exist lol. However the only difference between the R1 & R2 is the i-series processor, so really someone wouldn't be wrong in saying you have an R1. Everything else is identical specs wise, but i'm not sure about structurally.

To answer your question - Yes this is a motherboard for an R2, however i'm not 100% sure if it would work for you, because a Core2Duo and an i7 obviously have different sockets so i'm not sure if the rest of the board is identical or not - ie. i'm not sure if Dell simply put an R1 mobo into a modified R2 chassis, or made a revised C2D mobo to fit the R2.

I am fairly certain it would fit, because common sense dictates they would use the exact same chassis for all variations of the R2, but not 100%. Question - your Fn+F6 key, is it blank or is it a GPU switch?

 

Well the Fn+F6 does not do anything really but, the laptop does have an intel graphics card and the GT335 m because, when I am launching programs I can right click and pick between both. How would I know if I have the same chassis as the m11x r2? how can I find out. I can post pictures if you would like to identify it. Also, do you happen by any chance to know if the motherboard on ebay has the gt540m or the gt 335?

Thanks.

 

Both the R1 & R2 all have dedicated 1GB 335M's. In addition, the R1 has a separate integrated GPU chip while the R2 has the GPU integrated into the CPU, which is the only difference between the two models. Hence why the R1's Fn+F6 is a switch to go from integrated->dedicated while the R2 (& R3) have automatic GPU switching with Optimus so the F6 key is blank.

The R3 is the only one with the 540M, i3's and i5's have the 1GB while the 2GB 540M is an option for the i7 though overall not as cost-effective. So as the ebay linked item is an R2 motherboard, it will have the 335M.

Take off the bottom plate and all of the models look identical, they only differ at the side ports and the motherboard mounts, so i really wouldn't be able to tell... But do you have a VGA port? Only the R1's have a VGA port, so if you do not have one then the R2 motherboard -SHOULD- fit.

 

The F6 key does nothing and I definitely dont have a VGA. The question is now is it really worth upgrading to the i7 if I will have the exact same GFX card? Also, can I fit the R3 motherboard with the 540m in the R2 and if possible where can I get one?

Thanks

 

Nope, none of the motherboards are interchangeable between models, they each use different side ports and motherboard mounts so you can't put an R3 in an R2.

As for the upgrade... Are you having trouble in games? Is your CPU bottlenecking your system? Because the C2D -> i7 is literally the only change (as far as processing power goes, it is a BIG upgrade) and yea you could then sell your current one for $100 but you gotta decide if that upgrade is worth the $150 out of pocket. It all depends on your needs.

If you had spare RAM and an extra AC adapter lying around, i'd go for it and then put your current mobo in a makeshift case as a media center/games console - more ideas in this thread http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m11x/666565-extra-motherboard-what-do.html

 

Hi i have a alienware m11x r3. I only have an i3 and cant play many games with it. How much would a new motherboard cost with an i5 processor. Also would people buy my current one if i sold it.

 

A M11x R3 i5 motherboard will cost you anywhere from ~300$ and up, depending on where you're buying it and its condition.