M15x GPU Thread: General Discussion on Upgrades, GPU Troubleshooting & Repairs

Or should I just wait until the 8970(?)m to come out?

 

If you have bags of money then 680M is all good with some vbios tweaking.

The 7970M works plug and play, performs practically as well (5-10% difference at stock) with an OC just as well and better and is considerably cheaper!

 

Thanks for your input King. So, I can just plug and play with the 7970m then and not worry about throttling issues since everything is stock? Or do I need to do some overclocking and/or throttleshop? If so, I do not know how to do either. Also, I ordered Corsair Vengeance 16GB (2x8GB) DDR3 1600 MHz RAM sticks because I read on here that the M15x's BIOS won't recognize anything over 8GB, but that Windows 7 will -- and show all 16GB worth. And the fact that I have the i7-920XM I can use the 1600MHZ and my system won't downclock to 1300MHz. Will this make a (better?) difference in gameplay?

 

wont make a difference in gameplay, 16gb is supported, it will downclock to 1333mhz.

 

Yes it is plug and play. As for throttle read my thread about throttle fix and you will be fine even at max clock speeds for stock 1.05V and high 920xm OC. Say 960-1020mhz on core and 1450-1550mhz on memory and a good 3.1ghz on 920xm across all cores.

My QS card isn't a good overclocker I can get about 970mhz max at 1.05V. Others with OEM chips and perhaps ES/QS chips have been able to get as high as 1020mhz at stock voltage!

 

Hi, which browser should I choose? I have opera and it's very slow - Often on facebook I can't see a photos, galleries don't want to load. What do you suggest? I have 4 GB RAM, 1,7 ghz.

 

Hi, i have a nvidia gtx 240 and it is a xD . I need a gtx 460, 560 or ati 5850, 5870, where i buy? and which?

Sorry for my bad english, i´m spanish.

Thanks!

 

I'd say skip all 4 of those, but then again what is your budget?

 

I don´t want pay more of 100-150€...

 

Although all 4 cards are much better than what you have currently, they won't last you very long unless you are happy playing on medium settings for the most part (some games maybe a few high settings mixed with medium, others on low). I'd go for the 560 or the 5850, but the 5850 is harder to find

 

Thanks again King. I will be installing my 7970m this weekend. I hope it's all plug and play with no problems!

 

I can't wait to see how much of a difference and/or improvement over the GTX 460m it will be... :thumbsup:

 

Please report back with your findings! I'm considering making the same jump myself soon

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

I also have this posted in the upgrading thread for 260m to 560m. But figured I'd shoot a line here to see if anyone has done any work to shed some light on this case.


So here is the run down. I am pretty tech savvy and have repaired hardware/software issues for the last 10 years. I recently purchased an Alienware m15x second hand from someone who had originally put it together and bought it in 2009. It's an i7 720QM. so therefor I guess it makes it the Dell model? I had the laptop running fine for 3 or 4 days. The person I purchased it from had it running Windows 7 64 bit and had some stock Alienware CC software installed. So I updated from older Nvidia drivers to the the recent ones. I had also installed many games to test some FPS on. such as Bioshock Infinite, Witcher 2, LA Noire, COD Modern Warfare. Before I could install any benchmarking or monitoring apps like CPU-Z or GPU-Z I let my fiancee play some LA Noire while I was in Class. When I returned from class the laptop had powered down ( No shut down procedures. just immediately off ) The laptop itself was fairly hot when I returned so I unplugged it from it's AC power and moved it to a cooler location. After letting it sit for about 45 minutes I still couldn't get any response turning the laptop on. I tried all the power cycle steps I found to reset any static power inside. I've reseated the RAM and tried to disconnect the CMOS for about 60 seconds. Still no avail. The AC adapter shows that it is plugged in and gives me blue rings. The battery is showing that it holds charge.

Given the circumstances I've read a lot of forum posts related to motherboard failure. warranty exchange etc. First off I am not seeing any reason for it to have actually been a motherboard failure. Secondly I can call and extend a warranty for 1 year for 350+/- dollars. which is something I am not actually wanting to have to consider seeing what I just paid 2nd hand to have this. Is it more feasible that the GPU will not let the laptop start? (when I say start I get absolutely nothing. no fan action. no LED's.). I am pretty sure the drivers I installed are compatible with the 560m as well.

So if I replace the 260m inside with the 560m could that possibly hold sway in things? Or am I looking at biting the bullet on getting an extended warranty and stuck with my less then desirable 260m?

 

Sounds like it could have been a thermal shutdown. If so it could have damaged your motherboard. You would see an LED error code if it was the GPU preventing the machine from posting.

 

Could I test this by removing the GPU and try having the machine post? Also is there a solid price range for motherboards on these now? I can't seem to get a good estimate of what to go with. Versus paying the 300$ for the warranty and just having them replace it all themselves.

 

i would remove and reseat the gpu and cpu before replacing anything?
i had a similar issues as you and reseating the cpu worked for me.......

 

will try. I just reseated the GPU and to no avail. but I did basically get this. Let me try to reseat the CPU too

Update : so I went home. tore down to removing my 260m GTX and re assembled and put the fan back in aswell ( only thing that had a plug to the mobo so I guess it's safe ). Closed my back just with the snaps and put my AC adapter in. The Alien head lights green briefly for about 5 seconds. Then nothing. I unplug the adapter. Power cycle. then add the battery and the Ac adapter at the same time. it shows that it's charging the battery. I hit the power button and it remains showing me that it is charging. no response. I unplug the AC however and the alien head begins blinking red showing me it has low battery. I manually remove the battery to stop it from blinking? Strange yes? I then go ahead and put the card back in and it is responding the same way it was when I originally started having the problem. so does this confirm it's a motherboard issue? Since I didn't get any post? or is it feasible that it won't boot? I know the Alienware Area51m 15x has onboard video. But without a graphics card like on these then it shouldn't post? confusing. Any responses would be helpful

 

I tore down again. unseated the Heatsink assembly over the CPU and unlocked the CPU with the flat head. took it out. checked it for anything blown. looked fine. put it back in. put the assembly back in on over it again. closed up shop. Still not getting any response. =(

 

hello

Good bench Generic VGA video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-740QM Processor,Alienware 00g5vt score: P5966 3DMarks

 

Hey guys I got a friend who owns a M15x (not sure if R2 or R3) with a GTX260m, but he wants to upgrade it for the 560M. But I've noticed that there's also the 6970M which is also in kind of the same price range. Will the 6970M fit in a, say, R2 M15x or not? AFAIK, the GTX260M is MXM3 so only MXM3 cards such as the GTX560M will fit, and I've seen reports saying the 6970M is MXM3.0b. Will it fit the M15?

Thanks for any answers

 

Yes it will. 6970m is plug and play in the M15x and also there is only one version of M15x.

Also 6990m and 7970m are plug and play and are much more powerful.

GTX 560m will require some driver tweaking. There is a large thread about it in this very forum.

Sent from my cm_tenderloin using Tapatalk HD

 

So he's better off getting a 6970m, 6990m or 7970m? That is interesting, I thought that having the vBIOS already set to a nvidia GPU would be easier to go to a 560M...

 

The vBIOS is contained within the graphics card so nothing is already set. Newer nvidia cards need driver tweaking to work properly whereas AMD cards just fit in and work straight away.
Depending on how much spare cash your friend has then 7970m is a beast. 6970m is good value and 6990m can be found used quite cheaply.

 

Hi

Hope you guys can help.

I want to upgrade my 15x from a 260m to a 460m. However, having updated the BIOS and physically installing the new card, I now can't start the machine. I get the flashing Scroll and Caps lock lights, which apparently mean the new card is preventing startup.

Is there something else I should be doing, or is the graphics card slagged?

Once I've reinstalled the old card everything works fine...

Any help gratefully received.

Cheers

 

Hi there, I gotta ask you another thing.

In the ebay page, it says "Hi it is NOT plug and play for some laptops , you may need to flash vBios
only plug and play on intel Gen 3 PM77 chipset laptops, eg m17x R4, m18x R2 etc
Please check on notebookreview techinforno forum for details.
We sell it as cutomised parts, NOT returnable, only guarantee sell in fully working condition"

How can he check whether he has a PM77 chipset? Do you think it's completely safe to get the 7970m or is it better to go with the 6970m?

 

If he has the dell version of the M15x with an i5 or i7 processor then he can run any modern graphics card (newer nvidia cards require some tweaking).
The 7970m will function perfectly without any tweaking and is about twice as powerful as a 6970m and runs cooler!
If he can afford the 7970m he should get one. There are a few for sale at the moment in the NBR Marketplace.
Its under the General section in the forum.

I'd advise against buying from upgradeyourlaptop or laptopmonkey on ebay.
They sell Clevo cards with Dell Bios, not as good as a Dell card!

 

HI everybody
My question is: if anybody is trying something with any of the new kepler arrivals (760/5, 770 or even 780m... )
i suppose our oldie m15x could support them, right? First and foremost its the same architecture´s last gen

 

GTX 780m might be too power hungry but could work if undervolted.
GTX 770m might be the sweet spot between power usage and performance! I hope someone tries it!

 

Uhmm... well, then the only thing we can do is waiting like demmed souls XD ( i don´t know if this expression have sense in english, sorry in advance )
Ok, i can say that i´ll be glad to be the guinea pig for this quest ( i am trying to upgrade from a 260m for months without decide, and this is the perfect occasion)
I now ask myself how much do you speculate will 770m cost?... uhmm...

 

Hi,I just wonder if my old amd 5730m X-backplate is fit with 7970m ?

I want buy 7970m $420 from china but exclude X-backplate .im afraid if my old backplate from 5730m could damage the 7970m card

 

Your old 5730 X-plate won't quite fit with the 7970M, you have to buy the Xplate for 7970M/6970M/6990M.

But before buying a 7970M in China, check the NBR marketplace, there are some 7970M for sale that are cheaper than 420$ (and shipped with X-plate !).

 

Thanks for the reply ,

But I already bought 7970m from here : Alienware AMD HD Dell 7970M 2GB GDDR5 M15X M17x M18x Dell P N 747M2 | eBay

I had check in NBR , but some seller cant send/shipping to Indonesia

Its hard to find X-plate 7970m in my country, i already searching in ebay but the cost is crazy , X-plate 7970m $50 + $40 shipping T_T

What is the risk if I put my old 5730 X-Plate to my new 7970m ? Any solution for me guys ? thanks anyway

 

Hi all, I'm new to the forums.

I only just realized how upgradable my M15x is, and was just curious how far I could upgrade without any throttling. I have an Intel Core i7 Q720 @1.6Ghz, and was wondering what card I could upgrade to without an throttling occurring. I was looking at the 6970M, which would be a massive upgrade from my 260M.

 

Depending on budget maybe consider a gtx 770m or gtx 680m. 680m throttles much less than 7970m according to several sources.

On a cheaper budget, yes 6970m is a decent upgrade but gtx 660m is also a good option with a lot of overclocking headroom without throttling.

For CPU get a i7 920xm or 940xm. Beastly overclocking potential and also faster base clock of 2.13ghz.

 

If I left the CPU stock for now, would I be able to get the full potential out of the 6970?

 

Yes probably. 720QM and 6970m or 660m or 670m or 770m will not throttle.

Throttling only occurs for me when trying to run big overclocks on my 940xm.

 

By the way, i have seen the long-awaited 770m at Upgrademonkey's ebay store (UK), and it is at a reasonable price i think: Nvidia GeForce GTX 770M 3GB DDR5 for clevo alienware upgrademonkey pre order | eBay
They have told me that the m15x offers full compatibility and an easy install with their cards.
Im not sure of being the first here on installing the 770 because im a little afraid with these things yet Xd (However i have installed a 660m on my m15x a few months ago, before selling it. I suppose it will be a similar procedure , right?)
Regards

 

Hi, guys. I want to replace my old gtx 280 with ati mobility radeon hd 5870. I have m15x, bios A09. Some people say it will be too hot and will damage my motherboard. What to do?

 

We're able to run 100W cards such as 7970m on our laptop, particularly well if undervolted so 5870m should have no problem but you really ought to get a newer card if budget permits. 6970m, 7970m or gtx 660m, gtx 680m are all excellent choices.

 

Thank you for your recommendation It's definitely tempting, but the prices are way off my league Anyways, when I checked in ebay I found green and red ATIs - are they both suitable for my m15x, or should I check only the red ones?

 

Try to find a Dell card, not Clevo. Both work but Dell has full support and usually functions better in our laptop.

The colour of the card isn't critical but I think most nvidia cards are green. The 7970m is blue but the Clevo version is green, just to confuse matters. Just try to get Dell

 

I see. Thank you so much!

 

Hi !

Once upon a time, i had so much luck that Dell offered me an Alienware to replace my old XPS which died prematurely under warranty.

They offered me a brand new M15x, i7 Q 740, 8Gb ram, 7200tr HDD, Full HD screen and ... a 240m.
I know, I know, 240m is quite a bad choice with a screen like this, but hey, it was free, I wasn't going to refuse this !

Many years have passed, and the 240m is now totally bad, I’m not using my alienware anymore because of this, so, its time for a replacement, i digged your forum and find so many information that i get lost.
My budget is around 150€, which drives my choice to an 560M on ebay (did I say I have a limited budget?) but this particular card seems to had so much revision that it's hard to find the good one, there is blue die cards, multiple revision of green die, custom drivers, X brackets, pads...

Could someone please tell me what i need to do exactly to limit the risk of burning my money for nothing?

For Alienware M18x M17x M15X NVIDIA GTX 560M N12E GS A1 1 5GB Video Card YT99J | eBay
OR
For Dell Alienware NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M 1 5g GDDR5 Video Card N12E GS | eBay

What is the difference, I don't know

Do I need to buy another bracket ? do i need to buy new termal pads ? do I really need to configure fan manually ?
I already get the custom drivers from the dedicated topic.

Many thanks from France !

 

Both those cards are from China! No idea what seller refurbished means in those terms but I would stay away from them.
There are better options that you might be able to find cheaply on eBay or on the marketplace here on the forum.
Some other good options include: AMD 6970M, GTX 660M, GTX 670MX, GTX 675MX.

Some sellers include the x-bracket. I'm not sure what the one from the 240m is like. I would definitely recommend some good phobya 1.0mm thermal pads.
Only time you need to configure fans manually is if you choose a Clevo made-AMD card such as the 6970m or 7970m.

 

Many thanks fatboyslimerr,

I'll avoid the shop and try to raise my budget to get an 6970 or another GTX with the good X Bracket.

I would actually prefer to use the forum here but It seems i don't have the right to post a WTB request for now, surely because i'm a new user

 

Hi !,
Can I use this card ,,, Toshiba K000127390 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M 1.5GB LAPTOP VIDEO CARD, as an upgrade option to my M15X,

Toshiba K000127390 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M 1 5GB Laptop Video Card | eBay

And,
What is the best choice for 3D gaming with $300 budget, I'm using an external 3d full HD LED Samsung monitor with it's won 3D Glasses?

Regards,

 

Hello everbody
I have a question here:
I don´t know why, but, my 680m´s core clock is always at max (758Mhz) since yesterday. Only when all its closed, decrease at 575mhz. About temps: 55ºc at "idle" and 75-80º under heavy load ( i.e: .two hours playing games ), so, i think it would be some software issue?, or maybe its something usual with the OC vbios?
I would swear yesterday reached the 3xx mhz or even 1xx mhz at idle and 35-40º :/? . I installed the card 3 days ago, and saving that, all runs flawless

Thanks in advance mates

 

I tend to suspect spyware when sudden surges like this happen. You might try running malwarebytes.

 

My friend got a 7970M, and he's having issues with the installation of the GPU. What steps does he have to have in order to make it work?

"when i installed the new amd drivers and then restared the computer, the screen was just black and the caps, and num lock icons were flashing, and when i click a button it just gives a loud error noise..." is what he said. What can it be? Supposedly it's a plug and play GPU without the need of a vBIOS flash?