M15x now with the 5850!

The 5870m IS GDDR5......

if the 5850 is in fact 128-bit GDDR3 then MEGA FAIL on dell.......might as well just discontinue the model all together....

 

Hey that's true scook, thanks for pointing out that mistake, I think it was a subconcious reaction to the gimped memory bus ATI made it with that makes perform more similar to a DDR3 that always makes me think that

 

I would be surprised if it was GDDR5, considering it's cheaper, as well as considering that it would be an odd idea to source a brand new card from the manufacture that is essentially a down clocked 5870.

 

MSI GX640 with the 5850 GDDR5 runs relatively cool and it has a weaker single fan setup.
I'm sure it's much better in the AW and if DELL says it's cause of heat concerns then that is a load of bull.

 

GDDR3 128-bit is unacceptable....I remember LOLing at Acer when they announced the same card on one of theirs.....thinking Alienware would never do such a thing.....

 

Completely agree here. If this same staff at Dell that has been in charge of marketing knows better than us, why is Dell's market share continually declining? Obviously they are doing something wrong here. This is one of those epic blunders. They are going to lose sales to Clevo/Asus/MSI and even as an AW fan, I cannot recommend an M15x/5850 solution to anyone. I'm very disappointed in Dell.

 

I can't understand it either, especially when there are other 15' laptops that have the 5870 with great success! They are too conservative indeed about this and so the performance of this great system is hindered.

 

I was referring to the decision not use the 4870 DDR5, they claimed it was too hot to run. Do you know how the 5850 DDR5 performs compared to the 5870?

 

It's not to far behind.
I'd say about 10%-15% weaker in games( just a rough estimate from the MSI GX640 reviews).
I've seen Vantage scores of around P7200 and about the same for the GPU score as well.

 

the 5870m with GDDR5 is a HUGE boost in performance over the crappy 5850m with GDDR3

they are not even in the same ballpark

 

Which makes sense as the only difference here is clock speeds

 

the 4870 was also on 55nm while as the 5870 is on 40nm.. the 5870 acutally runs cooler than the 4870 does.

 

The real difference in temps between the 4870m and 5870m is debatable....in theory it is sound but the real world data would refute it. Also the higher clocks will drive up power consumption getting them about even again

 

Yep...just remembered that too and was waiting for someone to point out that other piece of the flawed arguement.

I try hard to not make impulse posts but I sometimes lose control when I hear whispers that AW even is suggesting the possibility of DDR3 5850, which would be a complete blunder.

 

I'm glad i got a good deal on my Extreme m15x from dell outletm, plus coupled with babyhemi ATi 5870 !!! FTW

 

i would get an envy 15 for less money and weight if it is a gddr3.

 

which is why I didn't go crazy with my response, I knew you knew, just that you had forgotten momentarily.

real world AMD ATi specifications sheets say otherwise
4870: 65W
5870: 60W

 

the msi gx640 has the GDDR5 memory supposedly only in Europe i remember reading that on the xotcipc forum in early January and that the american version was to have the GDDR3 memory this is just from memory and have no proof this is true.

ok this is from xoticpc tech specs online

 

So did you completely forget to check temps for all of us on here before more people go cutting up heatsinks to get those temps .

On the other note don't know what dell/alienware was thinking. Just got done gaming up some Metro 2033 maxed out DX11 w/ advance depth of field, very high and wow does it look great sure does take a good beating even on a 5870. Don't think you could enjoy it in all the DX11 glory with anything less really.

 

Damn this S*** is nuts! So, is there a reason why anyone would pick the 5850? It seems like there is no real benefit to pick it up since people can just upgrade to the 5870 so easily.

 

Probably a typo, since the customise page shows GDDR5. Because the customise page is always the most updated, for the details page, they are usually put-up-and-forget.

For warranty, if you modify the 5870MR yourself, and either because of inadequate modding of the thermal pads, inadequate placement of heatsink, or simply due to not enough cooling, the card gets burnt, you are not going to get a replacement from dell.

 

ok just went quickly over to there im not on top of this like i was when i was researching what laptop i wanted to buy.

customize page

 

Envy 17. So far the rumors are HP will be using GDDR5 for the 17's HD5850.

That turned out to be bunk and everyone got GDDR5.

To date Acer is the only one using GDDR3 in their fake HD5850s.

 

Hopefully it stays that way and AW went with GDDR5. I'm still hesitant to believe a dell rep. Guess I'll contact some people I know to find out for sure.

 

well this shows how out of the latest stuff loop lol

 

What they quote and what actually happens is not the same.....remember the Intel Q9550s that cost about $80 more than the Q9550 due to low power design (95w vs 65w) yet in tests they used the EXACT same power? That is simply the max board TDP at default settings (not counting raised voltages)

 

The 5850 in all benchmarks has not been very seducing. I would take a GTX 280M over a 5850 possibly...

The 5850 will overclock nicer and would produce on a higher level overclocked but stock i just dont see it being powerful enough to overcome Nvidia having the games built around them.

 

Even a HP envy 17 is getting a 5850MR with GDDR5...

 

Are there any benchmarks? I'm not going to get an M15x, never was, but for those that do, the fact that it can take a 5870 and they put in a 5850 is really a letdown. Still though, I'd like to see some benchmark differances.

fzhfzh Nice mouse, got the same one and love it

 

Guess what's in my hand...
This thing rocks!

On topic, I just can't believe they would use GDDR3 that would be such a waste of materials... I wouldn't believe the REP who said that. That ACER used it is imaginably but AW?!?
PS. the 5850 isn't showing on the NL page jet, my guess it will be tomorrow.

 

Yes, the M950 is a very comfortable mouse, especially the hyper scrolling, feels so smooth, I think I'm addicted to just scrolling it up and down for nothing.

Then again, for the 5850MR, it might be a good thing if it uses GDDR3, at least you won't be confused on whether to get a 5850MR and deal with it, or spend more to get minor performance boost on upgrading to 5870MR yourself.

 

I just had a webchat with a rep and they said it will definitely be ddr5. Also confirmed "not 5870 , as it is for M17x"

It's not showing on the UK site yet but he said sometime this week or next.


Got an email from the chap saying

"Trust me, I have been waiting for the 5 series cards more than you !!!
Every day we get so many requests.
Its about time !!!" amen to that!!


Richard

 

if its GDDR5, then why would it be 50 bucks cheaper than the 260m?

 

I dont think anyone over at dell/alienware know anything I have had three different people tell me gddr3

 

Yup confirmed GDDR5 on the 17. Video demo of it running 3 external screens with Eyefinity:

HP Envy 17 and HP Envy 14 Video Previewed

Barring any build or heat problems with the Envy it will probably steal some sales from the M15x even if Dell does use GDDR5. The M15x may have a shorter width, but the Envy is shorter on the depth, thinner, and a pound and a half lighter.

If you look for benchmarks make sure they're from the MSI GX640 and not the Acer Aspire 8942G or Ethos.

 

Hey wow Dell finally updated it. I see that the GPU upgrade only applies to USA for now because the CAN site didn't offer the ATI GPU. Seemed strange that it was cheaper. Looking forward to see the comparison in regards to the gaming performance with the two different GPUs.

 

Oh yeah the price drop is a bonus too.

 

well i just went and did a chat (i cant call because im at work), and the rep told me that the 5850 was GDDR5. since there seems to be very mixed results from different reps that people have talked to, i would take anything that they tell you with a grain of salt.

personally, i think im back to waiting to see. ill wait until there is something concrete that tells me one way or the other before i order a M15x system.

i know that its far from solid proof, but the rep i spoke with told me it was a GDDR5 card. Take that for what its worth. i think im going to wait until somebody buys one and lets us all know for sure.

 

If these cards end up being GDDR5 for sure really the only difference from the 5870 is the clock speeds (which greatly contributes to temps/tdp). You could potentially shoot for the 5870 speeds on a overclock.

If that ends up being the case the performance numbers shouldn't be too far off from the 5870 stock clocked mobile card. IMHO the 5850 with GDDR5 would be a big jump from the gtx 260m; cheaper and DX11 ready (for future gaming).

 

thats what im hoping for. im chating with another rep now to see what they say. id actually be happy with a GDDR5. i mean its still not a 5870, but i would be in the same ballpark.

 

i just wanted to see if i could get 2 reps to tell me the same thing. the first rep said GDDR5, but i asked him to send me the card specs and he never did. i guess thats why chat sucks.

ps: wow markness. how did you get those specs for $1300?

edit: this is why i love chatting with dell. I talk to one rep, he tells me GDDR% after a minute wait. i talk to another rep and after about a 15 minute wait and he tells me its GDDR3. im pretty annoyed right now.

 

All this flip flopping regarding the DDR3/DDR5 from the reps is making me believe that the 5850 being offered in the M15x is actually the DDR3 version. Just my feeling though.

 

I think the M15x is looking very good. Assuming the cards are GDDR5, I would consider one since you can get it from EPP with an i5 540m and a 5850, for $1294 (thanks to the coupon posted today). That's before any haggling.

Seems like a good deal to me. And if you can run Eyefinity, it would be a nice bonus.

 

This is sounding ALOT like the 4870m's in the M17x......they even said GDDR5 on peoples order confirmations then ended up being GDDR3

 

ha. the first rep who i asked to send me the hardware specs for the new card. it took over an hour and all he did was send me specs for a studio 17 laptop.

Im going to go out on a limb here and say that the guy had no idea what he was talking about.

 

Got the m15x for $986 shipped from a guy online (about 4 months old) which included everything in my sig. Added the ATI 5870 from babyhemi for $386 shipped, had to buy some mx3 paste and thermal pads but that wasn't to much more .

 

Wow!
That's incredibly cheap, you got lucky bro

 

is it possible for dell to upgrade the 260m in my M15x to the 5850??

 

yes but i wouldn't until someone can comfirm it has GDDR5 or else your going to be downgrading your comp

 

that same rep sent me some specs for ATI cards now and these specs say that it is a GDDR5, but its not a dell inventory site or anything like that. its just a site that has ATI card specs on it.

it doesnt really have anything that proves that these are the cards dell is using. i think im still going to wait for somebody to order one and then we will all know for sure.

if it is a GDDR5, it seems like it'll be a decent card, but i guess we wont know that for a little while.

ATI Radeon? HD 5850 GPU Feature Summary