8700M GT Pictures

Can someone take some photos of their 8700M video card? I'm curious to see if it would fit in any other laptop.

 

Up until now that card is supported only in 17" laptops and a single 15": Alienware M15x. Just so you know and understand the extent of the problem.

 

Up until now because of the size?

 

Hi.

I have an 20" laptop will it fit mine

what type MXM does an 8700m have 1,2, or 3

regards

John.

 

The size of the card is around the same as a desktop card.



The graphics card is in the top left corner. Next to that is the Ageia Physx card, and next to that is the CPU. Remember the card also needs the correct section cut out of the case for the video ports - DVI and SVideo.

This is a 17" notebook - M1730 - so as you can see the card is rather large. Then again, remember this is the SLI version. Im pretty sure however, that the single GPU card would be the same size, since it still needs to fit in the same laptop.

If you wait a bit, I should be getting my 8800mGTX in a week or so, and will try make a video of the upgrade, so you'll get a better look around the card.....

Keep an eye on this thread for the video...

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=206068

 

These pictures of the 8600M in the 1520 tell me the video output is not directly connected to the video card. It would appear to me that as long as the interface is the same, the width and length shouldn't matter too much, just the height.

 

The card is near enough the thickness of my laptop.
Looking at the pics of your machine above, Im pretty certain it wont fit. There is not enough space for the ports etc on the laptop case either.
Even if it did fit, I doubt it would be compatible, since this is dependent on your mainboard.

 

Whenever you pop open your laptop, I'd like to see some detailed pictures. I've seen Asus MXM cards that are easily replaced and the interface is completely different.

 

Here's one from a Clevo:

http://www.notebookforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=14654&d=1196990087

 

This is a direct announcement of the card, has 2 good pictures of just the card

Dell announcement

Looks like the external connector is on the side....

Oh (edit)

and look at where the exhaust is (2 of them on the bottom left edge of the picture of the back of the card)

Doubt it will fit.....

 

But thats the 8800 dual SLI. Dual video cards. That's not what I'm asking.

 

The card looks and fits exactly like the 8700 (even the single GPU) sinve they are all made to fit the same system - the M1730.

Either way, it wont fit your system, Im certain of it.

 

Does Dell even offer single 8700m GT? Remember Dell has proprietary ports, which means you have to have a Dell issued 8700m. The only ones they offer which I am aware of is the SLi'ed 8700mGT in M1730s, and is now upgradeable to 8800ms.

Also, Last time I check fitting a sli card in single card slot is impossible.

 

I don't think it will work on our 1520s

Makes me wish I could have a desktop.

 

There is an 8700mGT single GPU option, although I dont think very many people actually opt for it!

 

A friend at my office has a Vostro 1500, and a 1730.

Just for kicks, we ripped both machines a part, we had to remove the motherboard from the chassis of the Vostro, so basically it was just a pile of parts laying on a table.

But we did get the SLI 8700's working on the Vostro system, flawlessly. It actually ran better, figure that out.. LOL

But getting the big ass daughter card that houses those 8700m GT GPU's to fit INSIDE the 15" chassis is impossible. Although it will connect and work perfectly fine.

If you wanted to put a mxm or some other type of connection inside a Dell machine. You'd need a bridge connector; to translate the Dell's connector to what ever other connector you require (IE, a MXM connector). I've seen them around, but there hard as hell to find.

I got a similar type of bridge connector for my 10k SAS drive so it works on my 1520's SATA connector, of course I loose the gains of SAS but I still got that 10,000 RPM's to maintain a steady feed, so I don't drop frames when capturing video.


Tehe, you used my pictures of my 1520


So to make things short and clear - you can take the card out of the 1730, put it in a 1520/1500, and it will work - BUT WILL NOT - fit inside the chassis. You'll have to remove the mobo out of the chassis to get it in there properly. As I said, it'll basically be a orgy of computer parts, on a table.

 

I was hoping that the rumors that Dell didn't use MXM technology were false and that everything else is as it is in the "real world" (IE SATA connections, etc.). So thats really good to hear.

I'm definitely interested in what my "next steps" are in figuring out an upgrade path for the video card.

 

^^^
new case?

New laptop?! lol

 

I'm happy with the laptop. I'd just like to get a little more out of it. Even finding the DDR3 version of the 8600 would be a nice improvement.

 

But do you really want to have to modify the case, or get a new case just to fit a card onto the mainboard??
I certainly wouldnt.......it would look ghastly!

 

I'm not going to if it means I have to, but it doesn't hurt to explore options.

 

All the adapters like SATA and such are standardize, but the PCI-X adapters are proprietary. Like I said, there are bridge connectors - just hard to find.

Would be nice to have a video card upgrade options but it doesn't seem likely, unless u got a hold of a bridge and a GPU that fits into the chassis.

 

Well I've been trying to, at the very least, track down the DDR3 version of the 8600 on Dell's site. They sell the DDR2 8600 in the parts and upgrades but I can't find the DDR3 version.

Plus if Dell sticks with the Inspiron 15xx series form factor, any future vid cards may fit.

 

Yes that's true. But they haven't stuck to it, as the 1525 is completely different.

And Inspirons will no longer, ever have dedicated graphics options. So if the 1720 and 1420 have dedicated GPU options still, BUY or say good bye. They'll be the last Inspirons to see those options. Which kinda sucks, very. But I guess there trying to bump those interested, into the XPS machines - which I find are going down the tubes considering there a 'premium' machine, quality sucks lately. Lots of defects, and issues arising in them, that they should have learned from the 1520's horrific life cycle.

To avoid any long debates over what I just said I'll leave it at that.


I don't think they ever made a DDR3 version, bro. If you're referring to the one inside the xps 1530, that GPU is built into the motherboard, it's not external like our 1520's is. ...Bastards. LOL

Oh well I guess one good advantage to a zero upgrade path, detachable GPU is - you can over clock the hell out of it, then buy a new one to replace it when it dies. Versus buying a whole new machine. Although the card could be as much as a new laptop for all we know.

As for MXM cards, frankly you won't find anything else besides 7 series. Which would be a downgrade in many circumstances. Although, I believe the 8800 GPU's are in a MXM type format. But I think that's pushing it, because just cooling that S.O.B would take a miracle when we have no alternatives to cooling methods other then what currently exists in the 1520.

Sounds like one uber-hack frenzy to get working.. Which I think, sounds fun..

Nothing turns me on more then voiding some warranties! lol

 

built in, eh? that explains why they don't list them as options in the upgrade path/replacement parts. What a bunch of ****.

What about the GeForce Go 7970 series? They always seem to benchmark way higher than the 8xxxx series. Are they DX10 compatible?

B2, do you know the exact (or close to) dimensions of the vid card? If the heatspreader is as effective as it seems, I would be willing to try to cram an 8800 in there to see what happens.