MSI GX640-098US Upgrade Log

Hello,

I have started this post to document my upgrades for this laptop.

Upgrades so far:

Mushkin 8GB PC3-8500 1066MHz Apple Memory - 2x4GB
Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 5200RMP Sata2 2.5" HDD
Optical Bay Hard Drive Caddy (OBHD-SATA12-SATA-B) Black, 12.7mm
Swapped Fn and Ctrl keys (Thanks go out to Svet on MSI Forums)
Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz @ 2.8GHz (Constant Full 2.8GHz)

Failed Upgrades so Far:

-THE INTEL CORE i7 820QM Q1TN Stepping was a NO-GO, the system would power on but no video or post. - Sold

-The Intel WiFi Link 6300 AGN from the US of A, was an Engineering Sample for Lenovo (not the actual OEM from Intel as promised on eBay). Since it did not work, I was refunded and allowed to keep the card, will try it in a family members Lenovo R60e. (error was "Error Code 10, Device Cannot Start" in device manager.

- HP RC6 IR Expresscard54 Remote for Windows Media Center - Didn't work but it still works for HP laptops so I can still have fun at London Drugs and FutureShop

I am currently awaiting the following for my MSI GX640 :
OEM Intel WiFi Link 6300AGN - From NCIX(Netlink Computers) "Out of stock"


Intel Core i7 720QM:

Pictures

Core i5 430M and Core i7 720QM
(I cheated with the 720QM Picture, I used the i7 820QM but they look exactly alike.)

I5


I5 Wprime32


I5 SuperPi1.5


I7 (I used the i7 820QM photo instead of 720QM, they look exactly the same)


CPU-Z


I7 Wprime32


I7 SuperPi1.5


HW Monitor During LinX
(Note that I did a really shoddy job with the thermal paste, I put new thermal paste over old thermal paste to see what would happen - Currently using only new thermal paste)


HW Monitor Idle - Removed the mess I was using above.

Yes, that is my CPU Speed, it only ever drops down to 2.56 GHz at the lowest


Intel WiFi Link 6300 Ultimate N:

Pictures

Side-by-Side with Intel WiFi Link 5100AGN

Optical Bay HDD Caddy

Pictures

Side-by-Side with DVD Drive

Inside the Caddy

Rear of Caddy

Faceplate Transfer

Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 5400RMP Sata2 2.5" HDD

Pictures

Side-by-Side with Seagate 7200.4RPM Stock HDD

Head on View - Height difference

Rear

Top

In Caddy

Performance

Stock 7200RPM 500GB vs 5200RPM 1TB

Stock Seagate + 1TB Western Digital Side by Side Performance Comparrison: HD Tune



Stock HDD: HD Tune



1TB Optical Bay Hard Drive: HD Tune




Desktop Performance (for comparison)

Intel X25-V 40GB SSD: HD Tune



Samsung SpinPoint F1 1TB 7200RPM: HD Tune



WD Caviar Green 2TB 5400RPM: HD Tune



For giggles:

HD Tune - KingstonData Traveler G2 16GB HD Tune



Overall Performance

 

haha this looks like its going to be a great thread for the GX640! Thanks for doing this man!

I might upgrade from the i5-430M to i7(maybe the same but not an ES version) in the next couple of months.

After you tested it:
Was the new wifi card worth the price or is there a good difference?

Would you like me to post my upgrades here to?

 

Sure, why not? The more the merrier!

 

Sweet, i was looking at getting the 820QM as well but i was debating wether it would be worth the extra $100 for minimal gain within gaming. I can pickup a 720QM for about $130.

 

the 820qm will be much fun, I'm waiting on my M225 256GB to arrive and then I might be done for upgrading

 

My upgrade log:
g4m3r1337 / g4m3rleet - MSI GX640!!!

Speed:
-I added 2GB of DDR3 RAM
-del most things in the msconfig (start-up)
-updated drivers (cats 10.8)


Temps:
-Huge improvement after swapping the stock thermal paste for Arctic's newest MX-3 paste
-with also swapping the stock thermal pads for MX-3 thermal paste
-Laptop cooler (3 fans after I added one larger fan)
-Heat sinks over the GPU
-Leave the bottom panel off when its on a laptop cooler


Overclocking:
-GPU @ 860/1080 @ 1.15v
-CPU(i5-430M) I wish you could without a pin-mod (looks to risky and void's warranty)...
Can the i7 be overclocked or same problem?


Looks:
-Custom Fade on the left sticker, where my hand rests! haha
-Might do something else and it will have to be way better lol!


Sound:
7.1 surround sound headset, G35 logitech (used most, sounds awesome)
5.1 surround sound system


After most of the above:
Video after 3+ hours of playing BF:BC2 MAXED-OUT:
YouTube - BF:BC2 MAXED-OUT all the settings - MSI GX640
(only there were just 2 small fans and the overclocking was @ 815/1075)

After all of the above (10/17/2010):
NOW(no video), it stays around 81c. Even if I play more than 3hrs MAXED-OUT!


HDD:
-One external HDD(1.5TB), E-Sata(and USB), 64mb cache, 7200rpm(same as in GX640!), and its black with a blue light indicator(matches to lol).
It says its E-Sata transfers at 3GB/s and the USB at 480MB/s? Hmm...
I've seen the E-Sata transfer over 130mbs, but it's usually around 90mbs. (still really fast)

-----------
Planning on:
-Upgrading the CPU to an i7 (not sure which one exactly)
-Get creative with modding the looks, maybe. (for fun only)
-Better wifi card if it seems worth it?
-Get the new ATI HD 6000M when it comes out, maybe!?

...I'm going to wait tell after boot-camp, AIT trainning(for computer networking), and my first paycheck lol. (< 3 weeks now!)

 

Have you done Cisco's CCNA program?

 

No, I'm just fresh out of high school!

I would wait tell it happens, to give a 100% answer...
(I'm not sure, but there's a good chance)

Want me to send you a mp after my training?

 

Well, I'm on my 2nd last year (gr 11) doing the Cisco CCNA program while "self teaching" myself Microsoft's MCSA and MCSE programs.

Also, whats an mp? lol...

 

Bump for updates.

 

Hey Dspr, what exactly do you mean by the i7 720QM being at

?

 

Hey, can anyone tell me where the gx640 cooling falls in the ranking of 15-16" laptops with 5870?


I'm assuming Clevos might be a little better. the gx640 is just so freaking cool... seriously, 16:10 survives... but I'm worried it might not be able to handle the graphics card I'm getting.

Supposedly 100w...

What do you guys think?

 

2.8 on one core with turbo

Cooling is pretty bad without any mods. However with them it is pretty good but I wouldnt say the best. Some people are luky others are not, the result is different for each individual. Also if you're talking about upgrading to the 480m its not worth and the gx640 cant handle it. Firstly you would need to but the targus 180w adapter and secondly you would have to buy a new heatsink which prob wont fit the 480m or any nvidia card. There might also be problems with the bios as well.

 

I know that. It's the " constant full 2.8 GHz" part that got me curious and intrigued.

 

SORRY! Cross posted

 

Upgrades are in the sig, also modded the bottom panel. I think I'm finally done although I might upgrade to 8GB RAM (probably not.

 

Just added:

Core i7-720qm
8GB G.Skill ddr3-10666 RAM
120GB G.SKill Phoenix Pro SSD

Coming Soon:
Lite-on internal BLu-ray drive

 

Thats so funny, I just got my gx640 and I was checking out the internals when the exact thought crossed my mind, "I wonder how much variation there is with heatsink effectiveness due to manufacturing inconsistencies?"
Of course it would be impossible to tell because there is probably an equal amount of variation in the GPU and CPU themselves.

Firstly I am not going to attempt a 480m, I would get a 470m IF I were really trying to upgrade...
Please, no one kill me but I don't game or do any 3d work at all. but yea, I just like to see whats out there and try it, and I found an fx 3800m for a pretty ridiculous price.

It will actually be an upgrade in performance, just a huge downgrade in cooling LOL.
Oh, and the heatsink will fit pretty well.
I have a few 150w adapters, I think it should be fine.

 

all i've done to mine is;

wxga >> wuxga + inverter extension wire

2 x 2gb ddr3-133 >> 2 x 4gb ddr3-1333

i5-430m >> i5-520m >> i7-720qm

stock bezel >> replaced with fresh one (crappy plastics)

intel wifi 5100 (ewww) >> intel ultimate-n 6300

stock thermal pads ??mm >> 1mm >> 0.5mm

stock paste >> MX-4 (must purchase some more)

sinks on GPU & GDDR5

sinks on side of cpu sink