M70 graphic card, and GPU's in general

Hey all

Right, so I've got my eyes set on a Precision M70, dirt cheap (at least so far, it's an auction). The problem is that the graphics card is busted. I know I can upgrade it, but I don't feel like spending $300-something on a new Quadro fx 1400. There is an x600SE that's a lot cheaper, but it would still set be back a bit more than I like. Do I have any other options?

I know Dell doesn't use MXM or anything like that, so I wonder I it's possible to buy a GPU for another Dell and put it in there? Or do they use different setups for every model? I've been looking at a Geforce 8400m gs, or maybe even a 8600m GT. They're for the Vostro/Inspiron 1700-series.

Thanks for looking!

/Frick

 

The Problem is not only about the connector, its also abot the heatpipe and the space that was reserved in the Laptops Chassis for the GPU.

As far as i know the Quadro FX 1400 Go belongs to the series of Nvidia GPUs that have the problem that the chips on the card unsolder and so the Graphic Card is out of order. My first DELL was a Precision M60 the predecessor of the M70 (the M65 comes later to the market) After 3 Years of massive usage my GPU goes to hell, and also a couple of replacements did not solve the problem, all replacements have the same Problem (has also something to do with the age of the card, even if unused), so DELL give me an replacement for my M60 (an M6300). I read in some forums that owners of the Inspirion 9300 (also with an GPU by NVIDIA with the same Problem) managed to build in a ATI Card but not without modifying the chassis and the heatpipes.
So take a look at the service Manual from the M70 on Dells Homepage, and compare it with the card you like to build in.
May be there is a dell technican here in the forum that can give more details for the possibility to do that change of the GPU.
regards
Christopher