5920G GPU Upgrade

Hi all,

My 8600M GS has finally () given up the ghost, and I'm in the market for a new card. I've read all the guides, and have seen the forum post about MXM cards for my laptop, but they all have different reports of overheating, etc.

I don't think I'm going to be using this card for gaming, but I would like to have the option. If I'm shelling out cash I'd rather get something that'll last... I'm thinking of getting an ATI HD3650, but the specs don't seem THAT much better than my 8600M GS...

...Any advice?

Also, apart from eBay, is there anywhere reputable (and cheap) when it comes to ordering these things?

Thanks.

 

you can try RJtech.com and mxm-upgrade.com they usually have a variety of different cards you can purchase they may not be the cheapest sites but they do have a guarantee.

 

I think there is a 9600M GT for $100 in Ebay for Acer MXM IIs. also ATI 4650 for $120 i think??

 

Thanks - my budget is around £100 max, as if I go any higher I can just buy another laptop. This seems to rule out RJtech and MXM-upgrade!

Re: eBay, I've looked at 9600M GT, but most listings say "not compatible with 5920G". Re: 4650, bit worried as the listings I found all specify the item to be "used".

Other advice?

 

9600M GT is not compatible with a stock 5920G, due to the MXM structure issue. This is what eBayers are referring to.

However, if you have the MXM-patched SBIOS, then there should be no issue with running a 9600M GT in your 5920G.

 

"However, if you have the MXM-patched SBIOS, then there should be no issue with running a 9600M GT in your 5920G."

How do I find out if I do?

Is there any other card that may be cheaper/"more" compatible?

 

The MXM-patched SBIOS has a black POST screen (the original version is white/light gray), and the ability to turn Intel VT on and off in Setup. It can be downloaded from the x920G vs. 9600M GT thread.

 

OK. I found one on eBay I'm willing to try. Is it simply a case of fitting the 9600M in, or do I need to make some modifications to my 5920G? Heatsink, thermal paste, etc...?

It's the first time I'm trying this out, and I'm very keen to get it right!

How much 'better' is the 9600M than the 8600M GS (which I have)?

Thanks.

 

AFAIK no modification is needed if your card is the A1 revision (chip no. G96-630-A1). If it is rev. C1, then a copper shim may be required, as the C1 chip is 55nm and thus slightly thinner than the A1.

Note that if you have no other MXM card apart from the 9600M GT, then you must use either a crisis recovery disk to flash the BIOS, or do a blind-flash from an USB drive with the MXM card removed. This is because the 9600M GT doesn't merely fail to work with the original BIOS - it causes the BIOS to lock up during POST (due to the infinite loop bug in the VBIOS I described earlier in the x920G vs. 9600M GT thread).

An alternative is temporarily baking the 8600M GS card back to life to allow flashing the SBIOS to the MXM-patched version.

 

OK.

The cards I found are all C1 - forgive my stupidity, but what's a copper shim? How do I know I have the correct one, etc?

Also - on the x920 thread you said "This folder contains newer BIOSes than the ones above, and one of them (5920G) has produced a bad flash. Consider these to be beta BIOSes until further notice!" -- is the 5920G file still producing a bad flash? Bit hesitant about using it!

Thanks for all your help.

 

Yes, the one in that folder is NOT recommended. Use the version linked directly from the forum post.

A copper shim is basically a flat piece of copper that goes between the GPU die and the heatsink. If you have never replaced your MXM card before, then you currently have no copper shim installed.

BTW, there should be plenty of A1 cards around - in fact, every single DDR3 card I've seen on ebay recently was A1. However, the C1 revision is actually better - it runs cooler and overclocks better than A1.

Also, do yourself a favor and get a card with DDR3 memory. You will regret it otherwise.

 

Thanks, that's very helpful. I'm holding out for some more items hitting eBay, as at the mo most of them are "used"! Any thickness I should be looking at for copper shims? I assume thermal paste goes in both directions?

 

I'd say about 1mm. However, it's mostly trial and error.

It should be pretty hard to find a new, unused 9600M GT though - it is no longer manufactured.

 

Oh. Good point. :/