5920g GPU upgrade opinions...

Hi guys 5920G owner here...long time lurker, first real post though!

Since there will be no new laptop for me this year , looking to do some tinkering with my beloved 5920g.

In addition to a RAM upgrade and hopefully locating a cheap T9300, my next project is upgrading the GPU from the stock 8600M GS.
Im not an extensive gamer (DOW series, FM...nothing too major) but id like to have the option (hopefully get DOW 2 up and running)...however I do alot of Matlab, auto CAD etc.

Looking to find the best bang-for-buck option, noticable performance increase over the 8600 GS, and probably most importantly the option that runs the coolest.

From my understanding my upgrade options are:

HD 3470 DDR2
9500M GS DDR2
HD 3650 DDR2/DDR3 (which one?)
9650M GT DDR2
HD 4650 DDR2 (Thinking out of my price range at moment at €200)
HD 4670 DDR3 (heres dreaming!)

Looking to get these ranked in order of performance, temperature and bang-for-buck. Also which would require copper modding?

At the moment im thinking between HD 3650 and 9650M GT but im getting alot of conflicting views as to which one is better and runs cooler.

 

I know for sure that the hd4650 and 4670 need an aditional copper piece between the gpu and heatsink, but I haven't read the thread about the other gpu's though.
I was also planning on upgrading with a hd4650 but 189€ is also to much for me atm. Since you have the same problem and are looking at the 9650m gt, could you tell me how much that gpu costs? Since its also an nvidia card perhaps it won't need a copper mod, which would make it easier for me to upgrade.

edit: Did you read the acer mxm upgrade thread in this forum? I can give you the link if you want but since you know all the possible upgradable gpu's I think you've already read it.

 

Thinking that myself, a lack of copper mod would certainly make things easier. However it all depends at what temperatures the 9650M GT will run at.

IM currently sourcing the 9650M GT from ebay at ~$100-150...which is a bout €70-100. The HD 3650 DDR3 is cheaper still so im curious about the real-life performance differences and temperatures.

Am i right in thinking the 9650MGT suffers the same failure problems as the 8600 series?

 

Dazzday, the 9650M GT uses a different core than the ones affected by the failure issues (which are in the 8400 and 8600 series), so you should be fine.
Not sure about temperature differences, but there are enough people on the forum who have upgraded that could give their perspective on things.

 

I heard a few people say that the dying of the 8600m gt only occurs with those cards that are soldered onto the motherboard, so the ones in our acer should be fine.
I did encounter rainbow sparks and purple triangle lines when reaching temps above 90 celcius, but were are now 1 year later and my card still works...

 

That sounds like more of a stability thing than permanent damage to the card.

 

Good thing to hear! Any opinion on how the 9650M GT compares to the HD 3650?

 

According to Notebookcheck (which means take with a grain of salt), the 9650M GT DDR2 is faster in 3DMark06 than both the DDR2 and GDDR3 versions of the Radeon HD 3650 (by ~800 and ~300 points, respectively).
In terms of games, the 9650M GT also has the edge.
So I guess that'd be your preferred card.

The Radeon HD 4650 dummies both, of course.

 

Essentials links:

The best gpu replacement source (press THE):
The Acer Guy Blog Archive Morris’ Aspire 5920 GPU Swap/upgrade

200€ 4670
Acer 5920G MXM upgrade

I'm only replacing my already replaced 8600m gt with a 3650, I don't want to spend 2,5 as much for a 4670. I do this to keep it working as a fine laptop after warranty runs out. It can still play Bad Company 2 pretty well. I'll get a new one for Battlefield 3.

Got my 3650, Arctic Silver 5 paste & copper plate ( Sheet Metal Store UK, Ireland, Scotland ) ready, only got to test if the card actually works.

If you need a bios update for better cooling & gpu compatibility use phlash17 on a USB stick with the HP format tool.

 

Cool I didn't know you could buy an hd4670, is that site legitimate?
Also, The other link you gave is with aluminium, is that just as good as copper? Or should I take brass?

 

Great to see the 4670 so readily available now. Im guessing this is the DDR3 version? Not sure if i can justify the €200 price tag though if i have plans to upgrade machine next year...tempted though as i know it would blow all the other options out of the water.

Anyone know if the 9650M GT requires a copper mod?

I suppose the next big question is will the 9650M GT run hotter/cooler than the HD 3650?

 

There's a heatsink section, and it's copper.
CPU Heatsinks

For my 3650 I have 15mmx15mmx0.7mm. And I actually received 2 when I ordered 1, but that's probably an accident.

 

Guess i'l have to unscrew my laptop again and take out the gpu to measure the size of the required copper mod. I opened it a few days ago to check out my thermal pad and it was really weird: instead of an actual thermal pad or thermal greace, it was...some kind of white rubber like stuff between the gpu and heatsink. I think il have to remove it by scratching it with a screwdriver Oo

 

what would u guys consider a decent price for a hardly used 4670?

 

By looking at the pics of the cards it got my attention that the chip in the midle of the ati cards is not paralel with the edges of the card (while the chip in the nvidia cards is paralel).

The chip in the ati cards is a square but is turned with its corners pointing North, East,South and West while the corners of the nvidia are pointed to the North East, North West, South East and South West.

Any comments?

edit: here are two pics of the hd4650 and 8600m gt to see for yourself.

edit2: don't tell me it just fits..I don't see that hapening

 

Well, I have it, it fits, end of story

 

Still cant make my mind up what to buy...decisions decisons!

Am I right in this ranking?

4670 DDR3 > 4650 DDR3 > 4670 DDR2 > 4650 DDR2 > 9650M GT DDR2 > 3650 DDR3 > 3650 DDR2.

Guessing the biggest performance boost would be between 9650M GT to 4650 DDR2...biggest price difference too!

Much difference between 9650M GT and 3650 DDR3?

Wouldnt mind getting SC 2 running nicely at medium settings tbh....help appreciated here guys!

 

Yes, good question!!
Is the 4650 DDR3 better than 4670 DDR2?

 

@kiwk76: I would say so. The HD 4670 is just an overclocked HD 4650, and is identical otherwise. The faster GDDR3 memory means more bandwidth and higher performance for the HD 4650.

@dazzday: More or less.

 

Hi guys,

I'm new here, just gone through the 8600M GT fault issue after more than three years of respectable service. So, I'm looking for a replacment card. Found the 9500M GS but the list of compatibility states only Asus laptops.

I dont't get the difference. Could it be compatible?

Thank you, bye.
----------------
I'll just reply to myself, I looked at the pictures closely and the card shouldn't be compatible because the chip is the same but the board is definitely different (I think that on the Asus notebook the chip faces exterior, not the interior as on Acers).

Bye!