M14x Graphics card questions...

Hey,

I want to buy a M14x, but I have some questions:

1) Is the GT 555M on the M14x GDDR3 OR GDDR5?

2) Should I hold off till the M14X R2 for better graphics? Is it coming around anytime soon?

Thanks,

 

1) According to GeForce GT 555M there are two versions: one with DDR3 and one with GDDR5, so I'd also be interested to find out which one the m14x has.

2) The m11x was updated very quickly because of the release of nVidia optimus (although they did make a few other changes like the removal of the VGA port), and that didn't upgrade graphics. The m14x was just released so I doubt they'll update it soon. You'd probably be waiting a while.

 

Sadly, we have the DDR3 version.

For a R2 m14x2 I will expect you have to wait 8 month ++ to actually get it, but m14x have it flaws of design so if we are really lucky maybe a little before, its just speculating from my side - for all that I know they will not lauch anything new before summer etc.

And what regards that it only took 6 months between the m11x r1-->r2 the upgrade were slighly, not big - the same GPU but now with optimus and an I7 - so it was not much better then a R1. And if I remember correcly it was the customers who wanted an I7 with m11x and "pushed" Dell to give them one.

For me to get rid of my new love the R2 if they chooice to call it that need to have a big step regards GPU and FFS give me a matt screen!

 

Couldn't agree more ! But I'd like to add in my own demands, i.e. a BETTER, MORE POWERFUL BATTERY, an EXTRA Cooling Fan [so the one available fan doesn't go on Lawnmower mode thanks to a buddy to help out]

Oh yes, back to topic - the M14x has the GT555M with the DDR3 options [1.5GB, 3GB] They'd have done so much better by giving us the DDR5 though morons try to cheat us by giving us a 3gig option!

 

I have an xps 15r2 with similar specs and 2gb gt540,and i can honestly say my M14x spanks it up and down.And I'm talking real world performance not just playing around with 3d mark etc.I agree about a better gpu all of you have great points all valid.I'm just saying Ive been playing black ops,crysis2,fear3,etc,without a problem.It may not be the perfect laptop in every area,but seriously guy's,What is? And it's a 14, I would be upset if we wer talking about a m15 with the same gpu.Just my opinion,not trying to disprove any valid concerns.

 

It had to be one coolingfan since the GPU is integrated with the motherboard, it cooles the same section. :O

But either way just one pipeline sucks, it should really be two.

 

The graphics card is the only thing stopping me now from buying the M14x, really wish if they could put in a 460m or even a 560m

I'd love to see dell coming up with a M14x R2 at the end of the year (hope they fix the fan issue too )

 

What I hope for in R2 is sacrificing the DVD drive for 2 fans, better video card, GDDR5, and not making the BT card and CPU so God damn difficult to get to. Hopefully replaceable video cards too.

 

At that point I think Dell should just re-release an updated M15x and keep the two lines distinct and separate. Keep the M14x going with the on motherboard GPU solution using the highest end non-GTX class GPU for optimal battery life, and go with the MXM board and higher end parts in the M15x, just like it used to be. The power requirements to go from a GT 555m to a GTX 560m are too great for this laptop design to support. The M14x battery can barely support the 555m, don't even bother imagining it with a 560m. 45W -> 75W is a big step up.

M14x = consumer portable that can game well and get really good battery life
M15x = performance/enthusiast laptop

The current M14x is trying to say "you can have your cake and eat it too", but we've all seen that it's a compromise in one aspect or another (to each their own; it's plenty good for many gamers, not enough for others).

 

Good point, I wonder why dell stopped making M15X after the release of M14X, I think many (including me) would love an option to choose between the two.

 

The GDDR5 version of the 555M only has 96 shader pipelines. The GDDR3 version has 144. So it's a tradeoff between memory bandwidth and fill rate.

GT 555M w/spec chart

 

Me too.