m14x 3gb gt555???

so could someone explane to me why the gt555 setup with 3gb of gddr5 is not worth 100$? i mean i dont quite understand it either. how is it that the same hardware can produce more performace.

notebookcheck (not the best site but my only one to compare) lists the gt555 under and less powerfull then the gtx460. is that true? is the 3gb version of the gt555 still better then the gtx460?

 

It's not 3GB of DDR5, it's 3GB of DDR3. It's literally nothing but double the memory.

It's a completely useless option unless you plan on using the laptop as your main rig (almost) perminantly hooked up to an external monitor, in which case you should either build a desktop, or look at the M17x.

 

The 3.0 GB option on the GT 555M will only enhance or spice up your video quality experience. In essence, it will probably make your GPU work less since there is more video RAM especially for very intensive graphic games. It probably mainly boils down to what games you are playing!

 

Hi, first time poster here. Does anyone know how much of a FPS increase we should expect with the 3GB over the 1.5GB?

Better yet, if someone can provide a link to some benchmarks between the two versions, that would be great. Thanks!

 

None. This time round, it's purely a marketing gimmick.

The only times you're going to see an increase in framerate is:

a) If you're playing very old games at extremely high resolutions. (I'm talking Return to Castle Wolftenstein with 32xAA at 2560x1600 here)
b) If you're playing newer games at the laptop's native res with lots of AA (in which case you don't get playable framerates anyway.)

 

It is a marketing gimmick. Only suckers will fall for this and buy it.

 

lol damn so i was thinking about selling my m15x with gtx460 for the m14x but if its not as good for gaming......whats the point lol. i have a tablet for surffing the net

 

Completely false. The 555M is not even fast enough to take advantage of the default 1.5GB RAM.

 

It's just DELL trying to scam unsuspecting customers. Similar to the M11xR1 £200 price hike for the 1MB cache processor "upgrade".

 

You only get the 3GB option for the most intensive work. If you don't know whether you need it, then you don't need it.

So, it's just a scam for most consumers.

 

so basically so sum this post up from what i've read and learned.

the 1.5gb version is what you only need?
stupid to buy the 3gb version correct?

 

Yes and hell yes.

 

i only see the 3gb if you go to configure it atm...

edit:
does the 3gb run cooler?!

 

No, I don't believe it would. On the contrary most likely.

 

I'd like to remind you folks of a little thing called Triple Buffering.

 

Great, an extra three frames. You do know how much equivilent frames even 4xAA uses, don't you? Never mind the processing power to merge them, along with the smoothing algorithm executions.

 

Like I said only suckers will fall for this marketing gimmik of 3gb gt 555m.

 

this is a joke from Alienware...

if they only removed all these kind of crappie options and focused to real decent parts, much more people would consider AW as possibility.

 

*cough* Dell *cough*

As great as the merger was for Alienware, it's not without its drawbacks.

 

I'd like to remind you guys that you're in an Alienware forum crapping on Alienware product... maybe not the best idea?

Anyway, everybody's moving to larger memory stuff these days. The 6970 has 2GB, and I'm pretty sure that doesn't make a huge difference (except for the aforementioned Triple Buffering, which by the way doesn't so much increase FPS as it does stabilize it). Just because nVidia is giving these chips that much VRAM doesn't mean Alienware (or anybody else, for that matter) is trying to 'trick' you.

 

Actually, it does. NVIDIA only makes the ridiculous 3-4GB models for the lower-end cards that are usually only available through OEMs. NVIDIA does this because OEMs will buy in bulk, and OEMs will buy the cards because they know bigger numbers sell better.

 

wow. matt woller. just...wow.

 

gotta call them as you see them

 

I don't think the GT 555M is a huge drawback. By itself, the GT 555M is a solid chip, and will play most games fine. This basically the M11X evolved. Faster CPU, bigger screen, faster CPU.

Which by itself is a pretty awesome thing. It doesn't weigh as much as an M15X.

Problem is, the M14X outright removed the entire 15" performance laptop from the scene. The M15X is more than likely out, not being refreshed... so now the only high end gaming laptops Alienware has is the M17X and M18X, both of which are just large and bulky.

The middleground just got removed. I still want an M14X. It should be good all around for gaming (not great), but more than functional.

 

Yeah, it's not Alienware who is messing with that, it's nVidia. I assure you Alienware had zero influence in the card that's in their laptop other than taking out the checkbook. They didn't go to nVidia and go "give us 3GB VRAM or we're going with ATI!" If you'll notice they use both manufacturers, and both manufacturers have pretty huge VRAM's these days.

Calm down guys, try not to be so... sensational. Besides, the real complaint should be "where's our GTX 48x?"

 

If Dell was only listing the 3GB, then sure. But how do you justify listing the same exact chip twice, and charging $100 for the one with double memory.

Did Nvidia say, "Here sell both of these", or did Dell say, "How can we make some extra money? Hey, Nvidia..."

Dell had to have requested that Nvidia give them chips with two different memory configs.

Question: So, why did they want them?

Answer: To take advantage of you.

 

Dell/Alienware is offering two varients of the GT 555M in their notebook. One with 1.5GB, one with 3GB. nVidia (or the gpu's direct vendor) may have made the choice to put that much RAM onto the board, but Alienware still chose to order it in bulk and offer it as a configuration.

It's not Alienware's fault the board has that much RAM, but they made it a configuration option in their boards, and at a $100 cost, which /is/ their choice and responsibility as a notebook manufacturer.

Me? I don't care either way. I'll research what's best for my budget and my needs. Just saying, Dell made the choice as an OEM of their laptops to supply the parts. You can't blame that on nVidia.

 

Be happy if you know you don't need the extra vRAM, you haven't got "scammed" yet. And don't forget there are people who do need the extra, and people who just want more to brag about.

And, where do people find out these vRAMs are DDR3? I was expecting an option for DDR5, after all it's an alienware..

 

We're calling a spade a spade: Nvidia only puts their high RAM models on lower end cards because they know OEMs can find suckers who will buy em for the big #'s. It's why you'll see 2GB 128-bit cards but you won't see 2GB 256-bit models that are higher end, because enthusiasts won't buy the 2GB model when 1GB is fine.

The only cards that have reached 2GB stock are the 69xx series from AMD, which were designed for 2GB from the get-go. Everything else is 1.5GB or less.

The GT555M won't even tax out 1.5GB before it stutters, the 3GB is even more useless.

Besides, this forum is about answering questions and giving help to others, and we're helping others save $$$$

It's DDR3, it's on the Dell website itself

 

May I ask who?

 

http://img845.imageshack.us/i/m14x.jpg/

looks like it got pulled...?

 

I remember reading on a few posts here saying heavy video editing could make use of the high vRAM.

 

Regular RAM? Sure, vRAM? Not so much

 

Nope, its here on the Canadian Webpage config.

 

On the point that the 1.5gb card was pulled, I think that you chose the higher base spec price. Also, I have been investigating the validity of whether there was a slip on offering the 460m in a revision. I am starting to think that this is not the case. Instead, the "help me choose" links are just crappy. Looking at the one for processors shows a bunch of options both above and below the sandy bridges (not offered on this system for good reason). Also, there is just no reason to advertise SLI on the 460m.

 

So, for example if i'm playing black ops... and i have the m14x with 3gb (gt55m) it would make a different?????

 

flybass:

i think the 460m option is from the m15x comparison chart. well the gallery pics are still m11x so you might be right about the crappy links.

 

the idea is that COD: Black Ops will not use 3gb vram to run at a higher setting than it would the 1.5gb version. Its like extra memory that is just hanging around chillin out maxin' all cool shootin some bball outside of the school like the fresh prince. You will receive almost the same results from both cards.


my question is though, if I run a multi monitor setup; running more than one graphics intensive application on all the monitors, splitting it up equally or even one app per monitor (and factor in the possibility of 3d) - will the 3gb's now be more useful?

 

hey Arklight, there is a new variable to consider. check out the last posts on the i'm buying full spec'd thread.

 

now im being told that the 2 GPUs offered are "better" than
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M

is this true?

 

No and absolutely not

 

about the 460m?

 

I hope you aren't trying to be serious...

They aren't better. Bigger # != better

 

Haha no, I know what is RAM and what is vRAM. Bottom line is, get the 3gb if you know you can make use of it, if you don't, get the 1.5gb.

 

Only if you plan on gaming on an external tv/monitor a lot. Otherwise, there are very few exceptions where the card will even be powerful enough to utilize all 1.5gb vram

 

Even that is misinformation. Gaming on an external monitor will not up the vRAM usage.

Once and for all, the maximum amount the 555M should manage to use, at playable settings, is 1GB.

 

3gb is to force it on the overseas people. Out in Hong Kong where I'm at. I only get the 3gb version. dang it. And I don't get to pick how much RAM or even customize my own plate. argh! why!?

 

I havent posted in a long tome but felt i had to because 5 pages in the thread and nobody has said it yet. I can think of one reason only for a person to need that much v-ram, CUDA. I 100% believe neither Alienware or Nvidia for that matter, were thinking of that in the slightest. I'm not really that hard core of a gamer so i don't really know whats required for games, but it certainly sounds like its overkill from this thread. again, not a gamer, but i think they would have done better with a 1GB and 2GB option getting the up-sell.
I know most people using CUDA are on SLI desktops with lots of cores, but even the 335 in my m11xr1 was many multiples faster cracking than the ULV CPU, lol. I got it myself, but I also got the WirelessHD with hopes of additional antennas built-in and ran to the second mini pcie, which will hopefully be unlocked in the bios so i can swap it with another wifi card for packet injection.

 

That's great, but CUDA is based on cores and clocks, vRAM is far from what makes CUDA fast(er). If that were at all true, they'd make the GTX 580 3GB GDDR5

 

it is based on cores and clocks, but when bruteforcing a dictionary word list file can be load and be accessed in vRAM rather than constantly accessing the HDD. the more vRAM the more capacity for a wordlist without needing to swap. a single 580 is much better with CUDA based on cores but those with purpose built CUDA rigs that use 580's use more than 1. better CUDA performance per $ can be had from a couple less expensive cards than 1 580. i only know 1 person that does bruteforce on CUDA using 580's and its because if cost is not an issue you cant beat 3xSLI 580's except with 4xSLI 480's. anyone who gets a 580 just for CUDA either did so with the intent of adding another, only had room/power for one card or just plain F'd up.