[Need suggestion][m17x R3 GPU Upgrade] 7970m?680m?780m?or 880m?

Hello, need some help here.

I've got a m17x R3:
CPU: Mobile QuadCore Intel Core i7-2860QM, 3300 MHz (33 x 100)
Motherboard: Alienware M17xR3
Memory: two Kingston HyperX KHX1600C9S3/4GX 4 GB DDR3-1600 DDR3 SDRAM
Integrated GPU: Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000 (2108 MB)
Discrete GPU: AMD Radeon HD 6990m
Disk: ST9750420AS (750 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II)
System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Bios A12

Recently, my m17x R3 crashed a lot with frozen and black screen. It seems to happen whenever the discrete gpu starts to work. So I disabled 6990m under safe mode, then everything seems working well for a few days. I'm not very sure, but I guess my 6990m might be dead, considering this happened once before.

So, it might be good chance to upgrade my R3. I've checked many posts about upgrading GPU on m17x R3. Now I'm still get some questions:

1, How can I know for sure whether my 6990m is dead or not?

2, Considersing stability, which one is better among 7970m, 680m, 780m and 880m? My 6990m crashes every year, I just don't want something similar. I've heard 880m is terrible, so maybe just choose from the first three.

3, Since I've already got A12 BIOS here, do I still need another version of BIOS to disable integrated GPU?

4, It is said by using Nvidia driver 347.25, there's no need to fix inf problem. Somehow, it seems like a driver for desktop graphics card? Then do I still need to fix inf if I'm going to use 7970m?

5, Used card, New other card or Refurbished card? What's the difference and which on should I choose? And most importantly, where can I find reliable graphics card source? Like, ebay?

6, Plan to get one new SSD as well. Had one 160G Intel 320 series. Dead as well.( Maybe I'm a hardware killer). So is there any suggestion on reliable SSD?

7, Any potential problems for GPU upgrading? Like brightness, soundcard and non-working fan?

Since I'm pretty new to DIY, really need suggestion from you guys professionals. And thanks a lot in advance for any help!

 

1. Do you still have a working 6990M? Wow man they're unreliable cards and died in every laptop years ago. I had two and they died in a year period. That card is total crap and 7970M is only slightly better. Don't buy AMD gpus because we all did that mistake and replaced them with NV gpus.
2. IMHO Best choice is 780m/880m. Don't know about 980M because im M18x user so other ppl have to tell you that. Whether you want the 8GB vRAM on 880M then you have to flash new stock vBIOS to prevent throttling. You can read a lot of throttling problem on old vBIOS on this forum related to 880M.
5. Don't buy used or refurbished card unless it's really cheap. Prefer only new ones. Used or refurbished are often damaged and were reflowed just to make them working as long as possible to sell them.
6. I have an old Samsung 128GB 830 series SSD with about 40TB written data and it's not even 1% wear leveled lol, how did you killed that SSD?

 

I have the new non-throttling dell stock bios of the 880m that I can share if you ever decide you will get the 880m

And as it was said your best options are the 780/880m... Just make sure that someone else used them in your machine before and that you have the the right screws, X bracket and 100w heatsink

 

I have it too and uploaded it on the forum so don't worry about the vBIOS

 

Thanks a lot for your straightforward suggestion and they're very helpful to light up the situation.

So, I guess my current 6990m is dead already, since I get endless black screen and frozen unless 6990m is disabled. Based on my experience, I'm pretty agree with you about 6990m. And up to now, two died on my hand without any overclocking. Each of them lasts for kind of precisely 1.5 years, like designed to be. Well, I have to admit I never change thermal pastes for both GPU and CPU and like to triplicate large games...But I do fan cleaning kind of regularly.

For m17x R3, as far as I know, it is compatible with NV GPU up to 880m. 980m requires R4 motherboard. Anyway, the good thing is targets have been narrowed down to 780m and 880m.

About card source, that's where I'm struggling. Actually, I only see those cards on ebay and most of them are used cards. There are also something called "new other" means new card with flaw, which differs in each case. I do see some website selling so claimed brand new gpus. However, it's crazy expensive ($1200 for 780m) and reliability is unknown. So I'm wondering where will you like to buy gpus? Which website or someplace is more reliable?

For my Intel SSD, I guess it's just because I did too much streaming video. Suddenly one day, it failed to respond and cannot be detected even by Intel SSD control center.

 

You have Eurocom, HIDevolution, upgrade monkey .... and lots of other options

 

Let me know if you have no longer have any use for that dead card, don't throw it away! I need dead cards to experiment on!

That being said, I would go for a 680M or 780M to avoid reliability issues associated with the 7970M
Avoid 880M like the plague.

 

Can you tell me why to avoid 880M like the plague when they works in my old M18xR1 without problems?

 

Got it. I've found some source. Going to try.

 

I'll keep in mind

 

I'm also wondering...Maybe have something to do with m17x R3 specially? And 18 has larger space for thermal cycling?

 

Actually it is working here in the 17 just fine ... the 880m had some problems at launch & people just rely on their outdated information regarding the chip ... Even though it works just fine now & I really have no problems whatsoever with the 880m other than it is a power siphon if you try to overclock it heavily on a 240W power brick

 

Ah that's correct. Just remember that GTX 880M is 120W GPU because of it's high clocks. If you want to keep it cool as 780M is then just lower the GPU clock to the 780M. Im using these lowered clocks. Not because my heatsinks won't cool it (they're cooling it very fine) but I just prefer to have lower temperature. Maximum temperature in maxed Battlefield 4 with SLI was 78C with about 100-120 FPS so it's a overkill even on 780M clocks. You can have slightly higher temperatures because M18xR1 is very good at cooling with big, massive heatsinks and space for cooling but it will still work very fine in m17x as it's good cooled too. Just remember to keep it under 85-90C and all will be fine.

Regards

 

Hi There

Just wondered if someone can help me iv got an alienware m17x r4 laptop and have been given a Nvidia 880m, is this graphics card compatible with the R4 if it is could someone go through the steps for the installation procedure

 

You will need to mod inf to install driver.. Also, might want to ask @GodlikeRU for the non-throttling vBIOS...

 

Hi thank you for the information, how do you go about modding the driver? do you have any experience with this as im still quite junior at this whole thing if you could let me know that would be great.

 

Yeah check vbios version if it's same as vbios from my signature you don't need to do anything. If not then you will have to flash it as stock vbios is bugged.


Regards

 

Hello guys... due to the fact that I'm a big noob at it, i wanna beg you to help me install my new gtx 880m in my alienware m17x r3.
I have searched the web for how to make it run but i did not find some clear steps to follow. I just want to make it right and not break the bios or something else.
Pls ca you post the exact steps that I need to do?
Plsss