2960xm worth it?

Is it worth the upgrade if I don't benchmark or overclock (at least not right now). Will I really notice a difference in everyday computing or gaming?
Any opinions are welcome.

 

Honestly don't think it will make a huge difference. Everyday you shouldnt notice, gaming it might make 1-5fps difference but nothing massive in comparison to your GPU anyways.

 

XM processor not overclocked is not worth to begin with. Mine was 2760QM, the best bang for the buck. Now w/ 2960XM OEM OC 40,39,38,38 (Heat limit) got it for $400 almost new only 4 months old, as fourth generation was launched good deals are more common now (Last order date is July 11, 2013). Lower frame rate scenario w/ highest settings you'll notice a much smoother gameplay and 3-7 fps compared to 2760, vsync always disabled 120Hz (Premiere Pro CS6 huge difference). Next OC 42,41,40,40 modding M18X triple pipe cpu heatsink, waiting for the new M17 htsnks as dell is offering 4930XM OC probably a minor modding required to fit the R3.

 

If you're not OC'ing the chip, and if you don't need a ton of overhead processing capability for work related programs, then no it's not worth it. Any difference in gaming capability or general usage will be negligible and invisible to you without the use of benchmarking tools and the like.

 

Great idea, considering the MOBO layout looks nearly identical to the R3/R4, I will keep my eyes on the 3 pipe sink since it was never released for the R3/R4

 

My initial idea http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/672230-m17x-r3-680m-compatability-81.html#post9203475 separated the pipes from the plate but after seeing M17 pictures http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...re-17-high-def-photo-close-up-collection.html I knew it was possible; after all the feedback I hope that dell equips the new M17 4930XM with proper htsnks right from the start this time. (R3 gtx 580m / M18X cpu forced redesigned hetasinks experience).

http://imageshack.us/a/img703/5568/71681.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img16/2206/71687.jpg

 

The 2860QM will benefit you more in this case. It's cheaper and just barely behind the 2960XM in performance. :3

 

thanks guys. i will most likely pass on the 2960xm for now since it won't be that noticeable.

 

Yeah, it would be worth waiting to see if you want to upgrade to the next gen of graphics card and picking up a faster CPU then.

 

Yeah, I don't think you'll need it. I'm with everybody on this one.

 

I have a related question. Would I see a bigger performance gain upgrading my CPU from a 2630qm to a 2860qm or upgrading my GPU from a 6990m to a 680m? I use my laptop for gaming as well as the Adobe Suite and some programming. I plan on upgrading both eventually, but which should I take care of first. I'm also going to upgrade to 16GB DDR3 1600 RAM whenever I upgrade one of the above.

My complete Alienware M17x R3 build is in my sig.

 

For games, the vid card will make a HUGE impact. Going from a 6990m to a 680m is like night and day.

Changing the CPU...not so much.

depending on what you're doing with adobe and programming, I'd stick to an ATi card though. The nvidia cards are pure gaming cards. Once you start using the vid card for other tasks that involve gpgpu work, the ati cards take over. Its not even close. If by programming you mean Java, PhP etc....vid card won't make a difference so nvidia is a solid choice.

 

Is the 2960XM supported by the A12 BIOS?

Sorry if it's a daft question.

 

It's still a Sandy Bridge CPU so it will work just fine. You can also choose to leave switchable graphics on or disable the integrated graphics and only use the card.

 

Thanks!

I've upgraded my memory from 8GB 1333MHz to 16GB 1600MHz and my 6970M to a GTX680M, so the next logical step is my 2720QM to a 2960XM.

This thread has made me think twice about it, though.

Does the extra 10W TDP (45W to 55W) cause any issues?

If I decide to take the plunge, though, I'll do some before and after benchmarks in games and applications.

 

Okay, so to answer this question fairly definitively: I've just bought and fitted a brand-new 2960XM Extreme Edition to replace my existing 2720QM. As mentioned in my post above, a few weeks ago I also replaced my 6970M with a 4GB GTX680M. So here are the benchmarks, and I'm amazed at the difference:




With my original 6970M and 2720QM:




After upgrading my 6970M to a 4GB GTX680M, but still with my 2720QM:




After upgrading my 6970M to a 4GB GTX680M and my 2720QM to a 2960XM Extreme Edition (not overclocked)



The new CPU appears to have had more of a performance increase than the new GPU. Either that, or the GTX680M just works better with a faster CPU, or it's some weird 3DMark trickery.

The three games I play most, Fallout New Vegas (heavily modded visually with ENB and high-res textures), Skyrim (also heavily modded visually with ENB and high-res textures), and Bioshock Infinite all feel smoother.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the results, and as an added bonus the 2960XM came from the US to the UK and slipped through customs without any charges!

Next step: To try overclocking the 2960XM, although I'm not sure I'm brave enough or competent enough!

 

CPU temps.

1- HWiNFO 3DMark11 c-clips retention mod M17x Retention Mod

2-HWiNFO Bioshock Infinite Ultra settings "".

1-cmd winsat / mem HyperX pnp 1600MHz 16GB

2-cmd HyperX pnp 1867MHz (Thaiphoon Burner flash) CAS#11 unstable 4X4GB ultra settings gaming, completed Memtest86 Test though...

Edit: CAS 11 stable now.

winsat still showing inaccurate results under 8.1.