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    6870 crossfire in a m17x-r2

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Hijakd, Jan 21, 2011.

  1. Hijakd

    Hijakd Notebook Geek

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    Hey guys, anyone have any info about the 6xxx series radeon cards working in a m17x-r2 model?
     
    Hijakd, Jan 21, 2011
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  2. Villosa

    Villosa Notebook Deity

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    Highly doubtful this will work. Even if power and cooling requirements can be met, it is unlikely Dell will give the R2 support via a BIOS update.
     
    Villosa, Jan 21, 2011
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  3. Hijakd

    Hijakd Notebook Geek

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    ahhh that sucks! I was sure this thing would have future support for gpu upgrades, so the 5870hd crossfire I already have in this thing is as good as it is going to get? EVER
     
    Hijakd, Jan 21, 2011
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  4. aarpcard

    aarpcard Notebook Deity

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    Power/cooling will almost certainly not be a problem. However, there is the bios issue. Most people say it isn't possible unless the bios supports it. I think there are ways around it though.
     
    aarpcard, Jan 21, 2011
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  5. Hijakd

    Hijakd Notebook Geek

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    hummm so your saying dell would never release a compatible bios update to make this work and in doing so directing people to their newer laptop revisions?

    edit:sorry that question is headed off-topic.....anyone have any info about these new cards or have experience with something like this working in the past? (custom bios)
     
    Hijakd, Jan 21, 2011
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  6. Villosa

    Villosa Notebook Deity

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    Of course there are ways around it but the cost of it will probably make most think twice before experimenting.

    @Hijaked,

    Exactly.
     
    Villosa, Jan 21, 2011
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  7. Hijakd

    Hijakd Notebook Geek

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    If that was the case I would probably not bother, I would be hoping for a "quick" gpu swap out and a simple bios update ^-^

    I understand the dual gpu's themselves would run COSTLY 'atm' but other than that what sort of expenses could there be?
     
    Hijakd, Jan 21, 2011
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  8. 5150Joker

    5150Joker Tech|Inferno

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    It should work, the 6870m is nothing but a rebadged 5850m. Though why would you want to?
     
    5150Joker, Jan 21, 2011
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  9. aarpcard

    aarpcard Notebook Deity

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    If alienware doesn't support SLI GTX 470m's in the R2 by this summer, I'm going to buy a pair from sager and start experimenting. I have decent reason to believe they should work with a bit of fiddling. (i'd buy them now, but I'm not gonna have the funds until ~july)
     
    aarpcard, Jan 21, 2011
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  10. Villosa

    Villosa Notebook Deity

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    I would so buy 470m SLI for the R2, that would rock!
     
    Villosa, Jan 21, 2011
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  11. Hijakd

    Hijakd Notebook Geek

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    really? I am not familiar with any benchmarks or tests on these cards and just have a "newer is better attitude", so if I (or anyone for that matter) was to replace a pair of 5870's, what would be the best upgrade?

    edit: that question is probably going to lead nowhere as everything is basically speculation atm

    let me try again.....which out of the 6xxx series is the best gpu? I thought it would be the 6870?
    and is it true the 5xxx radeon series are better than the 4xx nvidia? continuing with the 6xxx series better than the 5xx?
     
    Hijakd, Jan 21, 2011
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  12. 5150Joker

    5150Joker Tech|Inferno

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    Best 6 series GPU is the 6970M and the only one worth getting.
     
    5150Joker, Jan 21, 2011
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  13. Sean50

    Sean50 Notebook Guru

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    So it would be better to just wait and see what the coming M18x is going to have and hopefully it will have Crossfire 6970M , then that would be the machine to upgrade to.


    Hey joker, like your avatar - its the best show - Bazinga!!!!
     
    Sean50, Jan 21, 2011
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  14. Blaze182

    Blaze182 Notebook Geek

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    Sorry to slightly take the thread OT, but SLI and Xfire cables are different aren't they???

    Some of these new monster cards (I've seen 2GB laptop cards) with super high clocks and ddr5 memory are insane.. almost justifies one GPU.. but still, if only the R3 had the dual GPU slot, would be an instant buy =[
     
    Blaze182, Jan 21, 2011
    #14