Adding a second 5870

Just a quick question...

How difficult is it to add a second 5870? If I order with a single 5870, does it include the xfire bridge for future upgrade? Can I just buy another 5870 off of ebay and install? Or do I have to get a specific 5870?

Reason for single 5870 is $$$.

 

if you order a single 5870, you will not get the CF bridge, fan or heatsink of the second GPU. You will also have to get the specific Dell version of the card which right now is only being sold by Dell. If you'll want to upgrade in the future Dell will charge quite a lot of money for it, so if you are planning an upgrade it is better to purchase CF new.

 

Yea, adding it isn't difficult. But you need to buy the crossfire cable, the fan, the heatsink, and the card. It's going to be expensive.

 

You should definitely order with two cards right off the bat. Upgrading will be much more expensive. Get crossfire right away, you won't regret it.

 

It would be alt more if you buy the second card later down the road. Get it for the extra 375 dollars and save yourself the headache

 

If you crossfire later you have to upgrade to a new 240 w power supply. The cost of CF later will be double what the CF cost with a new system. If you want to game in enthusiast settings you need the CF.

 

Additional 5870 w/ xfire cables was $335 from dell, so not really more expensive than getting it right off the bat.

 

That's almost for free! Did it come with a heatsink?

 

Can you provide a link?

 

there have been a few people that have purchased it at around this price. I believe there was a thread with the specific part number, I'll post it up if I can find it again. However if you just call up an upgrade tech they'll be more than happy to give (and sell) it to you. Afaik You can not purchase this part number online.

 

I was told it came with the heatsink and fan, but I'll find out once I receive it. Theres clearly been a delay on them as it's already been delayed twice now.

RV546 Card,Graphics,Hard Drive,5870,Parker,Mobile Pci Express Module,Cable $334.99

 

The reason there is a delay on these parts is because there was a shortage. They allocated units for production, and warranty and did not allocated any for upgrade when they first came out.

I thought it was damn stupid to ask people to return computers in order to ship them a new computer with CF when so many people could have easily added the extra card themselves.

Some countries like USA got stock of the parts before Canada. I suspect that the price for part is cheaper in USA also.

Be aware that in Canada you have 30 days to return your unit and in the USA you have 21 days. If someone is telling you to wait for a part that doesn't exist yet you may find yourself in a pickle.

Also you must order the 240 watt power supply. $350 is not bad but you still have to add $120 for the cost of power supply. Perhaps they lowered the price and made parts available to prevent people from sending units back.

I was told it came with heat sink and fan but you needed to buy the CF connector.

 

Was also told the xfire connector was included. I don't have to worry about the 240w power supply since my system already came with it.

 

When do you expect to receive your second 5870?

 

IMPORTANT.......
If you upgade be sure that the power brick can handle the added load.
What I've seen is different power bricks for different configurations.
The machine listed in my sig uses a model GA240PE1-00 brick that came with the machine. As you can see by the configuration the machine is set up with two gf 280ms ,and the 9400 onboard. The brick runs mildly warm not hot.

LOOK at the user service manual for the rated outputs of the various bricks. Dell/Alienware only give you the lowest power brick they can when the machine is configured to save them $s.

I remember reading in the technical service manual or the technical FAQs about this. My 240 watt brick uses a blue led around the plug in to the computer as an easy way to tell the wattage of the supply. From my reading the bricks have different led colors to help distinguish them apart. I always look at the model number and/ do the math on the output of the supply.
Ex. my brick output says 19.5volts @12.3amps. lets do the math.
19.5v times 12.3 amps = 237.39 watts rounded up to 240watts.

I do not know what Bricks Dell/Alienware offer just what I've read.

Just keep these things in mind when doing any upgrading.

Off subject: If upgrading memory or cpu you have to think about the same considerations if you want the machine's brick to last. You have to mate the brick with the system requirements.

And you thought this was going to be easy.

I do not know what Bricks Dell/Alienware offer just what I've read.

 

It's been delayed like 4 times now. Was suppose to get it 6/7 but now it's been pushed back to 6/18

 

wow that sucks, my new M17X R2 spent 12 days in production, so they're obviously still hording the samples for new models.

 

did you remember to buy another Power supply ac adaptor the 240W one? whats that go for these days, 150CDN?

 

No idea how much a 240w power supply cost, but my system already comes with it since I have the 920xm. Getting sick of waiting and thinking maybe I should just wait to see if dell offers the 480m and how it compares.

 

I think if you do that you'll be waiting a few months. How long was it after the 5870 made it's way into Clevo's and ASUS laptops before Dell shoved one in a M17x? And then how much longer before CF was available?

 

Other threads in the forums talk about how the 5870's are pretty much on par with the 480M while the only difference being the better tessalation support. It might not even be worth it to do that.

 

the first oem clevo with real mobile platform prcessors and chipsets put the 480m anywhere from 5-30% ahead of the 5870. that's *about* as much upgrade as the 5870 was to the 4870 anyway. it's the new king for sure, it's just a 100w king.

 

Prob right, a single 480m will probably cost as much as 2 5870s

 

My second 5870 is now delayed until 6/23

 

Dang, that sux dude!

 

this bench (on the clevo ) was made with the 980 gultown (the 5870 had a 720 m)

 

They allocated stock for production and warranty and none for parts. That is why your order is delayed. I offered to add the second card myself and they had none in parts so I returned my single card unit for a complete refund and had to reorder new again. The demand of CF 5870 has been very high according to my sales rep.

 

$145 Canadian list for power bar

 

yup, it's pretty redicilous. 5870s came out 2 days after I recieved my r2 with 4870s and I tried to just "exchange" the cards. even got to the point where I found a rep that was able to give me a shipping label and refund for my 4870s but I was just not able to order new 5870s. eventually had to return it and reorder. utter waste of time and resources. the upside being I got a *much* better deal this time around.

 

Well the only reason I've been patient is the single 5870 has been taking care of all my games with ease so I'm in no rush to get an additional 5870, it feels like I'm getting them for bragging rights. Well it'll come when it comes.

 

Guys keep in mind. The shape and direction of the fan on the right side of the computer is different from the left, heatsink might be a different directionality as well. You cannot just buy a single from dell inc CF cable etc. It has to be specific for the second GPU...meaning that you either are going to have to buy two new gpu's anyhow...wait for the new upgraded ones that come out and buy those

 

Many games including World of Warcraft do not have the advanced engines to run Crossfire...the game you are playing may be doing the same thing as well

 

Don't get what the your talking about, you can buy a single secondary 5870 with crossfire cables, and I've been told it includes the heatsink. Seriously your just completely clueless.

 

You can get 2 identical cards and flash them with the primary and secondary vbios respectively. Then you need to attach the heatsinks from the correct sides and you're done

 

You got a copy of the 5870 slave bios?

 

Mines are 4870's

 

I just got quoted $450 for everthing I need to upgrade to Xfire 5870s. that includes the 240 watt adapter. And the rep said that I can easily sell my 150 watt adapter on ebay. So overall it should cost me $350- $375.

 

I ordered a second 5870 yesterday and the rep said I wouldn't need a different power adapter. I don't have the 240w one now... Should I call them back? Are you guys sure you have to upgrade that?

 

Yes you need the 240w adapter. You should call back and ad it to your order. They charge $120 over the phone and you can sell your useless 150w adapter on ebay after you get the dual cards working perfectly.

BTW, how much your second 5870 cost?

 

It was 367 after tax and shipping for the card, fan, and cable. Thx for the info I'll call them back.