Alienware M17x R3 w/2920XM?

speculation as to whether or not the 2920XM would ever become available in the M17x R3 has been bantered about since its initial launch.

the sw (dell-lab.posterous) engineer has recently posted up the following:

there seems to be anecdotal evidence (+1 @kunekaden) further supporting this notion here, where it looks as though the possible future unmentionable alienware machine may share the same sandy bridge motherboard as the newly relaunched M17x R3.

so now the only question is, does any brave soul with access to both an M17x R3 and a 2920XM cpu have the nerve to give it a try?

 

You already know the answer to this - as long as the BIOS support is there, it is possible. Is the BIOS support there now? Of course we don't have this info. At some point, I imagine it will be available to configure when purchasing the system. I cant imagine AW not including the extreme CPU option on any of its systems. Give it time.

 

Ohh lord if only i had the r3 and not the r2 .. i'd pay the extra loot for that ..

 

There's no solid proof on it because Dell no longer gives detailed notes with new bios releases but I think the most recent bios update gave support for the 2920xm. If you think about it the first bios release should have already had support for all of the i5's and the i7's aside from the 2920xm and the newest bios has a note that reads "cpu micro-code update" which typically means additional cpu support. If I had $1200 I'd do it but I think it would end up costing me a lot more than $1200 due to the divorce that would follow it shortly lol.

 

it either added the 2920xm or some i5
...I highly doubt they added support for sandy bridge i5 (before XM at least)

haha dane! I feel your pain.
To add more speculation to the pot, I've read at least thrice that ivy bridge will pretty much be plug-and-play in HM67 boards - so I'll wait for that rather than divorce + XM
Unless wife pisses me off

 

precisely why i opted 2720... and am happy waiting!

 

agreed. yet seeing it in real world (vs. hypothetical) action much sooner rather than later (if ever), in a preview as to potential maximum cpu performance capabilities of the M17x R3, would be quite nice indeed. in fact, it's much akin to testing out other possible future M17x R3 hardware, such as the 485M gpu...

 

my system is coming with the XM customised from a dealer

 

Question is how well can you overclock it. Isn't the 2920xm just an unlocked 2820qm? It's kind of like the "K" processors that you find on SB line of desktop cpus.

 

Hmmm allot of interesting input, but to get straight down to the point is it possible to put a 2920XM in an M17X yes or no and if so does anyone have a guide on how to do it XD

 

To provide info on the dealer would be very helpful for a lot of folks here

 

HIDevolution.com - Specializing in customized computers, electronics, and mobile devices for gamers and professionals

 

I know I will sound like a noob, but why would one want an 2920XM, versus say the 2720 or 2820? Upon using the Intel comparison chart, I cant see that big of a difference, so just curious in layman's term what one could get out it.

Also, I not one for overclocking and pushing my machine to the extremes, so its probably not for me. Just curious what if anything I would be missing out by not getting it and what one could do with it?

 

Well the main reason would be for overclocking. A lot of us like doing that though I cannot justify anymore the $1200.00 they charge for extreme CPU.

There is also the ego factor, knowing that you have the best on the market at any given time is really cool...

 

cpu is $888 on ebay right now...What OC features are we allowed? And I assume I would need to upgrade the memory to 1600mhz to benefit from the CPU OC?

 

I'm surr it'll get cheaper over time, let's remember that even the QX9300 and the 940xm were priced the same in their early days.

 

Mobile procs rarely drop in price, especially hobbyist procs like the 2920XM

 

the 2920xm is supported. BUT it seems that throttle stop does not work with the sandy bridge processors and I don't think you are able to manipulate the unlocked multiplier in the bios cause the option isn't there. So there is really no point to getting the 2920xm in the m17x r3 since you cant OC and without an OC the performance gain is so tiny compared to the 2720qm that you are basically just blowing money away for no reason.

 

Have you seen a R3 with it inside? The previous i7 non extreme CPUs didn't have the OC option either in the R2.

 

Noone knows, maybe email HIDEvo for now?

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/har...ades/545462-2720qm-vs-2820qm-vs-2920xm-4.html

 

I asked Ted at Hidevolution which revision of chip was he fitting, he assured me it was a QS version which is fine by me, anyone know how to check this once I get my R3 without taking it apart ?

 

The ES/QS should show up in CPU-Z next to the CPU model.
Cheers

 

I believe they are all classed as ES with ES QS being more or less the full production model, so will cpuz show it's id as ES with QS on it too as some sort of revision ?

 

No, it will show only one of them "tags" it depends on how the CPU is registered in CPU-Z(or other) or the CPU was never tagged as QS before going retail.
QS is meant for testing other hardware parts/bios versions etc and not the chip itself.
If you get to read the serial number you can look that up and find out more about it (stepping ,capabilities).
Cheers

 

just checked ebay and the QS version is readily available so I assume that is what Ted is able to fit, Y sort of wish I had fitted it myself then I'd still have the old one for warranty and spare but never mind, Ted stands over his work and I believe him.

 

Yes but the r2 officially had the extreme version as an option to get. The r3 doesn't officially have the extreme cpu as an option. Chances are since throttle stop doesn't work with it and dell doesn't provide the chip as an upgrade it wont be able to be overclocked and if that ends up being the case then every 1 should be buying 2630's or 2720's those are the only ones worth the money if the extreme don't oc.

 

well I am going to find out - right ?

so not much more to say on the matter until that happens as with the Nvidia 485m

 

Well I wish you the best in luck. I hope you have good news to report back to us. + rep for taking the chance. Male sure you report back with your findings.

 

will do for sure, if it's not there I'd expect it over time as a bios update, Dell tend to feed stuff over months when they launch new systems, I'd say it is due too getting the platform to a stable state with released hardware then gradually introduce higher performance upgrades, can you imagine them just throwing out extreme cpu's and very new hi performance GPU's in the middle of a new product launch, already we have BSODS and bad drivers causing problems for them to sort out, throw in overclocking to the mix = mayhem lol

 

true, also holding back some of the best parts will rejuvenate all the interest and attention in the product again after is been out for awhile. Bring all the chatter back about it.