Alienware M17xR3

Hey guys, I need some help on choosing a new GPU for my Alienware laptop, I currently have an Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000. I would like to run some FPS like Arma, Rust, ex. I can run them currently on low settings. I am not familiar with computers and or how to upgrade things, I just usually youtube it. I have included pictures of my specs and graphics card. I am looking to spend about 300 or less. It has a 90W battery also, if that is important?

Or should I just start saving for a new rig? I do realize my computer is 3 years old.

Any other recommendations for my computer to make it a better gaming laptop?

 

Hmmmm the 680m?


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You can upgrade the CPU to a 2920XM/2960XM... I would also put in a 780M and that all should come to about $900 USD and this should go on for a few years.. However, if its already 3 years old, If the motherboard etc fails, it will be quite a waste after carrying out the upgrades... So at least do the 780M and keep your CPU... Even if the motherboard fails, you could buy a R4/R5 and put the 780M in that..

 

Thank you!

 

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M says the power consumption is 100W but my thing is only 90W? Is it fine?

 

If you have an AW17x R3, you won't have any problems.. You will need a 240W power supply. You have to buy the 680/780M with a heatsink kit so remember that.

 

Does the drop down in pic 5 show what dGPU you have now? It's 75W cards that usually get the 180w PSU so you should have the 240w one and be fine - check it out

 

OP also didn't say which card he had originally and that would give us the answer..

 

lol That's where I was going -

 

Sorry, but it does not drop down anything, when I click on it, it only shows me the intel card.

 

I don't know what card I have originally...

 

Remove the card then It's easy


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Or press Fn+F7 to switch to your dedicated card and GPU-Z will exactly tell you what you have...

 

Is this possible if the dedicated card is dead? It wasn't possible in my case but it's not clear here if the dedicated still works or not in his case. I suppose not but you never know

 

Sorry for such the late reply, I kinda just gave up on my computer for a little while. But one day i was just screwing around updating my Intel and it had an Error, but a little while after, I finally found out what my dedicated card is, It is a Nvidia geforce GTX 560m!!! So i got to play minecraft at over 100 FPS instead of 12. So that was cool and all, but then when i shut it down and restarted it, my intel took control of everything thing again and i was back to 12-15 fps. So what could that represent?

 

Can you set your display adapter to peg in your bios?


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I'm not that intelligent with computers so i don't know what the display adapter is, but i do know that when i pull up my Bios it only shows me: Intel Sandy Bridge, and then for the thing below it , it says Not Detected

 

Sounds likw Optimus (the technology that controls GPU switching) may be broken?

If you right click the game launch icon do you see 'run on... something to do with the NV GPU', I don't have it so I can't say the exact item but it should be fairly obvious .

Also it might be worth seeing if a recent NV driver install clears it up? You never know and it's simple enough: Drivers | GeForce

HTH.

 

Gyazo - dfd131362c2cb3c4511659744437c698.png[/U][/U][/U] this is what i got when i tried installing the latest driver, i have updated to the latest bios which is A12 also. I do not have any option when I right click on any game that says "Run on...."

 

Reseating and cleaning the contacts of your gpu might help and a cmos reset too. Your link doesn't seem to work.


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Gyazo - 58d5548650813477d4e697f89d2c8275.png Here's the proper link.

 

Can't see the pic but I guess 'hardware not found'. I'd go for a removal and reseat as well . Simple enough, just remove the fan (three screws) and lift the GPU and heatsink as a complete assembly (two screws) .

Edit: yup, now I see it!

 

Ok, I'll try that. I took my back case off awhile ago but is this my GPU?

 

Well, it's one of the fans and the cmos battery!

It is located on the right side as you sit at the machine. Remove that fan and then the two screws holding the card down, it will lift upwards and you just pull it out of the slot. Check out the AW owners manual for instructions: ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-prod...ps/alienware-m17x-r4_Owner's Manual_en-us.pdf, page 32

This is the R4 but it's the same for this.

 

Ok, I did that, I found a lot of lint and other dust, Yum! I reseated it and still no sign of Nvidia present.

Here is the picture of it:

 

Looks like you separated the heatsink, which you didn't need to do. Did you remove the two screws holding the card down and release it. That is the contact point.

If so then all I can think of is to try defaulting the BIOS in case something in there is interfering, but sounds like the dGPU may be toast .