The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    M17x R1 + Gtx285 Sli

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by ID4, Jun 16, 2010.

  1. ID4

    ID4 Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Hi guys

    I recently updated the firmware on my HDD's and it looks like the stuttering problem ive had is solved forever. Now I am concidering of upgrading my gpu with something more spicy. Since I read that Dell wont support the ATI 5xxx and Nvidia 4xx cards in the R1, Im going for the 285's.

    In bios it says I have a 240W PSU, and I believe it is the standard for R1's and should be able to handle the two OC'd cards.

    Have someone successfully installed a pair of these in their R1 and can confirm that they work fine? And does Nvidia have good driver support for these two oddball cards?

    A link to a recommended shop would also be very much appreciated. (btw i live in europe)

    -thanks
     
  2. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    4,976
    Messages:
    12,675
    Likes Received:
    65
    Trophy Points:
    466
    What about going to 4870s? They'll outperform the 285M and you know for sure it will work.
     
  3. Aikimox

    Aikimox Weihenstephaner!

    Reputations:
    5,955
    Messages:
    10,196
    Likes Received:
    91
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Yep, plus no latency/stuttering issues with ATI's. Many (including myself) went this route and never had regrets.
     
  4. ID4

    ID4 Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    55
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    /edit

    Is there a definite proof of which config is the most powerful? Ive done some searching and the results are mixed.
     
  5. Aikimox

    Aikimox Weihenstephaner!

    Reputations:
    5,955
    Messages:
    10,196
    Likes Received:
    91
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Depends on the game, but generally 4870's are more powerful, easily OC'ed and the most important - your system won't stutter/have latency issues like with Nvidia cards.
    Many people on this forum went through the hard time coping with latency problems, many ended up switching to 4870's, some got their R1 replaced with R2 .
    Here is one huge proof.
     
  6. Lozz

    Lozz Top Overpriced Dell

    Reputations:
    536
    Messages:
    2,087
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    56
    not only that, you will probally be able to find them easier and cheaper. Dell 4870s are all over eBay and parts outlets for the moment.