M17x R4, looking for new graphics card

So recently my 7970M died and I'm looking for a new card to replace it. Mainly I'm looking for something that's relatively cheap (preferably less than $500) and can be obtained from a reliable source. Bonus points for something that's easy to install (plug and play?).

I don't mind the performance of the 7970M and would rather prefer something cheap and reliable over an expensive top of the line card. (Although both would be nice...)

I've done some preliminary research and am considering the following choices:

Another 7970M: pretty cheap and minimal hassle. If I do get another 7970M, what's a reliable place to buy it from? I would like it to last a few years. (I do realize it's not a reliable card in the first place though...) Can I literally just take out the old card, and put the new one in its place with no additional hardware (heatsink, brackets, screws, etc) or driver changes and expect it to work?

GTX 980M / 970M: pretty significant upgrade performance wise, although the price is a bit too high, and the extra fiddling to install it is annoying. If there's a cheaper place to get it (not in the $800 range for 980M, or $600 range for 970M), I might consider these.

New mobile AMD card (R9 M390X? M395X?): Seems like there's not a lot of information on these. Since AMD cards are usually cheaper, I'm definitely willing to wait a few months (not too long) if they have similar or better performance than the 980M. Does anyone know when they'll be available, or if they will work in the R4 at all? I could bake my current card and pray it still works when these become available.

What do you guys think?

 

Hi there,

Personally I cannot recommend the 680m for the R4 high enough. It is plug and play, no driver or bios messing and at stock is a slightly better performer than the 7970m. It runs very cool and can be easily overclocked/overvolted for very good performance if you want to. Most games older than around one year old can run pretty much maxed out. I have also not seen a single failure, even when overvolted to the max .

You will need to do some work for a replacement to an AMD but this is only removing the tape around the GPU core on the heatsink and sorting out pad placement and thickness. You also need the x-bracket and screws for the 680m. I just got the heatsink for the R4/680m from dell. It has the pads and paste pre-applied and only needs screwing together (it comes with the captive screws as well). Only problem there is that people have been having difficulty with getting them from Dell - call the support line and not sales if you want to get one, around £50.00 shipped.

Ebay is the place to find GPU cards. The 980m has a bunch or pre-requisite work required to use it but it can be done - as long as you have windows 8.x.

Good luck.

 

Go with the baking first looking to salvage card at all costs.
Weigh whether your cpu will hold you back if purchasing the 980m.
Having both the 7970m(2gb) and 680m(4gb) i can tell you that the two are very close in performance with the 7970m better in some whilst conversely true.
Try the bake first and if no luck and low on cash then a 7970m would be my next option .
Good luck.

 

I do intend to bake before I buy anything, but as far as I know it's only a temporary solution. As far as buying replacement cards go, how sure can I be that I'll get a card that works and is stable if I'm buying from ebay? Never bought replacement GPUs from it and it sounds kind of hit or miss...

 

The 970M can be bought for $450 from RJTech.. When you buy it, make RJTech include NVIDIA heatsink screws along with it because the screws are slightly different.. other then that, it's straightforward...

 

Update: just baked it, looks like it's working for now, if / when it fails I'll probably spring for a replacement 7970.

 

Nice! With any luck it will last. Mine has been running fine since Nov 2013 since baking

 

I know this is difficult to ascertain but I wonder where the cold solder joints are forming on these card. It must be near the gpu based on heat output.
Thankfully I have never had this issue touch wood but the manufacturing process must be poor for so many to have their solder weaken.