M17x-R2 - out with HD5870

Ok so there is hope after all. I know many people were bumbed when there weren't able to upgrade their m17's now I'm looking to getting the new m17x

 

hope you still get your dual 5870 my dutch friend
i'll upgrade when needed and if possible..

 

Just ordered the 5870 finally in the US.

 

I got my order confirmed, payment is being transferred as we speak.

 

Would the motherboard require an upgrade to support the 5870s? My R2 is already Crossfire compatible, but my concern is only that there may be some kind of motherboard requirement in order to push the 5870s limits. Otherwise, you should only have to just install the cards/drivers and that's it. Welcome to DX11, right?

I do not see a crossfire option. Just a single 5870 option for the Corei7 processor. The dual option is dual 4870HDs

 

No if anything you might need a BIOS update.

 

I talked to the high-tier tech that granted me my replacement. I asked him what was up with 5870 crossfire cards being pulled from the European Alienware order websites today after being available yesterday. In response, I've been told the listing of dual 5870 crossfire configurations on the website yesterday was a mistake. According to him, the 5870 is currently only configurable in a single card configuration. Apparently, there are technical issues that prevent crossfire to work properly with the current crop of 5870 cards and there is nothing they can do about it at the moment. He said it's uncertain when crossfire configurations of these cards will be available if at all.
He also noted that any orders that were placed yesterday with 5870 crossfire configuration would likely be cancelled and can only be replaced with 4870 crossfire configurations or something to that extent.

Now I'm not sure how accurate the information is, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

Has anyone in the US tried calling a rep to get Dual 5870's as an option?

I know with Dell Servers and business laptops if there is a configuration not available on the site that I want I can call my rep and usually it's an option for them as long as it's physically possible.

EDIT: Glzmo's post above happened while I was typing and answers my question

 

Funny, epp offers single 4870 or 5870 and dual 4870. One extra option.

 

This is like a bad joke. Now I'm not sure whether to reorder or just wait it out. I wonder what kind of response a tech would give when told about the crossfire configurable systems in the other countries? Did they magically discover the problem and decide not to share over there ? Dell *has* to have at least a little insight that this affects their sales/returns at least by a small amount.

considering the amount of countries where it's not selectable, i'm thinking you'll be getting an e-mail/phone call very shortly.

 

Europe has Dual option on the 5870's?

 

Yeah I'd be kinda miffed. I canceled my order yesterday two weeks into production.

 

Mine is already shipping, and will be here on the 27th, so I will not be able to change my order anymore... I will ask my rep about sending me a separate card though, so I can replace it and send the 4870 back. Who knows, it might happen

 

I think he might be correct.

 

Then why would UK have dual set up available? Our guinea pig? (Sorry Dutch )

 

This is really a M17 4850 rehash ain't it.

With a little M17x GDDR5 4870 for extra flavor.

 

More history.....

When the 4870s were released they advertised with GDDR5 memory. People had it on their order confirmation and I did as well. One day Dell removed GDDR5 from their website AND people's order confirmation. To make thing worse CS denied everything. Hope this is not the same situation.

 

Another Mistake? Only 2 small markets (comparatively speaking to the ones without it configurable) have it as an option. 90% of their sales comes from the countries where it's not configurable, which makes me think that there might be a problem.

 

now i don't know what to do, i bought the m11x at best buy, but there is a dead pixel. i was just gonna get a desktop for the same price as the m17x with crossfire and the 920xm so i would have something more powerfull when i wanted to game at home. the m11x is more than enough for me on the road. grrr what to do.

 

Wow.

That would be terrible if the 5870's couldn't be crossfired.

Doesn't make sense to me. I mean, how can CF not work? CF has been out for years and it isn't something new here.

What could be the issue?

It would be like nvidia coming out and saying that SLI won't work with their new cards coming out.

Senseless, I tell ya.....

 

Since the dual 5870 configuration are removed from Uk website I believe it's a mistake.

 

Maybe 5870 don't support XF and they require Dell to add it? It would explain there difficulties to get them to work..

 

Oh wonder what's going to happen to Dutch's order then...

 

the tech said it was a problem with the current batch of 5870's, not the 5870 core itself. Whatever that means, I hate generalized excuses like that.

 

More or less he'll get dodgy cards/Get canceled and asked to order with 4870's or a single 5870

 

Sigh more waiting... Wonder how long its going to take them to get it up in xfire.

 

Still not making sense unless Dell recieved a bunch of cards that are currently floating around - the ones without the CF connectors.

 

I don't think we'll really have to wait very long, the next 72hours will be very telling. Only one of a few things are going to happen
1) Dell pulls 5870CF configurable systems off the remaining sites b/c there really is a problem with the 5870's and it's going to take either another 1-2months or until the next system refresh to fix.
2) Dell enables 5870 CF configurable systems global
Considering the worldwide release largely took place with single card systems only, I'm thinking it's going to be 1)

that's what I'm thinking, dell contracts out the same PCB graphics card manufacturer for the M17x that every one else does. No CF connector=no CF. Either way, I'll be reordering today, if they come out, It will be within the time frame to change my order.

 

Dang guess I'll wait longer before selling mine.

 

and the waiting continues...

 

Just hope that's not the case lol this laptop was supposed to be my bday gift on Apr 15th and ended up waiting for the new card...

 

Anyone notice that they at least managed to release with the same $1799 base price? Could be an insight that if they *did* release the cards, that it would be ~ as cheap as CF 4870's

I just don't see that being the case. It wouldn't make any sort of sense to release single 5870's systems and then only a few days later the real 5870 CF option. I'm sure they already received tens of thousands of dollars in canceled orders so far, can you imagine the amount of returns/canceled orders after you release a hugely anticipated graphics card refresh?

 

That's what I'm thinking, hoping

 

Yeah. I'm thinking of getting a single 5870 then. From what I remember its roughly the same as 4870 crossfire. And the price is the same as 4870 single used to be. So at very least there's the ~$300 off right there.

 

Yeah, if it's even within 10% of CF 4870's it would be a worth-while downgrade. Saves $300, no multi-gpu issues, and room for future upgrades. Anyone have comparisons bookmarked?

 

Not on an M17x. No one has mustered the kahones to try it out pre yesterdays release.

 

you wouldn't need the 5870 to be on an M17x. Just need comparable systems and standardized benchmarks. The results would obviously have a margin of error but generally should be comparable.

 

couldn't find anything on google

 

Its a shame about the crossfire setup with the 5870s

 

just flipped through the forums a bit and the general consensus is that if the game were not optimized for CF, the 5870 would win(albeit only slightly) but that the CF setup presents serious advantages (enough to warrant the $300 still) to any game that *is* multi-gpu optimized. AFAIK, the 5870 brings 128bit GDDR5 (versus 256bit GDDR3) and 40nm vs 55nm (ie faster core clocks) to the table, but nothing else.

 

dx11 support

 

Yeah, but with only marginally better specifications, does that really matter? Most of Directx 11's updates are to the way it handles the increasing amount of shader model permutations. The Improved mutli-threaded resource handling, ect.

Yes it increases texture size from 4x4 to 16x16, but besides that there's not a whole lot going on there. MS hasn't release an acutal real big api update since 9.0c

 

*...Waits...* : /

 

Yah... I don't think the 5870s are worth it without Xfire.

 

There is no problem with 5870 CF,no mistake,just marketing BS.

A lot of orders are being canceled due to the refresh.You guys are getting played its all about the money.

 

There's no problem with them, so people cancel and Dell loses out on $$$ and *we're* getting played? Please do tell how that one works.

 

DX11 is a BIG jump.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEnl8k6BcDs&feature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdvZPIQpsQo&feature=channel

 

Wait and see ,then ill get back to ya,lol

 

Finally! something of interest to talk about, first dpc. latency ,second stuttering "Now what?"

 

For purposes of comparison, at stock clocks, a 920XM/5870m setup will score about P8,850 3dMarks in Vantage, whereas 920XM/4870CF computers average around P12,000, about 35% higher. For 3d performance, there is just no substitute for dual cards in CF or SLI.