Which video card is better?

2GB GDDR5 AMD Radeon™ HD 6970M (only 1, not dual)

OR

Dual 1.5GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460M – NVIDIA® SLI® Enabled

 

Well, for one, the 17xR3 only has 1 discrete GPU. Are you talking about the 17xR3 or the 18x?

If the 18x, use this thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...idia-gtx-460m-sli-vs-ati-radeon-hd-6970m.html

 

Actually, I'm talking about both. Which is better? The M17x R3's AMD 6970m or the M18x's Dual 460m cards?

 

You really can't google some benchmarks?

Since you don't seem to be able to do that, I'll tell you that most benchmarks have them pretty neck and neck.

 

Too tell you the truth, i don't know what benchmarks is/does...which is why i'm here....

 

then you need to do some more research...

 

A single 6970m should be just under 460m SLI. 6970 CF would obliterate 460m SLI though. 460m SLI is shown to be just over/even with a 485m, and a 485m beats a 6970 by ~1-10% depending on the application/game, and even loosing out on a few.

I would cite notebook check, but I might get martyred if I did so.

 

Okay thank for your help, the reason why i'm asking is because im getting a replacement and the tech is calling monday to go over the specs and hes probably gonna offer an R3, but since I got dual Video cards I was gonna fight for the M18x. What would you do?

 

I doubt that you will going win the battle to get M18x.

ATI Radeon HD 6970M (single) beats GeForce GTX 260M SLI away.

 

I'd say it definitely doesn't hurt to TRY for the M18X...Doubtful, but worth a shot.

I think if you were to get an R3 as a replacement to your R1, you are making off like a BANDIT. I wouldn't be too disappointed if I were you and they refuse the 18X but offer the R3.

And KillerBunny, I don't see anything wrong with citing notebookcheck!

Mobile Graphics Cards - Benchmark List - Notebookcheck.net Tech

Check this out - limit your cards to just the 460m, 460m SLI, 260m SLI, 6870m and 6970m, make sure all benchmark options are checked, and hit "restrict". You will see a decent rough comparison. Good luck with your replacement.

 

The issue with citing notebookcheck is they are not always accurate in how they grade their benchmark list, and the FPS guide to games can be inaccurate.

 

Yeah there are things that they can't account for like differences in CPU. Its harder to get even hardware in the laptop realm.

 

I'd go for the 460M SLI setup myself

 

Now, if I do get the M17x R3 at a later date will I be able to add another 6970 or is the motherboard not compatible?

 

If you dig 3D gaming in R3 like I'm doing right now, then you'd say the R3 with 3D version is totally worth it.

Just my .02

 

R3 does not do dual video cards. Maybe you could try to get the m18x with a single 6970...

 

You mean so i can upgrade it later?

 

Yeah. I'll tell you though, Dell doesn't seem to make that process very easy.

 

Yeah, I'm probably just going to go with M17x R3 since that's a pretty big upgrade already. The 6970 seems on par with the Dual 460m so yeah... Thanks for all your help guys!

 

I've got the same question (and to avoid starting the same topic again...) but with a different ATI card..

To go with the ATI 6870M or shell out $50 more for the GTX 460M for the M17x R3?

 

I wasn't sure what to expect from a mobile computing platform. The last notebook I purchased was the Dell XPS 1330.

I have been using my m17x w/ 6970m for the past week. Every game that I play can run in ultra settings without a problem. I have been THRILLED with the performance, thus far.

I recently downloaded the high resolution pack for Dragon Age II and thought I would have to lower the vid settings. Nope, this thing chews up the incredibly detailed environment without a problem at 1080p. I have ALL settings turned up/on with the exception of AA. I have that set at AAx2, instead of the max. It runs at max but jittered a few times so I turned it down a bit.

Unless you need 3D run through an inferior card, I am sure that anything but the hardest core gamer would be satisfied with the 6970m. It is a surprisingly capable card.

My only real complaint is battery life. With the 6970 turned on the m17x r3 seems to burn through the battery in a little over an hour. And it does get a little loud when running full out. But I almost always use headphones with it, so no worries there. The fan does drown out the speakers in it, though.

 

I know this isn't related to the question but portability is also something you should have in mind. I travel half way around the world several times a year and finding a proper backpack for my M17x R3 is painful enough, not to mention carrying it. If by mentioning 460m sli you mean the M18x then all I can tell you is that the M18x isn't for everybody as the portability is really... well, not so good.

For the graphic cards though, they are pretty neck and neck and both options are more than enouch for hardcore gaming in 2011. For the m18x you can get dual-6970m for an extra $200 which is miles faster than 460m-sli so pure-perfomance wise 460m sli is in an awkward position. The 6970 crossfire on the other hand though seems a massive overkill to me. There simply isn't enough games out there (well apart from Metro 2033 and a few others but those are not the games people would keep on playing for years) that would utilize its full potential. So unless you get a 1200p RGB screen (which Dell for some reason didn't put into the m18x), or alienware miraculously announces a 3D version that supports ATI cards, it's not that useful right now. I would wait...