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.

    nVidia and ATI in the same M17xR2???

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by lancorp, Aug 11, 2010.

  1. lancorp

    lancorp Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    558
    Messages:
    3,258
    Likes Received:
    55
    Trophy Points:
    116
    I noticed a unit at the Outlet that is advertised with a single 4870 AND a single GTX 260M.

    Is that even possible??
     
    lancorp, Aug 11, 2010
    #1
  2. Lozz

    Lozz Top Overpriced Dell

    Reputations:
    536
    Messages:
    2,087
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    56
    physically, yes.
     
    Lozz, Aug 11, 2010
    #2
  3. hrp100

    hrp100 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    No, maybe a typo?
     
    hrp100, Aug 11, 2010
    #3
  4. Lozz

    Lozz Top Overpriced Dell

    Reputations:
    536
    Messages:
    2,087
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    56
    you can put both cards in the same laptop, without the same type of cards and a CF/SLI cable the laptop should revert to whichever is in the primary slot and boot. All in theory however. Sounds like someone had a 4870 and got a 260 for cheap and threw it in there as a physx card. or it's a typo like you said lol.
     
    Lozz, Aug 11, 2010
    #4
  5. lancorp

    lancorp Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    558
    Messages:
    3,258
    Likes Received:
    55
    Trophy Points:
    116
    Yes, it's obvious that it physically could take both, since there are two GPU slots. I guess I was asking if this was ever an option and which one would work (or can you switch between them), or is this not a workable option?
     
    lancorp, Aug 11, 2010
    #5
  6. Lozz

    Lozz Top Overpriced Dell

    Reputations:
    536
    Messages:
    2,087
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    56
    you can't switch between them, the secondary card is not bootable by itself, it's why Joker and other people have had to RMA cards that fail when flashing to say an ASUS BIOS, you can't boot the secondary card and blind flash it, or disable the primary and work just from the secondary. I can't see why it wouldn't just boot off the primary and just sorta forget about the secondary, after getting into windows it might be possible to use the secondary as a physx card if it were an nvidia in the secondary as suggested.
     
    Lozz, Aug 11, 2010
    #6
  7. lancorp

    lancorp Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    558
    Messages:
    3,258
    Likes Received:
    55
    Trophy Points:
    116
    Is the GTX 260M any good as a primary (better or worse than a 4870)?
     
    lancorp, Aug 11, 2010
    #7
  8. Lozz

    Lozz Top Overpriced Dell

    Reputations:
    536
    Messages:
    2,087
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    56
    you would definitally want the 4870 as the primary and the 260 as the physx card(ie secondary), otherwise there's absolutely no point to it. ;)
     
    Lozz, Aug 11, 2010
    #8
  9. nzgeek

    nzgeek Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    130
    Messages:
    352
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    31
    It's worth noting that you may have some issues using the nVidia card for PhysX if the 4870 is made the primary. nVidia have code in their drivers that disables PhysX unless that card is the primary, which has frustrated many people. You can get hacked drivers, but it's hard to say if they'll work correctly in a laptop system.
     
    nzgeek, Aug 11, 2010
    #9