Area 51 m15x-R1 with new Dell GTX 260 ?

hey guys,

I am looking to upgrade my m15x-R1 8800gtx graphics card. now I called alienware/dell and they said i could upgrade to a GTX260 with "no" issues. I talked to tech support and asked if the HDMI output worked correctly and they said it works fine. that was an issue with JDELUNA GTX280 upgrade. but his card was from a Sager M570TU. there was some speculation that HDMI was not working because of a MXM 3.0b issue. but I think that was just speculation. there could be other issues with sticking a Sager GTX280 into a alienware mobo that would cause the HDMI to fail. if alienware/dell says it will work then i can just send back if the card has no HDMI output. anyone try this yet? seems like a nice upgrade for a few hundred bucks.

 

Dell dont even have GTX260's with the right connector for the m15x. No Dells card will simply not work fullstop, I dont know what clowns they have working in the call center these days to tell you that. Maybe you werent clear that you had the original pre Dell merger m15x and not the current one.
You need an MXM 2.1 card for the m15x and Dells ones are MXM 3.0

 

yea i was surprised. but they brought up my specs and account.

 

Dell don't stock MXM 2.1 GTX 260Ms. Full stop. They don't have any 260M that will work in your machine.

 

I called them again and they said the only problem would be a possible 50% mismatch with the heat sink! the tech support guy knew exactly what system I have. he said that there was actually 2 versions of the m15x-R1 motherboard. perhaps that has something to do with it. he said the gt 240m would work no problem. has anyone actually ordered a 260m or 240m from dell and tried to stick it in a m15x-R1?

 

He is clueless it wont work, there werent two versions of the motherboard for a start. There were two revisions of the m15x he's obviously just assuming you have the new one in which the cards will work. If you want a compatible card for your system then get one from mxm-upgrade.com

 

the tech knew about the R1 motherboard before they switched over to dell. we were talking about weather the 260m would work with the old mother board.

thing is he gave me a good quote on a 260m. and there is a 21 day return rma. so what the hell. if it does not work ill just send it back and get one from mxm or rj maybe.

but it still seems that no one has actually ordered one from dell and tried to install it. am I write?

 

looks like the pinout is different for the MXM 3.0 cards... rats! well to bad.

 

I cant believe you wouldnt listen to the people on this forum telling you. The techs on the phones are to be frank reading off a script, they know very little about the machines they support and I would be surprised if they've even seen them. I've had techs telling me that the ethernet port on my m9750 is part of the motherboard, it clearly is on a seperate board and yet those "experts" dont know it is. The real techs who know what they're doing are at the maintenance depot!

 

lol. yea I figured it was to good to be true but damn! 800$ upgrade to some shaky half working after market card is the only option for these now? geeze.... makes me want to just get some atx parts again. you could prob put together the same system for 700 bucks...

 

The best upgrade is the hd3870 which can be picked up for 200-300$ usually.

 

ah thanks. anyone know where i can get a 3870 new? I don't want to get a used card that's just asking for trouble. and has there been HDMI output problems with the 3870 like there is with the geforce 280?

 

well I was looking at the specs on a 3870. looks to much of a downgrade. looks like I will end up getting a new system. I'm totally pissed there is no upgrade. they want you to get a new system. I don't think i will put down another lump of cash with these jokers. looks like clevo is going to to be a safer bet. they have a longer life cycle on there boards. dell is to focused on the low end quantity market. essentially your getting an xps system at this point. which i'm not to impressed with.

 

from the 8800gtx nah the downgrade will be felt but not that much sites like notbookcheq etc are nvidia partisant

 

hmm that's interesting. anyone know who is selling a 3870 new thats not on ebay?

 

Hey man

I've upgraded my m15x with the 260m GTX, and the HDMI output doesn't work. The driver support is also poor resulting in crashes. It also gives bluescreens

Here's the guide I did http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...l-260m-gtx-into-area-51-m15x.html#post5583054
I haven't been active here for ages.

Did alienware have a driver which they said worked with the 260m?

 

Yes you can fit the MXM 2.1 GTX 260M which doesnt have working HDMI, but you cannot fit the dell supplied GTX 260M as it is MXM 3.0