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    CPU upgrade - possible? Worthwhile?

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by LawyerLynn, Jun 30, 2011.

  1. LawyerLynn

    LawyerLynn Notebook Guru

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    Hi all, new to the forum, had my M15x for about 6 months now (what an awesome Christmas I had :D )

    Anyway, I have the i740QM processor and while I've played around with some OC to my 5850 video (I wish someone would find a way to enable the overdrive function in the Catalyst Control Center for the card and I didn't have to use Trixx though) I was wondering if it was possible to upgrade the CPU and if it would be worthwhile. I've read the info. on upgrading to the 6970 video and may do that, but wondered if it was possible and worthwhile to move up to the i920XM or even a i940XM processor? :notworthy:
     
    LawyerLynn, Jun 30, 2011
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  2. Simplified

    Simplified The Most Awesome

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    Possible to upgrade CPU = yes
    Worthwhile = hard to tell.

    I have the i7 740qm (same cpu as yours) in my M17x. I have dual 5870m in crossfire, and it is very seldom that my cpu hold the cards back.

    In a dual card machine it is more worthwhile to upgrade the cpu than in a single card machine. With one gpu, it is very unlikely the cpu will be the bottleneck (even with the 6970m).
     
    Simplified, Jun 30, 2011
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  3. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    It's not only possible, but easy to upgrade the CPU in your M15x to a 920/940xm. Most forum members upgrade using (ES)(Engineering Samples) versions of the CPU's, which can be had on eBay for about $350 (920xm) from reliable sources, which include established sellers like laptopmonkey (Bath, U.K.) and extremeprocessor (Taiwan). The 940xm (ES) chips are typically $125-200 more. Overclocked to the limits using Throttlestop, both are capable of providing almost twice the processing speed/capacity of the 740qm. They are worth the cost for the entertainment value alone.

    Overdrive has been available for the 5850M with every Catalyst set since about Cat 10.10 from last year. There is a detailed thread where the methods of exposing it through CCC are discussed. I'll see if I can find a reference, but a clean install (with Driver Sweeper) should make it available automatically.

    Edit: Check out this thread, which addresses the process by which many of us first enabled Overdrive for the 5850M. http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m15x/540287-ati-10-12-reference-drivers.html#post6965620.
     
    The Revelator, Jun 30, 2011
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  4. LawyerLynn

    LawyerLynn Notebook Guru

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    Rev, you're like an alien(ware) god, but of course you know that don't you? :D

    Thanks for the info.

    Simplified, I appreciate your reply greatly as well. :)
     
    LawyerLynn, Jun 30, 2011
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  5. usmc362

    usmc362 Notebook Consultant

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    If you're interested I can get you a 940XM ES for $450.00 :D
     
    usmc362, Jun 30, 2011
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  6. usmc362

    usmc362 Notebook Consultant

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    I just saw one on eBay for $428.00
     
    usmc362, Jun 30, 2011
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  7. dragonthl

    dragonthl Notebook Enthusiast

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    Just upgrade to i7 920xm from laptopmonkey on ebay, run perfect until now :D
     
    dragonthl, Jun 30, 2011
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  8. xeroxide

    xeroxide Notebook Deity

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    and fyi, the upgrade to a 9x20/940xm is well worth it.
    combined with throttlestop, it's easy to get well over double the performance in a multi-threaded setting.

    the 920xm i have is the first laptop cpu i've owned which feels like a desktop pc and not a laptop.
     
    xeroxide, Jul 1, 2011
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  9. LawyerLynn

    LawyerLynn Notebook Guru

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    Thanks guys, I appreciate the info. Got Overdrive functioning ok (running GPU at 700/1150 w/ no problems. Temps get to about 75 or so when playing Games). Working on cash for CPU/GPU upgrades now.
     
    LawyerLynn, Jul 1, 2011
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