GPU Upgrade - or getting a stationary rig?

Hi guys.

I am a lot into online racing. I have found my M15x lagging some in rFactor 2 with my HD6990m. Thats with the 920xm running 27-26-25-25. I am currently debating myself if it will make enough of a difference, if I upgraded the GPU to something like 8970m, 780m or 880m ?

What do you think? Will any of you that already has a beefy 7970m or one of the others like to test rFactor 2 for me?

 

I recommend the 7970m or the 680m. The 780m seems to have a little trouble in the m15x but it works fine all things considered. I've never heard of that game but considering that you already have a modded m15x it would be a lot more expensive to build a desktop. I got a 8970m for 300 shipped and it's working pretty good for me I just get some heat spikes. The difference between a 6990m and a 680m is huge. It's better performance than 6990m in xfire in the same form factor. You can sell your old card and buy a 680m for less than 400 from ebay. Avoid china sellers if you can. The 7970m seems to be a real champ in this laptop.

 

Thanks for you promt reply!

Where could i find a 8970m for like 300? And is it original AW, so that the fan speed works without HWInfo? Do you have benchmarks for me to compare against?

Kindly

 

Just ran a 3DMark for comparisons sake:

 

I have the same card as Eepo, and these are my 3DMark 11 scores:

FIRE STRIKE
SCORE
4643 with AMD Radeon HD 8970M(1x) and Intel Core i7-920XM Processor
Graphics Score 5312
Physics Score 6225
Combined Score 1998

SKY DIVER
SCORE
13137 with AMD Radeon HD 8970M(1x) and Intel Core i7-920XM Processor
Graphics Score 17626
Physics Score 5746
Combined Score 13400

CLOUD GATE
SCORE
14080 with AMD Radeon HD 8970M(1x) and Intel Core i7-920XM Processor
Graphics Score 37458
Physics Score 4422

ICE STORM
SCORE
103500 with AMD Radeon HD 8970M(1x) and Intel Core i7-920XM Processor
Graphics Score 209519
Physics Score 37351

 

i would go for a desktop

 

Ok I ran them. My temps get up to 82c on my gpu under 100% load but its a heat sink issue. These tests are run at 900/1250 and 3.2gigs on my cpu. It is a 920xm and not a 950 I dont know why it says that.

 

8970M doesn't seem to run as well as the 7970M as it is simply a higher clocked (higher voltage) version which doesn't play so nice. The 7970M and 680M remain the best options at the moment but they are old.

If I were you I would try to eek out a little longer on the 6990M. Undervolt to 1.0V and open up the case with some extra cooling. In a few months AMD will bring Tonga and shortly thereafter Nvidia Maxwell. Then you will have some interesting choices.

That said right now there is a Dell 7970M that is going for around $300. This card works beautifully with the M15x and very cool too. Plug and play without any driver inf modding like the 680M requires.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/com...-2gb-gddr5-m15x-m17x-m18x-dell-p-n-9xvk3.html

My 7970M undervolted to 0.975V at stock clocks never gets past 70C during any game. There are no heatsink issues with this card.

The ball is on your side of the court so to speak!

 

Well it also always says 950 with mine - I guess its because it doesnt know 920xm?

Anyway - I can see it will bring 75-80% increase in performance, interesting...

 

I am ON IT!!

 

Same here, those are the best 2 options as tested by users. We officially support up to the 5870, however we've seen many success stories with those 2 cards.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/com...-2gb-gddr5-m15x-m17x-m18x-dell-p-n-9xvk3.html

Bought this 2 days ago. Lets see how that works out

 

Good deal. I wish you luck. If you need a vbios mod done just let me know.

 

Or me .

 

Thanks for your kind offers, but I had no boot... caps & scroll lock flashing.

Im about to negotiate a return - or do any of you have some last minute advices?

 

Maybe you can replace the Vbios? Or maybe that card is using enduro tech? Or it just isn't a dell branded one. I found an AMD Radeon 8970M on ebay for $300 and after fixing a few kinks...it runs like a champ! Currently running 900/1250 @ 0.975V and max 70C temps. Be sure that it specifically says for dell alienware and also make sure they have a return policy.

 

How could i possibly replace the vbios, when computer doesnt post? I even dismantled a XPS M1730 in hope that I could place it in 2. card slot to flash it - only to find that the graphics in that model is non-standard, and got a very angry friend because of wasting his time.

I have no access to other dual-card laptops, unfortunately... - So here my options run out. And he DID write for M15x in his advertisement - but I guess that was an assumption. I dont know why, but it seems like I never will have any luck with 7970m for some unknown reason - Or maybe im just unlucky? This SHOULD be a Dell card, labeled 09XVK3 and with bios 015.022.000.001.0000000. Now I'm also out of Arctic Silver 5, and need to buy another premium thermal paste, before remounting my trusty HD6990m.

 

Hmm do you know anybody with a first gen i5 or i3 with integrated IGP so you can then boot. If you can swap it with your 920xm then you can try your hand at some vbios flashing. At least you can extract your current vbios and then send it to svl7 for analysis. Don't give up yet! You will see huge gains 7970M vs 6990M

Or just buy one. A fiver would get you a i3 350M with IGP. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Intel-Cor...RTY-/281374864560?pt=CPUs&hash=item41833fb4b0 Good luck.

 

Actually I have an i5-460m lying around?! How do I get it to boot when installing that? I'm all ears!

 

Just installed the i5-460m - booted with HD6990m all ok. Then went to bios (unlocked A09) disabled onboard sound, made sure IGP was enabled - installed HD7970m, no boot, flashing scroll+caps lock. What to do next?

 

Was it booting fine on the IGP when you had your 6990M. Pehaps you need to select the IGP as your boot option?

I have no idea but it should just work I thought. I have never had a lesser CPU than 920xm in this machine.

Quite strange...have a play around perhaps you just need to tinker around a bit!

 

I'm sorry - of course it booted on the HD6990m. I just thought i set it up to boot at the igp. In theory, shouldnt it be able to boot on igp alone? Also, I just tried blindflashing with autoexec.bat - still nogo

 

Strange indeed! Perhaps it will only boot if no gpu is installed! Clearly yours is but needs to be flashed properly.

You need someone with a m17x r2 that can install your card in their secondary gpu slot. Then they can try flashing it for you.

Or return for refund and get another. This should work plug and play!


On the go from my iPod touch