M15x + ATI 5870 (MOD)

Could you please take a pic of the card and post it here?

 

I am not so sure about that.

I guess we will find out soon as I am sure someone with a single 4870 R2 is going to want to upgrade with the Clevo-made 5870's.

Heck, I'd let someone try mine out just for the sake of testing and seeing whether or not the 570 microcode is included in the current BIOS but I don't know anyone near me that has an R2.....

 

You want me to take the picture of the card itself or when it install?

 

Which part? Not working in the M15x without a bios upgrade?

 

It's been verified by many already with the card that there is no cf connector.

 

About the 5870 working in the R2 with no BIOS update.

I thought that is what you were talking about, not the M15x.

 

Here is one pic that may be helpful...

 

Just got my card, installing now

 

Looks like the pads are there....so technically you should be able to move the connector off a 4870 to the 5870 if you have some good soldering skills lol

or try to find the part online - but the card is DEFINITELY ready to accept a CF connector - which is a start.....

 

That would be one heck of a mod, scook! lol

I can't solder that good and there is no way, after purchasing 2 of those cards, I could imagine soldering the CF connector onto the board.

 

I agree, I do not have the heart for soldering it either, but it should absolutely be possible. Makes me wonder why clevo has withheld that connector....they clearly designed it into the board. Maybe they don't want it on there until the x8100 gets it? Which makes me wonder why it has not already!

They definitely do not want to further empower us Alienware people lol

 

That's what I wanted to know. Not bad. I'm gonna ask our engineers how difficult it is to solder the connectors and whether or not the 4870's ones will fit there.

 

Technically I was talking about both. The M17xR2 does not need it for support but if they found some type of problem that needed to get fixed via the bios then maybe an update would be released.

 

That a boy!

It should fit...I would almost bet money on it. Especially since we know that the crossfire connector on the 4870s is the ATI designed one and not some proprietary connector to prevent competitors from using it (glaring at you Asus!)

I would have to take apart my 4870 and take a good high res picture of the cf connector but I am confident - anyone want to take that picture for us and put it up?

 

Such a problem is almost certainly why AW has not released 5870s yet. We know the M15x can take them. But they will not release them to one machine until they are confident releasing it to both.

 

100% agree but it's late in the game now.

 

Very late. They wait much longer people are going to start moving the connectors from their 4870s to 5870s

(if money was not an issue for me! )

 

If you do this, count on some +rep's

And benchmark records. Lol

 

It would be sweet to solder on connectors but the problem would be designating which card is the master and which is the slave via the bios. Unless someone knows an easy way to do that. I've heard you can run two master cards in SLi but I'm not sure if that applies to xfire.

 

They may work as dual master....didn't the W90 operate that way?

 

Easy way is don't bother. Flash the same BIOS to both and just select crossfire in the CCC.

Both of my 4870s are identical. The computer will choose which is "primary" based off of the PCIe (MXM) slot used. In the case of the R1, the left card is the primary I believe. It really is irrelevant, the driver will handle that just fine.

So really, the only problem is the absence of those connectors

Like I said, I would bet money that is all that needs to be done and if I could afford it, would do it myself.

 

I forgot about that, out of sight out of mind.

 

Ok here's the deal. Judging from the pics they told me that it would most likely be an average difficulty job (in our language =easy ). However, it looks (to them at least) from the 5870 photo that the chip is of the cheaper version and even though it looks like there's a place to put the connector, there might be a lack of the block support on the chip level itself. In that case - heck all.... It makes sense, given the low price of those cards.

 

What exactly does that mean? That it's not programmed into the chip itself or there's a lack of tracings on the pcb? I doubt these chips don't have the crossfire programming. As long as the traces are there, it should theoretically work. Go for aikimox, be a trend setter!

 

These are the same price as the 4870s, dell just marks them up to take their cut. we are getting these wholesale from babyhemi, don't expect those prices anywhere else. He is doing us a huge favor by passing on the savings he can get.

Define the cheaper version....? Like XT vs non XT? Showing the pads on the surface but excluding the traces that connect them to the actual GPU die seems highly unlikely - it is cheaper to design and manufacture one card rather than 2. The traces needed on the PCB is nothing compared to the price of the GPU die and other components being attached - so why bother making 2 different boards that you would need to order.

 

Lol, Joker, that's what they said - "Go for it. There's still a chance that all the tracings are there."
Tempting....
Ok. I'll get a quote and look into ordering those 5870s.
Still, a little reluctant to shell over 1k just to try....

 

you guys are nuts...but in a good way.

 

I can't blame you one bit. lol

 

Don't forget the possibility of ruining the 4870s as well. This is in no way NOT risky. All you have to do is damage the connector while removing it to successfully de-crossfire your system (with either set of cards)

 

This is the one time I will say wait for official Dell-released (or CF-ready) GPU's.

I just do not see this being worth it at all.

Good luck if you do try....

 

You guys are talking like the 5870 XF will never be released.

 

so whose gonna gamble their crossfire setup for dual 5870s hmm the risk is huge but the gains are soo impressive

 

Just installed mine, its running a bit hot. Idling around the mid 60s.. I have some artic silver 5 on it and using the thermal pads from the 260M, none from the clevo 5870.

 

bench it and see what happens

 

What is the max temp while stressed? Run furmark Hell edition for about 10 minutes and post temps here.

Also, what did you use for thermal paste?

 

Arctic Silver 5. I actually haven't installed drivers yet so let me do that. Just ran HWinfo right off the bat

 

So if you use the thermal pad from the 5870 is it going to be cooler? I'm installing mine later today.

 

I'd recommend using more solid compound (MX-3, ICD-7 etc)

 

Well that is just it, I will be waiting for official Dell parts (or at least Clevo). Does not mean if someone is brave enough, they can't get the same result (hopefully) sooner.

 

Are you planning on a 5870 upgrade?

 

I'm surprised the x8100 doesn't have dual 5870s. I'll probably buy mine from Dell as long as I can swing a discount + use DPA.

 

It will be plenty hard to resist haha

And easier to upgrade the video cards under the GF's nose than a whole laptop (to the R2)

 

I too am surprised, the delay from Clevo on this and Dell on the M17x R2 would lead me to believe there must be some considerable challenge to deploying these in CF in a laptop.

Both companies clearly have them working as single card solutions (the M15x and W860/W870 units)

 

Does anyone have the right driver to use? None of the ones I'm using are installing correctly

 

Which ones are you using so far?

 

Maybe its a driver issue, and these cards dont work in CF yet?

 

That is what I was thinking, but frankly that seemed like a ridiculous reason to have a system not working. Especially since ATI is well practiced in the needed drivers as the desktop 5770 works fine in crossfire and is essentially the same card.

 

Maybe its an issue with the PM55 chipset. Guess we'll know sooner or later.

 

Just haven't seen a C2D system + 5870. I would question that support.

 

I would just have to get Dell to admit that the 5870s work on the M17x R1 - if their engineering says it they will support it - like the 3870s for the M9750