Torn between...

So...I would like to upgrade my lappy and some things are looking good for it. I could buy a 470m GTX for $650 on ebay, or a 940XM from someone who has lined up to sell it to me for $450. I would have liked to get a 920XM for less but there ain't one around so that's that.

Stuff I do:
I want nvidia because I have alot of cuda stuff. I also do lots of photo stuff (lightroom etc) and was wondering which would be the best upgrade.

I play games, all the recent ones and the 260m is ok but not great. I would like to be able to max out GTA4 but then again that game is badly optimised and the 920XM would help. But its not the only game that is lacking in oomph.

I could get both but I don't know whether the M15x will deliver the required power. The thing is I run games OC'd so taxing the GPU but not the CPU so much but I also decode using cuda which is not as taxing but I have the CPU pegged performing interpolation algorithms on top and would like to raise the TDP etc.

Edit: I suppose a sensible option is to wait but the longer you wait the more stuff comes out and new stuff will become outdated in a heartbeat. I edging towards the graphics card then wait till next year when sandy bridge comes out, current i7's will drop in price and I be able to pick up one for cheap...but

Advice...

 

yeah... you can always wait, but then it wont be the same as it is just now. Just keep in mind that having a state of the art mobile video card is more satisfying than buying one which is already outdated... at least spoken for myself.
I want to buy a 470m too, but I just spent 380 bucks on a 920xm ES (which still waits to be put into the machine) so I need some cash again before I can update anything... I'm just a student.

For gaming and photo stuff a new video card will increase the power of your M15x much more than a new CPU, don´t forget that the 720QM is already a decent processor.

If I were you I would go for the video card and wait until there´s a great offer on ebay (or the marketplace) for a CPU, just make sure to check regularly.

I'm not sure, but I don't think the power supply will be a problem, the 5870 works too on the M15x and does a pretty good job as far as I heard and I think the 470m wont suck a lot more power.
I once asked a guy at mxm-upgrades about the 480m concerning the power supply of the M15x and he said the PSU shouldn't be the problem, only the heat dissipation ( well, he couldn't assure it 100%, but anyways, he too thought it should work.)

And the heat dissipation of the 470m shouldn't be a problem... the 5870 is working great on the M15x and has the sam TDP as far as my information is correct.

There probably won't be any need for OC anymore with the 470m... a buddy of mine has the new asus with the 460m and the card is incredible, he plays most games on maximum settings (including anti aliasing etc).

 

Yeah well its Christmas so I might just spoil myself. The throttling problem was only with nvidia cards though but thats probably because the previous bios has all the processors pegged to a higher multi. If I get both I'll be spending over a grand but end up with possibly the most powerful 15 incher in the world. Plus a next generation SSD and 8GB ram...
PS Overclocking is really only number chasing. Wanna be the first person to break the 11k GPU point mark with a single card.

 

Yeah, that's what I thought too. Since I've seen the 460m in action in the new asus gaming notebook, I'm really eager to get my hands on a 470m... the difference 460m to 260m is amazing...

hehe, good luck! And don't forget to keep us up to date if you get your hands on a 470m...

 

get the 940xm that is a very good price for that chip and will hold it's resale. Right now finding a 920xm or 940xm can be tricky and causing prices to go up. The video card just came out so it is artificially high due to demand and supply and a new product. I would get the chip since you are getting the best price on it and learn the in's and out's of the chip and bench the crap out of it. Couple months later the video card prices will drop and it will be after christmas so get all your christmas money and savings and pickup a gtx 470m when the prices finally break.

 

all of these upgrade are sweet. hopefully i should be getting the 470m next week or so then you will know if there is any issues.

 

You are my hero

 

nothing to add ^^