GTX 260M vs GTX 280M

Is there a huge difference? I haven't really seen much info on either except that they're both somewhat similar to the 9800M GTX, but with 55nm instead of 65nm.

What about the difference in SLI?

 

Basically the 280M has slightly higher clocks and has 128 stream processors instead of 112 for the 260M if I remember rightly.

Probably around a 10%-15% difference in performance. Not massive.

 

You can compare the 2 cards here.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_gtx_280m_us.html

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_gtx_260m_us.html

Are you asking if one is better in sli than the other?

 

well obviously the 280 is better in sli or single,

but how much better is 280 sli vs 260 sli?

 

No one knows yet

You'll have to wait until some systems get delivered and benchmarked.

 

IMO not much for the price difference between the two. Besides, AFAIK the M17x is the only notebook on the market with SLi 260M and 280M, so we need some reviews before we can compare SLi performance.

Duane

 

Might not be a huge difference but you know how so many are trying to upgrade their cards. And there are many people selling off their very powerful M17's to get more performance.

IMO, the 280's will be well worth it for gamers. It's cheaper to buy the 280's now than to wait to upgrade later.

Folks often run into issues when trying to upgrade GPU's. My advise is to get the most powerful GPU solution and upgrade the ram and CPU later if you have to.

 

Doesnt upgrading the CPU yourself void your warranty? I heard you can upgrade the GPU without voiding the warranty but doing the CPU yourself will....I could be wrong though...

 

just switch the original CPU back in if you have to use the warranty.

 

it seems like there's minimal gains compared to a $300 price. I mean with $300 you could get an SSD and be a lot better off, right?

Me: What's the difference between a GTX 260M and GTX 280M?
Friend (works at nvidia): Significant, but not much. The 260M is basically a down clocked and slightly defective 280M.
Me: So is it worth a $300 upgrade?
Friend: LOL no. If nvidia theoretically had a perfect manufacturing process that didn't create defective sections, we wouldn't have 260Ms to sell, and 280Ms would be A LOT cheaper.

 

That's the Catch 22 when you go to this level of computer performance. The degree of performance to price becomes a lot smaller.

That's not a question you can answer for everyone. I'm just glad AW decided to offer the best they could get and let the consumer decide. That's what a premium computer manufacturer should be all about!

 

me personally i am getting the single 260 and playing the field

gonna wait for some 4870's

ATI's prices are always better and ddr5 with a 256 bit bus... wellll those 280 can suck it

 

Once bitten twice shy....maybe not.

 

not for the m17x

all sources have said go including chaz sorta and gophn, sneaky etc

 

this happened to me twice so i'm not believing anything about upgrading until they are released.

 

fair enough ... they will be released .... you can't go from 4 series to 5 series with out them

 

oh yes u can ....

 

Nope - the new Clevo / Sager NP9850 also has SLi gtx 280m and everything the new "allpowerfull" has. Alienware isnt the only one like you keep claiming.. the Sager also has 3 hdds, 18,4 inch screen and hardware raid if i wasnt missinformed by the seller - so like someone said you can call it the "morepowerfull" And its already being sold. (also cheaper as the m17x for the same config in Europe )

 

in you AW rage you forgot to mention
non glossy
thinner
already has laptops being delievered today
16:10
aluminum for the exterior
full numpad


but yes they are basically the same laptop on the inside and im not sure about the HW raid on the m17x it is somethign i need to look into

 

The Clevo also comes in matte finish at the vendor for a little extra and its already being shipped out.. but the screen is wider yes.. some like it others dont.. and it is just a tad thicker and heavier.. not really such a difference.. it probably comes down to the screen size preference, keyboard preference, 2 or 3 hard drives, hw or sw raid and price..

But as you said the rest is the same.. the competition should just be healthy for the prices.. neither of the companies can now set it too high

EDIT: Just configured them the same (q9000, 4gb 1333 ram, gtx 280m sli, 320gb 7200rpm single drive, 1080p resolution, 2 years warranty) and the m17x costs 3333€ (with shipping) and the Clevo 2548€ (also with shipping)..
And theres an even bigger difference if you max it out a bit more (qx9300, 4gb 1333mhz ram, gtx 280m sli, 1tb raid0 on aw and 1,5tb raid0/5 on Clevo, 1080p, blu ray, 2 years warranty): the AW is 5143€ then and the Clevo 3595€.
Thats a mighty big difference to pay.. at least thats the way it is in Europe..

 

True True...cheers whizzo! Man! Do I have an itchy finger for this machine....

 

switching cpus does not void warranty. Only if you break something in the process.

 

the m17x is a lot cheaper in the USA for some reason

 

If one is technically proficient and aware, then I don't think he'll be upgrading most of the components though AW, since they do overcharge. There's always Ebay for everything, you'll get it cheaper too.

Although, I did some quick configuration myself and find that the price difference isn't too big. $3899 VS $3757 (xoticpc after discount). I made sure both are configured somewhat equally.

Both are equipped with QX9300, 4gb 1333mhz, 1tb raid 0 configuration, 1200p resolution, blu ray reader, home premium and GTX 280m. I went with the default warranty. A difference of $142, isn't too big, at least to me it isn't. Furthermore, the m17x has confirmation of the ability to O/C the CPU via bios, that counts for something, yes? Along with all the lights and that alien head on the back of the lid, I think I'll go with the m17x if I really do have a chance. Likely not though since I don't want a laptop that's bigger than 15", which both the NP9280 and m17x does fulfill exceedingly well, but with the 40nm technology, who's to say there wouldn't be SLI in a 15", maybe AW's next 'All-poweful' 15", hopefully.

 

Quite possibly AW will be the first to get SLi into a 15 incher. They were the first to do it on a notebook, and the first to have SLi in a notebook with a dual core.

However, I do tend to think that it WILL take quite a long time before SLi comes to anything other than a 17 inch notebook. If it did, it'd likely be weak cards. I mean, how many 15 inch notebooks do you know of that, for starters, have a high end video card? It's hard enough to get the likes of a 280M into a 15 inch notebook without it overheating - someone put one in their M15x but it ran seriously hot. Not quite overheating but it was HOT. Imagine trying to cool two high end cards like that in a 15 inch notebook...I tend to think it's not possible until mobile video cards run a lot cooler, either that or the notebook would be something like 3 inches thick.

And then there's space. I just can't see two mobile video cards of the current sizes fitting into a 15 inch notebook. And if it happened, it'd likely be low end cards, and then there would be no point, a single high end card would be much better.

 

Well, the m15x isn't exactly famous for its cooling efficiency, I for one, have a GTX 280m in my NP8660. Temp doesn't exceed 85c after the highest stable OC i could made do with stock voltages, the 55nm did wonders for the temp.

Did nothing special, except getting the backplate off the 9800m GTS and placing it behind the GTX 280m to fit the heatcage. I'm sure with a copper mod, it'll run cooler. If some extra effort is put into this, I'm sure they'll come up with a way.

Perhaps the biggest issue would be the space. Maybe a proprietary x2 card will solve this? I don't know. But you're correct that it'll take some time before we start seeing SLIs or X-fires in 15", although I sort of disagree that only low ends cards would be used.

Let's keep hoping, yes?

 

Read thoroughly before you post. I am talking about EUROPEAN prices. Here even if you do upgrade yourself its not worth it buying the aw since you still pay more and have to get the non oem stuff yourself with no warranty.. USA is a different story and frankly doesnt concern me.

 

why don't you get the sager with the 280m sli.

 

he explained it in his thread .... he just prefers the work station for work and games etc

 

I think you are the one that needs to read thoroughly before you post. How does ordering from Xotic or another reseller become invalid? Shipping costs? VAT?

And since when has Intel stopped offering their warranty on their retail CPU's?

Does being European mean that you don't get warranties on Blue ray players, RAM etc? If so I'm glad I don't live there.

 

HellCry, that's a very nice system you bought there BUT I hope you got a decent warranty for that "Clevo" as that company tends to push the limits with hardware and often have overheating problems and motherboard damage issues due to pushing out systems with "High-End" components that have not been tested thoroughly. I have owned 2 x Clevo's and had nothing but problems...I'm saying that sometimes looking for the lowest price in "High-End" products does not always end well...Otherwise I sincerely hope your system treats you well unlike my "Clevo's" treated me and MANY others in the past and just ended up draining my wallet on repairs...

 

the system has been tested on NBR

 

These systems tend to show their true colors after 6 months to 1 year thats why I recommend the longer warranty...My Clevo's worked great for a year and then it all went wrong due to too much heat damaging the motherboard and other components over a long period of time. This was also with the DTR permanently raised and the vents cleaned on a monthly basis.

 

Touchy, it's not like I'm grilling you for your statement on european pricing, I'm just making a statement about how I, a non-US citizen, sees the pricing of both system. In fact, I had to have these things shipped to my country, which shipping cost isn't cheap, even then, both items' prices after conversion aren't too far off.

Besides, just because you're european doesn't mean you don't get warranty for buying stuff. Don't get all grumpy because you need to justify your purchase of your system. I'm not questioning it, in fact, I'm envious of such a powerful system.

Damn that's unlucky. I'm still doing fine with my NP8660, even after forcing a GTX 280m into it. Let's hope it stays this way.

 

First about the prices: I am in Europe, so i am looking at the EU prices.
Why dont i include USA prices?
1. If i buy it from USA, i have to pay 200$ shipping, 20% import tax and another 20% additional tax (not to mention how long it takes to get it through customs). So the price of a 3500$ system from usa is over 5200$ for me = 3500€, which is the price for the maxed out sli 280m clevo here but with a lot of additional headaches if i get it from US.
(I know how it looks since i bought electronics from USA before and im never doing it again.)
2. I dont get warranty from AW if i buy from USA AW, and if XoticPc is offering international warranty the 400$ shipping there and back, paying taxes again (yes it happens - ive seen cases when customs demanded payment for electronics that came back from repair - my neighbour for example), and waiting god knows how long.. im better off not sending it back and paying for repairs here..

And regarding the Clevo build quality.. i havent owned one yet but i owned an Alienware M17.. and frankly i NEVER want to do business with them again.
They screwed me over with thech support and warranty (short: a tech said its ok to change the cpu myself and when i call in later they say my warranty is voided, the techs dont even know the thermal specs of the cpus and nb when i asked them, etc.), their systems OBVIOUSLY are NOT thorougly tested since after a month, when i put in THREE different quads the notebook stuttered with them all and im not the only one with the problem.. just about everyone with a quad has it.. motherboard not being able to provide enough juice or overheating problem - im not discussing which one it is but the machines dont work properly and it is disgusting that id have to put up with it. And what does AW do? They denie the problem exists and keep selling these machines with quad cores. Good job AW!
Get my point?

Clevo it is now for me.. i like plain looking rugged notebooks more anyway.. and no problems reported with it yet.. The cooling is just amazing and i dont think it will be a problem (2 fans for cpu and ram, and two for the gpu). And im getting 3 years warranty at a good company so im not getting screwed on this one. And also if something happens in the first year (any problems, overheating or anything) i can still return it and change it for another notebook of same value (980NU than i guess ). If errors dont show in a year i think its safe to say they never will.

And about the warranty for cpus Wu Jen.. i was talking of qs samples.. not oems - this is if youre ebaying them to get cheaper ones insted of buying them with the system. And its a problem with the notebook warranty with AW if you change it yourself even if you get cheaper oems with warranty since my aw warranty was voided that way..

And dondadah Moo is right on point.. i prefer D900F over the 980NU since i like the i7 and dont think the sli is evolved enough with its 0-40% gain (40% in benchies no games actually profit that much) and doesnt really offer enough for me to actually get it over the raw cpu power. Im not really gaming that much now.. Just waiting for Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2.. And i plan to get the 280m upgraded with a beter single card once they come out.

And 000022 im justifying why US prices are a really bad comparison for us Non-US residents. Understand now why its not really a good idea to buy it there for us? And thanks, im really looking forward to this one ^^!

 

Hey where do you order your clevo in europe?

 

Good move on the warranty HellCry. Like I said, that's a great machine you got there and my point remains that if you buy powerful machines these days it's always good to keep yourself covered and this goes for all manufacturers and suppliers.

Sorry to hear about your AW experience

PS: I can't wait for Starcraft 2 myself!

 

MySn Schenker-Notebook

 

not true, there are games that profit from it especially the newer games but i've been running sli in my desktop for over 2 years now and would not go back due to the loss in performance i've seen on a single setup, for instance back when i played oblivion at max settings on one gpu i'd get around 15 to 20 fps but when sli enabled it was 60+. Most games i play benifit greatly with SLI.

 

Its proven the max benefit is 40% and thats benching. Show the relevant screenshots and proof and ill believe it. Its not so in my expirience - if that were true nvidia would also advertise it that way insted of up to 40% gain. Could be a fluke with a single game but i dont think its possible. It would be plastered all over the sites than.

 

when i get home i'll run my HL2: LC stress test.

i've done it on a single gpu and i get much more than 40% increase on max settings when in sli

 

well i'm going to sli my notebook in about to weeks so i'll let you know the difference in performance. i know for ati, crossfire almost double fps in MOST games. so i am excepting for nvidia to do the same.

 

Unless mobile gtx 280m sli is better than my 8800gtx desktop sli its not happening.. and as far as i know crossfire is more efficient. But youre most welcome to prove it otherwise.. its true i havent got anything newer at hand.. and do at least a few games for comparison (crysis/warhead, l4d, cod..) as well as 3dmark06 and vantage..

 

actually most games don't seem to run well with crossfire, ati cards has a scaling issue ever since crossfire came out, not so bad now as before though since their drivers have gotten a bit better.

I'm not saying nvidia don't have their problems either but the fact is most games now days are optimized for nvidia cards so they run better with nvidia compared to ATI, on the other hand some games run better with ATI also, in the end both brands have their pros and cons but they usually are around the same in performance when given an even playing field

 

Only game i know that doesnt work with crossfire is Crysis.. though it is true every game is more optimized for either sli or crossfire.. still i havent seen sli get a 100% boost or 60+..

 

Works now and infact the newest 9.6 drivers that just came out give 13% boost in crysis lol. I guess better late than never.

 

13%.. not really so much to speak of..

 

with just a driver update it is ... the difference of a 260 vs a 280 is about 15% so think of it as a upgrade

 

ok since you have sli right now can you run some test. update to
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Download-NVIDIA-GeForce-186-18-WHQL-Certified-Drivers-114619.shtml

or 185.85 and see what you get.

 

Most of the time, only synthetic benchmarks show more than 40-50% increase in performance. Never really seen a game that has double the FPS due to SLI though.