M17x: Swapping Dual 280M for Dual 4870

Okay, Big question! I have a friend who is willing to swap graphics card with me. We both have M17x. He has one with Dual 4870. I have one with dual 280M. I want the ATI card s and he want my nvidia card s I am sure that we want to do this switch. But we want to keep our own systems.

What do we need to do?
Is there anything that I need to install afterwards?
Are the cards tied to the BIOS -meaning if we switch, do we have to do any flashing or anything like that?
Are these cards basically plug and play?
Will the system recognize it and automatically know what happened?
Will I run into any trouble?

I've take the M17x apart several time so I do know what I am doing. It's just the process after swapping and installing the dual graphics card that I need help with.

Thanks in advanced guys!

 

The only thing I can say to help is that you should both uninstall any existing drivers for the cards, then at least regarding windows everything should work.

 

lol! you tried turning the M17x into a tri-SLI system. I think you can handle a GPU swap.

1. "What do we need to do?" - Just swap them. You'll also have to swap crossfire for sli cable and possibly the heatsinks also.
2. "Is there anything that I need to install afterwards?" - Just install the drivers.
3. "Are the cards tied to the BIOS -meaning if we switch, do we have to do any flashing or anything like that?" - You'd be the first doing this so let us know how the bios reacts when doing it. I assume there would be no extra steps in the bios but my bios in my current system is slightly different than in my old system.
4. "Are these cards basically plug and play?" Yes, they should be.
5. "Will the system recognize it and automatically know what happened?" - Probably, again let us know.
6. "Will I run into any trouble?" - I guess this depends on your luck.

 

The only thing I'm curious about is if one of you is unhappy after, will you swap back, or is it final?

Cheers

Trelawney

 

They would also have to help each other with any warranty issues.

 

yeah I really don't know why ANYONE would do this. Warranty is very important for a gaming laptop and you wont be covered. One year down the line when your GPU fails (they nearly ALWAYS do if you use them - the heat and the form factor just lends itself to this) you will not be able to repair it. Hopefully you and your friend live next to eachother and are ready to swap cards AGAIN when this happens. Get used to opening the M17x up!

With the negligible performance difference between them and the huge hassle associated with swapping for warranty reasons I would never recommend this.

 

your used to the xps 1730 not every GPU frys itself

also MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE LATEST BIOS BEFORE THE SWAP

FOLLOW MY VIDEO GUIDE

 

could just swap HD's and transfer warrantys and boom

 

THIS is far wiser of a move.

Far, far, far wiser. Assuming you both have the same processors or are willing to compromise to get your video cards.

 

I agree, much easier way is to just swap machines.

 

See we have two different systems and two different colors. so that's not gonna work. Thanks guys!

 

Lol you can swap cases

just follow my video guide it makes super simple

 

I have done a few GPU swaps on my M17x for testing and for fun since I had access to cards. I went from 1 x 4870 to 2 x 4870 to 2 x 280's.

1. "What do we need to do?" - Just swap them. You'll also have to swap crossfire for sli cable but no need to touch the heatsinks.
2. "Is there anything that I need to install afterwards?" - Just the proper drivers.
3. "Are the cards tied to the BIOS -meaning if we switch, do we have to do any flashing or anything like that?" - No, None needed. I would make sure the BIOS is at the latest rev.
4. "Are these cards basically plug and play?" Yes, they are.
5. "Will the system recognize it and automatically know what happened?" - Yes, no problem, just uninstall>reinstall the drivers at the time of swap.
6. "Will I run into any trouble?" - I had no problems at all, it was very easy if your mechanicaly enclined (Moos video should also help)

Its an easy task but the warranty is an entirely diffeent issue

 

Dell is good with warrantys ... They will usually put it in you changed and called them n told them you did

 

It not something I would do But it good to know that you have a choice if you have to change gpus.

 

Why would you want to downgrade to 4870's?

 

It's actually an upgrade.

 

Well the question that's always asked is? how much of an upgrade is it? is it equivalent of going from a 260 to a 280? is that the same as going from a 280 to a 4870? anyways i diverge.

 

The Geforce GTX 280 Is faster more core speeds, and they have the same amount of ram but the GTX memory is faster. And it has PhysX is the new feature in graphics cards

So the winner is the GTX 280!!!!

 

they are both great cards, depends on what you do with them....I know I aim to try getting some 4870s down the road

If Dondadah88 sees this thread I think he may cry lol

 

All benchmarks seem to state otherwise. IIRC, they are just GDDR3 clocked up 4850's (unlike the GDDR5 desktop ones). I was reading some of the bencmark readings off people with this build on their m17x's and it seemed to score lower than the dual 280 SLI build.

 

how does the world record in vantage and the best score I have seen in 06 sound for you?

the 4870s are excellent and a much newer architecture than the GTX 280m's....despite the GDDR3 they still are performing VERY well (nevermind differences like better driver support)

 

some of you seriously need to read more

the ATI cards have to power to easily beat the 260's. I have to give credit to Nvidia to be able to brainwash every one to think that ATI sucks and cannot ever in this life time be faster even though the Asus and M17x ATI cards hold the dual and single card vantage recoreds

little time out of your day to read does not hurt and please dont try to say one of the senior members is wrong ....... we spend enough time here to know and we dont post HELP!!!!1111 threads every 2 second because we do read and learn


/rant


ATI are the faster cards and yes they are called 4850XT

 

My dual core crossfire machine seems to be matching or beating QX9300 users with 280 SLI's that can't overclock high enough so.

You're wrong.

 

Folks... everyone is entitled to an opinion. If one person feels ATI or NV is better than the other or they prefer one over the other - so be it.

Closed.