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    M17x... 260's vs 280's

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by MrButterBiscuits, Jul 13, 2009.

  1. MrButterBiscuits

    MrButterBiscuits ~Veritas Y Aequitas~

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    The purpose of this thread is to determine exactly how much of a performance increase we see while gaming between the Nvidia GTX 260m's and the 280m's... Here is how this will progress...

    1. List your Specs on your M17x system
    2. Run a gaming benchmark of your choice, screenshot included
    3. I will then organize the benchmark scores in a side by side comparison (closest specd computers with different GPU's.... same processors and total ram, different GPU's)


    There has been alot of talk on this subject, it is time to see if it really is worth getting 280's over 260's with your laptop!
     
    MrButterBiscuits, Jul 13, 2009
    #1
  2. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    7-9% you know what i said in the other thread when you said people were bias :confused:
     
    The_Moo™, Jul 13, 2009
    #2
  3. MrButterBiscuits

    MrButterBiscuits ~Veritas Y Aequitas~

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    Yea Moo but where be the proof? and why not we can truly see at base configs what the difference is and then OC as well... I think this could be rather interesting
     
    MrButterBiscuits, Jul 13, 2009
    #3
  4. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    The_Moo™, Jul 13, 2009
    #4
  5. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    UGH no butter the lowest was 5% ;) and if you would of read THAT you would of seen he was referring to REAL world speed AKA FPS....Which he is correct ;)

    Benchmarks it will be 7-10% in SLI
     
    The_Moo™, Jul 13, 2009
    #5
  6. MrButterBiscuits

    MrButterBiscuits ~Veritas Y Aequitas~

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    I don't see your system, with your specs, with your pics ;)
     
    MrButterBiscuits, Jul 13, 2009
    #6
  7. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    ok deleted several posts....lets start this over.
    refrain from god, religion, personal attacks, kim jong, heresay, and hand grenades and we shall all be fine...
     
    ryujin, Jul 13, 2009
    #7
  8. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    You need more guidelines Butter. Otherwise you can weed through the benchmark thread and end up with the same results.
     
    Mandrake, Jul 13, 2009
    #8
  9. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    what you do see is some one who reads :)
     
    The_Moo™, Jul 13, 2009
    #9
  10. ichime

    ichime Notebook Elder

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    You know, a part of me thinks that if you flash a GTX 260M with a GTX 280M BIOS it could "activate" the extra 16sps along with bumping the clocks...anyone want to be a guinea pig?
     
    ichime, Jul 13, 2009
    #10
  11. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    i will only if you'll buy me a new one :)(for some crazy reason it doesn't work )

    I would have no problem trying
     
    The_Moo™, Jul 13, 2009
    #11
  12. ryujin

    ryujin 2B or not 2B

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    are those not a limit of the chip not the BIOS?
     
    ryujin, Jul 13, 2009
    #12
  13. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    depends if they are they same physical chips ;)

    Could be the same card but turned off in bios ...cheaper that way
     
    The_Moo™, Jul 13, 2009
    #13
  14. anothergeek

    anothergeek Equivocally Nerdy

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    :rolleyes:
     
    anothergeek, Jul 13, 2009
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  15. BIGX333

    BIGX333 Brazillian Overclocker

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    It already happened in more than a model of geforce and radeons ;)

    TBH the chance is pretty high.
     
    BIGX333, Jul 13, 2009
    #15
  16. Napbree

    Napbree Notebook Evangelist

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    I say do it! googog :p
     
    Napbree, Jul 13, 2009
    #16
  17. bifnewman

    bifnewman Notebook Evangelist

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    same as bigx333 said. this is a different example:
    the 9800m gs was flashed to 9800m gts... judging by the specs of the cards id say its very possible that this will work, not certain. what are the risks?
    EDIT: how did you post without using 10 characters?
     
    bifnewman, Jul 13, 2009
    #17
  18. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    : r o l l e y e s :

    pretty sure thats ten ;)
     
    The_Moo™, Jul 13, 2009
    #18
  19. Megacharge

    Megacharge Custom User Title

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    Maybe he is playing chicken with the ban hammer?

    And yes it may be very possible the VBIOS flash could work, unless Nvidia laser cut those 16 sp's.
     
    Megacharge, Jul 13, 2009
    #19
  20. bifnewman

    bifnewman Notebook Evangelist

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    i didnt know smilies count
     
    bifnewman, Jul 13, 2009
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  21. AC/ No DC

    AC/ No DC Notebook Consultant

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    I would be very thankful if someone would try it. If it does work I'm saving $370 Canadian!
     
    AC/ No DC, Jul 13, 2009
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  22. Quadzilla

    Quadzilla The eye is watching you

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    I havent seen a GPU work like that in many moons TBH . They are always laser cut now AFAIK .

    As for a 9800GS to GTS, the cards were almost identical i think the main differences were Voltage and Clock Speeds not SPs.
     
    Quadzilla, Jul 13, 2009
    #22
  23. BIGX333

    BIGX333 Brazillian Overclocker

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    In SLI the extra sps r not a big deal anyway... At least for a year or two :p
     
    BIGX333, Jul 13, 2009
    #23
  24. AC/ No DC

    AC/ No DC Notebook Consultant

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    What about overclocking the 260? Would that bring it close to par?
     
    AC/ No DC, Jul 13, 2009
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  25. Quadzilla

    Quadzilla The eye is watching you

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    Yep you should be able to hit stock 280 speeds no problem :).
     
    Quadzilla, Jul 13, 2009
    #25
  26. Scytus

    Scytus Notebook Deity

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    I don't understand the whole OC'ing concept betweeen graphics cards, to make sure one is equal to the other

    yes you can OC the 260

    ...but you're forgetting you can also OC the 280, to areas unreachable by the 260...
     
    Scytus, Jul 13, 2009
    #26
  27. Quadzilla

    Quadzilla The eye is watching you

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    Thats why i opted for the 280s.
     
    Quadzilla, Jul 13, 2009
    #27
  28. AC/ No DC

    AC/ No DC Notebook Consultant

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    Yes but the 280m does cost more, I'm just thinking in terms of best bang for you buck.
     
    AC/ No DC, Jul 13, 2009
    #28
  29. Quadzilla

    Quadzilla The eye is watching you

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    Best bang for buck no doubt the 260s nothing to even think about there.
     
    Quadzilla, Jul 13, 2009
    #29
  30. bifnewman

    bifnewman Notebook Evangelist

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    yep only 300 extra bucks... i wouldnt say it wont or will work yet, we need someone to try it. does claus still have that temporary machine?
     
    bifnewman, Jul 13, 2009
    #30
  31. AC/ No DC

    AC/ No DC Notebook Consultant

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    Does anyone have a link to a guide for overclocking the 260m SLi and also this might be a little off topic but has anyone put a Q9200 in an M17x?
     
    AC/ No DC, Jul 13, 2009
    #31
  32. bifnewman

    bifnewman Notebook Evangelist

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    @Q9200 : i dont think so but it has been put in the M17... probably doesnt matter.

    @260M SLI overclocking : i would make a tutorial if i had one but i can tell you how.
    1. install nvidia system tools 6.05 i think is latest
    2. go into app called performance
    3. find profiles
    4. make new profile and just increase the numbers by small amounts until it becomes unstable. test each overclock until becomes unstable then lower it until its at maximum stable clocks. sorry if this is confusing :eek:
     
    bifnewman, Jul 13, 2009
    #32
  33. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    I'll test the 260s if anyone wants to send them to me ;)
     
    Mandrake, Jul 13, 2009
    #33
  34. AC/ No DC

    AC/ No DC Notebook Consultant

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    A little bit lol, isn't there any other way then "increasing the numbers by small amounts until it becomes unstable"? Are there any "predetermined" maximums?
     
    AC/ No DC, Jul 13, 2009
    #34
  35. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    All the cards are different. I got my core speed up to 695 while I know another member with the 280s couldn't go above 670.
     
    Mandrake, Jul 13, 2009
    #35
  36. AC/ No DC

    AC/ No DC Notebook Consultant

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    By what increments should it be raised by and by unstable you mean the computer shuts off?
     
    AC/ No DC, Jul 13, 2009
    #36
  37. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    The system will either lock up when loading the profile you create or the display drivers will crash.

    Start at 600|1000|1500 and work your way up by 10.
     
    Mandrake, Jul 13, 2009
    #37
  38. Scytus

    Scytus Notebook Deity

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    I love the trial & error method xD
     
    Scytus, Jul 13, 2009
    #38
  39. bifnewman

    bifnewman Notebook Evangelist

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    isnt it great lol...
     
    bifnewman, Jul 13, 2009
    #39
  40. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    I game at 630|1000|1575 based on AnotherGeeks recommendation and OC at 685|1060|1660. Higher starts getting unstable and when I set my core speed at 700 performance went down. I'm assuming it down-clocked itself.
     
    Mandrake, Jul 13, 2009
    #40
  41. AC/ No DC

    AC/ No DC Notebook Consultant

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    Is this (trial & error) also how you overclock the CPU? Oh and should I get the M17x with 1333 memory if I plan on overclocking? (sorry for the off-topic question, just want some clarification and I don't want to start a thread)
     
    AC/ No DC, Jul 13, 2009
    #41
  42. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    The ram question is a big and confusing debate. As an owner of both 1066 and 1333 memory I keep the 1333 memory in most of the time.
     
    Mandrake, Jul 13, 2009
    #42
  43. Scytus

    Scytus Notebook Deity

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    ...are we allowed to QFE?..not sure :p
     
    Scytus, Jul 13, 2009
    #43
  44. BIGX333

    BIGX333 Brazillian Overclocker

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    280 and 260 are EXACTLY the same card... While the GTX280m's would use better selected chips you can't really say that 280 gonna overclock better (at least no till we got some results :p ).

    I'm serious wondering about pick 1333 just to make a big comparison thread and prove my point :D
     
    BIGX333, Jul 13, 2009
    #44
  45. nemoris

    nemoris Notebook Evangelist

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    Hmm... sort of related question...

    Which would be better for gaming:

    Base proc + 280m sli or t9600 + 260m sli?
     
    nemoris, Jul 14, 2009
    #45
  46. BIGX333

    BIGX333 Brazillian Overclocker

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    280m sli

    But i would go with base proc + gtx280m sli and use the $300 in something more useful (like ssd :p)
     
    BIGX333, Jul 14, 2009
    #46
  47. MrButterBiscuits

    MrButterBiscuits ~Veritas Y Aequitas~

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    See we haven't reached hard test's yet but I'm glad you guys are making good use of this thread... I hope the 260's are virtually the same and with some minor tweaks as said we can creat the extra Stream processors.... Thanks guys
     
    MrButterBiscuits, Jul 14, 2009
    #47
  48. Megacharge

    Megacharge Custom User Title

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    Just a bump for this thread and any anyone who is interested in seeing someone flash a GTX 280M VBIOS on a GTX 260M to see if we can get at those extra 16 sp's or if Nvidia cut em, this is something that should be tested, anyone out there with dual 260M's want to help out?, I'm sure there will be a lot of +rep involved. :)
     
    Megacharge, Jul 15, 2009
    #48
  49. Prodigy-man

    Prodigy-man Notebook Geek

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    Now what are the risks involved doing this? The bottom line? Is the the possess reversible?
     
    Prodigy-man, Jul 15, 2009
    #49
  50. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    ugh i would try but ... i can't ... yet ....
     
    The_Moo™, Jul 15, 2009
    #50
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