Offical update M17 IS getting 4870's

Hi Guys

just got off the phone to 2 different AW reps, BOTH confirmed they have stock codes for the 4870's for both master and slave.

They are awaiting stock for them now

best bit...

price for upgrade + shipping is around £300 both of them confirmed this to me just now on the phone

They both also advised they will only do a return to base exchange as new heat sinks are required as well as "other things"

Good news!!

 

If this is true, I'm going to thank the lord.

Is that 300 pounds for an upgrade from dual 3870s to dual 4870s? I thought it'd be something closer to around like 800 pounds. If it's 300 pounds, I'm going to be really, really happy.

And if they're awaiting stock that means that we'll be getting them sometime soon. Which is awesome.

Presumably this confirmation was from AW reps in the EU? (Seeming as you listed the price in UK pounds)

 

Probably per card if true but still a good deal since it beats having to buy a whole new laptop .

 

Even if it's per card, that's not half bad. That means it's STILL cheaper for me with the M17 and 4870s with the same configuration as the new M17x with 280Ms, which are the supposed equivelant (benchmarks are very close).

And the M17 is better for me with its larger battery (longer on the go gaming), thinner body, and the fact that it's lighter. And I love the matte black finish. I guess this is a win for me if the 4870s are released.

 

+300 for one card or two If its for both id probably just send it over right now

So damn tempting, im a bit concerned about the temps though, since 3870's where a bit too high.

 

Well if there Dieshrunk compared to the 3870s then the most they should be as hot and if not run even cooler, also i can only imagine they would have new heatsinks on them as well.

 

Hope so Since the majority of M17's go up to 85c under full load

If they go more than that might as well rename M17 to a toaster or grill

 

well they asked me do i want master or slave and master i said both he said for the swapout ie: taking out ones and keeping em and repalcing with new ones was around £300 + P&P

I couldnt believe it which is why i called back 10 mins later to confirm.

They 100% have the codes and the price just waiting for the cards now!

Oh and yeh i live in london so was EU AW

I am so excited now, AW not ignoring the ATI fanbase, they must realise they could alienate p) alot of people should they not offer the upgrade

 

Cool! I could make myself breakfast on it while playing Crysis!

Are you sure that means then that the 300 pounds includes the postage? It sounds like the postage is extra.

But if it really, really is 300 pounds to upgrade BOTH cards, that's going to be absolutely awesome for me. (I thought I'd be saving for around another year for the 800 or so pounds I thought that they would cost to upgrade ) I suppose it's because of the fact that they keep the 3870s, so it might be the price of what it would be extra on the config on top of the 3870s. Although what they're going to do with them, god knows. Maybe they're going to sell them off to M9750 owners.

 

and boil a pot of coffee for those long long nights

 

Eww. I hate coffee.

And while I might risk making some toast on it, I don't think I'd risk coffee.

 

Someone else call to confirm, id love to believe this, but I really need more then one person to confirm. Also if this is true, then i don't have to send in my current laptop for a crappy credit yay!

 

Zfactor already done it

see here http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=4912624&postcount=1762

 

If so, this baby is getting upgraded woo hoo, crysis here i come!

 

they do have stock numbers and the parts are in the systems so i cant imagine it will be that long before they can offer them

 

indeed

im off to raid my piggy bank!

 

So we know that we can upgrade to the 4870's? and its not a whole new
M17?

 

yup exactly that.

AW have confirmed they are effectivley ready they just need stock

 

I just hope that they aren't lying.

 

be abit of a stretch, i have spoken to 2 different reps and it has been noted before they have stock codes, and Zfactor spoke to a 3rd too in (presumbly) a different country

bit of a stretch to think they all lying

 

Well whenever I see it on Alienware's M17 page, then I'll believe it.. lol

 

Yeah, I hope it's all true, but doesn't "official" mean something communicated to the "public" from the company? Like a press release or change to the web site?

 

aww man...gotta remove all my mods now to upgrade

 

But just think how sweet it will be in the end!

Besides, you can still do some of the mods even if it doesn't need them.

It will just run, and "be" cooler!

 

Unless the new heatsinks from AW have the exact same mods already done to them.


One of you should find out if you get your old 3870s back after the upgrade.

 

Or maybe that's where they got the idea for the mods?

 

i wonder if they wont do the upgrade for me since im suppose to have a t9400 and now i have a qx9300 i put in myself

 

Do you still have the T9400?

 

You're not sending it in to be repaired under warranty.

You're doing an upgrade, so I don't see why not.

 

When the time comes you should just ask them if you can send it in for upgrades without the old video cards/heatsinks. Send it to AW empty.

 

the people i spoke to specifically said they would remove the old cards and replace with the new ones

i dont know if the price is depenant on them keeping the old cards

 

I don't know who you guys are talking to, but I've spoken to two different dell representatives and both of them didn't have the slightest clue as to whether the m17 would be upgraded?

 

i spoke to 2 guys in tech support who looked up the upgrade codes, if you spoke to sales then i wouldnt take anything they say seriously

 

I just went to alienware's site, and clicked the link to chat to representative, so your probably right, tech support should know more about it.

 

Any idea what the cost is going to be US?

 

when i phoned i spoke to sales, requested to speak to someone about a system upgreade they moved me to tech support and they helped me out

looked up how many they had in stock etc the 2nd one tried to put the upgrade request through but his system wouldnt him without them being in stock

damnit foiled at hurdle

 

The mobility 4870s 'on the system' are likely just for the new M17x.

 

Thats what i've been thinking also. While it would make sense that people would buy the upgrade, it makes more sense to only offer a whole new system, more money that way I think.

 

The new M17x has the 280Ms, though, right?

 

yeah, along with the 260M. and, in a few months, the HD4870 as well.

 

Yea it does, but that doesn't mean they are not getting ready to offer a choice between Nvidia or ATI gfx.

 

told u already the guys i spoke to took my acc, they knew i had M17 and they were talking about switching a 3870 to a 4870 unless i missed a hidden option for an m17x with 3870's?

 

You confirmed the 4870's are M17x only?

 

all i confirmed is that the new M17x will get the ATI HD4870 in a few months. nothing else.

 

I remember a buzz going around when the M17 debuted about a 4870 upgrade. That was early December. There is room for improvement on the current GPU heatsinks, if heat really is the reason for the hold-up. Alienware could just send out a package with the two GPUs, as well as the new heatsink/?fan? combo. If I've got to send my laptop in for modification, I think I might be in trouble. I've got a new CPU, the OCZ BIOS, new thermal grease, and I've turned the bottom cover into swiss cheese.

 

Then that is it then, no 4870's for the M17. They wouldn't offer two systems with the same cards, it would defeat the purpose.

I got all worked up for nothing

 

cant comment on the m17x other then the guy i spoke to said that it wasnt a "current option"

i would be surprised if they didnt offer it tho

but tbh i think AW would be a fool to miss a trick by not offering them as an upgrade to the M17. People like me for example would for out £400-600 for the upgrade but i wouldnt think of selling my m17 for an m17x where the only real difference is the gpu

Pete

 

I think what we need is a tech rep to say "we have 4870's for the M17 not M17x in stock" or coming.

 

No that is not what it means. I bet they do as soon as AW gets the stock.

 

i think you are looking for a reason to give up

its quite simple they dont issue the codes, even do the pricing then decide not to do it.

it doesnt matter anymore if you want to send it back and get a refund and are looking for an excuse to do it then do it. Just dont make assumptions when you havent even spoken to AW

They offered upgrades for the 9750 as well as others well after release, again they would miss an easy trick to spin cash for people willing to pass cash for an upgrade but not thousands for a new laptop