A word about PCI-E videocards

I just wanted to give you guys a heads up about some issues concerning the upgradeability of these PCI express video cards in the upcoming sonoma notebooks.

I am to understand that there is going to be some misunderstanding about this so I wanted to start a thread so we can talk about it.

The big thing is that although the cards may be "upgradeable" it doesn't mean you're going to be able to put what you want in it. For instance, there are 3 or more different formats... all based on size really. (ie: 64mb is the smallest and for the smallest laptops, 128mb is midsized and the 256 is for the largest systems.)

This means that although it can technically be replaced or "upgraded" it doesn't mean it can be done right off the bat. For instance, if a system comes with 64mb video and then down the road they can scale the 128mb model into the current 64mb form factor.. you'll be able to upgrade. Basically... there the pci express cards are not universal like say a hard drive or ram may be. Eventually it may be, but right now it's not going to be.

J

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]

 

Greets.
It will be only possible to do video upgrades when the notebooks shipped use the ATI AXIOM or the NVIDIA MXM type of connector.
There is more then the pci-x signals on a laptop card. For example, the "vga connector", and the TFT must connect to the new card.
So, not only PCI-X do the trick. Another type of connector (one of those that I refer) must be present, as video signals cannot be passed by pci-x (only digital signals, and they are not the same as the output even on a DVI-OUT).
The majority of all those new sonoma laptops with PCI-X cards will come with the chip solded on the board, so no upgrade here.
The advantage of a PCI-X on a PC (today) is that it is possible for manufacturers to use one of the existing PCI-X chips on their models. The chip can than be solded on the motherboard, and the lanes routed properly from the chip to the chipset, vga connector, internal tft connector, tv-out... you name it. And PCI-X provides alot more bandwith that the previous AGP, so it allows more powerfull cards.
Remember: previous generation used AGP, but you cannot UPGRADE the notebook with another AGP card. Now, it is just the same, at least until the industry adopts the new connector standards.

ps: sorry my bad english. it's very late here. i need some sleep

 

Nice, that is one thing lots of people should read, it clarifies a lot.

 

Right... and don't worry about your english, I could understand you.


See.... Nvidia's MXM itself has 3 different form factors.... that doesn't even include what ATI has... So, the chances of those form factors staying long term is unlikely..... So, I'm not sure exactly where this puts us in terms of upgradeability down the road, or swappability right out of the box... when one person might want and can only afford say a 64mb card and another person needs and will pay for a 256mb card........ but both want the same notebook... It would be really nice to be able to stock video cards like we could with hard drives, cpus and ram....

J

Thanks,
Justin
PROPortable
www.proportable.com
[email protected]