potential Dell XPS 1740 with ATI 5870 gddr5 - would it sell?

As I may have spread around here a little, theres a mod I was hoping to do on an XPS m1730.

I cant do it now cause I'm involved in other projects. However, I realized I had no idea how much interest there would be. The point would be to preserve the XPS m1730 design elements while bypassing the faulty and power hungry graphics. It wouldn't be competing as far as gpu or cpu power with the latest alienwares at all.

So.... that said, do you think people would be interested in this?
It would work like this:
with a 2x mini pci-e slots to 16x pci-e link (diy vidock)
desktop ATI 5770 exactly equivalent to the mobile 5870
thermaltake Duorb GPU cooler slightly modified. This cooler is already only 1" thick including fans.
DVI to LVDS serializer 36 bits for wuxga (I think. Definitely possible. good info at national.com)

considering the amount of space these components take up and the layout of the XPS m1730 I think it would be very possible to make this completely internal
interestingly up until the 5770 was released there would have been no point with the power requirements.
But the 8800gtx SLI takes up 150 watts which is much more than the 5750.
I realize that the 9800 gtx SLI is more powerful than the 5870... but this card is rare to the point that this would be much more cost effective.
Also consider the upgrade potential when the 6770 comes out.
its now simply more logical. One could even get a 5750 and a smaller psu. Probably double the battery life.

this assumes that somehow the laptop will start up without the built in card. Otherwise either BIOS modification would be required, or personally I would attempt to devise a cooling solution for the single 8700 gt + 5770.

It would be difficult, yes. But if I or someone else manages it once, it will make easier for anyone else
And every type of customization normally available with desktop graphics cards would now be available...

In conjunction with this, I have been observing the lid assembly of the m1730.
I think there could be a much more efficient use of space. If we already need to mod LVDS from the DVI it would be pointless to use an old CFL WUXGA screen.

The easiest option, because serialization products which go up to 1600x1200 exist, would be a 3x eyefinity set up. 1600x1200 LED panels could be difficult to find. the other 2 could be 12" WXGA panels rotated 90 degrees.

Ideally, the white coated area under the LED backlit inserts, normaly used to spread the light, would be removed along with the LEDs. The 2x screens would be directly behind the inserts. Sliding hinges would have to somehow implemented. The inserts would slide out with the lcd panels and essentially act as their respective covers.

this has a little to do with some of my fundamental beliefs about technology and manufacturing which would be to lengthy to post. Suffice to say a laptop this large and proven to have such a popular build has value beyond the internal components. Part of this value would be the obvious flashiness and likability but its the size that makes it imply modifications such as this.

Does anyone have a vidock and the laptop to test if it starts without the internal card?
Overall... opinions, impressions, critiques?

 

Ugh. Sorry to post "would it sell" as this is not about sales but modification and also has little do do with any XPS m1x40.
lol

 

It would not have the 5870. Never.

Look at how Dell positions its products. Alienware with the best specs, Studio XPS with 2nd rate specs, Studio with 3rd, rate, etc. Wonder why the SXPS 16 got the 3670, 4670, and 5730, and not the 3870, 4870, and 5870? Because then it would compete with Alienware.

Best that "1740" might get is a 5770.

 

I think it would also require more power than a 130w adapter can handle. I doubt they'd come out with a 17'' XPS any time soon.

 

I'm talking about modifying an m1730 by integrating a desktop 5770 which is equivalent to the mobile 5870

230w is more than enough.


If it was a finished product and was reliably modded, would people want to buy it?

This is not mere speculation. I'm saying it can be done and without a lot of problems.

 

It can be done if dell wants to, but why would they? As fred2028 mentioned, they don't want anything competing against alienware, and studio 17 is just right behind. There is no reason to make one, IMO. We can dream however.

 

I can't believe a desktop GPU would fit into any notebook. Do you have any photos of the space inside the notebook?

 

+1. Certain a desktop HD5770 would meet your power requirements but I can't see how it could be fit inside the chassis. A HD5770 uses much larger components than notebooks use.

In any case I would advise going a Fermi gpu. They perform better on x1 1.0 or x2 1.0 links, especially if can enable Optimus. Getting some serious numbers there. Can run using the internal LCD without needing a DVI<->LVDS serializer however there is performance loss so an external LCD has the best performance.

I'd suggest create the equivalent of a Vidock4 chassis with a x2 1.0 input using hwtools' PE4H (x2 capable). Plug it in when need it.

 

For your reference: (GPUs all scaled to real world size)

Entire motherboard layout for the M1730 with the GPU at the extreme upper left corner. (Picture of my own machine, picture of my own GPU as well)



M1730 GPU:



M1730 PCB:



HD5770 typical desktop PCB:



Just so you know.

 

well, for one thing im not buying any "gaming" computers without a nvidia gpu .
im sticking with studio16s only for the RGB led screen, i dont give a damn about ati 3670 or 4670 or 5470 and watevr comes after them.

 

Any legitimate reasons for this ridiculous claim?

I could see if we were talking back in 2007, but things have changed. ATI is effectively stealing Nvidia's sales, and rightfully so.

 

+1,

The last and Nvidia i will ever buy was my 8600m... and my motherboard was replaced 3 times because of it. Thankfully i got complete care for 4 years.... otherwise I would be up creek. Yes I know Dell extended the GPU warranty... well I had a friend with one also and all dell did was throw another motherboard in and that one went out shortly after the extension was over...

 

I would use a fermi GPU but the power requirements would be much harder to meet with a laptop power supply.

Also, connecting directly requires another gpu which in this case I would be getting rid of. Have you heard ANY reports of using the Vidock when an internal GPU fails? Will it even boot past BIOS?

Thanks so much for this:

Very nice pics!
Yeah, I have done some measurements. Actually have 220x120mm written on the mag alloy of my palmrest.
I had initially thought of using a 5750 which would be no problem.

The biggest factor really is the thickness, and thermal management right? I mean thats what I'd normally be worried about... The entire base of the m1730 is only about an inch thick. This is already thinner than pretty much any VGA cooler on the market.
the space for the GPU is only about 20mm. The thermaltake duorb can get down to 20mm including fans and space to the PCB!
Chassis modifications would likely be necessary... but only on the palmrest not at all on the base unit.

Of course, I'm just doing this because I dont know how to hack... Ideally I'd just buy a few of these and get to it Liantec TBM-1630 : Tiny-Bus x16 PCIe MXM 3.0 Type-A/B Mobile Graphics Extension Module with Two Dual-Link DVI (DVI-DL), LVDS, VGA, TV-out Ports.

 

Thats literally the least relevant thing you could possibly post when someone brings up integrating 3 lcds and a desktop graphics card into a laptop chassis.

 

If dell were to sell this with a 16:10 screen and a 5870 I would buy it.

 

LOL guys sorry for the thread title. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT DELL HERE. at least not their new models.
I'm talking about modifying an m1730. 16:10 is REALLY irrelevant if you have the err highest spec with a 3 screen EYEfinity set up BUILT IN

of course if you would want a single screen instead, I'd for sure sell it to you

 

When I made that post, I was actually being acerbically realistic. Trying to find a PCI-E to proprietary x16 PCI-E cable to the motherboard is second to none.

Getting power to the 5770 is also another issue, the M1730 GPU is powered through its proprietary PCI-E slot and has no stationary 6 pin power adapter or even a slot for it. You also cannot power the 5770 just through its PCI-E connectors.

Getting a heatsink designed for the 5770 to fit inside the M1730 is also just.... Need I say no more. Not to bust your bubble but this is really far-fetched. Good luck cramming a desktop 5770 PCB onto an M1730.

 

the thermaltake duorb IS 20mm as I said. what is required is a PCI-E angler, and perhaps some custom flat mini HDMI cables as used by the PE4H and PM3N for 2x < 16x mpci-e to pci-e link.

If the 5770 doesnt fit, the 5750 probably will, and then the 6750 etc...

I don't know if you thought I wanted to use the original 2x MXM connector, but I considered that. I would have to get a broken m1730 card and probably do some bios hacking.
I think at that point I would have to try and use Liantec's TBM-1630 for SLI MXM B.