Cyberpower PC and my "Dual" 9800M GTX

So, back in Nov. '08 I bought a gaming laptop from Cyberpower PC. It used a Clevo D901C body and I sprung for the "Dual" Nvidia 9800M GTX in SLI. However, when I got my computer, the internal device manager only reported a single video card, however it did display the 1GB DDR3 vRAM that was advertised for the dual video cards. Upon contacting the company about the issue, I was informed that "The laptop has a single DUAL 9800M-GTX that will be running in SLI mode already for you." Does this mean that the single card had two GPU's on it? Or did they just short me a video card and BS me?

I'm asking this now, almost two years later, because my video card has died on me and is no longer under Cyberpower's warranty. I have never heard of a single physical video card having multiple GPU's and do not understand why they would do that rather than just put two 9800M GTX's in. If they shorted me a card, it would be much easier to take that up with the company now than try to get the broken card repaired/replaced.

Thank you for your time,
--R

 

Well... A single card with dual GPU does not run in SLI.... you need two actual single GPUs to run in SLI.

From the sound of it, you got tricked into getting only a single 9800m GTX GPU, as there are no dual GPU mobile versions in existance.

Take up arms, and battle it out man.

 

Doesn't that make what they did fraud? I paid for dual Nvidia 9800M GTX video cards configured in SLI, and that was not what they gave me.

 

Yep, it might be fraud specially with that weird response they gave you. You can always open up your machine and look for two GPUs. If you don't see both cards, you got a single GPU machine.

the problem is, the time it took you to realize it.

 

ok...hold on a sec...
just take the back cover off. it will show how many cards are in there.

there is no such thing as a dual 9800m gtx card for a d901c

 

Luckily for me, the statute of limitations for fraud in my state is three years.

The reason it took me so long to realize was that upon first receiving the computer, I did not want to open it up and risk voiding the warranty, and I did contact them within a week of receiving it asking why only one video card was showing up in device manager and Nvidia control panel. The response that tech support gave me back in Nov '08 I had trusted back then, but recently when I opened it up and saw for myself that there was one video card and one empty PCIe slot I got suspicious of what they had sold me.

Thank you for your help, ryzeki

 

@johnksss There's definitely only one card in there.

 

You had better send it back along with a copy of your original invoice and demand they put a second 512mb GDDR3 9800M GTX in there. That is unbelievable. For them to tell you you have SLI with a single card!! There is no such thing as a 9800M GX2 (there is a desktop 9800 GX2 with 2 cores on one card I believe) Not surprised you are angry.

 

You are welcome, and time to take down those frauds! Get your 9800m GTX card and game on!

Man, 9800m GTX sli is still very powerful right now.

 

Hell, I'd demand they replace the system with the Xplorer-X8 8800 or whatever they'll rebrand the X7200 as.

BTW, do you remember how much you paid for the system teh_rob? Because your case would depend on that; If they charged you what an actual GTX SLi setup would have costed back then, but ended up getting only a single card, then you'd have a stronger case.

 

Let us know what happens!

 

You might have a hard time on your hand, the only reason I say that is because if I was them two years on I would of said you'd taken one card out and was trying to get the defective one fixed, just to warn ya that's all.

Best of luck anyway.

 

teh_r0b

Allow us to review over the claim. If you can please obtain customer number or any reference number relating you account, and email it to [email protected]. Also include any direct contact information along with date/time best to you reach you by. I'll investagate the issues and help verify the information to come to a conclusion.

 

Lol that last post doesn't sound fishy at all Oo

 

Great way to check if SLI is on/available:

Go to NVidia Control Panel -> "Set SLI and PhysX configuration" -> If there is no "SLI Configuration" box in this menu on the right hand side, then you do not have two GPUs.

Or just open the bottom panel and check that all 4 slots are filled and have a heatsink/fan there that is safely attached. If they do, then maybe the SLI cable connecting the cards has become loose and will need to be re-seated.

 

OP, as long as you have a single card MXM configuration, SLI cannot exist. There needs to be 2 of them. In this case, it seems like you only got one. As etterornio mentioned you may want to check the if the 2nd card exists first - and following, if the SLI cable seated properly. Lucky you that Cyberpower spotted this thread (CyberHD.tech) and will probably try to help despite expiration of warranty. Let us know of your outcome.

There is. The M1730; it has 2 Cores on a single PCB "similiar" to GX2s. But still named as 9800M GTX SLI.