The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Dell M6600: NVIDIA Quadro 3000M or AMD FirePro M8900

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by Dr.McKay, May 29, 2011.

  1. Dr.McKay

    Dr.McKay Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I am looking to buy a M6600. I'm not sure if i should select the NVIDIA® Quadro® 3000M with 2GB GDDR5 ($300.00 more expensive) or the AMD® FirePro® M8900 Mobility Pro Graphics with 2GB GDDR5.

    I am mainly going to use it for work, I'm not going to be using any of that 3D designing software, maybe solidworks occasionally. I think both of the cards will work fine for my work.

    I will play games occasionally, which of the 2 cards will work the best for gaming?

    PS. I think the best card for my application will be a Mobile Nvidia GeForce, but since i want the M6600 i must choose between the professional cards.

    The NVIDIA® Quadro® 4000M is much to expensive so i am not even considering that one.
     
    Dr.McKay, May 29, 2011
    #1
  2. Melody

    Melody How's It Made Addict

    Reputations:
    3,635
    Messages:
    4,174
    Likes Received:
    419
    Trophy Points:
    151
    The M9800 has more brute power and it's better at gaming.
     
    Melody, May 29, 2011
    #2
  3. Althernai

    Althernai Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    919
    Messages:
    2,233
    Likes Received:
    98
    Trophy Points:
    66
    The FirePro M8900 is the professional version of the Radeon 6970M. The Quadro 3000M doesn't really have a GeForce equivalent: it has GDDR5 memory with a 256-bit bus like the GTX480M, but whereas the latter has 352 shaders, the 3000M only has 240 which puts it between the GTX460M (with 192) and the GTX470M (with 288).

    Long story short: the FirePro M8900 is a significantly better card.
     
    Althernai, May 29, 2011
    #3
  4. JackleJames

    JackleJames Newbie

    Reputations:
    1
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    How about FirePro M8900 vs 4000M and 5010M?
     
    JackleJames, May 29, 2011
    #4
  5. Melody

    Melody How's It Made Addict

    Reputations:
    3,635
    Messages:
    4,174
    Likes Received:
    419
    Trophy Points:
    151
    I guarantee you the difference isn't worth the 400$+ premium if you're not using workstation applications :p
     
    Melody, May 29, 2011
    #5
  6. Star Forge

    Star Forge Quaggan's Creed Redux!

    Reputations:
    1,676
    Messages:
    2,700
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    56
    +! QFT. Unless you need CUDA power of Quadros on your applications, you are better off getting the FirePro. It is more powerful on the hardware-level, cheaper and still does well in professional applications without CUDA.

    So save your money and get the FirePro. You won't regret it! ;)
     
    Star Forge, May 29, 2011
    #6
  7. Althernai

    Althernai Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    919
    Messages:
    2,233
    Likes Received:
    98
    Trophy Points:
    66
    The 4000M is slightly inferior to the GTX480M (336 shaders rather than 352) and thus still worse than the M8900. The 5010M appears to be the same card as the GTX485M and is thus on average about 5% better than the M8900. Given the absurd price premium Dell is charging (wow, $740 to go from the M8900 to the inferior 4000M), you are most definitely better off with the FirePro unless you are bound to Nvidia-specific applications.
     
    Althernai, May 29, 2011
    #7
  8. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

    Reputations:
    5,398
    Messages:
    12,692
    Likes Received:
    2,717
    Trophy Points:
    631
    tilleroftheearth, May 29, 2011
    #8
  9. MidnightSun

    MidnightSun Emodicon

    Reputations:
    6,668
    Messages:
    8,224
    Likes Received:
    231
    Trophy Points:
    231
    @OP: Cross posting is against forum rules and is poor "netiquette"--your threads have been merged.
     
    MidnightSun, May 29, 2011
    #9
  10. ColFlagg

    ColFlagg Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I have a M6600 with the NVIDIA 3000M - WORST mistake I ever made. In less than 1 month the card failed. Second card is installed and has begun to fail.
     
    ColFlagg, Mar 7, 2012
    #10
  11. whitrzac

    whitrzac The orange end is cold...

    Reputations:
    497
    Messages:
    1,142
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Sounds like user error to me....
     
    whitrzac, Mar 7, 2012
    #11