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    intel core i7 proccesor upgrades (alineware m11x)

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by OmarAn, Aug 17, 2011.

  1. OmarAn

    OmarAn Notebook Geek

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    i have an m11x laptop that has a Intel® Core™ i7 2617M 1.5GHz(2.6GHz w/Turbo Boost, 4MB Cache

    Includes 2GB DDR3 NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 540M

    can i upgrade my processor to i7-2620M? as i know if both processors have the same sockets supported the procssor can be upgraded, right? what do you think?

    both processor supports FCBGA1023

    Intel® Core? i7-2620M Processor (4M Cache, 2.70 GHz)

    Intel® Core? i7-2617M Processor (4M Cache, 1.50 GHz)

    the gpu is not connected via pciE so there is no upgrade options, right?
     
    OmarAn, Aug 17, 2011
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  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    The m11x cannot have either it's CPU or GPU upgraded. The CPU has a BGA socket, which means it is soldered onto the mainboard and cannot be removed without some very, very expensive tools. Same with the GPU.

    PGA sockets are the only ones that can be upgraded.
     
    Greg, Aug 17, 2011
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  3. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    No the CPU's in the M11x are BGA soldered onto the motherboard, aka no upgrading besides replacing the motherboard.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Aug 17, 2011
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  4. OmarAn

    OmarAn Notebook Geek

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    On the PGA one like on the 2630QM to a 2720QM to 2820QM to a 2920XM
    I mean FCPGA988! what about gpu's must it be connected via a PCIExpress port in order to be upgraded? what is the rule upgrading a gpu?
     
    OmarAn, Aug 18, 2011
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  5. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I'm not sure what you're getting at here. The CPU can't be upgraded on the m11x. On other machines that use the PGA sockets they can be upgraded to a point (often times cooling or power supply capabilities can hold one back from upgrading as far up as the socket allows).

    As far as the GPU is concerned, I'll try to keep it simple. There are a select set of MXM laptops that can be upgraded, but only to a point. Very, very, very few vendors support vanilla MXM (Dell at one time had a custom MXM design that allowed for very limited upgrade options none of which were capable with the MXM "standard"). You're better off investing now to get a good GPU at purchase time rather than count on an upgrade path (even with MXM if you ask me).
     
    Greg, Aug 18, 2011
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  6. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    Ya if you want something upgradable you need to buy those massive gaming laptops, 15-17" flavors to get MXM. Even the latest G series from ASUS throws away their proprietary form of MXM cards, Acer quit MXM when Core i series was launched, so basically it is Clevo based notebooks (and resellers like Sager, Xotic, etc), Alienware (current 17 and 18" versions), MSI and certain mobile workstation laptops (8760W, M6600). You also run into issues of vBios, custom heatsinks if you do swap another card or different brand in.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Aug 18, 2011
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  7. OmarAn

    OmarAn Notebook Geek

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    is MXM the PCIExpress Port? so you mean alienware m15x and alineware m17x have their gpu connected via PCIExpress? what abou the m14x? it has the geforce gt 555M! how is the gt555m connected to the m14x? via what pciE (MXM) or soldered to the chipset(motherboard)?
     
    OmarAn, Aug 18, 2011
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  8. Karamazovmm

    Karamazovmm Overthinking? Always!

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    MXM is slammed to a pcie channel.

    the m14x gpu is soldered to the board.
     
    Karamazovmm, Aug 18, 2011
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  9. DEagleson

    DEagleson Gamer extraordinaire

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    Both the m11x and m14x are targeted at mobile gaming, so Dell had to keep it small while also getting the performance up and functional cooling.

    The m14x does have a regular CPU socket, while the m11x has it soldered on like the other ULV cpus.

    But i dont think you need a upgrade on the cpu side, but if you do want a faster cpu then maybe the m14x would suit you better.
     
    DEagleson, Aug 18, 2011
    #9