W700 and MXM

Correct if me if I'm wrong, but the last gen W700 utilized the MXM standard for discrete GPUs. Is it possible to outfit the W700 with a current-gen Quadro FX 3800 from the W701 parts list, as it also utilizes the MXM standard?

 

Pretty sure it's an MXM 2.1 slot.

I have not seen an FX 3800m that was mxm 2.1.
I think you will only find the mxm 3.0 version. But I might be wrong.

Anyway, you could upgrade to an FX 3700m and that is almost as good.

 

It's not possible to fit FX 3800M, since it's MXM 3.0 and W700 is 2.1

I would advise against buying Quadros anyway, since they provide very poor performance/price (they are very expensive because of enterprise certification). Much better is to buy MXM GeForce or Radeon.

 

Sometimes you can buy a quadro for less money than a Geforce.

I have seen a new FX 3800M for under $450. Also I have seen a new FX 3700M for $200.

I got my FX 3700M for $150 (used).

 

True, but you should also consider performance. Quadro 3800M is not an option, since it's MXM 3.0
For 2.1 HE you can get something like GTX280, which has comparable performance (in any case, a lot faster than 3700M which is previous generation).

 

Actually the mxm 2.1 GTX 280M is about the same as an FX 3700M.

They both have 800mhz vRAM and the 280M only has an extra 33mhz on the core.

The good thing about the 280M is that it's 55nm and the 3700M is 65nm, so the 280M should be cooler and in fact uses 0.03V less voltage. Might overclock better too.

Anyway, I can't find a 280M (MXM 2.1) for less than $500:
NVIDIA GTX 280M - MXM 2.1 TYPE III - eBay (item 110488978592 end time Aug-30-10 10:09:36 PDT)

To show you how similar the 280M is to the 3700M, see this thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/gam...rds/510622-wanted-gtx-280m-mxm-2-1-vbios.html

You can almost use the 280M vBIOS on the 3700M, they are very similar.

 

GTX 280M memory manufacturer-specced to 950 MHz, that's quite faster than 3700M

Approximately, stock 3700M is about 10K 3DMark06
GTX 280M is about 12K, that's 20% faster. And that's having the same 75W TDP.

 

That's wrong.
There are two versions of the 280M.

The MXM 3.0 version has the 950mhz vram.
The MXM 2.1 version has 800mhz vram.

See the BIOS I uploaded of the 280m in this thread:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/gam...anted-gtx-280m-mxm-2-1-vbios.html#post6606243

If you open it with nibitor you will see the vram is 800mhz.

Also the 3dmark06 scores are wrong. If you got them from notebookcheck, then that is why they are wrong.

If you got them from a credible source, they must be skewed by the CPU (which affects 3dmark06 a lot) and also you're probable not differentiating between the MXM 3.0 version and the 2.1 version.

The difference between the mxm 2.1 version of the 280M and the 3700m is just 55nm VS 65nm and the extra 33mhz (6% extra).

Yes the 280M is slightly better, but it's really hard to find.

 

All I am saying that regardless of bios setting and form factor the chip is specced to 950Mhz memory. So you should just instantly overclock any 280M to this frequency with 100% stability (unless thermal design fails somehow).

 

I would like to see proof of that:GEEK:

Also the vRAM on my 3700m is Qimonda HYB18H1G321AF–11, which is rated for 900mhz.

So if your claim of 950mhz is true, it's only 50mhz more.

From the datasheet, the vram on my FX 3700M can be run at 1000mhz (CL12).
With nibitor it's possible to go from CL11 to CL12.

I ran it at 960mhz CL11 no problem.

 

If you don't trust manufacturer specifications and arbitrary define "credible sources", I can not prove anything to you. Nor I would to.

It does not matter for how much your ram is rated, as long as chip memory controller is rated below. It could work in some cases, but we are talking about standard conditions, not about "it may overclock even higher".

 

Show me a link. That's all I ask.

Everyone knows the scores on notebookcheck aren't to be trusted. The reason they are wrong in this case is because they average the scores of the MXM 3.0 version and the 2.1 version.

Look carefully at their list, they rank their GPUs wrongly.

The 280M is not worth paying twice the price of an FX 3700M. Sorry to make you angry by trying to help..

These are the kind of mistakes notebookcheck make all the time:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...wners-your-4870-x2-4870-gddr3-gddr5-vram.html