Y500 gt750m SLI addon card - PSA

To Will6000k and Character Zero, depending on how long you've had your units to still maybe able return them even thou you past your 21 day mark. Just tell them you want to return them based of the fact that the computer was advertised as having ultra bay options and there are none. It false advertising. Then they may ask you if they can get you what you want will you keep your unit, they did that with me but the fact is they discontinued ultra bay support for the y 400/500 in favor for the newer models.

 

For me it's been about 60 days so I am not sure. I bought it because it was cheap, the SLI was a nice addition. And we don't know for sure they aren't going to make a 750M GPU compatible with the Y400. I aso don't know if I want to pay the extra $130 or so for the Y410P upgrade. I am happy with my single 750M system. Lenovo may have lost a return customer though.

 

It worth a try, tell them to exchange it or your going to return based on false advertising. Most likely they will being its true and they want to save a sale.

 

But the Y410P isn't an even trade.

 

For the 510p, and the new models are .61 inches simmer or something, can't remember exactly. So they won't fit. Bring their dropping ultra bay support for the older y 400/500 ultra bays you'll be waiting for forever if they do decided to continue to support them.

 

I've been following your tale of woe about obtaining an ultrabay DVD burner and I'm in the same boat. My order for the DVD was cancelled after waiting well over a month for it. (I actually ordered the dual video card Y500 with the additional DVD ultrabay on the same order.)

The problem I see with the Fry's unit is I believe they made a mistake in the description. You can probably get the computer with the Blu ray drive included (at the stated price), but I doubt you'll also get the second video card. (Which is what the description says.) It just doesn't add up cost-wise and Fry's is not known to offer huge discounts on newly released items.

I hope I'm wrong, of course. I'll be following your postings to see how you make out on the deal. Meanwhile, I'll have to decide if I want to return my Y500 because there never will be an ultrabay DVD burner available for it. (So says Lenovo.)

If Lenovo was more forthcoming as to what its plans are for the Y510 when it comes to ultrabays and their availabilities, I could easily decide what to do. But Lenovo screwed up with the Y500 and the ultrabays and I don't exactly trust them this time around. If you buy the Y510 with a Blu ray or DVD burner ultrabay, will you be waiting months and months to acquire the 750 ultrabay? Likewise, if you buy the dual video card computer will you be waiting months and months for the Blu ray or DVD ultrabay?

 

So now they have a Y410p with the 768p screen for the same price as the Y400. So I sent an email to the sales rep that helped me to see if we would ever see the 750M UB for the Y400.

 

I just sent my Y500 back. The extremely long shipping, uncertainty of the ultrabay support, and the lack of communication from lenovo made me decide that my money is best spent elsewhere. Really disappointing since it was a great deal for such a nice laptop. I think I will either save up for an msi, whatever alienware has up their sleeves (june 10th reveal) or that sexy 14-inch razor blade (over priced though). It was ironic that out of all the lenovo customer service reps I talked to the one who dealt with my return was the most informative and helpful.

 

To be honest, the customer service reps are always more informative due to the fact that they have to fix everything.

 

So to everyone following this thread and question Lenovo's ultra bay support, here's proof on Lenovo's abandonment on ultra bay support for the y 400/500 . Lenovo uses the term "EOL" or end of life for products that have been discontinued. Like I said they could bring it back but im not sure, and for those thinking the new y 410p/510p ultra bay's might work for their y 400/500 I dough that because its reported that the new line up is thinner.

Edit* - So after comparing the y500 to the Y510p under tech spec's, here's what they listed for the dimensions (y500 vs y510p) 15.2 x 10.2 x 0.6 - 1.4 vs 15.23 x 10.19 x 0.61-1.41, and if you look under the features tap on the y500 page they list this and I quote "Blu-ray Disc™ Drive
To enjoy your favorite movies on the road choose a model with the latest Blu-ray Disc™ player and writer". The funny thing is, is that if you go to buy and configure a y500 they don't offer the bluray option and the dvd drive is still there as a option, go figure Lenovo's style. Now I cant remember were but some where on the forums someone said that the y510p is slimmer so I don't know anymore, but the only thing I do know is that Lenovo uses a first grader to proof read their site and spec sheets. Another support fact to note to is when you go to buy a y500 and check the potential ship date it say's and I quote "Ships in more than 4 weeks**", go to configure a new y510p, " Estimated ship date: 6/24/13**". Now I know that its just estimates but it probably spot on. Once again it seems Lenovo has stopped or at lease slowed support for the Y 400/500 in favor for the new y 410p/510p.

 

Thanks for posting that pic. Makes me feel even better about returning it. Talk about false advertisement. Thankfully there has been a large amount of new gaming laptop announcements recently that the bad taste in my mouth shouldn't last long.

 

So after reading your post I went back and thought you might be right so I went back and analyzed all options, so lets start with Lenovo first, If Lenovo seems to be following the same form factor as the y500 set ups, being the y510p has 2 "lower" end models and 2 "higher" end models, the only difference between the 2 "lower" end models is the 24gb ssd drive, other then that their identical, both have 8gb of ram, single 750m gpu and dvd drive. Now the difference between the 2 "higher" end models are 16gb of ram to 12gb, sli gpu setup vs bluray/dvd drive. Now I know manufactures have been known to "alter" their line up for major retailers, being that the only places I know of that are selling the y510p is Newegg and Fry's and here's their line up. First newegg, it seems they have slightly modified the original line up, being everything is the same except it comes with 12gb of ram, 1 tb plus a 8gb ssd (this is different being Lenovo is offering a 24gb, but they could be listing the actual available drive size), sli gpu with no optical drive. Now there are 2 reviews on newegg's site to confirm it is a sli setup. Now for fry's line up. They are offering 3 different set ups ( i'll be listing them from lowest price point to highest price point), difference between the 3 are 8gb of ram vs 12gb of ram and 16gb of ram, 1 tb hdd vs 1tb plus a 8 sshd (new and first time confirmed of it having a sshd drive) and 1tb plus a 24gb ssd, now the interesting and confusing part. If you look at the "Key Specifications" at the bottom of the pages, only 2 of them the list "2nd Graphics Included" (the lower and middle priced units) in the description leaving the most expensive one (16gb of ram version) out with the "BluRay Ultrabay bundle included" in it's description, being it has 16gb of ram I would expect it to have the sli setup being it's the "highest" end y510p model, here's the kicker, if you look at the top of the page on all of the 3 different y510p pages, it say's under "SIMPLIFIED SOLUTIONS" and I quote "UltraBay – interchangeable bay that can be instantly swapped

out for dual graphics capability (comes with 2nd graphics included) , increased storage space or an additional fan for cooling

Always-on USB port – Use the USB port to recharge a mobile device even when the notebook is powered off and unplugged from the main power supply", note the "comes with 2nd Graphics card included". Very confusing. All I can say is I will be calling back to confirm that it does indeed come with the bluray drive on top of the sli setup. Worst case it isn't and I send it back.

 

Too bad i'm past my 21 day return period, only because i was waiting for the ultrabay support.
I'm going to make them take it back anyways, or just charge back since i'm sick of dealing with them.

I even ordered an extra AC adapter they are going to have to take back.

Looking at the nice MSI Haswell 14" with gtx760m

 

worst case scenario I leave Lenovo behind for MSI and either their GT60 2OD-024US at $1799.99 but it has the gtx 770 gpu or the GT60 2OD-026US at $2099.99 and that has the gtx 780 gpu. Both are a lot more green but better then the y510p. I chose these 2 because the gtx 765 is equal or a little less the the sli 750m. The two company's obviously took different approaches to their units but I don't like the fact that MSI units are fatter and heavier. I love the form factor of the y series. I look at potential problems for MSI unit and they are there it just what you can live with I guess.

 

Report are that the new y510p score 5000+ in 3dmark 11 at stock configuration, and I know only heavily oc'ed y400/500 650 an 750 units are able to get that score.

 

The MSI might be the way to go to get a very good graphics card and DVD player together in one package. I may follow your lead.

When I spoke to the Lenovo rep and expressed my frustration about not being able to buy an ultrabay DVD player for the Y500, the only solution she could come up was buying a USB connecting DVD player which she would give me a 50% discount on. She took a long time with my call and spoke with several techs trying accommodate me, but in the end NO ULTRABAY.

This got me thinking: are there a lot of people out there who own Y500s who have actually purchased additional ultrabays and have successfully used them? (I've read about ONE customer only.) Maybe the technology simply doesn't work very well and Lenovo is trying to distance itself from it without actually getting rid of it. If you buy a new Y510, there is no option to add any additional ultrabays. (Unlike when you bought a Y500, you, at least, had the option of purchasing a DVD burner ultrabay.) (Now when you try to buy a Y500, you only get the option of adding external optical drives.)

If I remember correctly, going from a single graphic card to dual graphics requires some sort of connection be made between the two graphic cards as well as connecting into the motherboard. Plugging in a DVD player "seems" like it would require a different type of connection to work properly as opposed to a graphic card.

Originally, I had ordered a Y500 with a single750 graphic card and a DVD ultrabay, but changed my mind when I heard that getting that additional 750 graphic card (plus a new power supply) was not happening for any customers. I figured it would be easier to get the DVD ultrabay because at least it was being listed as "In Stock." Now, we're all in the same boat: as of now, NO ultrabay support for the past and current models.

(I've been using a portable USB Samsung DVD burner to load my old games onto my Y500 and it works great. I got a good discount on my Y500 (and it's been performing like a champ), so I might just stick with what I have and call it a day.)

 

I emailed the sales rep I worked with when buying my Y400. I asked specifically about the 750M Ultrabay for the Y400 and she said it would be coming out but was on backorder.

 

17 minutes later and drilling the poor sales rep multiply times on the phone with fry's, he said the it is indeed the 16gb sli model and it does come with the bluray ultra bay option. I'll place an order and wait, when it ships ill know, only thing I can do now.

 

the sale rep that i talk to told me that the y400 and the y410p will have the sli ultra-bay option later on in the future. he also told me that the new y410p and y510p are thinner thinner. i think i will order the y410 next week just to be sure. because there are too many confusing information right now.

 

Not sure where all this "thinner" talk is coming from. This is from the lenovo website (bold is thickness):
Y400 : 13.8 x 9.6 x 0.6 - 1.3"
Y410 : 13.77 x 9.64 x 0.59-1.29

So a 0.1" difference, is this enough to affect the ultraby dimensions?

Y500:15.2 x 10.2 x 0.6 - 1.4"
Y510:15.23 x 10.19 x 0.61-1.41

So here it is 0.1" thicker! Hmmm.

 

Post #60 my friend. For the past couple of days I've been talking to multiply reps on ultra bay support for the y 410p/510p, just to see what they say, and they "say" there will be support, it just they dont know when.

 

I am just wondering how these new models are thinner (is 0.1" noticeable?). I just think that the ultrabay might be compatible in the Y5XX and Y4XX series. It would make sense to keep the ultrabays to same so they can sell to owners of both models. I was told the GPU is on backorder. I wonder if they are focusing on the ultrabays in the SLI systems before making the accessory for sale.

 

Thanks for the update. Any idea when Fry's expects to get this into stock?

I think I'll drive over to Fry's this weekend and see what kind of story I get on this computer. If we get several confirmations that the computer does, indeed, include both two graphic cards AND the blu ray ultrabay, the more confident we will be in buying one. Actually, there are two Fry's close to me. Think I'll hit both up next week.

(Maybe Lenovo will match the Fry's model and we can get it even sooner.)

 

See post #43 and the C90S and what happened to that consumer. I'm very wary of Lenovo and this whole ultrabay fiasco. The Y500 has been out for over nine months and yet they didn't produce enough ultrabays to meet the demand. And the newer Y510's have the ultrabays on backorder?

Not feeling to confident at this moment...

 

I highly dough that they would match it but its worth a try, when I asked then they didn't know because their currently out of stock, placed an order, but I guess when you order off frys they give you a follow up call, got that and it ships when its in stock again.

It was the same deal with the dvd drive, they wouldnt sale them on a single order level because they would rather make a laptop sale, complete bull S***. Look at the y500 vs y510p, who knows when they will ship y500 models but yet their shipped y510p models. Nothing but frustration.

 

Anyone know anything about getting a class action lawsuit going? I'm not out to break the company, and I am generally against any kind of litigation. I really just want my 750 and if they can't produce it, then I want the money for a comparable system.

 

Honestly yes, but the possess is ridiculously long and what kind of compensation is not certain if any.

 

Perfect! What is to lose? Sounds like what we are dealing with anyway. A long process with no certainty.
How about trying to get a respected website/publication such as CNET or Maximum PC to try and get a statement and if they can't, give lenovo some bad press.

 

I haven't found any good contact information for CNET. I thought about emailing some of their writers...

 

This is a REALLY good idea!

 

I am all for these suggestions due to the myriad frustrations I've personally experienced with this machine, but unless you've got friends in high places having one of the major tech publications try to extract a statement from Lenovo is a tall order, to say nothing of a class action lawsuit.

 

It is a tall order indeed and the odds of say cnet getting on board would be slim. They would look at us as just B*******, but then again maybe it would just be a good idea to do kind of a PSA for people to say away from Lenovo products, because every ones know once a company's reputation is S*** it the end of the line.

 

Actually their other products are fine. The ThinkPad line is awesome. They didn't become the #1 PC maker in the world for pushing out crap. It's just this particular machine that sucks big time.

 

I guess we'll have to wait and see reviews and what other have to say if they fixed anything from the y500 to y510p.

 

whats going on? why are yall angry like this? lol

 

If you own this machine or have been reading through this forum a lot you'd understand.

 

Sorry but do you know when you'll be going to fry's, want to here what they have to say.

 

I'll probably do the Fountain Valley Fry's tomorrow. City of Industry's on Sunday. (Maybe the one in Manhattan Beach if I can leave work early today.)

This week's Fry's ad has the Lenovo Y510 featured for $1199.99. Model # 7685757

Also, a contest to win the Lenovo Y510. Visit frys.com/contest for Entry

 

This thread has been a wealth of information! I went to Fry's yesterday (Anaheim) and bought a Y510 after processing my Y500 for return. I can confirm the ultrabays for the Y500/Y510p are compatible. I took the GT750M Ultrabay from Y510p and popped it into my Y500 and it worked flawlessly. I was worried about future support of the Y500 ultrabay as well due to some information from a previous post about ultrabay dimensions and not being able to get one in the future. I presume that once Lenovo can fill out their orders the GT750M will be available to order separately.

FYI the screen is matte and my Y510p (sli) model comes with a 24GB SSD and 12 GB ram.

 

Campy888,

Thanks for the info! This should put a lot of people's minds at ease.

It would be nice if Fry's sold the single ultrabays because many of us are tired of waiting for Lenovo to get its act together.

 

Awesome!! This is exactly what I was hoping someone would do. I will assume this is the same for the Y400/410P. I think July has been kicked around as the timeframe for the ultrabays to go on sale. It makes sens since they are putting the 750s in all the Y400, Y410P, Y500, and Y510P. And with the Y5XX you have the dual systems so it probably been tough to build up an inventory.

 

I guess now we just wait, at this point its a waiting game and honestly June kind of seems kind if far off, I mean with all the orders received and there only going to increase. Time will tell.

 

Not sure if this helps anyone, but I just received my Y500 SLI in the mail today and also have a Blu Ray drive I purchased from a third party resource. If you froogle Y500 Blu Ray you'll see they are for sale. I got the burner since the reader was out of stock. I also had to order the DVD Bezel from Lenovo which was $18.** plus shipping.

90201989 ODD BEZEL QIQY6 Other BEZEL $18.84 (lenovospareparts)

Burner was $150

I haven't been home to test anything, and the bezel is not shipped yet, but I will let you know once I get this all done. I ordered two bezels because you can also get an HDD ultrabay caddy (ordered from hong kong) as a third drive (if you are also using the M SATA option).

I still need to Frankenstein it all together, but in the end I'll have the Mushkin Direct Atlas Deluxe 120GB, Samsung 830 256GB SSD, Ultrabay SLI, Blu Ray Burner and additional WD 320GB Black drive for whatever...

 

Hey I own the Y400 but still this is great information. Thank you for posting this!

 

This is a good alternative but it isn't very cost effective, $150 for the drive and $20 for other parts, your in at $170 but then again if lenovo don't release the drive there isn't much alternatives.

 

Why am I not surprised, browsing on Lenovo site at the y510p, and low and behold they removed the bluray option from the only setup that had it, and the priced also dropped. I think it was $1499.99 and now it's $1099.99. What to think.


Edit*- just looked again and the screen is different as well. Not sure if the first grader proof reading the page made a mistake or not but at this point I don't know what to think being I supposedly order the model off of fry's that comes with the 16gb of ram, sli gpu and bluray drive???????????

Edit*- never mind, they added a lower end model, there's a next tab at the top right of the model page. The bluray model is on the next page.

 

I think you are safe to assume it will come with the BD ultrabay. Other places that have the same model have a BD ultrabay in the description as well.

 

Any updates?

 

In the past, my experience with Fry's computer salespeople have been that if they have the product "in-stock" they'll do everything to sell it to you...along with an extended warranty. With that said:

At the Manhattan Beach store, the Y510 with the Blu ray drive was not in stock. (Which I already knew.) I brought a print-out of the page from the website and wanted to ask the salesperson some questions about it, but he merely said they didn't have it and that he would help me with something that was in-stock. I said I was only interested in this particular model. And his interest in helping me immediately stopped and he moved on to another customer.

At the Fountain Valley store, a salesperson offered to help me and I showed him my print-out. He looked it over and showed me the lower-priced Y510 which was on display. I told him I wanted the model which had a Blu ray drive and two graphic cards. He said the store didn't carry it yet and that he didn't know the specifics about it. He did, however, look through his inventory sheet and said since it's in the system, the store should be getting it soon. "When?" I asked. Probably within the next two week he told me. I asked him if I could pre-order it right there from him, but he said he couldn't do that. He did take my name and phone number and said he would call me when the store got them in stock.

How did you do your pre-order? Through the website?

I'll visit the City of Industry store tomorrow.

 

Yeah, online, just buy it like normal even thou it says back order. you'll get a confirmation phone call, the guy who called me forgot to tell me it was back ordered but I already knew. He called like 30 minutes later to inform me it was and could take anywhere from a week to a month. Read my post about the bluray drive, that might factor in if it goes back in stock any time soon or it was a typo all together.

Edit*- I never did like shopping at fry's when I was in cali for that reason.