Clevo P170HM GPU & Screen Upgrades

Hi all,

Long time reader, ready to chat!

Seeking understanding and clarity regarding the upgrade potential to my current laptop (Clevo P170HM). I am a previous desktop enthusiast turned mobile due to regular travel. I am interested solely in single GPU options. Less weight the better!

Full comp specs at the end of post, curious if the Clevo system purchased will be able to upgrade to future iterations of nvidia brand GPU's in the GTX lineup. From what I understand a GTX 580m is on the horizon and will outperform the GTX 485m which is great news... The 485m is unable to handle recent releases in full 3D @ 60fps via a secondary monitor.

Second, is this model able to upgrade to a 3D 120hz screen which is compatible with the GTX 485m and/or GTX 580m. Understanding some of the tech discussed is not released... crossing fingers that answers are not still undeveloped.


Clevo P170HM
-CPU Intel Core i7-2720QM 2.20GHz
-Memory 8GB (2 x 4GB) 1333MHz
-NVIDIA GTX 485M 2048MB GDDR5
-120GB Intel X25-M 510 Series GEN3
-640GB 7200 16MB Cache SATA
-Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 -802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN Module


Thanks in advance for support and information on the topic. Please don't view this as a bash on the 485m card, simply looking for greater performance via single GPU systems quickly.

 

Looks like a good spec system overall.

Mine is similar but the 15" (like more portability haha, but really wish can have 2 HDD and CD rom like my old Asus G50vt)

Anyway the only things you can upgrade in your future are:

Upgrade to 1600MHz Ram
Have a few more CPU upgrade steps
GPU I would hold off on your order as new one is expected in 1-2 weeks.

Odds are they MAY release ONE more after a GTX 580M that we can use, but all future ones after that I think they are switching the slots so you may be done at that point but these are great GPU so should last good!

I would downgrade the 6300 wifi to 6230 so you get BT option. Most consumer and even business routers dont use 400mbps and you don't have internet that fast so it wont help with games/pings or anything other than network file transfers and even that is only if what you talk to is on a 1 gig network. It does add 1 extra antenna but when I upgraded my old Asus laptop Wifi card from 2 antenna to 3 I saw no improvements at all in distance or speeds. It only increases the max speed and thats only if your wifi router/ap can support it and you are not far, but the above still holds true.

 

Hey,

Yea you should be able to upgrade to basically any GPU that comes out that still fits in the slot. Which remains to be seen how many more GPU's will be made on that MXM standard. However, the cooling system should be all set to handle them.

The 3D screen? Yea if we can source them separately then you can upgrade the screen no problem. You will still be missing the built in glasses emitter, but the panel can be changed.

 

@mythlogic
Is there any info running around in the industry regarding the future of the MXM standard?

I know PCI-e 3.0 is coming out with Ivy Bridge so that may indicate an upgrade of the MXM standard.

Also I have noticed that many companies have given up on the MXM standard in the past 2 years although 2 years ago it seemed that everyone was starting to adopt it.

So what's happening, any info or whom should we ask ? I will start a new thread on this if necessary.

 

We are a member of the MXM-SIG, and we have not seen a new specification even to review yet, so for something like MXM 4.0, I don't see it yet, and if we don't in the next 30 days I doubt we will see it in time for IVB launch. The latest published is still MXM 3.0 (Rev 1.1).

The biggest issue holding back MXM adoption is the tradeoff between size and upgradability. MXM modules take up more room than sticking a chip on the board and cooling it. And the larger market says that they want thinner and lighter, and don't care as much about upgradability (The boutique DTR industry that we are in not-withstanding). So you see that trend away from MXM from the other suppliers.

 

Ivy Bridge is confirmed, as not compatible with the HM55 and H6x chipsets.

Consider Sandy Bridge the dead end, for these models.

 

Great info guys, definitely provides knowledgeable info as to purchase a new laptop in 6-12 months or upgrade my current one progressively. Just for clarity sake, the system I refer to in the initial post is the system I currently own. Apologies if this appeared as a "should I buy this" thread.

The ram upgrade is good info to know though not too direct regarding in-game performance. Though on the flip side, it is pleasing to understand the current assumption is at least 2 future GTX cards will fit into the current mobo's pci-e slot. Regarding Ivy and future processors requiring a bios update, this makes full sense. Is there a safe and secure website to download bios updates for the P170HM?

Also what Blacky says below is very interesting. Also looking for good websites to research this information or understand MXM standards or if the industry will go backwards in progression and each use proprietary ports/systems... just like today's 3D TV industry.


Cheers

 

Sorry to be dense, here -- I'm still learning some of this stuff. Can you clarify this statement for me?

What I am getting is that the Ivy Bridge chips won't be compatible with any of the current graphics cards. Is that correct? So essentially, if you buy a laptop now, you should get the best GPU that you can, otherwise an upgrade in GPU will mean an upgrade in CPU, as well? If that's the case, should a 560M last me the next 4-5 years? Ultra settings but no FPS (think WoW, Trine 2, Torchlight 2, Skyrim, etc).

Apologies for going slightly off-topic, here -- if there's a better place to post this, please let me know. Took a look in the Hardware section, and nothing seemed obvious.

 

Thanx letting me know.

 

With a more powerful GPU is going to come the need for more power, and thus, a larger power supply. The 150-180W units required to drive the current top-end GPUs are monstrous. If you're going to be traveling, this is something to keep in mind.

 

It has nothing to do with the graphics cards, it's a chipset and motherboard issue. Simply put, Ivy Bridge CPUs will not be compatible with any notebook which is currently available.

A 560M is not an Ultra chip today. Expect to run 1080p games at medium/high for the next two years, max.

 

I'm assuming with Clevo systems that this is less of an issue since essentially every component is upgradable?

Yeah, I realize that not all games can be played on ultra settings with this card, but most seem to be (over 30fps is good enough for me). I'm more trying to anticipate if this card will be able to keep up with the types of games I like to play over the next few years, which tend to be RPGs/dungeon crawlers. The graphic requirements of these games generally seem to be less than their first person shooter cousins.

Appreciate your response and input.

 

Yes the 560m will be a decent card if you are a RPG'er for the most part (Diablo 3 could have extreme requirements but we don't know). Now upgradability, yes you can upgrade these things as long as they don't change the standard for the graphics cards. Once they do that typically they don't make too many more upgraded cards for the old standard once they do. With ivy bridge bringing out a new PCIe revision we might see a new MXM standard sometime next year.

 

Makes sense now. Thanks for the further explanation.

 

Sounds like the upgrade to the 580M is going to be the next step as again the 485M simply cannot provide 60fps w/ stereoscopic video. Though the 580M might not either it will do a "closer" job. Looking forward to Ivy from Intel and stronger laptop single GPU setups in 2012.

 

It would take more horsepower than any current or rumored mobile card could provide in a single card setup to power stereoscopic 3D at a decent framerate/settings combo. It tends to bring my home 470 SLI desktop setup to its knees, depending on the game. It halves framerates, which already aren't great at high res on high settings for a lot of games. Considering the 485m only equates to between the 460 and 560ti desktop cards, it's pretty amazing that 3D is even doable with mobile as is