Help? :(

EDIT: If you don't want to read this huge wall of text (though it doesn't quite compare to Shyster's! ), just scroll to the bottom of this post.

This is a bit of an odd request and I'd like to thank anyone in advance that takes the time to read it, but I'm going to need someone with a bit better explanatory talents than myself.

I'm looking into purchasing a Sager NP8660, however as I'm 17 at the moment, it would still have to be my parents that authorize the funds even though it's my money that I earned (ie, my money is in an account that they manage).

Of course, my draw towards the NP8660 is the fact that it has the 9800M GT in a 15.4 chassis.

I currently own a Dell XPS M1210 (its not even mine, really; my dad bought it on a whim. Seriously. He almost bought the macbook air just because he liked how thin it looks even though we already have 1 laptop and 2 desktops, and an iMac that hasn't been used in years) with integrated graphics, so I was looking to upgrade to the Sager for college and gaming, and hoping it would take me through at least my 4 years of college at a playable level.

ANYWAY, my point:
I need to order this laptop soon because I start school in mid-August, so the sooner I order the better.
So I showed my parents the specs I wanted (2.4ghz cpu, 9800M GT, 250gb HD, 2GB DDR3 ram to be upgraded later) which totaled $1767 with the cash discount.
I've saved 2.5k myself, and compared to the Alienware (2.3k for my config, and poor service!), I was ecstatic over this price.
However, my dad... who, if you couldn't tell by my prior statements about the computers that we own, doesn't understand all that much about technology.
He said that if the main reason I wanted this laptop was the video card, then we could just buy the video card and stick it in my Dell M1210.
I told him this wasn't possible since you can't upgrade the integrated GPU. His response to this was, "Well, I'm sure we can just buy the video card and get geek squad to install it for us." I told him, no, literally it's not at all compatible. It may not fit, the laptop simply doesn't support it, etc.

Then he said I could just call Dell (he's a Dell fanboy) and have them completely custom-build me a laptop based around the 9800M GT card, and I said that wasn't possible either because they DON'T OFFER THAT. He still didn't believe me. I know I could get the XPS M1710, but I'm a teensy girl that stands at 5'1, 95lbs so I really don't want to carry something that big around, plus it's obnoxious.

Sorry this was such a long post >_<

LONG STORY SHORT: Help me explain why it's impossible to simply shove the 9800M GT into my M1210 & why it's impossible to ask Dell to simply build me a laptop from scratch with that card in it.

 

Because laptops use expansion cards (if at all, I was under the impression the XPS M1210 had a GPU soldered to the motherboard) called MXM. There are different versions of MXM that mainly differentiate in size. The 9800GT is probably MXM-III while again, the M1210, I believe has a soldered on GPU. It's not possible to upgrade something like that. Even if the M1210 used modules (like the XPS M1530, Vostro 1500, etc do) Dell uses a proprietary version of MXM that standard MXM cards will NOT work in. So unless dell releases a 9800M GT in their proprietary format, you can't even take a card for say a Sager and put it into say an XPS M1730 (which I'm nearly positive uses the proprietary equivalent of MXM-III

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=86864

because either 1) you have to pay them a million dollar to do so, or 2) due to thermal budget

 

Nirvana beat me to the punch ><

 

Is he into cars?
Just tell him it would be like trying to install a v12 into a VW Beetle.

 

Its impossible for notebooks due to their compact size. It probably wont fit and the heat it emits will meltdown the notebook.

Notebooks are not like desktops. They have limited upgrades due to their size.

Its gonna be hard relaying all this information to your dad. In the end he will probably still be like "so yeah lets just upgrade the gpu"

 

Ha. Actually I used a similar metaphor, more exaggerated but I said it was like trying to go to a Volvo dealership to order a jet. He didn't believe me -__-

 

Also Geek Squad is terrible. I work in a "maw and paw" computer repair store and I despise best buy. People go there and get terrible service, Geek Squad doesn't know JACK about computers, I hate when I get a laptop in to work on and it's covered in Best Buy stickers and it's missing screws and clearly been put together wrong, etc. God... I can rant so long, sorry.

But I HATE THEM, passionately.


And to be helpful in this post, just explain that the GPU (which is a Graphical Processing Unit) is SOLDERED to your motherboard. As in, it can't be replaced, because it's PART of the motherboard. If you wanted to replace it, someone would have to specifically design a motherboard that has the GPU you want and make it fit perfectly into the XPS M1210. Besides the whole size thing (9800M GT GPU die alone probably won't even fit on the board) it's not like it's a simple swap of a single chip. The whole motherboard would have to be re-engineered. I'm sure Dell would be happy to do it for you if you put in a 1,000,000 dollar deposit.

And parents can be so stubborn. Just show him this thread so he can feel like an idiot and trust you on these things in the future

 

Thanks to everyone for posting! That sticky Nirvana showed me should be adequate. If not, ugh... I don't know how to get through to someone that refuses to listen.

Worst comes to worst, I'll just wait until I'm 18 which isn't too far off so I can manage my own savings.


EDIT: Oh, boo. I usually like to +rep people that post in my threads, but it seems I've given out too much rep today .__.
I used it all for the representatives and helpful posters following the wake of the new Sagers

 

I can wait until tomorrow

 

Also, @Hep!

Yeah... I don't trust Best Buy very much. I feel like a woman walking into a car dealership. Some shop monkey there (oh, I hope I'm not offending anyone by saying that >_<) tried to sell me a lappy with an integrated GPU with the selling point that it could run the Sims 2 just fine.
I told him that I don't play the Sims, but I rather like Oblivion (I was testing his knowledge), and could it run that just fine.
And he said it could. Intel GMA + Oblivion? You'd best be joking, kid. I'm not that dumb.

 

As others have touched on, and you stated, it's comperable to going into a car dealership and asking them to put a V12 in a Mini. You could also tell him that if he wants to call dell and make a fool of himself, that he certainly can. Have him call Geek Squad and ask if it's possible. Once he tries and fails he should have learned first hand not to second guess you on a computer technology related question.

Good luck.

 

You never know...Geek Squad might say its possible... XD


oh, well. there goes my being professional.

 

DarkSmiley, I'd be much more likely to buy from someone with a sense of humor that I could relate to than some staunch overly professional jerk.

 

Geek squad are a bunch of idiots. I was 13 when I realized that. They tried to sucker my mom into purchasing a $100 "touch up" to the new computer I bought. They told me they would install Spysweeper and some other stuff as well as clean up the computer (probably get rid of useless background programs, clean registry, delete temp files lmfao).

They looked at me like "Is that okay wittle kid? We will make your compooter all nice and fun."

I'm like GO **** URSELF.

 

Geek Squad once tried to sell me a wireless mouse for gaming!

 

I actually want to get a position at geek squad, looks easy $ for me.

 

Your taking the wrong tac with this. Put the onerous on him. Tell him, "Okay Dad, I want a 15.4" notebook with an 9800M GT in it. Find it through Dell or talk to 'your' Geek Squad people and get it for me. But it's screen can be no larger than 15.4" and it has to have a 9800M GT."

Tell him he has 2 weeks and 'if' at that time he is unable to find you a Dell or a Geek Squad member that can do that then since it is 'your' money you would like to purchase the notebook that you've already selected.

Make it 'his' task. You already know he won't be able to succeed. Let him try though. Once he can't or gets fustrated then it will fall back to you, but he did have his 'shot' at it.

Your not leaving him out of the process and he still will feel useful.

 

semi-offtopic but applicable to you Miho:
I went through the SAME exact situation you are currently. ANd i just finished my first year of college. Bought this last august. Played all the newest games through college, CoD4/crysis/SupCom/bioshock...
now new games coming out, i can still handle. But as a christmas gift to myself Im upgrading the mobo and maybe putting in the E8500 and 9800mGTX, and then mid next year maybe a second 9800 and stop there....

my advice, the 9262 may be a better bet for power and FUTURE UPGRADEABLILITY which is one of ur issues

 

9262 for a cute lady? I don't think so.

 

@Wu Jen: That's a pretty good idea. I'll try it if it still hasn't gotten through to him. (I tried to very slowly explain to him everything, complete with printouts and articles explaining the benefits of what I want and the cost efficiency of this particular configuration)

@Doodles: The NP8660 should take me through this year and into next just fine; when I find the time for a job, I'll start saving for a desktop if I really want to get more serious about games. Thanks for your input, though!

And Nirvana, you're too kind

 

:laugh:

BTW, I used to know a guy who managed to shoe-horn an old Chevy V-8 into the front end of a Beetle - tho, to be honest, by the time he finished reworking the suspension and drive train, and reinforcing the body, there wasn't much Beetle left other than the body panels.

 

Miho. My dad very similar to yours. He'll buy a notebook he gets all excited about, thinking it's the best thing from the way all the components are hyped. He has next to no clue about techology. If he reads in a magazine that his 1.6ghz processor is the fastest mobile computer technology, he will be adamant that it is better than a 2.6 because the magazine said his was the fastest! He won't listen to me on things like this either (even though I'm the only person who reads manuals in the house so I know how to use his stuff better than he does)! In two years time, he'll probably buy a notebook with a Bluetooth feature and get all excited about that like it's new technology.

He's even told a mate that I plan on getting a such-and-such spec computer and said they've turned around and asked why the hell do I need that for. Yet he doesn't understand that you need specific specifications to do certain things! Arrrghh!

 

How about on penny-pinching? Many, many fathers are suckers for the line that, by buying brand X they're pulling one over on "them" (I've never been able to figure out who that "them" is, though ) and driving a really hard bargain, particularly if brand X is the no-label version of some fancy-pants Brand BigBux that sells for a substantial premium. If that's the case, and if they're not really that clued into the details of technical specifications, then perhaps you could blitz him with an overdone powerpoint presentation "showing" him how overpriced the Alienware/VoodooPC/etc premium brands are, and then, as the selling pitch, point out that the Clevo/Sager, with equivalent or better components, is significantly cheaper (that's the word that's gotta be used) - it's sort of like a pavlovian response, if you can trigger it - ring the "cheaper" bell, and you've closed the deal.

 

heh.. sounds familiar.. my dad's smth like this too, only that he doesn't go for 'magazines'.. he'll just talk to the sales guy, who, if have a glib tongue, would manage to get him to buy a gadget, based on the minimal 'good' aspects of it.. as for the rest of the stuff that doesn't really work too well to keep up with technology, well, its just his loss.

i'm kinda in the same situation too.. needing a laptop for school work + gaming parties, and dad said that i could just get one from Singapore.. however, the best spec-ed lappies in singapore are def no match for the sager 9262.. yes, it might just as well be the best specs in Singapore, but what's the point when you need to buy a new com in about 1-1.5 years time so that you can play the new games' that are coming up??

anyways, getting back to the thread.. hope you will be able to spend your own money to get a lappy that you want, and not a lappy that makes your father excited or smth like that.. waiting to hear good news when you get yr lappy!

 

This thread makes me so happy I inherited my technology gene from my dad . Although, he does tend to have this irrational fear of buying anything from a company that isn't well known even if the specs are really good. I had to work really hard to sell him on an NP8660 purchase for college. My mother on the other hand... it took her almost 5 years after our first computer to figure out how to use the internet XD

 

haha.. the reason why i'm getting a 9262 is coz my dad confiscated my gaming desktop and the 9262 is the only laptop that comes close to it, specs wise.. i need a computer for school work and since now everyone's in class is gaming, why not a dtr to match the tech?