P151HM and upgrading graphics cards...

What would I need to do to upgrade the graphics card in the P151HM. I'm looking at this:

Clevo P151HM Notebook Computer

and compared to the P150HM it's cheaper and comes with a matte screen and non-rubber coating which I prefer. I thought people said the problem was with the power brick, because the P151HM was lower wattage than the P150HM and therefore wouldn't support an HD6970M or GTX485M.

Any advice for me? I'm seriously considering this ASAP and then building it myself, and replacing the graphics card with an HD6970 down the line if I can...

On the Clevo product website, the P151HM comes with a 120W adapter and the P150HM comes with an 180W, but there is no mention of the adapter's not-being interchangeable, or of needing something else to make a stronger graphics card work (even though the P151HM doesn't show support for the HD6970M).

Sorry for rambling. I've been looking at getting a Clevo for some time now and have just decide to DIM, so I really want to make sure I have all the info.

Thanks.

EDIT: On another note...where the heck do I buy laptop CPUs?

 

I'm unsure about how upgradeable, if at all, the NP8130 is. I can tell you the NP8150 is upgradeable though. I noticed you said you prefer the non-rubber coating. Last I heard Mythlogic was looking into an 8150 without the rubber surface.

A quick note about the graphics cards as well. Besides requiring extra power for the 485M and 6970M the bios will also have to support the particular card. I'm unsure if the 8130 supports either. You will also need the cooling system to be strong enough to keep down the increased temps after upgrading.

Lastly I unfortunately cannot tell you where to buy laptop CPUs because I have absolutely NO idea, sorry.

Sorry that I can't be of more help.

 

Hmm, I was under the impression that they were 100% identical in all the major ways (such as cooling, having an MXM slot, etc) but the P151HM1 came with a lower wattage adapter. I really must know, lol

Also, seeing just how dirt cheap the barebones 5160 is makes me think I should get it instead...

Clevo W150HNQ Notebook Computer

It's about $350 cheaper, which is no small potato to pay for a GT 460M.

I mean, at that price it's almost worth it to get the 5160 for a year or two and then upgrade, rather than shelling out so much for the upgrade now...

Argh, I can't decide!!!

 

I believe its also been said a couple of times that the 8130 and 8150 have the same BIOS. The question has been asked a couple of times if the frame from an 8130 can be used to build an 8150. Considering that no one probably wants to blow $2k to try that out first hand, the only people positioned well enough to figure it out are the resellers. Thankfully, it looks like Mythlogic is trying out for us.

 

im very curious if gtx 485m or 6970m works in our np8130..

 

If you're going to upgrade, you might just want to wait until May when the 6970 is shipped stock. You'll end up shelling out $500 or so for the 6970 on it's own from MXM-upgrade or a reseller, after paying $1300+ for the laptop. The 460m has basically no resale value because it's the lowest performing replaceable card, and people are looking to move up, not down. You'll end up spending a good deal more to buy now than to just wait until you can but it WITH the 6970.

Also, I'm not sure if there's any significant difference internally for the 60w power difference. There could be, but who knows. Cooling isn't going to be different in any case.

 

You probably wouldn't want to bother anyway. It's $100-200 for the upgraded power adapter, $750 for the 485m/ $520 for the 6970, and you probably won't get much at all for the 460m if you tried to sell it. That's anywhere from $650 - 950 to upgrade your graphics card. Almost 1/3 to 1/2 what you'd pay for a nicely spec'd 8150 with those cards standard.

 

Hey,

Yes yes it does, we stuffed a 485m into a P151HM with the 180W adapter, put it all back together and gave it the same beatdown we give all our machines. Temperatures, speed, results, all were within what we expected out of a 485m. Obviously using a 120W brick wouldn't have done us any good, because under FULL LOAD the 180W is fully used (Pulling 215W from the wall) so trying that with a 120W brick would just mean the brick tripping out LoL. However, yes it does work, we've asked nicely for the powers that be that let us order them that way but they won't. HOWEVER, we do have this to offer:

If you and can find a buddy, we can do the swap, aka someone who wants the non-rubber finish and a 485m find a buddy who wants a rubber finish and a 460m we'll make the swap no problem. We'll probably even give you a good deal , its just a shame we can't order them like that lol.

But yea, buddy up, I'm sure someone on the forums can get a pair going to get what they want.

thanks!

 

Sweet news! Looks like it time for a "8130-8150 swap buddy" thread

 

Go for it, I can't make threads

 

omg does it really works???

 

done

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sager-clevo/567129-lookin-8130-8150-swap-buddy.html

 

Yes
10char

 

how much the new psu cost?thx!

 

PM'ed =)

Thanks!

 

$100-200 for the power brick?

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in 10 years.

 

Why? That's how much most resellers charge for a second one. That's how much they go for on their own.

 

And the irony is that price range is still true as it was 10 years ago. Most PSU's (business and gamings sectors) cost 100-200$

 

This idea is strange.

You might as well have purchased the P150HM, in the first place.

edit: Well, wanting to avoid the rubber coating, I can understand.

 

its due to people not liking the rubber coating.. it is a bit picky, but i suppose if we're spending this much money, we should get what we want.. within reason of course lol

 

Darn it, you just beat my edit.

It clicked with me, as soon as I hit post.

 

Well of course,

slap a Sager part number on the power brick automatically makes it $75 more expensive regardless which OEM.

I rest my case.