Feasable upgrades for the SLI1

So I was looking at all my options [3] for upgrading this laptop and these are it. Which are the best?

RAM

I don't know if this laptops mobo will take 800MHz RAM, but I put it as an option. I don't want 4GB because I don't want to have to buy a 64bit OS, so I'd be going for 3GB total.

either 1 Patriot 2GB 200PIN 5300 667MHz for $42

or

1-1GB and 1-2GB OCZ 200PIN 6400 800MHz for $100
----
2-Hard Drive

1 Hitachi 200GB 7200 RPM $204

The only real choice unless you can find a bigger one. Would help with 1/2Life, other, loading times.
----
T7700 $335 2.2

This is a little more than I'd want to spend, for just a 400MHz increase.

or

Find a program to OC through windows [vista] cause I don't want to mess with the BIOS. I know there isn't a lot of room to oc in a laptop, but from the things I've read an OC of 10% is usually doable.

I found this article on OC a Centrino, I don't know if this is a good enough fit. I'll keep looking

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=177&pgno=0

2.2GHz $0

or

just leave it alone

 

on that list, if you do want to spend some money, then I'd do the RAM, drop in a 2GB stick of 667 and be done. It won't use the 800mhz, so no point in bothering with it. I put in 2 2GB 667mhz sticks just cause i wanted to, and for most stuff it didn't make much difference, but Crysis and FSX do run a bit smoother without as much stuttering for the occasional loading of textures and whatnot.

7200rpm drive wouldn't hurt anything at all, and I'll prolly throw one in at some point, but won't help your frame rates any, just bootup and the occasional loading.

Overclocking the CPU I don't think is currently possible with this system at the moment, bios doens't support changing the speeds, and I've never run across a program that would allow it.

I'd say leave it alone and just keep drivers up to date and the hard drive defragged, and wait and see what new CPU's in the next cycle might be compatible with our motherboards and chipsets, that'd probably be a decent upgrade sometime next year.

 

If I had money burning a hole in my pocket, I'd likely go with the 4GB of RAM for $84. (2x 2GB sticks) The price dropping so low helps this to be more worth the price than the other upgrades.

Yes, you lose 500MB to addressing issues... but you keep dual-mode for your RAM and will have 3.5GB to play with.

Not to mention you are all set for 64-bit if you want to try that route.


Processor... just wait on that.
The Toshiba BIOS already support Penryn. it is possible that a Penryn upgrade may be possible.
Wait for that to become reasonable (if possible) IMHO.

Hard disk... honestly, the performance gained from 5400 to 7200rpm to load the game faster just doesn't really speak of cost-effective.

 

I'd wait and see if the new Penryn will work with the SLi1, the T9300 is the one I want $316. Indications are they will work, if that price holds true this will be an excellent upgrade for the dough, I'am hearing jan. 6 2008.

 

I guess 2GB of 667 it is, dual channel isn't that important.

That T9300 looks very tempting. I know I said that $300+ is too much for 400MHz, but the penryn @ 2.5GHz probably = memron @ 2.6GHz.

 

Dual channel IS important (in texture-hungry games), since GPU will need memory bandwidth too.

 

http://www.tcmagazine.com/articles.php?action=show&id=128&perpage=1&pagenum=1

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/parallel-processing-RAM,review-29694-11.html

Yes, Dual Channel has a benefit, but I'm sure the extra gig will give more performance than it takes. It would depend app to app I guess and whether it fills the bandwith available to the single channel even.

If I went with 4GB which of the following brands would would you choose [or stay away from]? Note that these are all under $100 [from newegg], I don't want to spend more than that since I'd be losing 1/2-1Gb of it anyway.

G. Skills $80

Corsair Value Select $85

Kingston $85

ALSO: I wouldn't think that the loss of DC would effect the GPU's memory since its separate and is dedicated to the GPU and not the CPU/Mobo.

 

The GPUs borrow RAM when they run out of dedicated as is the standard in DX10.

Note, the dual-channel thing isn't a huge performance difference, but it is still better and for $80-85 you are getting 1.5GB of usable RAM in 32-bit windows and 2GB of RAM in 64-bit windows.

As for brand:

Gskills - no experience, someone else would have to comment.

Corsair - their high-end is truly high-end, but I have had issues with their "value" series. In this case, I would shy away due to my past experience with their "value" series. (2 out of 3 orders had RAM that had issues with compatibility)

Kingston - Their "value" RAM does very well in my experience. I have no issue purchasing Kingston. Their RAM isn't usually the fastest on the market, but they do OK.

Me personally? I'd skip corsair unless you can find someone with an x205 who used it and can give you the lowdown on compatibility and check out gskills ratings (or find some who has some) and either get kingston or gskills based on those findings.

 

ATTN: be77solo

What brand/model of RAM did you install? Asking so that I know of one that surely is a good fit for this rig. Where from & how much?

Also: Will any of those I listed above have compatability/space issues that you could think of?

THANKS!

 

I have 4 gigs of Kingston in mine and it runs great. No issues at all.

 

I actually picked some up from Compusa a while back when they had it on sale, it's Centon Memory Power memory, I got 2 2GB sticks, PC2-5300 DDR2-667mhz. I wouldn't stress about it too much, as most of the ram uses the same chips, just different brand names, and as long as you get one with a lifetime warranty and test it out when you get it, you should be good. Don't bother spending the money on the 800mhz either, as our motherboards won't use it and it's pretty much wasted $$$. I've tried quite a few brands, and on the whole haven't ever really had much issue with any of them.... I've actually had more "factory" modules that came with computers fail than the retail aftermarket ram.

I did decide that I'd rather go 4GB versus the 3GB route, as I like to think that atleast having the dual channel mode can't hurt, and will probably upgrade to a 64bit OS when they get the drivers a bit more stable.

 

Ok, thanks. Sorry for the nit-picking on the topic, but I hate when I find out later that I should of asked before I did something. So I crossed the "I"s and dotted the "T"s while I was of the mind to do so.

 

Nah, no prob at all.... I do the same thing

 

Hey guys I know it's not very important but curios about the rating you get in Vista for CPU / Mem and Hard drive the video should be the same .
Thanks

 

Right now vista is giving mine,
Processor: 4.9
RAM: 4.8
Graphics for Aero: 5.9
Gaming Graphics: 5.4
Primary HDD: 5.3

 

I don't think we can get any higher than a 4.8 with the typeof memory our MB supports.I think its more a measure of memory speed than simply the amount.

interestingly, I get a 4.8 on my HDD Speed. I'm guessing that you upgraded to a 7200 RPM HD?

Just noticed that when I originally installed the system I was only getting a 4.8. Now I'm getting a 4.9. That's curious... The only thing I did was disable the Intel software

 

Here are my vista scores

Processor: 4.9
RAM: 4.8
Graphics for Aero: 5.9
Gaming Graphics: 5.8 with oc 565/1130/837.
Primary HDD: 4.8

As for my Gaming graphics score, before the oc it was 5.5. Also, every oc over that which I tried [up to 663/1326/850] hasn't increased it farther. [there was only a 200 point dif in 3DMark06 @ default. Approx 7950 vs 8150 as well]

I had the s7483 for the short time before I upgraded to this rig and my HDD were @ 5.1 on it. Now all the defraging and tools and tweaks in the world won't budge it from 4.8.

 

Yeah I tossed dual Hitachi 200gig 7200rpm HDDs in there.

How did you over clock your video gaming graphics?

 

Everything is basic
Mine HDD is very low

Processor: 4.8
RAM: 4.8
Graphics for Aero: 5.9
Gaming Graphics: 5.6
Primary HDD: 4.6 that's low don't know why

Mine is a S9349 model and have two different hard drive : Fujitsu and Toshiba.

 

I oc'd with rivatuner. You won't catch me messing with the BIOS anytime soon , that's how I killed my s7483. :cry: Then I upgraded instead of just getting a replacement.

Anything BIOS related I'll get some one who knows what they're doing to do it. :yes:

 

That is low- you may want to disable all your startup items and then rerun the test. That way there won't be any programs accessing the disc in the background. Your gaming graphics is higher than mine though

 

Hey what settings did you use when you used RivaTuner?

 

These were in post #17. The 1st and 2nd are the core and shader clock. They are linked and you can delink them. The 3rd is the memory clock. I just tried the later, but the first one performs like 80% of the 2nd's that I usually stick with the first or bump it up to something inbetween. I don't game on the big clock.


565/1130/837.

663/1326/850


I am uncertain about OCing the Memory Clock. I don't know how well DDR3 over clocks. I'm not really sure of the temperature because I sure the temp guage is more focused on the processor. Ive seen higher clocks of it on this card. But I'm not absolutely sure. If anyone has some knowledge of the capabilities of DDR3...