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Upgradeable video card questions

post #1 of 13
10/18/04 at 10:59pm
Thread Starter 
I have a few questions about upgradeability of graphic cards on Alienware Area 51m:

1. Are all model upgradeable, for example a 3.06GHz PIV + MR 9000 to MR9700?
2. How many times is it possible to upgrade?
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post #2 of 13
10/18/04 at 11:15pm
If you search some you'll come up with alot of threads covering this.

Anys...

The MR 7500 and MR 9000 came in in the clevo case model 5620. This grphics card was printed on the motherboard its self. So to upgrade you would needs to switch out the motherboard.

The AREA 51M2 (Model 766) Current version lappy, runs off the sis motherboard with actual pin layout to switch out the card. This model 766 could vertualy be upgraded as many times as alienware releases an new card for it.

As for the cleavo version to get the "upgradeable graphic" would require a whole new motherboard and internal along with a new case. If you have the clevo 5620 model your better off buy the new version of the lappy. The coast of changing every thing over on the clevo would be pointless. And as far as the 766 goes, if your saving and have no imidiate demand for a lappy, your better off waiting for PCI-E in laptops, as well as the highly anticipated 64bit version(Aurora M) witch by RUMOR ONLY is coming out when PCI-E is released.

Phyro
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post #3 of 13
10/18/04 at 11:26pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks man!
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post #4 of 13
10/19/04 at 11:58am
I'm still waiting to hear if the MR9700 is so much better than the MR9600 that it's worth it.
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post #5 of 13
10/19/04 at 4:18pm
hmmm, if alienware tech supports are to be trusted (that is up to YOU to decide), then the mr9700 is not really that much of an performaceboost. Atleast that is what one of them told me today (one of the irish ones). He said it was not really worth it, and especially not worth it for me, as i´d have to get a new mobo to get it. He said instead i should wait, and see if they come out with something new and better, and then, if nessesary, get a new mobo then....
sorry for my bad spelling, in tired, freezing, and swedish....
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post #6 of 13
10/19/04 at 4:31pm
TerraFORM. . .

go to www.google.com and do a search on mobility radeon benchmarks.

In fact I'll give you one. . .

http://www4.tomshardware.com/mobile/20040203/


My MR9700 is leaps and bounds better than my go5600, however I personally dislike ATi and would rather have an Nvidia.
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post #7 of 13
10/19/04 at 4:33pm
but the mr9600 is leaps better than the go5600 aswell...
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post #8 of 13
10/19/04 at 5:14pm
Thanks for your responses, guys. I know there exist many comparisons on the web, but I go here, to the bastion of all that is A-51m, for the answers to my questions.

That said, I'll wait for the 'next big thing' as the MR9700 doesn't appear to be worth the upgrade from the MR9600.
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post #9 of 13
10/19/04 at 5:15pm
the "next big thing" is probably pci-e. so id upgrade to the 9700 if you want more life out of that lappy. unless the MR9800 comes to AW, but thats very doubtful.
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post #10 of 13
10/19/04 at 5:53pm
as for me, with my 4001 motherboard revision, i will not upgrade to the 9700. would cost me about 400 UDS, which i dont think it´s worth. sure, if terra has one of those precious revisions that can handle the 9700, go for it. or wait a while and go for it... but for all of us stuck with the "bad" moborevision, the 9700 is bloody not worth it.
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post #11 of 13
10/19/04 at 5:54pm
Ill put it to you this way I just upgraded to a mr9700

Doom3 Ultra High @ 1280x1024

I now play all games full res @ 1280x1024 by default...
CS Source (HL2 engine) works at 1600x1200 full

Jake-
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post #12 of 13
10/19/04 at 5:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by harkon
as for me, with my 4001 motherboard revision, i will not upgrade to the 9700. would cost me about 400 UDS, which i dont think it´s worth. sure, if terra has one of those precious revisions that can handle the 9700, go for it. or wait a while and go for it... but for all of us stuck with the "bad" moborevision, the 9700 is bloody not worth it.
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post #13 of 13
10/19/04 at 6:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jsd91741
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yeah, i know that. and i actually said to the techsupportguy that i know of one who had a working 9700 in his revision 4001. he said that that does not matter, and that it´s all based in statistics, and statistics show that more often than it should be, the rev4001 and mr9700 will not work together, and that after extended use noone knows what will happen.
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