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Alienware X51 R2 - GPU Upgrade (new GTX 960)
Hello,
I had a quick question regarding GPU upgrades for the Alienware x51 R2.
I have heard many successful stories of people who have upgrade their x51 gpu to the GTX 970. However, dell has yet to approve this gpu.
So with that said, the new GTX 960 seems to be the perfect fit due to it's power efficiency. However, it's 128 bit bus and 2GB of VRAM is a bit disappointing. Should I forget the 960 and just upgrade to the 970? Keep in mind that I only play CS:GO and DOTA2, but I'm trying to play these at max settings with the highest FPS possible. Due to these games and their competitive nature, the higher the FPS in-game, the better your overall performance. I also plan on streaming and I know streaming+gaming at the same time will cut your FPS drastically. I want to create a cushion for myself so I am wondering if the GTX 960 will give me that cushion..
thanks so much
richcz3
9 Posts
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February 3rd, 2015 11:00
Added pics to show the fit in the case to show how short this model is. The card is also narrow so I adjusted the clamp tighter to keep it from moving. NOTE: it only uses one of the power pins. I've already Overclocked the card, No issues. Use either MSI Afterburner or EVGA's PrecisionX for overclocking.
richcz3
9 Posts
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January 25th, 2015 08:00
I already ordered the GTX 960 for my X51 - should have it by tomorrow. Considering the original card I had in my system was a GTX 550 Ti which requires 116 Watts. The 960 draws 120 Watts in comparison. I'm expecting little or no need to adjust the clock speed down. I currently have a GTX670 FTW installed which I had to underclock to 70% to maintain stability because it draws 170 Watts.
In Upgrading to the 960 I lose 4GB down to 2GB in the 960 butI also get overall higher clock speeds. It will be interesting to see the effect of the 128Bit has. I've never run above 1080p anyway. As for FPS, it will be interesting to see how the 960 runs against an underclocked 670.
Anything running the modified HL2 like CS:GO shouldn't notice a difference, unless you are running higher than 1080P.
theAdamCurtis
9 Posts
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January 25th, 2015 11:00
Fantastic news!
Been waiting for someone to take the plunge and order. Was going to do the same in a few weeks myself. Please please report back with your findings and stuff, definitely want to know how you get on and if it proves to be much of an upgrade as a 660 owner myself.
PS. Are you an R1 owner, or do you have the R2?
richcz3
9 Posts
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January 25th, 2015 12:00
Not sure if I'm an R1 or R2. I purchased mine in January of 2012.
What determines an R1 from an R2?
richcz3
9 Posts
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January 25th, 2015 12:00
Just did a search. I'm definitely using an R1 unit. All this means is, if it runs on an X51 R1, then it should almost certainly run on an X51 R2 unit.If I'm correct, some R2 units come with 330 Watt brick.
Again, the 960 draws 4 more watts than the 550Ti that came with mine. Keep in mind, I bought a baseline 960 for that reason. It is not OC'd and has one fan only. I want to avoid power draws that would crash the system. I'll know better when I get it installed.
Game7a1
727 Posts
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January 25th, 2015 15:00
Both the R1 and R2 had/have 330w PSUs depending on their configurations, but they have different power boards, which was key as to why the 90 series ran in the X51 R2 fine but not the R1. The power board on the R2 is more efficient and can handle more of a GPU power draw than the R1's power board (the R1 can handle about 170w, but anything over it might cause problems, whereas the R2 doesn't have this problem at such a threshold).
richcz3
9 Posts
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January 26th, 2015 19:00
Installed an MSI GTX 960 today in my X51 R1 and after two hours of play in Battlefield 4 I can say there has been no need to underclock just yet. The fan was just barely audible in some map areas. More importantly, the 960 only needs one of the 6 pin power cables to run it which shows how efficient it is.
As for any increased speed, on some BF4 maps there was a 6-12 fps increase, on others its pretty even. The 960 replaces a 670 FTW w/4GB that I had underclocked to 70%. I haven't tried to OC the 960 as I have to see if its stable in a variety of games before doing so. If you've already upgraded your card to something similar to the 670, even if you've underclocked it, the 960 could be considered a minor upgrade.
SebSebSebSeb
2 Posts
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January 26th, 2015 23:00
Are you using the 240w or the 330w power supply?
richcz3
9 Posts
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January 27th, 2015 00:00
The power brick has a Dell PN: XM3C3 which when I looked it up is a 330w
theAdamCurtis
9 Posts
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January 27th, 2015 04:00
Legend.
Thank you so much for coming back and letting us know.
How long is the MSI card? Its not available in the UK, we have offerings from Galax, Gainward and Palit instead (with the Palit being the shortest at 9.7")
richcz3
9 Posts
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January 27th, 2015 08:00
Legend,
You're welcome.
The exact MSI card: GTX 960 2GD5 GeForce GTX 960 2GB 128-Bit GDDR5 HDCP Ready SLI Support ATX Video Card - I don't see a specific model number but I made sure it wasn't factory overclocked.
Core Clock: 1127MHz
Boost Clock: 1178MHz
Dimensions: 9.53" x 4.37" Fits very easily in the card holder/case.
Power Consumption: 120W - One fan only
amosjun703
14 Posts
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February 3rd, 2015 11:00
Awesome! Thanks for the pics of your successful experience ! I recently purchased the PNY 960 (reference card) so I'm hoping to get the same results. It's also a blower fan style card
theAdamCurtis
9 Posts
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February 3rd, 2015 15:00
Good choice on the PNY. It's the shortest card available in Europe.
For those others wondering about the selection available (especially since websites frequently don't give the dimensions):
PNY - 9.5"
Palit - 9.72"
Gainward - 9.72"
KFA2 (Galax) 10.03"
...with the recommended size for a GPU being 9.5" for the X51.
Anonymous
5 Practitioner
5 Practitioner
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274.2K Posts
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February 3rd, 2015 16:00
So where can I get this card ,and will it work with my Alienware x51 r1 ?
SebSebSebSeb
2 Posts
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February 3rd, 2015 16:00
Thanks for the answers. If anyone has the ability to test a GTX 960 with the 240w power supply I would be very interests.
Cheers