It is difficult to purchase the video cards for upgrades directly from Dell/Alienware, but the other components (heat sinks and support plates) are available as regular service parts. Many of the reps in sales will not make video cards available for purchase if they are not associated with your service tag. They will tell you the video card is not available or say that the video card is incompatible with your machine. While stock availability can sometimes be an issue, the statement regarding compatibility is simply not accurate. (The statement of incompatibility is most likely a reflection of an individual's lack of technical knowledge rather than intentional misrepresentation.) Now and then you will find someone that is willing to sell you whatever you ask for as long as it is in stock. If you find a sales rep like that, keep their contact information handy for future reference.
The heat sink support plate (GPU spreader as some call it) can be purchased from aftermarket sources the same as the video cards. However, some of the aftermarket support plates use a different screw size. To simplify the upgrade, try to buy the support plate directly from Dell so you can use the existing screws. Unlike video cards upgrades, the support plate is typically very easy to purchase from Dell, as are the heat sinks. You simply purchase the same parts for the 580M that is associated with your service tag and use them for the 680M video card. The Dell part number for the NVIDIA support plate is 3MHHT. The video card heat sink for a 580M will work perfectly for the 680M. The PCB layout is the same. I believe the NVIDIA heat sink part number you need to purchase from Dell (if you do not already have it) is V1K2G.
I do not have any direct experience with the M17xR3/R4. I am an M17xR2, M18xR1/R2 owner. I skipped over the single-GPU M17xR3/R4 because I favor the dual-GPU machines. The thing I am not certain about is whether or not the CPU heat sink is robust enough to cool a 2960XM with a substantial overclock. If you are running the CPU stock, the original heat sink will work fine, but that defeats the purpose of owning an Extreme CPU to a great degree. If you're not going to be overclocking it, there is no point in buying it.
To the best of my knowledge, the M17xR3 only had one CPU heat sink option, unlike the M18xR1/R2, which had a better heat sink that was intended for use with the Extreme CPU. The only Dell part number I have for the M17xR3 CPU heat sink is 650RY. There could be an Extreme CPU heat sink for the M17xR3/R4 that I am not aware of. Based on memory, I don't recall seeing Alienware sell an M17xR4 with the Extreme CPU, but I think the M17xR3 might have had the 2920XM or 2960XM CPU available as an option at one point in time.
You could ask questions and possibly get some quick answers about the CPU heat sink from M17xR3/R4 enthusiasts in this thread:
Alienware M17X R3 can be upgraded with a 2820QM - 2.3 GHz processor, memory of up to a maximum 32GB as it has four internally-accessible DDR3 using JEDEC SODIMM sockets which can have up to 1333 MHz unbuffered non-ECC dual channel DDR3 configuration but you can leave the video card as it is.
I was wondering if I could upgrade my 2 year old Alienware M17x R3 so it can run next gen games at a higher fps.
My current specs are: I7 2670qm
GTX 560m
8gb RAM
I was thinking about upgrading my CPU or graphics card as they play the biggest roles in gaming.
Thanks
James.
Your M17x R3 can run GTX 680M and a 2920XM or 2960XM CPU. You may face temperature challenges with an overclocked Extreme CPU if you push the overclock too high, but you will have flexibility to tone down the overclock. You will not have the same flexibility with the QM CPU. The GPU upgrade will present no challenges and should be a simple bolt-in hardware upgrade. Your motherboard PCI-e slot will support GTX 580M, 675M, 680M or 7970M based on upgrades that many other M17x R3/R4 owners have already done with great success. Any of those video cards will provide a performance increase over your 560M. I would recommend GTX 680M. Your 560M GPU heat sink should fit the 680M.
Your system should even support GTX 780M without any issues, but those are new and very expensive. The M18x R1 and M18x R2 support two of any of those same GPUs, including GTX 780M SLI. (A number of M18x owners have already upgraded to GTX 780M.)
The video card and support plate is the same part number as the M18x R1/R2, but the heat sink part numbers are specific to your M17x R3/R4 chassis.
If Dell/Alienware is unable to sell you the video cards, they are available from a variety of alternative sources. If you are still under warranty, the new video card will not be covered under warranty by Dell/Alienware unless you purchase it from them.
Should I buy these components (GTX 680m sli) and give them and my laptop to a third party upgrading shop. ( I am not very experienced in modifying and upgrading computer components) Also should I contact Dell/Alienware directly to purchase this component or is there a specified page selling components.
not really to be honest .... your biggest throttle would be your gpu .. which since you have a R3 cant run SLI .. can only run a single card not dual as ur implying/asking above, the M17X R2 was last M17X to run dual cards
Should I buy these components (GTX 680m sli) and give them and my laptop to a third party upgrading shop. ( I am not very experienced in modifying and upgrading computer components) Also should I contact Dell/Alienware directly to purchase this component or is there a specified page selling components.
Well, if you do not feel comfortable learning, then yes that would be best. It is not difficult and it would be good to learn if you are not too intimidated. The owner's manual has step-by-step instructions you can follow in case you were not aware of that. You can download the PDF from support.dell.com if you haven't already.
You would need to contact Alienware directly at 1-800-ALIENWARE, as you will not find the parts posted online for sale.
And is upgrading from a i7 2670qm to a i7 2820qm worth the £160/$250 price mark?
(2.2ghz-2.3ghz and 2.9ghz-3.4ghz turbo)
Yes. That is a respectable increase. See this link:
Yes, that would work fine. As an FYI, GTX 675M is a rebranded GTX 580M so do not pay more for a 675M because it is technically the exact same video card and offers no advantage over 580M. If you can find a GTX 680M for an affordable price, the performance will be nearly 100% greater than 580M/675M. (Yes, that's almost double... not a typo.)
Thanks a lot this really has made me more confident in upgrading my computer. I found a gtx 680 for around £400 pounds and a cpu for around £100 which doesn't sound too bad for upgrading these components to such a high standard. :)
After still researching I came across this thread. It states further down that m17xr3 is not compatable with the gtx 680m is this true ? en.community.dell.com/.../19472030.aspx
After still researching I came across this thread. It states further down that m17xr3 is not compatable with the gtx 680m is this true ?en.community.dell.com/.../19472030.aspx
After finding another thread it says I must download a new "A10 unlocked" bios for the re to recognise the 680m.
Neither of those things sound correct to me, but I don't have an M17x R3. There are many similarities between the M18x R1 and the M17x R3 and GTX 680M was a simple drop-in upgrade that required a simple NVIDIA driver hardware ID tweak to one driver INF file. No BIOS change was necessary.
That being said, a BIOS update may be of benefit regardless. The M17x R3 had some issues with the SATA3 ports dropping to SATA2 speeds. If you have SATA3 SSD installed, you may want to research the effect of the BIOS update before flashing. Whether the BIOS firmware update helps or exacerbates that I do not know since I am not an M17x R3 owner. If you are running a HDD it won't really matter, since they are typically slow and run at SATA2 speeds in most cases.
I would spend more time researching this and asking questions at Notebook Review Forums and/or Tech|Inferno from other M17x R3 owners. There are a bunch of them there and you will get more definitive answers from the folks who have already successfully done what you are wanting to do. I anticipate you will find more than one M17x R3 owner sporting the GTX 680M.
What Chris is stating in the thread you linked above is that Alienware has not validated the GTX 680M. That is totally different than "compatible" and he did not say it was incompatible. Alienware does not support a hardware configuration that they do not sell, but that does not mean it does not work perfectly. It means that they have not tested it and will not assist you if you have issues related to your modifications. Save your old parts, because you will need to reinstall them if a depot repair is ever necessary. If you are still under warranty, everything that came from the factory will still be covered. The aftermarket parts and any user-induced damage that might occur in association with them would not be.
BJFox
2 Intern
•
763 Posts
0
September 10th, 2013 10:00
It is difficult to purchase the video cards for upgrades directly from Dell/Alienware, but the other components (heat sinks and support plates) are available as regular service parts. Many of the reps in sales will not make video cards available for purchase if they are not associated with your service tag. They will tell you the video card is not available or say that the video card is incompatible with your machine. While stock availability can sometimes be an issue, the statement regarding compatibility is simply not accurate. (The statement of incompatibility is most likely a reflection of an individual's lack of technical knowledge rather than intentional misrepresentation.) Now and then you will find someone that is willing to sell you whatever you ask for as long as it is in stock. If you find a sales rep like that, keep their contact information handy for future reference.
The heat sink support plate (GPU spreader as some call it) can be purchased from aftermarket sources the same as the video cards. However, some of the aftermarket support plates use a different screw size. To simplify the upgrade, try to buy the support plate directly from Dell so you can use the existing screws. Unlike video cards upgrades, the support plate is typically very easy to purchase from Dell, as are the heat sinks. You simply purchase the same parts for the 580M that is associated with your service tag and use them for the 680M video card. The Dell part number for the NVIDIA support plate is 3MHHT. The video card heat sink for a 580M will work perfectly for the 680M. The PCB layout is the same. I believe the NVIDIA heat sink part number you need to purchase from Dell (if you do not already have it) is V1K2G.
I do not have any direct experience with the M17xR3/R4. I am an M17xR2, M18xR1/R2 owner. I skipped over the single-GPU M17xR3/R4 because I favor the dual-GPU machines. The thing I am not certain about is whether or not the CPU heat sink is robust enough to cool a 2960XM with a substantial overclock. If you are running the CPU stock, the original heat sink will work fine, but that defeats the purpose of owning an Extreme CPU to a great degree. If you're not going to be overclocking it, there is no point in buying it.
To the best of my knowledge, the M17xR3 only had one CPU heat sink option, unlike the M18xR1/R2, which had a better heat sink that was intended for use with the Extreme CPU. The only Dell part number I have for the M17xR3 CPU heat sink is 650RY. There could be an Extreme CPU heat sink for the M17xR3/R4 that I am not aware of. Based on memory, I don't recall seeing Alienware sell an M17xR4 with the Extreme CPU, but I think the M17xR3 might have had the 2920XM or 2960XM CPU available as an option at one point in time.
You could ask questions and possibly get some quick answers about the CPU heat sink from M17xR3/R4 enthusiasts in this thread:
*OFFICIAL* Alienware M17x R3/R4 Owner's Lounge Thread
DELL-Kiran K
4 Operator
•
2K Posts
0
June 30th, 2013 21:00
Hi James,
Alienware M17X R3 can be upgraded with a 2820QM - 2.3 GHz processor, memory of up to a maximum 32GB as it has four internally-accessible DDR3 using JEDEC SODIMM sockets which can have up to 1333 MHz unbuffered non-ECC dual channel DDR3 configuration but you can leave the video card as it is.
BJFox
2 Intern
•
763 Posts
0
July 1st, 2013 00:00
Your system should even support GTX 780M without any issues, but those are new and very expensive. The M18x R1 and M18x R2 support two of any of those same GPUs, including GTX 780M SLI. (A number of M18x owners have already upgraded to GTX 780M.)
You will find examples of the upgrades you are seeking in this community: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/
Anyone reading this that owns an M18x, you will find upgrade examples here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m18x/
Also, see more info that I have posted in this thread: http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/p/19478915/20241865.aspx#20241865
The video card and support plate is the same part number as the M18x R1/R2, but the heat sink part numbers are specific to your M17x R3/R4 chassis.
If Dell/Alienware is unable to sell you the video cards, they are available from a variety of alternative sources. If you are still under warranty, the new video card will not be covered under warranty by Dell/Alienware unless you purchase it from them.
MrPudgey
16 Posts
0
July 1st, 2013 08:00
Should I buy these components (GTX 680m sli) and give them and my laptop to a third party upgrading shop. ( I am not very experienced in modifying and upgrading computer components) Also should I contact Dell/Alienware directly to purchase this component or is there a specified page selling components.
MrPudgey
16 Posts
0
July 1st, 2013 08:00
And is upgrading from a i7 2670qm to a i7 2820qm worth the £160/$250 price mark?
(2.2ghz-2.3ghz and 2.9ghz-3.4ghz turbo)
MrPudgey
16 Posts
0
July 1st, 2013 11:00
Do you think this card would work?
www.ebay.co.uk/.../160990751243
89fordprobee
1.2K Posts
0
July 1st, 2013 11:00
not really to be honest .... your biggest throttle would be your gpu .. which since you have a R3 cant run SLI .. can only run a single card not dual as ur implying/asking above, the M17X R2 was last M17X to run dual cards
BJFox
2 Intern
•
763 Posts
0
July 1st, 2013 12:00
You would need to contact Alienware directly at 1-800-ALIENWARE, as you will not find the parts posted online for sale. Yes. That is a respectable increase. See this link:
Compare Intel® Products | Intel® Core™ i7-2820QM versus Intel® Core™ i7-2670QM Yes, that would work fine. As an FYI, GTX 675M is a rebranded GTX 580M so do not pay more for a 675M because it is technically the exact same video card and offers no advantage over 580M. If you can find a GTX 680M for an affordable price, the performance will be nearly 100% greater than 580M/675M. (Yes, that's almost double... not a typo.)
MrPudgey
16 Posts
0
July 1st, 2013 13:00
Thanks a lot this really has made me more confident in upgrading my computer. I found a gtx 680 for around £400 pounds and a cpu for around £100 which doesn't sound too bad for upgrading these components to such a high standard. :)
MrPudgey
16 Posts
0
July 1st, 2013 13:00
Yes thats probably why the gtx 680m is double in price, nearly £500 or $700
BJFox
2 Intern
•
763 Posts
0
July 1st, 2013 19:00
MrPudgey
16 Posts
0
July 3rd, 2013 05:00
After still researching I came across this thread. It states further down that m17xr3 is not compatable with the gtx 680m is this true ? en.community.dell.com/.../19472030.aspx
MrPudgey
16 Posts
0
July 3rd, 2013 06:00
After finding another thread it says I must download a new "A10 unlocked" bios for the re to recognise the 680m.
BJFox
2 Intern
•
763 Posts
0
July 3rd, 2013 08:00
That being said, a BIOS update may be of benefit regardless. The M17x R3 had some issues with the SATA3 ports dropping to SATA2 speeds. If you have SATA3 SSD installed, you may want to research the effect of the BIOS update before flashing. Whether the BIOS firmware update helps or exacerbates that I do not know since I am not an M17x R3 owner. If you are running a HDD it won't really matter, since they are typically slow and run at SATA2 speeds in most cases.
I would spend more time researching this and asking questions at Notebook Review Forums and/or Tech|Inferno from other M17x R3 owners. There are a bunch of them there and you will get more definitive answers from the folks who have already successfully done what you are wanting to do. I anticipate you will find more than one M17x R3 owner sporting the GTX 680M.
What Chris is stating in the thread you linked above is that Alienware has not validated the GTX 680M. That is totally different than "compatible" and he did not say it was incompatible. Alienware does not support a hardware configuration that they do not sell, but that does not mean it does not work perfectly. It means that they have not tested it and will not assist you if you have issues related to your modifications. Save your old parts, because you will need to reinstall them if a depot repair is ever necessary. If you are still under warranty, everything that came from the factory will still be covered. The aftermarket parts and any user-induced damage that might occur in association with them would not be.
MrPudgey
16 Posts
0
July 3rd, 2013 10:00
Also where should I enquire with dell to purchase a gtx 680m