My next GPU upgrade will be a DX11 capable chipset, so I'm paying close attention to this race.
I don't want either company crapping out. If they hit the ground running, throwing punches back and further, the progress should yield some incredible cards.
They will, yes. They'll be slightly faster than today's offerings as they're directly connected to the DRAM and the CPU, but it's still budget performance.
I have upgraded the CPU's of my notebooks many times in the past. I wonder if this integration will create any complication, especially if the notebook has a discreet GPU.
I've never upgraded the notebook CPU, but I've considered upgrading the GPU.
The problem with discrete notebook GPUs is that even if they're on a removable card, those cards are often manufacturer-specific. I looked into upgrade options for my Dell laptop, and the only choices were the two cards it was sold with (and I already had the faster one).
Wasn't there talk of a standardized mobile GPU card? I suppose that goes out the window as decent GPUs begin to be integrated with the CPU.
Yes Nvidia MXM is the industry standard (supposedly) but Dell uses their proprietary format. When I had bought my Vostro 1500 (same as Inspiron 1520) it had a GF8400M-GS card on it. I wanted to upgraded it with a GF8600M-GT which was available as an option. But at the time I was looking for the upgrade card, Dell only had the card available for Vostro1700. I knew that the motherboards of the two notebooks were very similar (if not the same). But the problem was that Dell was selling the cards with heatsinks attached. I took the risk and bought the card planning to swap the heatsinks. And it worked! They were indeed the same cards with different heatsinks attached. In most of the later models Dell started to solder the GPU on the motherboard.
10:1 says MXM modules get fabbed to make it easy on OEMs, but as laptops are built to very specific thermal profiles, no consumer will ever get their hands on a reasonably-priced GPU that's faster than what the notebook came with.
What is up with Nvidia? They are starting to remind me of creative. No 10.1 and now a wait for DX11. Your a video card company, stop screwing with Atom cpu's and get your act together.
Thrax
🐌Austin, TX Icrontian
Comments
My next GPU upgrade will be a DX11 capable chipset, so I'm paying close attention to this race.
I don't want either company crapping out. If they hit the ground running, throwing punches back and further, the progress should yield some incredible cards.
The problem with discrete notebook GPUs is that even if they're on a removable card, those cards are often manufacturer-specific. I looked into upgrade options for my Dell laptop, and the only choices were the two cards it was sold with (and I already had the faster one).
Wasn't there talk of a standardized mobile GPU card? I suppose that goes out the window as decent GPUs begin to be integrated with the CPU.