Dell XPS M1710 - GeForce Go 7900 GTX 512 Mobile Gaming, Part 1

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• IntelUser2000 - Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - link

  quote:
  

  ---

  The installed DDR2 is actually rated at:
  
  3-3-3-9 DDR2-400
  4-4-4-12 DDR2-533
  5-5-5-15 DDR2-667
  
  It is running at 5-5-5-15 at present (not sure if the BIOS will allow me to change that). However, think in terms of latency.
  
  200 MHz base speed with 3 cycle latency = 15 ns
  266 MHz base speed with 4 cycle latency = 15 ns
  333 MHz base speed with 5 cycle latency = 15 ns
  
  Given that latencies are the same in all three cases, the added bandwidth ought to offer a slight performance increase. I would guess the difference is at best 2%, though, and often less than even that.

  ---

  
  
  At DDR2-667 it will be better because it can run synchronously with the FSB. Probably add another 2% :).

• Anemone - Sunday, April 23, 2006 - link

  However the 533 runs much cooler which could be an issue for some users.
  
  Personally I went with 2gb of 667, but do be aware that the stuff gets pretty toasty :)
  

• JarredWalton - Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - link

  Oh yeah, sorry about not including that information. Things slip through the crack now and then, but I've updated the spec table.

• spinportal - Thursday, April 20, 2006 - link

  Thanks for the explaination. I upgraded my laptop to DDR2-533 1GB for 63$ instead of DDR2-667 for 90$, which is almost 27% price differential for maybe 4% gain, so on the price-perfomance curve, it doesn't rate as a good buy.

• spinportal - Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - link

  Why hasn't anyone called Jarred on this? Why is the article linking to the M170 laptop for 1300$ and not putting the link to Dell's M1710 which is 2600$ starting?? Come on, stop with the bait & switch advertising.
  
  Also, I'm peeved with Dell as I got the E1710 with the Go 7800 GTX, and now, a month later, they pushing the ATi X1400 mobility! What a joke!
  
  Also, Dell didn't offer a CD replacement install disc for XP MCE for $10 at the time of my purchase. Dell won't renegotiate with me to extend that offer which is bad business. Corporate Greed and Penny Pinching at its FINEST!
  
  And Also, why is there DDR2 2GB Upgrade obnoxiously high at 300$? OCZ / NewEgg has a super deal for 1 GB DDR2-533 SODIMM PC-4200 for 73$ with 5$ S&H and a $9 rebate!
  
  Also, the E1705 had a promotional rebate period. I got $400 off mine, nearly 33%. Now with the M1710 there is nothing happening. I'll be damned if I paid stock price.
  
  Also, it'd be nice if Dell would think to offer an upgrade (reasonably priced) to replace the E1705 with a Go 7900 GTX graphix mini-board. It can't be that hard to manufacture a common board and PCI-e interconnects for all their laptops?
  
  In closing, Dell better wake up and offer a Merom upgrade path as well for all these new laptop lines for enthusiasts. Its long due that laptop upgrades, especially for DTR machines, are commonplace and easy for DIYers.

• Anemone - Sunday, April 23, 2006 - link

  The CD replacement disk, write to Dell and CC Microsoft support in the email. Microsoft doesn't need the rep that comes with this double dealing. They should send you the install CD without issue. A call to your Attorney General's office would further enforce the point. That disk is your ultimate proof of ownership if the hardrive goes south or the laptop gets destroyed. It is illegal in many states to deny you that.
  
  The 7900GTX doesn't fit the power spec of the 1705. There are ways around this, but they are not for the faint of heart :) Notebookforums.com has some pointers if you look around.
  
  Merom is pin compatible with Yonah (per Intel) and "should" (with some people out there having done it already) be a drop in replacement into a Yonah notebook (like the 1705 and 1710). Some risk of proprietary design issues is there, but likely with Dell being Intel's kid sister, you could expect they'd get it right. :)
  

• RogueSpear - Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - link

  I think it's fantastic that Intel is finally back in the game again, especially in the desktop arena. They never really did cede much in the portable market. Now if ATI could finally get something worthwhile for portable graphics. See this is what makes me smile. Good old fashioned competition. I think AMD has gotten a little too smug with themselves after 3 or 4 years total dominance, much like how Intel was around 3 years ago. As far as I'm concerned, all of the Intel vs. AMD and nVidia vs. ATI back and forths is fantastic. In the end it almost always results in progression of technology and increased performance. Oh yea, that's one hell of a laptop too :) I hope that I can stand to stick it out until we see a version of this laptop with Merom. If I'm going to spend 4 G's, may as well get 64-bit capability even if I don't take advantage of it right away.

• timmiser - Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - link

  With my M170, I am unsure how to update the Nvidia driver to the latest version on the Nvidia website. They have specific drivers for the 7800 GTX Go but they are not supported by Dell so when I try to install them, it won't let me.
  
  Is there a mod tool somewhere that will allow me to force the driver to be installed? Dell never updates their official video drivers so this is important.
  
  (I know for my old XPS with the Radeon 9800 I had the same problem but there was a mod tool available to get around this.)

• Anemone - Sunday, April 23, 2006 - link

  Video drivers (all versions to the latest) for M170/Gen2 and all similar:
  
  laptopvideo2go.com
  
  Should find more than enough there to guide you :)
  

• timmiser - Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - link

  Thanks for the link. :)