M17x-R2 + 6970M

[Brian]

I've got the 6970M inside the M17x-R2 right now and am typing from it. Unfortunately, the same problems that plagued Ichime are also present with the Dell 6970M, namely the lack of GPU bios fan control (it stays at a single speed) and thus needs hwinfo32 to spin it up. So for now, I'm taking stock benchmark runs (vantage, 3dmark 11, batman arkham asylum, metro2033). After that the GPU is going back in the R3. The results will be made available in the up coming R3 review. I'll post a teaser pic here for you guys in an hour or so.

[CptXabaras]

wow!

thank for trying this for us!

[Brian]

Some teaser pics now in the first post

[iloveb00bs]

i'm gonna try this out in the M15x soon too. btw brian where are you getting the 2920 from, thinking about getting one but too expensive atm.

[Michael]

yeah, i wanna get one too but just when they reach the 600-650$ mark.

[svl7]

Nice work!! I want to see such a beast in the M15x...

@CptXabaras: Let us know when you got the 2920xm, I'm really curious about whether TS works with this CPU.

[Brian]

i'm gonna try this out in the M15x soon too. btw brian where are you getting the 2920 from, thinking about getting one but too expensive atm.

yeah, i wanna get one too but just when they reach the 600-650$ mark.

Yup $600 is my price range, maybe lower and it will get there soon enough. I plan to get it from PC-Best-Buy again on eBay, he's pretty reliable.

[CptXabaras]

Nice work!! I want to see such a beast in the M15x...

@CptXabaras: Let us know when you got the 2920xm, I'm really curious about whether TS works with this CPU.

Hi svl7, i own an R-2, i'm getting the 920xm not the 2920xm

Sorry mate

[svl7]

Hi svl7, i own an R-2, i'm getting the 920xm not the 2920xm

Sorry mate

Haha, my bad, haven't seen the sig, only b00bs post, otherwise I would have noticed that it must be a mistake.

[Kongrad]

How do you think guys,will m17x R2 work with 6970m crossfire?Or 6970m eating more power then 5870m?

[Michael]

How do you think guys,will m17x R2 work with 6970m crossfire?Or 6970m eating more power then 5870m?

it will be covered thoroughly in the m17x-R3 review we're working on, however, i can tell you already that 6970 XF ain't gonna happen in a R2.

[daveh98]

Too bad on the CF 6970. With that, it will seem logical to stick with 5870 CF as it will give a bit better performance than 6970. With that, think the R2 will be able to play games until the next gen consoles hit with High detail settings? With all these new desktop and mobile GPU's...the 5870 looks pretty weak. 5870 CF seems like a midrange card today (desktop standards). Can that hold off for the next few years? Just got the R2 a few months ago:

i7 920xm, 5870CF and RGB. Couldnt pass it up for 2k from the outlet. But seems like I could have gotten an R3 with SB and 6970 for the same price:/

[StamatisX]

I would still get the R2, more room for overclocking, better screen, better quality

[mw86]

I'm not sure but I hope 6970m crosffire is possible and I thought 6970M uses less power than 5870m at full load?

[StamatisX]

The most serious problem i see with 6970M is the fact that it doesn't allow any increase in the voltage, so the overclockability of the card is limited to whatever clocks the stock voltage can support. Brian didn't have any luck with that so far.

[Guest ForZa_31]

Hi everyone !! First of all sorry for my bad english, sometimes I can't understand what you write even with google translate ^^

I would just like to know if games are fully playable with single 6970 on the r2. I read somewhere that there were many drivers issues.

I play quasi-exclusively Bad Company 2 and i'm forced to play with single 4870 so if the 6970 works fine in the R2 I'll kick out my CF as soon as I can

I'm expecting this review impatiently ^^

[mw86]

The most serious problem i see with 6970M is the fact that it doesn't allow any increase in the voltage, so the overclockability of the card is limited to whatever clocks the stock voltage can support. Brian didn't have any luck with that so far.

Is the inability of raising voltage from a voltage regulator with no higher volt settings available unlike 5870m's 1.05volt raises to a max of 1.15volt when adjusted. Or are there other voltages available and the problem becomes the vbios? Has anyone tried editing it VBIOS to a higher voltage?

[StamatisX]

no voltage at all

[Brian]

Is the inability of raising voltage from a voltage regulator with no higher volt settings available unlike 5870m's 1.05volt raises to a max of 1.15volt when adjusted. Or are there other voltages available and the problem becomes the vbios? Has anyone tried editing it VBIOS to a higher voltage?

Editing the voltage above default results in bsod as soon as windows tries to load corruption of the display driver. It simply doesn't work.

[DaneGRClose]

Does it not work in the R2, the R3, or all around? And do you think this may just be an issue of better support for the card on RBE?

[Brian]

5870M voltages can be adjusted. Might just need an updated version of RBE but reading up on the desktop barts, it seems only reference boards had the vddc chip on board to manipulate voltages via software. Anyway, I'm hoping it's just RBE and nothing else.

[mw86]

5870M voltages can be adjusted. Might just need an updated version of RBE but reading up on the desktop barts, it seems only reference boards had the vddc chip on board to manipulate voltages via software. Anyway, I'm hoping it's just RBE and nothing else.

To clarify you're hoping RBE to edit the 6970m's vbios will allow a voltage increase giving it real potential in its overclocks. That would be great if possibly this could be done for the R2+R3.

[mw86]

How bout your new Sapphire tool? That shows a voltage adjustment.

[iloveb00bs]

just manage to put a 6970 in an M15x and it works with no modding of any kind. woot!!!!

[Brian]

just manage to put a 6970 in an M15x and it works with no modding of any kind. woot!!!!

Do the fans work too? If so that will make it a viable alternative to an R3. Sure it's got older tech but it's build quality is light years better. Need more details, benchmarks, pics + divx.